# St Clair rookie. Looking for help.



## Shawn8206 (Apr 21, 2016)

Myself and BWise would like to plan a trip to St Clair this year. We have watched videos and read but still need the OGF help. 

We are looking for when and where to go on St Clair. We have never been there but want to catch some smallmouth. We have been to Erie the last couple of years but looking to try something different this year.

Next Lodging advise. We will be hauling a boat up and would like to stay somewhere cheap but decent. Have stayed at Hotels before but all ways worried about the boat in the parking lots. And what is the best ramp to launch out of. 

Any help would be great. And if we are at the lake the same time you are we would love to buy you a beer and talk about what we are catching.


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

We always stayed at the hotel across from famous Dave's BBQ in Roseville, MI. I can't remember the name of the ramp, but it wasn't far and you had to pay a fee. You drooped your boat, then walked what seemed like a mile back after you parked outside of the gate.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Loo


Shawn8206 said:


> Myself and BWise would like to plan a trip to St Clair this year. We have watched videos and read but still need the OGF help.
> 
> We are looking for when and where to go on St Clair. We have never been there but want to catch some smallmouth. We have been to Erie the last couple of years but looking to try something different this year.
> 
> ...


Keep up the thread lake st clair 1st thru 8th


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

beaver said:


> We always stayed at the hotel across from famous Dave's BBQ in Roseville, MI. I can't remember the name of the ramp, but it wasn't far and you had to pay a fee. You drooped your boat, then walked what seemed like a mile back after you parked outside of the gate.


Sounds like 9 mile ramp. Walk sucks after a long day on the water.
May is my favorite time but have wanted to go earlier. 
Can't help you with hotels.we have had bad experiences at all we stated at near the mile roads. 
If you guys wait till mid summer to go I'd suggest the st.clair river! We have had good experiences lodging up in algonac an marine city. An if the smallies are not in the river yet it's a short drive down to the bay and metro beach area.....


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Shawn8206 said:


> Myself and BWise would like to plan a trip to St Clair this year. We have watched videos and read but still need the OGF help.
> 
> We are looking for when and where to go on St Clair. We have never been there but want to catch some smallmouth. We have been to Erie the last couple of years but looking to try something different this year.
> 
> ...


See next thread down


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

Yes that's it, 9 mile ramp. It was never real busy, which was nice, but the walk sucked. Especially after 16 hours on the water. 

The only issue we ever had with the hotel (it was a days Inn or comfort Inn I believe) was that one time out bath tub faucet broke. It took about 10 minutes and they had us in another room just a couple doors down. I felt that they treated us the best they could given the circumstances. They also cut us a break on the bill for inconvenience. 

The funniest story I have from there (but there are a lot) was at the 9 mile ramp. We just loaded and was heading back out when we noticed an elderly man walking. We stopped to offer him a ride since we were going the same way. He didn't say yes, or thanks, or no thanks. He proceeded to chew our rears up one side and down the other because we were in a Toyota tundra. Apparently he felt that people like us was the reason for Detroit being the shape it is. We just laughed and drove off.


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## Shawn8206 (Apr 21, 2016)

Well not looking forward to 9 mile ramp because im the one who will have to make the walk both times while BWise sits in the boat and relaxes and reads OGF.


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## Bwise (Sep 20, 2014)

Shawn8206 said:


> Well not looking forward to 9 mile ramp because im the one who will have to make the walk both times while BWise sits in the boat and relaxes and reads OGF.


Sounds like the perfect place to me!!


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

Shawn8206 said:


> Well not looking forward to 9 mile ramp because im the one who will have to make the walk both times while BWise sits in the boat and relaxes and reads OGF.


Better watch it or he will be out smashing smallies by the time you get back. I'd take the keys to the boat just in case. Haha


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## Pike (Apr 7, 2004)

Red Roof Inn in Roseville, is cheap and relatively clean. I have stayed there a couple of times. If you want to fish Anchor Bay, Metro Beach Ramp and the Selfridge Ramp are both easy.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Man I wish I could remember which ones we used. I wanna say the red roof in Roseville was one.
The first year it was great an seemed clean. The second year very crowded rooms not as clean but tolerable due to price. Third year civgerette burns in through the boat cover from customers using balcony to smoke they reimbursed us some money for that. 4th year confirmed cockroach sighting.and evacuated at two am due to a small(harmless fire) but had to deal with 5/6 drunks in the parking lot running there mouths.
An each yeAr the rooms got a little dirtier.
There is one on 9 mile between a couple car dealerships one a Cadillac dealer. We like it other then parking was a nightmare at times. But more often then not could park and leave the boat hooked an has electric ... but after a couple years they started renting monthly an eventually ran out of the rooms we requested.
Once stayed at a red roof on 94 and 29 AWFULL!!!!!
I think the best way to go is finding a house or cabin for rent. Split between a party usually not that bad. Oh also the town of algonac has great campgrounds some "river front" devided by 29.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Also beware.... not sure why or how this has happened but it has happened 4 times in 12 or so years,more up north at the ramps on the river. But we have found that the receiver for are trailer hitch had been unscrewed leaving the trailer just lying on the hitch not attatched.
And each time was when we're up in September at the start of college football season. So it's a habit of area now to check that every time we load/un-load , hook/un-hook the boat


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Also beware.... not sure why or how this has happened but it has happened 4 times in 12 or so years,more up north at the ramps on the river. But we have found that the receiver for are trailer hitch had been unscrewed leaving the trailer just lying on the hitch not attatched.
> And each time was when we're up in September at the start of college football season. So it's a habit of area now to check that every time we load/un-load , hook/un-hook the boat


What the hell...why would someone do that


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Saugeye Tom said:


> What the hell...why would someone do that


Probably the duck hunters! Lol!


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

polebender said:


> Probably the duck hunters! Lol!


lol damn purists.....


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## WestCentralOhio (Mar 18, 2012)

I'd like to take a trip up to Lake St Clair this year and hire a charter to take us trolling for Muskie. Any suggestions on captains and time of year for best results? I've never been on a trolling charter before so not real sure what to expect.
Should we look at launching from the USA or Canada?


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

MIKE HULBERT
http://mikehulbert.com/



WestCentralOhio said:


> I'd like to take a trip up to Lake St Clair this year and hire a charter to take us trolling for Muskie. Any suggestions on captains and time of year for best results? I've never been on a trolling charter before so not real sure what to expect.
> Should we look at launching from the USA or Canada?


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## Buckeyeguyty93 (Jun 10, 2013)

hulbert won't troll though cast only 


NewbreedFishing said:


> MIKE HULBERT
> http://mikehulbert.com/


bert


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## kx36594 (Feb 6, 2010)

Second that hulbert is strictly casting...I'm fishing with him July 21....Spencer Berman is a good contact for trolling....


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## WestCentralOhio (Mar 18, 2012)

OK thanks for the info


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Do your research,there's quite a few options. U can go big fish hunting or go troll for #'s. There's a couple really good guides up there.
I always wanted to jig bondy baits with Jon bondy


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## Bassthumb (Aug 22, 2008)

Muskys are shallow real early. We landed 10 in 39 degree water one day in anchor bay last year. They eat the blade baits just like the smallies do


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