Detroit River
The walleye run March–May is the headline fishery; smallmouth bass and muskie also hold here through the warmer months. Vertical jigging is the dominant technique.
Fishing
in Amherstburg
strongBest season — March to May for the walleye run; year-round for shore access
The Detroit River walleye run peaks March through May, when fish move through the river's mouth at Amherstburg into Lake Erie's western basin. Vertical jigging is the dominant local technique, and the King's Navy Yard Park seawall is the main shore-access point — walleye, smallmouth bass, pike, and muskie all show up there. Charter coverage of the run is predominantly Michigan-side; the Ontario case rests on the water and the species rather than a deep local fleet.
CHILLY BUT CLEAR
Air Quality
26AQI
Temperature
H:17° L:2°C
Humidity
58%
Visibility
30.9 km
Wind
11.3 km/h
UV Index
2.45
Dress in layers; pack hydration
Fisheries Management Zone 19 governs the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, and Canadian Lake Erie waters. The relevant rule that catches out-of-town anglers: from shore on the Detroit River, only one line per angler is permitted (two lines are allowed only when fishing from a boat in open water). Warmouth, a sunfish, is endangered in Ontario and may not be caught or possessed under a recreational licence. The walleye peak is March through May; smallmouth bass and other species hold through the warmer months. Shore access at King's Navy Yard Park is open year-round — boat-based access is the cleanest way to fish the spring run, but Ontario-side Amherstburg-port walleye charters are limited.
02
Locations
King's Navy Yard Park shoreline
The seawall here is the main local shore-access point for walleye, smallmouth bass, pike, and muskie.
Big Creek (Lake Erie tributary)
Nearshore Lake Erie tributary fishery alongside the IBA wetlands.
River Canard
Bass, pike, and panfish along the slower waters of the River Canard west of Amherstburg.
Holiday Beach Conservation Area fishing pond
Small on-site pond inside the conservation area gates.
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Local rules
- 1
Detroit River and St. Clair River, fishing from shore: one fishing line per angler (two lines allowed only when angling from a boat in open water)
ontario.ca ↗ - 2
Warmouth (a sunfish) is endangered in Ontario and may not be caught or possessed under a recreational licence
ontario.ca ↗ - 3
Holiday Beach Conservation Area: $12 per vehicle, $5 walk-in or cyclist; open 6am–8pm daily, mid-April through Thanksgiving (relevant for the on-site fishing pond)
essexregionconservation.ca ↗