# clinton river tournament



## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

I would hope MS would back a great cause for s non profit like this. You should contact them about it.


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

Okay, all signed up and ready to go. So where's my competition at. Let the sh$t talking begin.


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

Anyone know how many people are signed up yet? Trying to gauge my competition.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

1) None of my best fishing spots are within tournament boundaries.
2) The Clinton is best fished with streamers. 
3) Have fun guys.


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## Wowski (Nov 11, 2010)

I'm thinking of entering the first annual Clinton River Steelhead One-pattern tournament.

I've got a few questions I was hoping you could help me with.

Am I correct in thinking that we choose one pattern to fish all day with but have more than one fly each for the day?
Can we use a dropper rig (with multiple flys) as long as it's the same pattern?
Can we use different size fly's throughout the day?
If I use a egg fly can I use different colors?
Does the same pattern apply to the team or can each member have their own pattern?
Are you limiting the amount of entries?

Thanks


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Wowski said:


> I'm thinking of entering the first annual Clinton River Steelhead One-pattern tournament.
> 
> I've got a few questions I was hoping you could help me with.
> 
> ...


Here are the answers to your questions...

1. You will choose one "pattern" to fish with for the tournament. You can have 30 of them in your fly box but the have to be the same "pattern".
2. You can run a dropper system, as long as both flies are the same "pattern".
3. Part of the term "one pattern" will refer to the same size "pattern" in your fly box. Example, you can carry 30 size 10 hex nymphs.
4. If you choose an egg "pattern" it will need to be the same color egg "pattern" for the tournament. Example, you can carry 30 pink eggs.
5. The "one pattern" will be for each individual participant. Therefore, you may carry 30 pink eggs and your teammate may carry 30 hexes.
6. There will not be a limit on entries therefore the tournament boundaries were increased due to the potential for large numbers of participants.

I hope this clears some things up about the tournament. If not feel free to call the Clinton River Watershed Council for further clarification.

Good luck on the tournament!


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## Wowski (Nov 11, 2010)

Yes, that helps...Thank You!


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

Clinton River: Catch *a[/COLOR]* steelhead and win a tournament:lol::lol::lol:

Couldn't resist!!!


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## jpphish (Oct 3, 2006)

Seems like it is one fly versus one pattern tournament? An egg is a pattern but single color/size designates as one fly. TDD-what happens if the river is 'blown out' on the 26th?


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## Wowski (Nov 11, 2010)

jpphish said:


> Seems like it is one fly versus one pattern tournament? An egg is a pattern but single color/size designates as one fly. TDD-what happens if the river is 'blown out' on the 26th?


No, to clarify one fly would mean that you get just that "one fly" and if you lose that "one fly" then you are done for the day.


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## jpphish (Oct 3, 2006)

No it is 'One Fly'. ie..If you could only use one fly to catch a steelhead....what would it be? Doesn't matter if I have 1000 of them. It's still one fly.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

The reason this tournament has been deemed a "one pattern" is that while steelhead fishing it is very easy to loose a single fly. There are other tournaments that are "one fly" which allow you to carry only one fly with you to fish with. If you loose that one fly you are done. In this one pattern tournament you can loose the first fly you tie on and then continue to fish with a fly that is identical to it. Hence the name "one pattern".


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Fishslayer5789 said:


> Clinton River: Catch *a* steelhead and win a tournament:lol::lol::lol:
> 
> Couldn't resist!!!


Fishslayer... I wouldn't be surprised if the winning team ends up well into double digits. While the Clinton obviously doesn't have a steelhead run comparable to the Pere Marquette or the Manistee, it is much better than most people give it credit for. The river has turned into a fantastic fishery considering it is in the most populated watershed in the state. It would be interesting to see some of you west-side fishermen come down and match your skills up with some of our local guys.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

I forgot to answer one of the other questions posted. 

If the river is too high to fish or simple dangerous (which we all know the Clinton can become in the spring) we will reschedule the event for a later date. The Clinton is a pretty flashy system, therefore if it is deemed dangerous to fish the river should go down within a week or so.


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## Wowski (Nov 11, 2010)

jpphish said:


> No it is 'One Fly'. ie..If you could only use one fly to catch a steelhead....what would it be? Doesn't matter if I have 1000 of them. It's still one fly.


We'll just refer to it as the "same pattern, as many as you can lose tournament!". I think we all understand the rules now, so that's all that matters anyway.


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## jpphish (Oct 3, 2006)

A nymph will win it....and I don't mean 'fisherwoman'.


