UTERFreshwater drum fishing in Lake Huron
In Lake Huron, freshwater drum peak May–September and are around May–October, spawning in June, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Crawler harnesses on the Saginaw Bay flats; lakers on the Thunder Bay reefs.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Freshwater drum in Lake Huron, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayPeakBay walleye trolling begins; lake trout shallow off Alpena. Crawler harnesses on the Saginaw Bay flats; lakers on the Thunder Bay reefs.
- JuneSpawningSmallmouth beds on Drummond and Les Cheneaux; St. Clair muskie opens. Tubes on the gravel for smallmouth; big bucktails on the St. Clair weed edges.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeakWalleye on the bay, lake trout deep, kings stage. Downriggers off Harrisville and Oscoda for kings and lakers.
- SeptemberPeakKings and Atlantics up the rivers; perch on the bay. Au Sable and Thunder Bay River runs; jumbo perch on Saginaw Bay's outer flats.
- OctoberAround
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish freshwater drum near Saginaw Bay, Bay City, Port Austin
Saginaw Bay — one of the great walleye and perch fisheries in the country — the rocky Thunder Bay and Drummond Island shoals for lake trout and smallmouth, the Au Sable and Rifle river runs, and Lake St. Clair, the shallow weedy world-class water for muskie and smallmouth between Huron and Erie.
Fish Scouter charts 324 lake, 86 reservoir spots in the Lake Huron & Lake St. Clair map area — the kinds freshwater drum hold on.
What to use for freshwater drum
- NightcrawlersWhole on a #6 to #2 hook under a bobber or on a bottom rig; threaded on a spinner harness drifted for walleye. The bait that catches everything in fresh water.
- CrayfishHooked through the tail on a #2 to 2/0 hook and dragged slowly along rock and gravel — the smallmouth bait, and good for catfish and walleye.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 45–86°F water, best at 62–78°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch freshwater drum in Lake Huron?
Peak season is May–September, with fish spawning in June (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Freshwater drum are in Lake Huron May–October.
Where do freshwater drum hold in Lake Huron?
Look on river, lake, fishing pier, bridge — around Saginaw Bay, Bay City, Port Austin, Oscoda, Alpena, Rogers City.
What is the best bait for freshwater drum in Lake Huron?
Live bait: nightcrawlers, crayfish. Nightcrawlers: Whole on a #6 to #2 hook under a bobber or on a bottom rig; threaded on a spinner harness drifted for walleye. The bait that catches everything in fresh water. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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