Clinton River Steelhead 2020
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Soooo what’s the earliest in the fall anyone has gotten any steelhead in the Clinton? November for me
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One in September but hiked for days to get it. Ohh that’s how all Clinton fish is lol. Really wish they would give more stocking to Clinton. Macomb country receives next to nothing for stocking.
First week of November is my starting point. Casting hardware until water cools to 37-38ish then start bringing pin. So far last two nov 15th I’ve landed fish. Two years ago I landed 5 and buddy landed 1 on the 15th cast tots.
First week of November is my starting point. Casting hardware until water cools to 37-38ish then start bringing pin. So far last two nov 15th I’ve landed fish. Two years ago I landed 5 and buddy landed 1 on the 15th cast tots.
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Your best bet is to explore it. You can walk most of the river from Clinton River/Schoenherr all the way to Holland Ponds across from Coyote Joe's. Just explore different parts at a time. I've found fish in quite a few spots.
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Lol yes I’m a lucky man!! Also grew up playing around Clinton river and have been fishing it’s banks for almost 15 years. Funny thing is that the earliest one for me was at Yates by bridge. Pikewhisper always gets one or few late September early October. Cover ground with tots, best way in early/late fall to fish em. Never is one spot always good, I’m always checking other holes in whatever section I choose to fish that day. I have quite a few holes that I consider good water or past spots I’ve caught fish. Those are my starting points, then I cover water around those. No luck at those I’m on to next access with good water and process repeats. Seems every year I find another new spot where I catch a fish or two. Last year stumbled on one of those again but ended getting 12-15 fish there between a buddy and I. I’ll sometimes share these spots with very few of closest fish buds. Gave one of my main stay pop in spots to a friend, he wasn’t thinking clearly and being nice guy took someone else down he thought he could trust. Well you know that dude shares to other friend and with my limited time I’d go down there on weekend and a team of guys locked it down several weeks in a row. Ok spot but not that good.... lol glad I haven’t seen them in couple years. Friend learned his lesson.
Maybe this fall/ winter we can hook up and do some fishing. GL another month I’ll be thinking about Clinton seriously.
Maybe this fall/ winter we can hook up and do some fishing. GL another month I’ll be thinking about Clinton seriously.
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I cant see how a few thousand atlantics or a few thousand coho should set them back that much. Could at least try for 3 years.
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I'd be down for meeting on the Clinton. I grew up right by the river back in the 80s. At that time the only fish you would catch were suckers lol
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I have not fished the river much at all in months and wont be fishing much at all anymore. I'm moving up to Omer. I bought a house right on the Rifle River. It's in the back yard but I'm like 130' above it..lol. I have a switch back path down to it though. Love and the Family and I are real excited to go. Actually, this coming week is my last at work. I'll be gone permanently next Sunday. I'm gonna miss the Clinton being I've fished it since the early 80's and been everywhere on it. Look forward to learning the Rifle and the new challenges. ( I already have a spot or 2 and the Steel and Browns have already started come in the system from reports from some friends).
Anyhow, sorry for going on about it so long.
I did fish Utica on Tuesday and only had one Walleye grab and go on a jig. It looked to be just legal size. I did see 4 King Salmon towards sunset to my surprise. Have not seen one in a couple years then I see 4. One jumped clear out of the water, so there was no mistaking.
As to the earliest I've ever gotten a Steel it was in late August 5 or 6 years ago. There are most likely a few scattered over the river now. My buddy Baker said it was chocolate milk as of yesterday in the Utica/Sterling Heights area.
So, that's a wrap for me guys. Had a lot of good time on Ye Ol Clinton and even met a lot of you fine Sportsman out there on this forum. I'll be back here and there to visit family and friends. Probably take a cast or two also...lol
Tight lines to you all
Sent from my SM-G965U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app
Anyhow, sorry for going on about it so long.
I did fish Utica on Tuesday and only had one Walleye grab and go on a jig. It looked to be just legal size. I did see 4 King Salmon towards sunset to my surprise. Have not seen one in a couple years then I see 4. One jumped clear out of the water, so there was no mistaking.