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

Your are correct, my nymph will win it. And yes many of us have experienced double digit days on the Clinton. It's a small window, but on those few drop back days after the spawn, the fish stack up in certain areas and are ready to eat.


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## jpphish (Oct 3, 2006)

I believe these will be aggresive fish moving from slack water holding to backends of runs all the way to pushing whitewater. Yum, yum give me a bug.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Bugs..............try a pellet fly. Clinton fish ate pellets at the hatchery or minnows in the lake. Staying in the river eating bugs after the truck dumped them? Not many live ones did. These fish didn't spend their formative year in the Clinton, they spent it in a concrete tank.
Due to the nature of it's water sources, the Clinton not only flashes, it's temperature gets from frozen to streamer chasing in the first major runoff event.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Maverick seems to be pretty sure he will win this tournament. I'm really hoping someone that is not a "regular" on the river can give him a good fight to win.


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## jpphish (Oct 3, 2006)

Hey ESOX. I fished the Clinton beginning in 1986. They do eat bugs. Including live wigglers.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

They are fish, I know they eat bugs.......but they like streamers better. Fished the Clinton since 1986 huh? Your only 27 years late.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Esox... I think it would be very interesting to have you enter the tournament and have your one pattern be a streamer. Perhaps you could teach the "regulars" on the river that mainly throw bugs a few things. Winning the tournament with a streamer pattern would be a real shock for alot of anglers.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Tournament boundaries are out of my favorite places to fish. I am not a fan of tripping over people. Besides ALL of the fish in the upper river have to go through the lower. Many, many, fish never bother going up past the first gravel, which is miles out of bounds.


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

Blah blah blah, out of my boundaries.
Blah blah blah, streamers.
Blah blah blah, to many people.

Let's see what you've got on the water vs the excuses on the forum. 

Blah blah blah... can't really fish.

Challenge


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Got nothing to prove to anyone.  My ego needs no stroking. I am confident in my knowledge of the river, thats why I fish much lower than up in the sword fighting area. I was simply making the same point a thermometer used year after year would, the river warms very quickly with the concrete runoff.. The ability to cover a lot of water quickly stripping streamers will provide more fish than drifting bugs.. Fish on. Have fun. I will enjoy solitude, thats my idea of fun.


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

Cool out... just having a little fun. Trust me, you won't find me anywhere near the battle field. Picking up a yak this weekend to get to the water i fish faster. Plenty of untouched fish all over the system. Just think the tournament is a noble cause and am trying to get some momentum for the watershed council. They do allot for the river. No ego to fill here, just trying to promote some good times with good people. Hope you'll reconsider, only a few teams thus far from what I understand.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Maverick, there are only a few teams registered prior to today. I did receive several calls and emails about the tournament today though. Things are going to really get going as the tournament gets closer so don't plan on the odds being as good as they were last time we talked.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

The hole just upstream from here is in bounds.............:evilsmile


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

So is the gravel bend just up from that hole. Only problem is of the flow levels are anything like last year then it'll be bone dry with no fish on them.

Esox, where do you usually fish. I cover from Yates down through the disc golf course, but haven't been down much past that


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

That bend is 6' deep at the end of summer, it won't be dry in the spring no matter what.. You sure of which bridge that is? I normally fish miles downstream. First gravel in the river thats less than 5' deep.


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## Fishslayer5789 (Mar 1, 2007)

The Downstream Drift said:


> Fishslayer... I wouldn't be surprised if the winning team ends up well into double digits. While the Clinton obviously doesn't have a steelhead run comparable to the Pere Marquette or the Manistee, it is much better than most people give it credit for. The river has turned into a fantastic fishery considering it is in the most populated watershed in the state. It would be interesting to see some of you west-side fishermen come down and match your skills up with some of our local guys.


 
Prove me wrong  I'm a believer when I see the pictures of "double digit" steelhead fishing on the Clinton River. Hopefully there will be more than 10 fish in the river system! :lol:


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Well guys, the fish are starting to move up into the river. There have been several fish caught in the last several days including an awesome chromer this morning. (It wasn't my fish and the picture shows the exact hole very well so I won't post the pic.) The river is going to be fishing really good by the tournament. I'm looking forward to seeing you guys out there.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

The One Pattern is only two weeks away. There are lots of teams talking about participating but very few that have registered. Remember guys, pre-registration will only make the morning go smoother and it means that teams will be ready to head out at the 9:00AM start time.

Also, there are still some dinner tickets left for those of you that would like to take part. Someone is going to go home with a new Apple iPod Touch that night. Seeing as there are only 48 total spots available for the drawing the odds are pretty good.


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