Detroit River/HELP!!!

[Lund Angler/Mark]

Anyone have any suggestion's on where to start my day,of course looking for Walleye.I've got a tourny coming up, and have never been there.Anyone, with a few pointer's is a welcome to me.

[JohnP]

A good plsce to start would be at the Edison plant (two candy-cane striped smoke stacks), down river in the Gibraltar-Trenton, Michigan area. There's a good launch either at Elizabeth Park in Trenton or Metro Park in Gibraltar. Mid-March is when the hogs usually start. There's also many good spots farther north in Wyandotte, Ecorse and all the way up to the Ambassador Bridge.
JohnP

[Dan(MI)]

Bring plenty of jigs from 3/8 to 3/4 oz depending on current. Watch for clear or muddy water. Clearer water is better for jigging there. The trenton channel will eat alot of jigs.

[Pauleye]

The advise of where to start is good. However no one mentioned that you need a GOOD (read navigation) map of the river. If the map says low area and/or rocks they are there. Then water is low and very dangerous if you don't pay attention. Also the current is fast and unrelenting. Can it be fished? Yes, There are lots of big walleyes in the spring, but not for the inexperienced. In the latest in-fisherman there are some guides listed. You might check one of them out.

BE CAREFUL

PS: you also have to deal with 500-1000ft long frieghters in the main shipping channel.

[perchjerker]

The main shipping channel is the Livingston Channel.Most people dont fish there I know of. That is to the east, the Trenton Channel is the hot spot. One thing I didnt see mentioned is boat control. You need to control your boat in a manner to keep your jig vertical. Normally that means a good electric or a kicker. In the trenton channel, the bottom is made up of concrete chunks that were dumped there while they were rebuilding the roads years ago. The walleyes love all the nooks and crannies provide to spawn and hide in to ambush the bait. And an 8 mph current, plus about 2000 boats can make things tough. Another thing: please dont try anchoring in the crowd! You can always spot a newbie doing this and it wrecks it for everyone who is drifting and trying to hover to keep vertical. And your anchor will get snagged, too. People kind of move as a pack all together and it works fine until you run into someone who is trying to anchor. What I would do if I was you is start by getting away from the crowd at first and get your program down. Besides, a lot of times you do just as well away from the crowds.

[Pauleye]

Sent me a seperate Email with you address. 90% of the people who fish the river fish 2% of it. There are many other spots. Email me if you are interested.
Pjones7552@hotmail.com

[rangerpat]

Hey Pauleye, your email isn't working, What's up perchjerker, I am foaming at the mouth to go fishing!!!! Thanks Pat the carp slayer!!!

[perchjerker]

Sorry I didnt get back to you, I will in a bit, Pat

[Steve]

I agree with the post that only 2% of the river is fished. Almost everywhere is good. I will normally put in at either Lake Erie and fish below Edison in the morning, not with the pack, and can usually count on picking up anywhere from 2-3 fish that are decent.

You can move up and fish the plane in Wyandotte. There is a warm water discharge there, a little tough to pick out, but we picked up a 13# and 2 9# fish there last spring (all still swimming). We will then move up and fish Great Lakes Steel, and go on and fish from the Medusa down to the Joe. That's a good run too.

Never fished the Canadian side, but some people swear by it. Every time I have gone, there is too much mud and I just stay on the American side.

Good luck, there are alot of fish to be had.

[Lund AnglerMJ]

It's been a long weekend,after a close friend's funeral I've had it. I thank you all for the post's to me and wish you all the best year you ever had. Thank's to Steve,Dan,John,Pearchjerker,and Pauleye. Your word's are a welcome diversion to my sorrow.I've been to just one too many close friend's funeral's.This one really hurt.Bigtime.41 is just too dang young.Been workin at the same place-W'ell miss him.