TRENTON, Mich. – It’s a bit ironic to say the upcoming Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine event is taking place on the Detroit River. Because, realistically, few anglers will be fishing the river. It’s going to be about running south to Lake Erie or north to Lake St. Clair, and one definitely should be better than the other. For this July 12 Michigan Division event, which is presented by Lew’s, anglers will launch in the river, and many will immediately need to decide which direction to leave in.
This year, BFL anglers benefit from an expanded slate of Regionals, which minimizes travel costs and provides more opportunities to qualify for the $120,000 BFL All-American while fishing familiar, closer-to-home waters. Click here to find out more.
What to expect
Choosing between Erie and St. Clair is like choosing between ice cream or cake – really, there’s no wrong choice. Just preference.
Yet, this time of year, one of the two tends to shine a little brighter.
“I’m an Erie guy, but even I will probably fish St. Clair for this event,” says local Michael Sitko. “It’s the place to be because it’s just always a major player this time of year.”
Around early July, the fish in Anchor Bay are coming off the spawn and putting on the feedbag, as are the fish on the Canadian side. Thus, anglers can simply cover as much water as possible, catching fish after fish until they find the right caliber. Sounds awful, right?
Now, that doesn’t mean the river or Erie are bad options either. There are always some solid resident fish in the river, and there will still be plenty of guys opting for Erie’s north side looking for the right big rocks. Because if they find them, what’s sitting on them could be bigger than what’s in St. Clair.
“This time of year, we get spoiled,” Sitko said. “Anglers can fish wherever they want and catch a lot of fish. It’s just about figuring out where those slightly bigger fish are hanging out.”
Baits to bring
Four baits – that’s all you need if you ask Sitko ahead of this event.
“You’ll want some tubes, drop-shots, spybaits and swimbaits,” Sitko said. “I’m sure some will go for a crankbait, but really, those four are all you need.
“Just cover as much water as you can until you’re catching the caliber of fish you’re wanting to see. Then slow down and upgrade.”
What will it take?
With how well St. Clair fishes in July, anyone bringing in less than 23 pounds more than likely has little shot at victory, and if you ask Sitko, he wouldn’t feel comfortable unless he broke 24 pounds.
“It took 23 pounds to win the last BFL at the end of June, and these fish are going to have a few weeks to eat and get little bit bigger for this event,” Sitko said.
Fishing 4 FREE!
Every Phoenix Bass Fishing League angler fishing the fourth event in each division will receive an Abu Garcia gift pack valued at $230 for boaters and $180 for co-anglers – a value that exceeds the entry fee. It’s like Fishing 4 FREE! Plus, participants will receive a code for 25% off an order at AbuGarcia.com. Sign up today at MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270) 252-1000 to take advantage of this incredible offer. Anglers will receive their gift box at the event.