Michigan · Lake

Lake St. Clair

Is the fish you caught here safe to eat? Below is every consumption advisory on file for Lake St. Clair, by species and size, in plain English — plus what's legal to keep.

18 species with advisories · contaminants: Dioxins, Mercury, PCBs, PFOS

Michigan also has statewide guidance

Michigan publishes rules that apply to lakes across the state — 34 recommendations covering 15 species — in addition to anything listed for Lake St. Clair below.

Strictest statewide rule: Common Carp — For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: do not eat due to elevated PCB.

See all Michigan statewide guidance →

What's safe to eat from Lake St. Clair

Black Crappie

Mercury

Size	Who	Guidance
Under 9"	General population	Limit to two meals per week due to elevated Mercury.
Under 9"	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to two meals per week due to elevated Mercury.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Bluegill

PCBs PFOS

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PFOS.
	General population	Limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PCB.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PFOS.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Channel Catfish

Dioxins

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per year due to elevated Dioxin.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: do not eat due to elevated Dioxin.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Common Carp

PCBs

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per year due to elevated PCB.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: do not eat due to elevated PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Freshwater Drum

Mercury PCBs

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to two meals per month due to elevated Mercury and PCB.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to two meals per month due to elevated Mercury and PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Largemouth Bass

PCBs PFOS

Size	Who	Guidance
Under 20"	General population	Limit to one meal per month due to elevated PCB.
Under 20"	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to one meal per month due to elevated PCB.
All sizes	General population	Limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PFOS.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PFOS.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Muskellunge

Mercury PCBs

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per month due to elevated Mercury and PCB.
	General population	Do not eat due to elevated Mercury.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: do not eat due to elevated Mercury and PCB.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: do not eat due to elevated Mercury.

Source: official advisory · official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Northern Pike

Mercury

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to two meals per month due to elevated Mercury.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to two meals per month due to elevated Mercury.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Rock Bass

PCBs

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per month due to elevated PCB.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to one meal per month due to elevated PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Smallmouth Bass

PCBs PFOS

Size	Who	Guidance
Under 20"	General population	Limit to one meal per month due to elevated PCB.
Under 20"	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to one meal per month due to elevated PCB.
All sizes	General population	Limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PFOS.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PFOS.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Suckers

PFOS

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per month due to elevated PFOS.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to one meal per month due to elevated PFOS.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Sunfish

PCBs PFOS

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PFOS.
	General population	Limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PCB.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PFOS.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Walleye

Dioxins Mercury PCBs

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to two meals per month due to elevated Mercury and PCB.
	General population	Limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated Dioxin and PCB.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to one meal per month due to elevated Mercury and PCB.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to 6 meals per year due to elevated Dioxin and PCB.

Source: official advisory · official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

White (Silver) Bass

PCBs

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per year due to elevated PCB.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: do not eat due to elevated PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

White Crappie

Mercury

Size	Who	Guidance
Under 9"	General population	Limit to two meals per week due to elevated Mercury.
Under 9"	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to two meals per week due to elevated Mercury.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

White Sturgeon

PCBs

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per year due to elevated PCB.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: do not eat due to elevated PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

Yellow Perch

Mercury PCBs PFOS

Size	Who	Guidance
Under 9"	General population	Safe to eat as part of a regular diet.
Under 9"	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to four meals per week.
Over 9"	General population	Limit to two meals per week due to elevated Mercury.
Over 9"	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to one meal per week due to elevated Mercury.
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per month due to elevated PFOS.
	General population	Limit to two meals per month due to elevated PCB.
	General population	Limit to one meal per month due to elevated Mercury.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to one meal per month due to elevated PFOS.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to two meals per month due to elevated PCB.
	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: limit to one meal per month due to elevated Mercury.

Source: official advisory · official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

All Other Species

PCBs

Size	Who	Guidance
All sizes	General population	Limit to one meal per year due to elevated PCB.
All sizes	Women who may become pregnant & children under 15	For women who may become pregnant, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and children under 15: do not eat due to elevated PCB.

Source: official advisory· updated 2026-09-22

How to prepare fish from Lake St. Clair

Some contaminants build up in fat and skin, so cleaning and cooking can lower your exposure. Others — mercury and PFAS — are in the muscle itself and trimming does nothing.

Dioxins

Skin the fish — most of the contaminant sits in the fat just under the skin.
Trim the fatty areas away: the belly flap, the top of the back, and the dark lateral line down each side.
Cook on a rack — grill, broil, or bake — so the fat drips off the fillet.
Throw the drippings out; don't use them for soup, sauce, or chowder.
Choose smaller, younger fish — they've had less time to build it up.

PCBs

Skin the fish — most of the contaminant sits in the fat just under the skin.
Trim the fatty areas away: the belly flap, the top of the back, and the dark lateral line down each side.
Cook on a rack — grill, broil, or bake — so the fat drips off the fillet.
Throw the drippings out; don't use them for soup, sauce, or chowder.
Choose smaller, younger fish — they've had less time to build it up.

Is it legal to keep?

These rules are specific to Lake St. Clair. Always verify the current regulations before keeping a fish.

Species	Size	Daily limit	Open season	Keep season
Muskellunge	42" min	1	06-01 – 03-15	Same as open
Smallmouth Bass	14" min	5	Year-round	05-15 – 01-01

Official rules: Michigan — Michigan DNR

About this water

State: Michigan
Type: Lake
Location: 42.4167, -82.6667
Advisory source: Michigan EGLE — Eat Safe Fish Guide