Lake St. Clair is not only a legendary fishing destination for professional anglers—it’s an adventure awaiting everyone.  During the final day of the most recent Bassmaster Tournament, most of the top 10 finalists could be found fishing near Anchor Bay, alongside locals and vacationers alike.

This northern area also serves as a central access where both the pros and amateur fishing enthusiasts from across the country stay, whether at vacation rentals with docks or at one of our local RV resorts at www.stclairrental.info .  All our fishing vacation rentals and RV parks are surrounded by many public access & DNR launch ramps - find maps, photos, & updates for lake, channels, and rivers.

If you were dining or staying on the northern shores of Lake St. Clair during the tournament, you likely noticed the professional rigs, their vehicles adorned with sponsor logos, or perhaps even shared a meal with a pro at a neighborhood eatery.  Our local vacation homes were booked up with pros and amateurs in town, along with our two Fair Haven RV Resorts.

Both Bouvier Bridge RV and Northpointe Shores RV hosted several pros....Northpointe Shores hosted the #5 winner and premier Angler Brandon Palaniuk, 38 years old, with winnings of over $2.2 million... and we now have a 3rd RV Resort for 2026 on the St. Clair River - Riverview RV Resort & Cottages.  RV Resorts around Lake St. Clair can be found here!

Bouvier Bridge RV Resort was lucky to host the WINNER of the 2025 Bassmaster event on Lake St. Clair!

Trey McKinney’s - Age 20! Record-Breaking Performance

The Bassmaster Tour first came to Lake St. Clair in August 1994, with Michigander Kim Stricker winning the event with a total of 61.15 pounds—averaging just over 15# per day. This year, the winner Trey McKinney took home the $100,000 grand prize with a record-breaking catch of 96.01 pounds, averaging 24 pounds per day—a new Lake St. Clair record.

Trey McKinney led the August 2025 Lake St. Clair tournament from beginning to end. This mark stands as the heaviest winning weight in Lake St. Clair Bassmaster history and the fifth heaviest in all B.A.S.S. Smallmouth events (behind 105# at the St. Lawrence River in 2023). At 20, McKinney is the youngest Bassmaster champion! And a 2-time Elite Series Champion!

Fishing Strategies and Conditions during 2025 Bassmaster Tournament:

As reported by Bassmaster, McKinney focused on areas with a mix of sand and short grass or taller vegetation, in depths ranging from 15-18 feet. He tracked bite windows and the behavioral patterns of smallmouth bass, noting they fed on the bottom in the early hours and rose higher in the water column as the sun climbed, making them easier to spot.

“They just see something and eat it,” he explained. “They spit up crawfish, perch, minnow—anything they can find. I wish I could figure it out. I think the bigger ones eat perch.”

Second Place 2025 Bassmaster: Logan Parks
Logan Parks achieved his best result to date, targeting grassy areas rich with perch using a variety of techniques. According to Bassmasters, for reaction bites, he employed a Berkley Stunna Jerkbait 112 modified with No. 7 Ryugi Pierce TC Treble hooks.  For finesse fishing, he used a drop shot rig with a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flatnose Minnow (watermelon perch color), a 2/0 hook, and a 3/8-ounce drop-shot weight.

Lake St. Clair’s Legacy in Competitive Fishing

Since 1994, Lake St. Clair has hosted fourteen professional-level Bassmaster events, including six Elite Series major events and an Angler of the Year Championship. Major League Fishing pros have been to Lake St. Clair in 2023 and 2024. The lake remains a premier destination for top anglers – pros & amateurs - and is sure to continue being a highlight on the competitive bass fishing circuit.

Since the time Bassmaster started ranking Best Bass Lakes in 2012, Lake St. Clair has consistently been in the Top 10 of the country – and has held the #1 spot several times.

Bassmasters is scheduled to return to Chesterfield’s Brandenburg Park on Lake St. Clair during 2027.