Sondra Rankin's Blogspot
Detroit River, D-Town!!! You Rock!
Sondra Rankin

I am so happy to say I fished Lake St. Clair for two days. Two phenomenal days of fishing that I will hold dear to my memory for a very long time. Let me begin.

Taking off from the south end of the Detroit River, north of the bridge bordering Lake Erie, we sit in anticipation as the tour director is calling off our boat numbers. This is my first day on the water as once again, I was unable to practice. The winds were blowing early morning which says nothing but a LONG boat ride on these northern waters. I waited for boat 163 to be called.

I fished with David Walker, BP Pro and renowned fisherman, day one. We made the long journey north to the most beautiful Canadian lake and friends, I will just say, I held on. The waves were higher than the boat on each side as we passed through the narrow waters in front of Detroit City. Thank heaven I was in a Ranger!

My main focus for this fabulous smallmouth fishery was going to be finesse, all the way. I had a drop shot rigged up as my number one bait, a jighead tube, and a fluke. Within moments of our first stop we both had fish in the boat. Let me tell you. I've caught smallmouth on Lake Champlain in NY, I've caught smallmouth on my home waters here on KY Lake, but there is NO smallmouth on the planet that is as mean as the ones there on Lake St. Claire. Even the smallest of bass fight until the end. There were times I thought I'd hooked up on a three pounder only to find it was 13 inches! They were hungry, they were violent, and catching these fish was the most fun I've had on the water all year! Hands down! Fish Canada!

Primarily, we were fishing grass in six to 10 feet of water. I fished with spinning tackle; 7ft. Medium/Hvy Fenwick Rod, Abu Garcia Cardinal 804 Series Reel, 8lb Test Trilene Fluorocarbon (virtually invisible and super strong), 1/2 ounce pencil drop shot weight, and a tiny number 2 drop shot hook. I left my lead about 6-10 inches. I threw mostly a GULP! Gobe and GULP! three inch minnow, however, my biggest fish came on the GULP! Finesse worm. I also caught fish with the same rig throwing a 1/2 ounce jig head weight dragging a Berkley Power Tube in the color Green Pumpkin. Another bait that seemed to work for me during the two days of the tournament was rigging my drop shot with a GULP! Jerk Shad, in smelt. I made the comment on stage that if "you don't have any Berkley GULP! on your boat on these waters, you really have no business being out there!"... I mean that! Any color, any size, any presentation...Fish Eat It!

The second day of the tournament I fished with legendary, fellow Chevy Pro Team member, David Fritts. We also made the journey to Lake St. Clair, but wow! I was able to fish with DAVID FRITTS!!!! And even better, I caught fish behind him!! 14 plus lbs. of fish behind him! I was able to fish exactly in the same fashion as I did with David Walker on day one. But, day two paid off in weight for me a little better. Day one brought me a little over 10 lbs.....no kicker fish. Day two, I had one decent smallmouth and the rest were very nice keepers. I culled all day. Phenomenal! The only unfortunate thing about this event, for me anyway, was EVERYBODY caught fish... I ended up in 51st. Good for a $900 check! I'll take it!

In all, I have absolute love and respect for these gorgeous northern waters. The danger is there but the rewards of this fishery make it worth the risk. I was so lucky to be in Rangers both days of the event. I knew there was no way my boat would sink, no matter how much water we took on! Believe me, a boat sank on Erie...it was not a Ranger. Boats were cracking and breaking... These waters don't play... But the Smallmouth Bass sure do!

Friends, we fish because we want to. We fish because we can. We fish because we hate being outsmarted.

I love all of you! Come see me at the FLW Championship the first week of August in Hot Springs, AK!!! Please support our Pro Angers! I'll be at the Chevy Booth!

Fish Hard.

With love,

Sondra Rankin
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