Lake St. Clair in Springtime

by Howard "Junior" Jackson
March 10, 2009

This lake is clear and cold this time of year.  The fish are on the move from deep holding ground to shallow warm flats.

They are hungry and looking to eat, so they are aggressive at this time.

The type of bait I would use is jerk baits (soft or hard).  Fluks or jerk shads are good soft options and Lucky Craft or Rapala if you prefer a hard option.  With that being said lets talk about how & what equipment to use.

So let’s talk equipment.  I prefer to use a long bait casting rod when throwing hard bait and when using soft baits I would use a long spinning rod.  The long rods will give me the casting distance I need in clear waters.  

Another good option this time of year is a sinko in a 4-5 inch (natural color such as green pumpkin or watermelon).  Fish these baits wacky style or texasriged weightless. The texasrig helps you get thru the grass snag free.  

The type of fishing line I prefer to use is fluorocarbon, 10 – 17# test.  This line has little or no stretch and sinks faster than monofilament to help keep the bait down because it sinks.

The color of the baits are really a personal preference or dependant upon the type of bait fish (perch, shad or sunfish) that is available.

Now that we have discussed the baits / equipment, let’s talk about when and where is the time to use each of them.  

Let’s start with soft jerk baits. I like to use these when the fish are extremely shallow (5 ft or less) and water is clear.  You can see the bait better in these conditions.  

The hard jerk baits.  I like to use when fish are in deeper waters (5-10 ft), works really well especially over weed beds.

The fluke is a soft jerk bait.  You can rig this bait 2 ways – both are weight less texasrigs.  One is rigged with the point of the hook exposed and the other is with the point of the hook pushed under the skin of the bait.  The fluke can also be used with a weight like a nail pushed into the nose of it.  The larger the weight the faster it falls.

The texasrigs work best in and around weeds it comes through the weeds a lot better.  When it gets caught on weeds, jerk it off.  You should get a bite or hit at that point.  If not let it settle back down to bottom and jerk again.  Keep this up all the way back to the boat.  Each time you throw it out and work it back to boat use different speeds till you find how they want it.

With the hook exposed don’t let it get to the bottom or into the weeds.  Keep it on top or just under the water.  Jerk or twitch it at different speeds.  Remember to pay attention to what you are doing.  So when the fish hit, then you can do it over & over again.

Now, let’s talk about hard jerk baits.  Work this the same as the open hook fluke.

Because the weeds will get caught on the lip and hook.  Once weeds get on it you lose the action and you will not get bites.

This way you work at just above the weeds and you can control your depth by using different line size.  The smaller the line diameter, the deeper it will go. The size of lip will also dictate how deep it will go.  Try different jerk patterns (faster, slower, longer w/pause, slower w/pause) with this bait.  

Now that we have went over these little tricks. Let’s talk about the sinko.  This bait is very easy to use.  It is a lot like the fluke.  But action comes from just how it falls.  Don’t move it much just let it set there.  Pull it  2 or 3 times.  Reel it in.

Throw it out to the edge of weeds or rocks or bottom of sea wall docks/poles. 

I like to use it wacky style.  To rig it – hook it right in the middle of the egg sacks and watch it fall.

You can rig this bait texasrig to work in and around grass.  Or use a small 1/16 or 1/8 oz. slip sinker  to keep the nose of your bait down.  Like I said before just keep an eye on your line.  Because you will generally not feel the bite.  With the sinko I like to use 10 or 12 lb. test fluorocarbon line.

Let’s talk about the spawn – bedding fish.  If you are going to bed fish, remember to put these fish back as fast as possible.  When you bed fish you have to find the sweet spot.  Just keep working the bed till the fish reacts to the bait.  Then keep putting it back into that same spot, when the fish picks the bait up to move it, set the hook.

The best bait to use when bed fishing is a tube in natural colors that you can see. 

When you throw the tube out, throw past the bed and work it back to the bed.  This is so you do not spook the fish.

The tube can be 2 ½” to 6”.  This is something you have to play with.

If you can’t get the fish to bite a tube, try a craw or a lizard.  Bass eat craws and hate lizards.  It will try to kill the lizard.

Fish all these baits with the smallest weight as possible.

You can also use a jig and pig as well.  Also in natural colors.  Jigs flare out like a crawfish.

If you know the beds are there but you can not see them, slow down and work this area and then move a boat length or two and work that area, trying to drag the bait thru bed.

This takes a lot more work and less fish, but can pay off “BIG”.

These fish are our future.  So, remember to take care of them.

Howard Jackson