Late Season Action on Lake Erie Around Detroit

Wednesday, September 24, 2025—This is Artificial Lure coming to you with your Lake Erie fishing report, focused on the Detroit area.

We started the morning with a muggy feel but decent fishing weather. Early patchy clouds gave way to filtered sunshine, with sunrise at 7:07 AM and sunset at 7:20 PM. Temperatures rose to the low 70s by midday, and south winds picked up, running 10 to 15 mph. Wave heights stayed modest at 1 to 2 feet—very manageable for boat and shoreline anglers alike. The swim risk stayed low, making conditions pretty safe around piers and river mouths. Water temps hung right around 70, still perfectly prime for late-season action according to the National Weather Service Marine Forecast.

A cold front is expected to roll in later tonight through Thursday, so enjoy the day bite while it's hot and keep an eye on western skies for some scattered showers or an isolated thunderstorm. These conditions often trigger short bite windows, especially ahead of front shifts.

Fish activity is solid for late September. Locals and regulars are reporting strong numbers of yellow perch in the 8-11 inch range—most hitting near the bottom in 15-21 foot pockets off Grosse Ile and the Detroit River mouth. Walleye catches remain respectable, especially at dawn and dusk; several anglers landed five-fish stringers up to 24 inches working deep breaks off Stony Point and the Fermi Power Plant discharge. Smallmouth bass action is up, with reports of 3-4 pound bronzebacks smashing crayfish imitations near rocky points and the Zug Island channel edge.

Best baits right now are emerald shiners on perch rigs for panfish, with the perch bite strong on spreads tipped with fresh cutworm. For walleye, folks are seeing good success with purple or firetiger deep-diving crankbaits, as well as worm harnesses trolled slow and tight to the bottom. Smallies are hammering green pumpkin soft plastics, especially tubes and ned rigs, but a white spinnerbait burned by emergent rock structure gets aggressive strikes.

Don’t sleep on live crawlers or leeches for a mixed bag near weed edges. Channel cats and even the occasional pumpkinseed are picking live bait up in the afternoons. As always, make sure to check your bait restrictions and licensing if you’re crossing into Canadian water.

Hot spots worth your time today:
- The **Wyandotte shoreline** and Elizabeth Park launch area—plenty of easy shore access, with perch and small bass coming in steady.
- **Stony Point breakwall**—not only is the walleye bite picking up, but big smallmouth are cruising the dropoff all the way into the noon hour.
- The **mouth of the Detroit River by the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge**—right where migratory perch and occasional white bass are stacking.

Remember, Lake Erie’s water chemistry has seen big changes over the years as runoff from the old Black Swamp farmland spills nutrients into the basin, fueling algae blooms late in summer. So if you see green water or floating mats, shift to cleaner main lake pockets and rocky shoals for best luck. Climate change continues to tweak patterns, but the traditional fall run is holding up for now according to the latest Great Lakes–Climate Impacts Report.

A reminder: strong thunderstorms aren’t expected until late tonight, but pay attention to the wind—Lake Erie weather changes fast. Early fall is prime time, so keep gear ready and fish responsibly.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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