# Clinton river



## chromaniac (Dec 26, 2002)

Fished the Clinton next to the cider mill 12/30 @4:00 had one steelhead on. Was unable to land after 1 second air- display. I am a rookie at this, my guess is I never set the hook. The fish hit after second cast so it caught me by surprise. I used spawn.


I'll get 'em next time.


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## FlyDaddy (Dec 29, 2002)

Don't get too discouraged Chromaniac . As far as I am concerned, that's a good day of fishin. Many have had 5 or more fish on and never landed a single one. That's not uncommon at all. To get one on the second cast must of at least felt promising. Keeps you pumped for the next time out. That little acrobatic trick they do will a lot of times take them off the line. My buddy had 5 on in 90 minutes but never longer than 60 seconds each time. That's why they call this a sport . Win some, lose some!

 

FD


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## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

Chromanic:

Welcome to the site. I am sure you will enjoy.

Sounds like you did ok. At least you found some steel. By the sounds of it, there hasn't been much of a run in the Clinton this year. Hope you land em next time.

Good luck,

John


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## YPSIFLY (Feb 13, 2001)

Thanks for the report!

There's a lot of guys out there with less to show for their effort.


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

FlyDaddy didn't mention that in our last April trip upto the Big Manistee, he was the only one that was successful.

He is the man.

KW


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

Chromaniac,

were you using fresh spawn? 

KW


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## chromaniac (Dec 26, 2002)

KingWilly

No, just some spawn I bought at Meijers off 16 mile a couple weeks ago. Seemed almost fake, but it was real. Where can I get fresh around here Oakland County - Troy


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## FlyDaddy (Dec 29, 2002)

Thanks for the comment Kingwilly. Did I mention that drunken wet waders was the key?  

FD


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

FlyDaddy usually sends me to Bass Pro Shop for live bait. I am not sure about spawn.

I think we should have frozen all the spawn we got this fall from the salmon and the brownies.

If anybody knows if you can freeze spawn, let me know.

KW


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

Oh FlyDaddy, my FlyDaddy.

I think you may be on to something. It seems that filling your waders and catching fish go hand in hand. You do both almost everytime. Well everytime!! Ha Ha!!

At least you can hold your liquor.

KW


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## stelmon (Sep 21, 2000)

You guys are hillarious. I see were neighbors...

17 and John R here...we should hook sometime and do some fishing


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## chromaniac (Dec 26, 2002)

I live in the Raintree subdivision!


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

I was there today too! I landed my Steelhead though! Don't give up...keep the drag loose and tire the fish out! Here is my bruiser:


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## stelmon (Sep 21, 2000)

That fish looks awfully familiar


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

Hey guys,

I lived in Mt. Vernon(17 and John R) from age 12 yrs til 23 yrs, on fairfield dr. Then got married and moved into the Raintree Sub, on Woodgate, then moved north (not much) to 19 mile and Livernois into Telford Ridge. I love Troy, most of the time. 

Did I go to school with you guys? Athens 85?

KW


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## jeremy L (Sep 19, 2002)

i think u should have had that steelie mounted


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

Well I just checked your profiles. Stelmon, you are only 17? Too cool that you started so soon. Chromaniac, you are more my age. I am 35. Have you lived in Troy long, or am I the only one who never left the area?

KW


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## chromaniac (Dec 26, 2002)

Kingwilly,

I've lived in Troy 5 years now. Gotta go...heading to the New Years party at Ticonderoga with some friends! Lets make a run together sometime. Happy new year.

Bill


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

Have fun, drive slafe or strafe or safe.

Happy New Year.

KW


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## FlyDaddy (Dec 29, 2002)

Stelmon,

Kingwilly and I fish the Black locally. He is the one pulling spinners out of the trees, and I am the fat one with a wet shirt with my waders pulled half way down trying to dry out.
Give us a shout if your out there. We can swap fishing nightmares. I myself have plenty 

FD


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

Merry New Year.

KW


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## tgafish (Jan 19, 2001)

Well kw at least if you stay in the area that you moved to your kids will be Colts instead of Deadhawks 

Grew up in Charnwood hills on Coolidge between 19 and 20 mile. That whole area was farms when we moved out there except for our sub. Coolidge was still a dirt road. Went to elementary at Niles just around the corner from you. Was the last class to leave that place before it was turned into adult ed center. Troy High"88". Moved out to the west side 2 years ago. Love the convenience of the old city of tomorrow today but enjoying being out of the rat race!

welcome aboard


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

I moved to a quite little sub, but Troy is definitely not up north or rural anymore.

