Former Lions center and avid fisherman Frank Ragnow recommends the best lake to fish in Michigan
Detroit Lions former center Frank Ragnow has a go-to fishing spot. The avid outdoorsman says one Michigan lake stands above the rest, and it’s a lot closer to home than people realize.
On Friday, we got a chance to talk to former Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow at his fourth annual Rags Remembered skeet shoot event.
We talked about his retirement and his attempted comeback during the 2025 season, as well as some other Lions-related topics, but we also got a chance to talk some outdoorsman-type stuff with him. Ragnow is a big-time fisherman, as we know, so we asked him where the best place to fish in Michigan is, and he gave us his recommendations.
Lake St. Clair is Ragnow-approved
“Lake” St. Clair, in general, is one of the {best places}, like, they hold multiple fishing tournaments every year. It’s one of the most premier fishing waters in the world.” Ragnow said. “I feel like a lot of people in Detroit don’t even understand how good of a fishery it is. So, and there’s multiple public accesses and docks and stuff to fish. It’s a really, really cool spot.”
When a guy like Frank Ragnow tells you to check out Lake St. Clair, you probably just go ahead and do it. And honestly, it’s not hard to see why. This isn’t just some random body of water—it’s one of the best fisheries in the entire country, as Ragnow said. Especially if you’re into smallmouth bass. The water’s relatively shallow, it warms up quicker, and it just consistently produces. You can be out there at sunrise with glassy water, the Detroit skyline off in the distance, and it feels like one of those spots that somehow still hasn’t gotten the national hype it probably deserves. Whether you’re casting for bass, chasing perch, or just out there to clear your head, it’s got that perfect mix of peace and “something might hit on the next cast” energy.
In addition to bass and perch, Ragnow says you can also pull some musky, walleye, northern, and more. So if you’re looking to do some fishing this year and you haven’t done it on Lake St. Clair yet, do it this summer. As someone who lives close to this particular lake, I can tell you it’s beautiful and worth checking out.
Detroit Lions News