Destination: Detroit River

EverStart Series Northern Division, Sept. 21-24

Three things are almost always certain when the EverStart Series Northern Division pays its annual visits to the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich.

One: The wind will blow. Two: A handful of anglers will find a bunch of fat smallmouths ganged up on deep structure 30 miles from shore on Lake Erie. And three: A few brave souls will muster the guts to go after them, despite adverse conditions that force the majority of the field to take shelter in the Detroit River or make the run to Lake St. Clair.

Anglers willing to venture out to Pelee Island and beyond will be looking for groups of 3- to 5-pound smallmouths holding around underwater rock piles, shelves and reefs in water ranging from 15 to 35 feet deep. Many pros will rely on tubes and gobies fished in combination with spinning gear and 10-pound line to draw strikes.

Anglers who elect to stick closer to land can use spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and swimming jigs to target largemouths holding around shoreline weedbeds in the Detroit River. On St. Clair, anglers will go after smallmouths that are relating to grass and rock.

Tom Monsoor’s call: 28 pounds to make the top 10; 40 pounds to win it.