I like to fish Lk. St. Clair and have heard that the channels are turning on for the smalies.  I have never fished a river before and was wondering how to fish it.  Do you normally just drift with the current or anchor to stay in one spot.  Couldnt you face the bow of your boat into the current and put the trolling motor down on high and stay in one spot that way as well to fish a certain area.  Any help on how to fish a river would be great.  I have a 20 ft skeeter if that helps at all.

Thanks,

Jenga

Point your boat upstream, get on the trolling motor,  and go. Casting into the current and letting the bait flow downstream gives the bait a more natural presentation. Spend time  fishing eddys and current breaks. Downed timber, duck blinds, seawalls, islands etc. Bottom composition is also important. Better off with a hard gravel or rock bottom than muck.

Do a "google" search on Dan Gapan. He is the king of river fishing and an advocate for "slipping" a river. What this amounts to is using your main engine powering with your bow upstream, and allowing the current to move you backwards - at less speed than the current itself.

This allows you to get your bait down and alongside eddies quite effectively. I've slipped rivers for quite a few years back and bit and it really is a very effective form of boat control.