As to the earliest I've ever gotten a Steel it was in late August 5 or 6 years ago. There are most likely a few scattered over the river now. My buddy Baker said it was chocolate milk as of yesterday in the Utica/Sterling Heights area.
So, that's a wrap for me guys. Had a lot of good time on Ye Ol Clinton and even met a lot of you fine Sportsman out there on this forum. I'll be back here and there to visit family and friends. Probably take a cast or two also...lol
Tight lines to you all
Sent from my SM-G965U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app
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454 Posts
Oh I already love it. Your right too about the other drivers as well. I have family and friends that have been there their whole lives and are gonna show me some of those feeder creeks and streams for some Brookies on some of the state and National land. Looking forward to it would be an understatement...lol
Sent from my SM-G965U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app
Sent from my SM-G965U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app
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We might need to get together and fish up by you. My folks live in Lupton right around the corner from the Rifle River Rec area. I'll have to drop you a PM when I'm up that way in the spring.
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For sure. Hit me up. I'm taking 6 months off before I go back to work. I'll be rewiring the barn and getting the house together. Of course a lot of fishing as well..lol
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Wow, very nice excited for you and the family!!I have not fished the river much at all in months and wont be fishing much at all anymore. I'm moving up to Omer. I bought a house right on the Rifle River. It's in the back yard but I'm like 130' above it..lol. I have a switch back path down to it though. Love and the Family and I are real excited to go. Actually, this coming week is my last at work. I'll be gone permanently next Sunday. I'm gonna miss the Clinton being I've fished it since the early 80's and been everywhere on it. Look forward to learning the Rifle and the new challenges. ( I already have a spot or 2 and the Steel and Browns have already started come in the system from reports from some friends).
Anyhow, sorry for going on about it so long.
I did fish Utica on Tuesday and only had one Walleye grab and go on a jig. It looked to be just legal size. I did see 4 King Salmon towards sunset to my surprise. Have not seen one in a couple years then I see 4. One jumped clear out of the water, so there was no mistaking.
As to the earliest I've ever gotten a Steel it was in late August 5 or 6 years ago. There are most likely a few scattered over the river now. My buddy Baker said it was chocolate milk as of yesterday in the Utica/Sterling Heights area.
So, that's a wrap for me guys. Had a lot of good time on Ye Ol Clinton and even met a lot of you fine Sportsman out there on this forum. I'll be back here and there to visit family and friends. Probably take a cast or two also...lol
Tight lines to you all
Sent from my SM-G965U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app
Awesome area, jealous for sure as I’m stuck down here for now. Lol well it’s been fun crossing paths and fishing with you. I’ll keep in touch you do the same.
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I email fish biologist every year for last three. I’ll do so again this year offering a outing on the Clinton. I’ve exchanged several emails with lead biologists for this area and biologist for Clinton both are good people and put in good effort for the ground they must cover. Several Atlantic salmon have been caught and the river sees a small amount of king with next to no effort. Paint is a southeast gem and a firstly a brown Trout fishery especially to dnr. It’s really the coldest stream in its region that has any distance. So they keep it that way to have that fishery. As the river gets cleaner due to efforts fishes have responded. A small amount of natural reproduction is happening also with steelhead, as some can make it over. If familiar with Yates dam you probably seen the cut thru creek that has opened up during high water 3 years now. A lot more fish are getting above which might help survival and natural repo.
Clinton is classed in Erie division of management. My opinion is that fish slit the difference as some go north and some south. On the east side Huron is the big Focus. Really the amounts of fish dumped in black was crazy and the Clinton is overlooked. Yeah they took some of blacks steel but they were dumping up 60k of brown Trout. After 11 years dnr failed and so did the plants. No longer now. Blacks trib is warm unlike paint. I do see some of the salmon in classroom are spread out through river and some above dam. Those have best chance.
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No apology needed, that was highly informative. Thanks!
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