Stormy Seas and Smallmouth Beasts: A Lake Erie and Detroit River Fishing Update

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure coming at you with your Lake Erie and Detroit River fishing report for Wednesday, October 22nd.

Well folks, Mother Nature is throwing us a curveball today. The National Weather Service has a Small Craft Advisory in effect until tomorrow morning, with southwest winds hitting 20 to 30 knots and gusting up to 40. We're looking at waves building to 5 to 8 feet, and there's even a Gale Watch for this afternoon through evening. If you're thinking about heading out, especially in a smaller boat, you might want to reconsider or stick close to protected areas.

Now, let me tell you what's been happening out there when conditions were fishable. Just last week, the Tackle Shack tournament on Lake St. Clair saw Jonathan Brock and Christopher Martin pull in over 25 pounds of smallmouth, including a beautiful 6.60-pounder. They were working Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits in just 2 to 5 feet of water during that first golden hour.

Bill Mathews and Kris Iodice weren't far behind with nearly 24 pounds, using BAFA F8 jigheads with finesse swimbaits like the Crush City Mayor and 2.8-inch Keitech. They were fishing the south side of St. Clair in about 10 feet of water, and let me tell you, that spot was absolutely loaded with quality fish.

Over on the Detroit River, Mason Alverado and Mike Ganger landed the biggest smallmouth ever weighed in a Tackle Shack tournament – a monster 7.45-pounder caught on crankbaits. They were also working tubes in the current, finishing with a 5.5-pounder to round out their 20-pound bag.

For those of you who can brave today's conditions or are planning for calmer days ahead, here's what's working: A-rigs are absolutely crushing it right now, especially for those drifting around 10 feet. Crankbaits and tubes are your go-to in the Detroit River current. If you're working shallower water, don't overlook those Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits.

Hot spots to hit when conditions improve: the south side of Lake St. Clair has been producing consistently in that 10-foot range. On the Detroit River, target those current breaks where the big girls are staging.

With this weather system moving through, your best bet is waiting until Friday when things settle down. When you do get back out there, remember these fish are feeding heavily heading into late fall, so don't be afraid to throw bigger profiles.

Thanks for tuning in this morning. Be safe out there, and make sure to subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's report when hopefully we'll have calmer seas to talk about.

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