# 2017 Clinton River steelhead



## faceindisguise85

Anybody seeing any chrome in the system yet or is it still a couple weeks too early?


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## Pikewhisperer

Buddy had a smaller King swipe at his rig 3 days ago. Other than that, not much to say on Steel. Construction on the river between River Bends and Utica is really staining up the water where I normally fish. Very milky color to it right now


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## mrjimspeaks

I popped out for a couple hours last weekend and noticed that...hopefully it won't be that way all winter...


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## jakediesel

I'm hoping to get familiar with the Clinton this fall. I'll be working out that way till January.


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## jakediesel

Has anyone ever fished at macarthur park? I'm working right down the road and want to throw in a line on my lunch break.


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## fisheater

jakediesel said:


> Has anyone ever fished at macarthur park? I'm working right down the road and want to throw in a line on my lunch break.


I have launched my canoe there several times. There is very little water that can be cast to from shore that interested me very much.


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## DrSpeck

Any updates on the river? USGS streamflow data shows the flow is up quite a bit. Has that construction issue been resolved? Thanks for any input. Thinking of going this weekend to see if any of our steelhead friends have shown up yet. Seems like the Huron has still been a little lower and I've historically had better luck on the Clinton. Will post a report if anything interesting happens.


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## brian0013

DrSpeck said:


> Any updates on the river? USGS streamflow data shows the flow is up quite a bit. Has that construction issue been resolved? Thanks for any input. Thinking of going this weekend to see if any of our steelhead friends have shown up yet. Seems like the Huron has still been a little lower and I've historically had better luck on the Clinton. Will post a report if anything interesting happens.


X2 looking to see if it’s blown out or not


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## JAA

Looks like this River Bends Area will be a changing like it or not, For better or Worse. Hopefully for the Better!!! And not like the spillway project that did nothing for the fisheries problem that existed their, As they did not Incorporate a fish ladder for all the spawning fish, That infact drop their eggs behind that Inflatable dam to be eaten by the tons of suckers that call that dam the Golden Coral!!! http://www.macombdaily.com/general-...oved-for-river-bends-section-of-clinton-river So how are they going to control the Sediment Flow over the few existing natural gravel beds And The several down stream, I know of? a few the will surly disappear. I don't see Any Experience on RVB's site for river Rehabilitation?? Or Reconstruction, Other then grooming the Red Run Drain???????? What has this world come to???


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## brian0013

River was a little low still n clear


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## unclefrank

Any Yates/Bloomer action yet? Trying to divide my time between inland lake shores and Clinton/Huron, in this cold and windy mess called Fall. Hey, 8 days ago it was 75 degrees and I still had a boat in the water!


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## Pikewhisperer

Got this one on a spoon on the 30th of October. Got here on a spoon. Had a few chasers as well.


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## brian0013

River fish awesome today before the rain little higher n just stained a little.i hooked a few fish a buddy did as well


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## LoganStaley

Has anybody caught any steelhead near yates dam?


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## mrjimspeaks

I'm going with yes.


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## LoganStaley

Pikewhisperer said:


> Got this one on a spoon on the 30th of October. Got here on a spoon. Had a few chasers as well.


Where on the clinton?


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## nighttime

JAA said:


> Looks like this River Bends Area will be a changing like it or not, For better or Worse. Hopefully for the Better!!! And not like the spillway project that did nothing for the fisheries problem that existed their, As they did not Incorporate a fish ladder for all the spawning fish, That infact drop their eggs behind that Inflatable dam to be eaten by the tons of suckers that call that dam the Golden Coral!!! http://www.macombdaily.com/general-...oved-for-river-bends-section-of-clinton-river So how are they going to control the Sediment Flow over the few existing natural gravel beds And The several down stream, I know of? a few the will surly disappear. I don't see Any Experience on RVB's site for river Rehabilitation?? Or Reconstruction, Other then grooming the Red Run Drain???????? What has this world come to???


Not sure if you know what your talking about, steelhead don’t spawn below that dam/flood gate. Some will cut thru there and clear it in high waters, most are in main stream where the water isn’t stale slow slow current. River bends needs this badly, Ive watched banks disappear and river move all over the place for years.

The efforts and money’s spent are a huge plus for this great resource we share.

Funny other day I was covering some water I haven’t touched in a while and to my surprise there was restored bank all over, huge sections. Looked great, almost like rediscovering a river to me.


