This is Artificial Lure with your Sunday October 12th, 2025 Lake Erie-Detroit morning fishing report.
It’s a brisk fall morning on the water, temps hovering in the upper 40s early and expected to peak in the mid-50s. The sunrise graced us at 7:36 AM, and sunset will be 6:57 PM—so plan your run and gun accordingly. The National Weather Service marks us with east winds at 10-15 knots, picking up through the day, with waves building to 2 to 4 feet by afternoon. If you’re heading out, especially off the Detroit River mouth or near the dumping grounds, keep a sharp eye and a steady hand on the tiller.
Tides aren’t a factor here, but with the wind stacking up from the east, you’ll want to work the leeward shores or tuck just inside the river channels for a calm drift.
Fishing action? The fall push is on. Reports from the Michigan Sportsman forum yesterday show perch were hitting hard at first light out at the dumping grounds—action was fast, but heavy sorting required. One group boxed 19 decent perch and even pulled a 26-inch bonus walleye before 11 AM. The other boats had similar numbers, and folks also put a few cats and the odd smallie in the mix. It’s a classic October grab-bag.
Detroit River shore anglers at Riverside Park Thursday night landed fall walleye after dark—slow rolling jigs tipped with minnows along current seams got the job done. Not hot and heavy, but the fish are there, and size has been solid, with a few kicking up into the high 20-inch range, according to the Thursday League recap posted on YouTube.
Lure selection is pretty standard for the season, but details matter now. For perch, nothing is outfishing live minnows on a spreader rig—keep those baits small and lively. Emerald shiners remain the gold standard if you can find them at the bait shops. Some old hands at the metro boat basin have been showing off homemade blade baits, and those hammered metal spoons can pick up bonus white bass when fished aggressively from shore. For walleye after dark, stick to ⅜ ounce jigs in chartreuse or orange, tipped with a big fathead or a soft plastic with a little twister tail action.
If you’re trolling or casting out on the deeper shoals, the hot crankbaits now are #7 Flicker Shads and Bandits in clown or perch pattern, run slow and close to bottom—especially as the water cools. Don’t overlook jigging raps or blade baits during midday lulls, as these vertical presentations can jump a neutral bite into gear.
Some hotspots to put on your short list today:
- The dumping grounds southeast of Grosse Ile for early-morning perch and mixed bags—get there before the sun fully crests for the best bite.
- Riverside Park shoreline for evening walleye, especially as that east wind sets up a nice current edge.
- The metro boat basin, where local knowledge lives and jigs meet the mud for the old reliable.
In short: brace against the wind, bring your rain gear just in case of a passing shower, and prepare for fall mixed-bag fishing at its finest. As always, be safe, share the water, and if you get into a pile of big fish—snap a quick pic and let us know for tomorrow’s report.
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