I wish I lived on a river somewhere, but the job and family keep me here.

KW


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## ZobZob (Oct 27, 2002)

I've spent many-a-day on this river this year (actually last year!) with no success. I haven't even seen anyone have one on around me. I would be glad to just have one on there!

Zob


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## stelmon (Sep 21, 2000)

Hey Guys,
I am still at athens, but don't tell anyone 

Last year there, Thanks GOD 

Lookin forward to fishing with you guys soon.

PS. I have sent you guys some PM's, let me know


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

Athens Rules!!!!!!!!!

KW


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## stelmon (Sep 21, 2000)

Tell that to troy high 

Oh, hey eric


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

Stelmon, you rule.

KW


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## kingwilly (Dec 18, 2002)

No more posts?

KW


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## TODDFATHER (Jun 5, 2002)

Fished the clinton today in the early morning ( about 4 hrs) with no success! The water's clear and no signs of fish. The day before I met a couple nice fellows who fish the Clinton regularly. I basicly identified myself as an old timer that hasn't fished steel's in over 30 years which is in fact true. They were sympathetic to my desire to find access, and a few helpful tips along the way. Really nice guys, I wish everyone had their attitude. Just before my arrival they had a fish on but couldn't finish the job! Not much lost there: I think they were catch and release guys like myself. Since I'm unemployed at the moment, and simultainiously close by, I'll probably be checking the river with reasonable frequency. I did notice however two spawning sites on the opposite side of the river just at the mainstream current break but they were apparently deserted, or the fish working them was put down, possibly by myself. 

I"m new to the forum and have had numerous problems posting to the site not to mention a ton of emails responding to my post which I cannot find even when pasteing the link and going to it directly. With any kind of luck I'll learn the ropes soon enough. To the fellows that have emailed me: Thanks for your understanding regarding my not answering them, in short, I can't find them! 

Todd


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Tangleknot and I fished the Clinton as well. We investigated about a mile of river in several locations. This was Sunday morning and the water had a nice stain. Visibility was limited to about 20". We had a few takes, but no hook-ups. It seems that there were quite a few pre-migrant either salmon or trout. These fish were concentrated in the slower pools. The only sign of steel was a 8+pounder that looked to be chewed on by some type of predator. The head was missing and something ate the eggs.

Both of us were surprised by the abundance of gravel and holding areas. I can see how this river can sustain a 1/2 way decent run.

Beavers seem to have taken residence in many areas. This could create a problem in future years.


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

You finally made it out there huh Ralf...Cool! The water was Stained New Years Eve Day...All I had hit was a bunch of them real little guys like the one in my pic on the previous part of this thread...


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

Oh ya...TODDFATHER...when you get an e-mail from this site saying someone replied to your post try just left-clicking the link it should take ya to the persons reply automatically...Also after about two weeks if ya wanna hit the river together around 8:30am I will be on Midnights and will be fishing there alot...let me know...


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Yeah, Sarah and I couldn't figure out what they were. One would think that if they are trout, they should be bigger than that.


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

That small fish I posted is a trout...When I get home I will post a pic of a 5 inch Rainbow I caught and you will see the resemblence...


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

I looked in my Gallery...You can kinda see the telltail Spots on this bigger trout near the midline of it's Body near the tail which are the same as the little guy...I have a better pic at home....


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

True, but wouldn't you think that the steelhead hatched this spring would be larger than that?


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

Well I don't know much about how long it takes a Steelhead to hatch from an Egg, but I can say that in Mid-March I caught a hen there and the eggs were still a little tight...So lets say they Spawned early April...Does anyone know the growth rate for a Steelhead? 8 months since spawning...How big would they be?


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

And could they survive the warm temps of July and August? Maybe that's why the growth rates are slowed.


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/cespk...emperature/Figures/VolII-Att5-Temp-Fig2-3.pdf

Also found this:
Generalized life cycle of the steelhead trout: Mature adults enter rivers and larger streams year round, but generally concentrated as winter (November to May) and summer (May to October) runs. Steelhead may spawn more than once (3-40% of population). Eggs laid in gravel redds prepared by female in tributary stream or inlet/outlet of nursery lake from January to June. Eggs hatch in 4-7 weeks and fry emerge from gravel from mid-June to mid-August. Juveniles rear in freshwater for 2-4 years prior to migrating to sea as smolts from April to June. Only remain in estuary for a short period of time before moving offshore. Adults usually complete extensive feeding migrations in the Pacific Ocean before returning to spawn after 2-3 summers (range 1-4) in the ocean. Adults live to 6-8 years and may reach 1140 mm or 19 kg.

I will search more later...


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