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## nighttime

LoganStaley said:


> Where on the clinton?


Lol fish are spread out from Yates to the mt Clemens. Internet fishing will catch you a sore butt, grab your fishing rod and explore. Have you fished the Clinton much?


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## mrjimspeaks

Yep, they'll be fish throughout the system from here until spring. Best way to explore for me is a crank rod, don't spend long at any one spot unless you hit a fish. Usually when you're hardware fishing, if you're going to get a strike it's within the first few casts.


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## LoganStaley

I fished yates yesterday with spawn and had no success. I went to paint creek using spinners and caught a brown trout. I'm from Almont so it's a bit of a drive.


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## mrjimspeaks

Fished Yates area today and had one good rip on my plug rod, couple head shakes and it was off.


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## FISHINGcuresALL

After a month of fishing. Finally caught one. Had 2 hook ups in first 5 casts and nothing for the next 3 hours. Both on tots.


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## MMM

LoganStaley said:


> I fished yates yesterday with spawn and had no success. I went to paint creek using spinners and caught a brown trout. I'm from Almont so it's a bit of a drive.


In case you didn't know, Paint Creek is Type 1 stream and is closed to fishing after Sept 30 until the last Saturday in April.


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## LoganStaley

My bad on paint creek. I'll try yates area again soon and hopefully with better luck.


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## LoganStaley

Anyone fished the north branch near wolcott mill?


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## nighttime

Lost one on a pink bag this afternoon.


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## Pikewhisperer

2 for 3 for me today in Sterling heights. Got out at 4 pm and fished an hour and a half. The one I lost was a Skipper so I was not too heart broken. All hit A Wonder Bread Ghost Tot.


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## LoganStaley

I'm gonna swing by Sterling heights tomorrow and see how it goes.


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## LoganStaley

Caught him on a mepps #3 Spinner black dressing. 5lbs 24" Sterling heights.


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## nighttime

My buddy and I both landed a skip today, both about 3-4 pounds


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## Pikewhisperer

Very nice guys. Have not had a chance to get since Sunday yet. Going tonight to Marrysville for Eye's.


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## LoganStaley

nighttime said:


> My buddy and I both landed a skip today, both about 3-4 pounds


What did you use to catch them?


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## LoganStaley

In the Sterling heights area?


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## nighttime

Both were on wiggle warts, one silver black top, and other was silver and chartreuse bill. Same hole in the area of sterling hgts


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## LoganStaley

I got to get some wiggle warts. I fished it yesterday and no bites. I wonder what kind of flies the fish would hit on.


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## nighttime

The wife had to be to work early today so I was in charge of get kids to school, almost went to work after but decided to fish before the rain. Tried where I was yesterday but 0 bites, so ended moving to mid river area and ended up going 5-5 and also a buddy meet me up and landed one also. Fish were better size today but cookie cutter 4 to 5# fish. All came on tots. I never took off pearl ghost. Missed a picture of one of them. Also spotted injured bird along the way, I called animal control.


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## nighttime




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## DOKs1914

Got two! Both on orange and white tot


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## DOKs1914




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## LoganStaley

DOKs1914 said:


> View attachment 281398


Damn. I cannot catch one on a lure. Spinners are all I've had work.


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## Burz

I've been out in 25 degree weather and haven't had issues with braid yet other than icy guides. But I'm going to take the advice and fill a back up spool with mono or flouro to bring out. 
As far as leaders go I think I'm mostly afraid of losing tackle and/or leaving lures in a fishes mouth if one breaks a leader knot. 
Feel like with straight braid if I'm losing a plug to a snag it breaks at the knot and leaves the lure only and not a mess of mono in the water or a tree lol.
As far as muskie and bass I don't use a leader anymore and haven't looked back(with the exception of certain muskie baits I'll reluctantly use wire or 100lb flouro). But from what I've been reading and hearing is that river steelhead is a different game all together as far as detecting strikes, presentation, or spooking fish etc, etc.
Not looking for everyone to tell me exactly what they are doing and where they are doing it. I just don't want to overlook the basics steelhead fishing .
I've enjoyed my time in the river thus far as frustrating as it can be not catching anything yet I hope by continuing putting time on the Clinton I'll figure some things out.


