Some of the reduction in average size is due to the changing environment -- clearer water, proliferating weedbeds and gobies for forage. It's not that the hogs aren't there. It's that anglers haven't caught up to their changing habits. Once the anglers learn to adjust to the new conditions and new fish movements, the story is likely to be different, very different.

When talking about big fish, it's important to keep in mind that everything is relative. Sacks referred to a time when most big tournaments averaged 5 pounds per fish. They now average closer to 4 pounds. That's smaller, no doubt about it, but it's nothing to turn your nose up at either. Smallie anglers across the country would die for a 4-pound average.

Nonetheless, Sacks points out that good catches of smallmouth bass can be had by anglers fishing any of several spots on massive Lake St. Clair. Early in the summer, his top choices are the mile road endings. They're a series of roads that run up to the lake and then drop off out into the water. The ones from Eight Mile Road to Sixteen Mile Road are the most productive. Start where they end at the water's edge. Work your way along, concentrating on 3 to 16 feet until you find active fish. Sacks doesn't think there's much difference in any of the road ends. More important than which one you fish is how you fish it. He strongly recommends anglers follow the roads out and fish both sides carefully and thoroughly at various depths. "That's the only way to be successful," he said with conviction.

Don't neglect the weedbeds along these old roads. They're a relatively new phenomenon and many anglers fail to appreciate their importance. At times the smallies will be found cruising around the outside edges, while at other times they're buried inside the thickest, heaviest weeds they can find. Either way, the fish are frequently there.

On the roads or in the weeds they'll hit all the usual weapons -- tubes, grubs, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits or deep-diving crankbaits. Choose lures that match the hatch. Those between 4 and 6 inches long in goby colors are top choices.

Early and late in the day or when it's overcast, give buzzbaits a shot. The fish don't see a lot of them, even during the height of tournament season. On most days, smaller sizes usually work best but don't fall into the trap of believing that smallmouths only bite small lures. That's just not true. They're predators. Sometimes larger bait will get their attention.

There are a number of long rocky points in the immediate area. Fish them if the bite is slow along the roads and weeds. They'll fish much like the roads, so use the same lures and the same tactics.

Later in the summer or if the weather is particularly hot, try the dropoffs and substrate irregularities around the main channel. Sacks recommends concentrating your fishing time up toward Lake Huron. Jigs, gold blade baits and goby-colored tubes are all successful.

Dennis Belz (586/286-3523) is another well-known local bass angler. He agrees with nearly all of what Sacks had to say about St. Clair. He emphasizes, however, that anglers need to understand that St. Clair is a different body of water than it was several years ago. Location is more important than any particular technique or "secret" lure.

"It's different," said Belz. "Clear water, lots of weeds. You've got to pay attention and adapt," is how he analyzes smallmouth bass fishing on Lake St. Clair.

A word of warning from Belz: keep your head up and stay oriented when fishing the Michigan waters of St. Clair. It's easy to get careless and end up in Canadian waters or perhaps Native American Reservation waters. This can be an expensive mistake, very expensive. Each area requires a special license. Some areas are better marked than others.