BankFisherman Loc: Southeast Michigan

I have a question. I'm new here and I don't have a boat. What are the chances of me catching walleye in the Detroit River from the shore? I usually catch a lot of silver bass in the month of may but it would be nice if I could catch a few walleye this year.

Jeremy Loc: America

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

Welcome to the forum BF. I can’t help with your question but hopefully someone from your area will be able to help also check with local tackle shops or your state fish and game. I get a wealth of information that way. Thanks for the great picture. I hope next one will have a 10# walleye in it.🎣🎣😁

BankFisherman Loc: Southeast Michigan

Thanks for the input. I'll check out the Tackle Shop across from Lake Erie Metropark. That's a pretty popular one. Hopefully they can help me out. The fish in the photo was a 19 inch largemouth bass that I caught back in the summer in the canal at Elizabeth Park. I just started getting into bass fishing last year using soft plastic baits so I was pretty excited when I caught that one. Thanks again.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

My BIL is headed down there next weekend to join some buddies via a boat (and they always do very well), so the action should be heating up. I think you could do OK from shore if you pick the right location where you are able to fling a jig out there with a good looking paddle tail "sassy shad" on it. Just get it down to the bottom quick for the sweep along your fishing zone after the cast.

The guys in the boats are drifting so the jig can bounce along more vertically, but you should still give it a try from the banks even though you will be stationary.

I drove over the Zilwaukee Bridge in Saginaw, MI a few days ago, and boats were lined up and downstream for as far as the eye could see. The Spring walleye gig is definitely happening!

BankFisherman Loc: Southeast Michigan

Thanks,....I'll definitely give it a try from the shore in about a week. I've got a couple walleye baits I'm going to try but I might pick up some "sassy shad" lures too. Looking forward to fishing season starting up soon! Thanks for the info.

NJ219bands Loc: New Jersey

Nice one ☝️

BankFisherman Loc: Southeast Michigan

Nice catch!! That one must have took awhile to reel in.

Lablover Loc: Michigan

BankFisherman, lots and lots of bottom snags around Trenton and the boats r jigging just off bottom so I’m not sure how well u will be able to cast and retrieve without constantly losing lures / jigs. I have‘t seen many people fishing from shore along there but definitely worth a try. Lots of fish in there at the right time.

If u can determine the correct depth, maybe fishing a slip bobber would work???

BankFisherman Loc: Southeast Michigan

That's what I was wondering. With the river current and fishing from shore that could cause me some problems. The slip bobber might be worth a try. I've been watching a guy on You Tube (BUCK FISHES) that fishes on the Canada side across from Detroit and does really good during walleye season. He probably doesn't have to deal with a lot of snags up that way. Anyways thanks for the info.

rstringer Loc: Michigan

I hear walleye are already being caught in the Trenton area. I hope to get to the pier at the Detroit River Wildlife Refuge. Have not heard anything but I imagine they're being caught all along the Detroit River from Wyandotte east to Belle Isle. Walleye typically fade out in late April to early May when the silver bass take over.

Last year I was in Trenton one weekend and everyone was catching walleye. Next weekend, nothing but silvers.

From shore, silvers are definitely more plentiful and easier to catch.

I may be in Trenton, hopefully the 30th or 31st. I'll be sure to report back.

If you like catfish, Macomb next to the DTE plant is always a great spot.

Good Luck

TimHall Loc: Detroit, Mi; Mayville, NY

i have not seen a lot of walleyes caught from the shore on the detroit side. i have tried some of the spots but not thoroughly. belle isle would seem to be worth a try. i usually go in a boat and we catch plenty. the best shore fishing i see done is by canadians in windsor. they're always catching them. one is a fb friend of mine aiham alyoubi. check him out. another, also on fb, is buck fishes. he too gets a lot. there is a walleye group for detroit river that anyone can join, but recently questions were raised there about shore fishing and nobody who had yet commented had any detailed suggestions, just back of the post office and behind what was the joe louis arena. there is another canadian, domenico quattrochiochi, who was running a facebook group for shore fishermen but i don't know if it continues. there is a pier on the river just south of elizabeth park that was installed a couple of years ago and it reaches well out to the edge of the drop-off just south of one of the best (reachable only by boat) silver (white) bass spots that i know of. that pier would be a reasonable spot to try for walleyes. it is ten miles south of detroit on jefferson ave, beyond trenton but north of gibraltar. you will be able to see its signs on jefferson.

other spots includ just north of the belle isle bridge on the detroit shore (i used to hear about this), anywhere along the riverwalk if they don't have laws against it, at the foot of west grand blvd, at ft. dearborn, in the river rouge park just south of the inactive electric plant, at the foot of southfield road, and some possible spots along the wyandotte riverfront and even in trenton. elizabeth park in trenton offers a long fishable shoreline but i never hear of walleyes being caught there, yet it fills up with people for the silver bass run in may and june (i mean hundreds of people -- and the chinese are the most successful; i think i know their secret but i am not telling!). that is a fun afternoon because people of all backgrounds and countries of origin are having fun and making their livings at the same time!

if you find good shore walleye fishing in the detroit area, please post. we have many boat fisherpeople, but need knowledge about the shore fishing. i especially need it as my wife loves to fish but is scared of boats.

BankFisherman Loc: Southeast Michigan

Thanks for the info. I might get out there this week sometime. Next week for sure. If I have any luck I'll be sure to post.

BankFisherman Loc: Southeast Michigan

TimHall, Thanks for all the information. I might try the end of the pier at the wildlife refuge if it's not too crowded. That can get really filled up in the spring. I might also try around Elizabeth Park. I always do good with the silver bass there in May. If I find any good spots from the bank I'll be sure to post. I didn't really get serious about fishing until last year (except for the silver bass in may). I started using soft plastics last year and enjoyed catching some small and largemouth bass. Before that I would just fish with night crawlers and catch whatever would bite. I know all of you out there are probably Pro's. I appreciate all the advice from everyone.

The Outcast Loc: NE Michigan

BF,
no pros here, just avid anglers who may have a bit more experience.. where ever you end up, and whatever you catch, enjoy. Speaking for myself, fishing is a trial of errors, and I learned not todo the wrong thing at the wrong place at the wrong time. Main thing is to enjoy the trip! Good luck!