Lighthouse Cove – Lake St. Clair

About this water

A well-known fall charter hub where the Thames River meets Lake St. Clair, with sheltered water when the main lake is blown out.

Sheltered cove on Lake St. Clair's Canadian shore at the mouth of the Thames. Shallow with moderate current near the river. FMZ 19.

FMZ 19 regulations — Lake Erie

The Canadian waters of Lake Erie — the shallowest and most productive Great Lake — together with Lake St. Clair and the Detroit, St. Clair and Upper Niagara Rivers. It is not the Lake Ontario zone.

• Walleye: open all year on Erie; S-4/C-2 – 46 cm min (varies by area, check).
• Yellow perch: open all year; S-50/C-25 (Erie).
• Muskie (St. Clair): 3rd Sat in June – Dec 15; 137 cm min, S-1/C-0.
• Smallmouth bass: last Sat in June – Dec 15 on Erie; S-6/C-2.

Zone check: FMZ 19 set by review — Great Lakes water body: access point on Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair or a connecting channel. Coordinate falls on the land side of the mapped boundary, so the zone is set from the water actually fished. Reviewed 2026-08-12.

Summary only — always confirm current seasons and limits on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 19 page before your trip.

Seasonal availability

Open-season windows for the species found at Lighthouse Cove – Lake St. Clair, taken from the FMZ 19 regulation summary. Green months are within a published open season — they are not a prediction of how well fish will bite.

Summary only, and seasons change annually. Confirm dates on the Ontario MNRF FMZ 19 page before your trip.

Fishing tips

• Erie perch stack tight to structure — bottom rigs with emerald shiners produce.
• St. Clair muskie sight-fishing shines in the shallow south basin all summer.
• Fall walleye stage near the river mouth as water cools — troll crankbaits along the channel edge in 8–14 ft.
• Access: Public lot at the launch.

Gear setup

Setup:

Medium spinning for walleye and perch

Rod:

7' medium spinning rod

Reel:

Size 2500–3000 spinning reel

Line:

10 lb braid with 10 lb fluorocarbon leader

Best bait:

Minnows, Worms

Best lures:

Jig & minnow, Worm harness, Blade bait, Crankbait