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## brian0013

When I run hard ware or I’m chucking I use maxima ultra green 10/12lbs as the main line .toughest mono out ther imo


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## James81071

Nighttime is spot on. 20-30# braid mainline. 8-12# flouro leader is just an all around good setup . It doesnt really matter so much for throwing plugs. You'll get good action on them with any line. But if they're not liking plugs, You can switch over to a float easily. flouro sinks, braid doesnt.

Yes braid is good till 25 degrees. Maybe even a little lower , but it will freeze and if your gonna fish for steelhead it will be colder than that. I like spending my time fishing. Not screwing around with frozen gear.


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## nighttime

12# range is good helps with retrieving lures out of branches. I used 15# the entire fall. 

Brian how the new reel handle???


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## Fishontippydam

We got the treb hooks finally banned from our river a couple years ago. Good job everyone. Now we are working to get that God forsaken Braided line banned. Worst stuff you can throw into the river. It's a complete 1menace to the rivers health, runs/drifts/holes. Get a wad of that stuff going in the best hole, and it absolutely makes the hole unfishable. Not to mention all the lead that will collect on it as well. All the fish that tangle up in and die is just wasteful. Yes wasteful. Why wasteful? Because I value our rare and valuable resource "steelhead". Very few rivers in the U.S. have steelhead, hence rare thus point proven about rare. Now for valuable, how much $ do u spend steelhead fishing? Does it matter the $$ it generates from out of staters spending money here? Which I'm sure is a lot? Oh forget those out of staters. Just snaggers any way right? Make that excuse after excuse. But for me what makes it valuable, is those headshakes. Love me some chrome headshakes. And to me that is priceless. Absolutely priceless. I bet I'm not the only one. As far as performance, every single one of you using it is loosing performance at every level. No stretch alone totally makes it useless. You will loose far more fish with it. And every single, not most, every good river steelheader will agree. How can I prove it? Go to a good fishing river. Find the group of guys you envy for catching good rates of fish, every time you see them on the river. Then ask them, how they feel about braid in the river. I think you will see pattern. And from that pattern I think u will find out, it's garbage as you throw it away. But don't just ask one, two or three really good fisherman you cross paths with. Ask every single one. You know the guys im talking about. Not saying it's completely useless. It has it's uses in the lake, and from the boat. But its really bad stuff for river fishing. Yes it floats, which floating line is great for float/bobber fishing, but again, no stretch. Stretch is your friend in the river people. Not a little stretch. Full stretch. They make hollow mono/copolymer that floats. Floats better, has perfect stretch and is very durable. It also degrades and becomes brittle after sitting in the bottom of the hole. Which means you won't clogg up the hole. But don't trust me, ask those elite fisherman you see firsthand, their opinion on this. What do you have to loose? And if you say "all my tackle/lures" then you are too far gone to be helped. Why? Cuz if you are constantly hooking into stuff/logs/junk you are doing it wrong in the first place. Mono/copoly has the best density for drift fishing. Wether float fishing, or bottom bouncing. Why do u think the best of the elite frown on braid? U think they don't use it because because they don't know it's better? Or maybe they are elite because they are just lucky with mono? Keep telling yourself that, while all the other fisherman surpass you in catch rates. You will see.


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## Burz

Thank you for the suggestions and feedback everyone much appreciated.


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## nighttime

Braid for drift fish is dumb, but casting I disagree with you. Fished braid all fall and retrieved all my lures except one which my mono lead broke and left 2’ of that in tree. It’s all about rigging, I feel you on what braid can do to a hole. You can’t stop novices from fishing, ethier way. Oh I run p line hydro float 80% of time, braid too but only lose it when I cut back to replace bad spots, mono and floro leads allow that. It all about rigging the stuff right. I’m more worried about the fare weather fisherman that leave garbage all over the banks, a lot more of that going on. Ohh and the canoe rental place should help with awareness of trash.

Eric
Dnr show Macomb some love and boost our plants!!!


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## brian0013

nighttime said:


> 12# range is good helps with retrieving lures out of branches. I used 15# the entire fall.
> 
> Brian how the new reel handle???


Absolutely love it! Rob makes a great reel,one of the best imo rite along side the Milner and PF damarcos.may change costume handles there a little short for my liking but that might just be I’m used to the longer slimmer ones on my classic drifter


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## brian0013

On a fishing note I hooked one yesterday on a pink worm two head shakes n a barrel roll an he said see ya and spat the hook.
As for the braid I’m not a fan it cast well and I’ve heard a lot of good center pinners say good things about it . I myself love siglon f or bloodrun both are floating mono


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