# Paint Creek



## hammerhead (May 14, 2003)

Hi everybody !
Thank you for conribution in this forum, it has been a great source of info. I want to fish paint creek but dont how to get there. Can someone please tell me how to get to some good public access points on this creek. Would appreciate it.

Also if someone wants to go togather I am all game for it. 


Thanks

Hammerhead


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## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

Hammerhead:

Welcome to the site.

If you use the search function and do a search for Paint Creek under keywords, I have already had a few posts where I describe most of the access sites.

Enjoy,

John


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## hammerhead (May 14, 2003)

Thanks John

I tried that and it may sound stupid but what city or county this creek is in. I ll try the mapquest once i know the city etc. 

Thanks again

faisal


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

It's oakland county and one of the more popular well know spot is at the paint creek cidar mill if you can find that there is a old railroad track that is now a bike path that gives access to almost all the creek.

and welcome to the site hammerhead! 


STEELDRIFTER


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## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

Hammerhead:

Is flows from Lake Orion down to Rochester and then dumps into the Clinton River below Rochester.

It is in Oakland County. 

A good starting point is the Rochester Road and University drive area. There is a park just west of Rochester Road where you can access the creek.

Check your email.

John


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## hammerhead (May 14, 2003)

ooh that where it is

i just checked it out, its probably 2 hour drive from here, I hope its worth the drive. 

thanks 

hammerhead


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## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

Hammerhead:

Not sure where you are located but if you are north of here or anywhere except south of here, I would head somewhere else. Maybe the Au Sable, Manistee, PM, Muskegon, etc. Paint Creek probably isn't worth a 2 hr drive if you have some other closer options. 

John


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## hammerhead (May 14, 2003)

i live near ypsilanti area, huron river is good but not good for trouts i think
anything close around hear.


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## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

Hopefully Ypsifly or gunrod can help you out. They are from over that way and may be able to steer you to your closest options.

John


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

> If you use the search function and do a search for Paint Creek under keywords, I have already had a few posts where I describe most of the access sites.


I think you misunderstood John on the search function. Look at the top of this page and you will see Search. This searches all the past posts for keywords.

As for trout streams your way, look in your trout and salmon guide. I've made the trip to the Paint and landed a few but not a ton. I only fished the Paint when we were visiting the wife's family who live in the area. 

The trout and salmon guide shows some trout streams in Jackson county and tons in Kalamazoo county. All of these should be reachable in 2 or less hours. You may be better served in exploring some of these. I wasn't a trout fishermen when I was in college (if you ask some I'm still not) but wish I was. To explore some of these streams with a good 30 to 40 minutes knocked of the ride would have been easier.

Good Luck.


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## hammerhead (May 14, 2003)

I tried the trout and salmon guide once, it sent me on this wild gouse chase for "stony creek" in washtenaw coutny, supposedly a "trout creek", No one in that town new where it was and when i finally found it it was this little shallow stream about one yard wide or so, not fishable at all. I spent 3-4 hours looking for it !!!
I did search the forum. and believe me its not easy to dig out the right information, as after sometime the thigns becomes dilute and hard to pinpoint. 
I have learnt that the best advice is from the poeple with experience and from the word of mouth. All the books and maps are no alternative for few words of sincere guidance from someone who knows the area, someone like you.

Thanks

faisal


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## dongiese (Jun 10, 2002)

Proud lake/Huron River is probably your best bet for a trout stream.


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Hammerhead.....get a book called "a fly angler's guide to michigan trout streams" its by steve nevala & bob linsenman or there's an older book called "michigan trout streams" and i cant remember the author's name , i think it was a woman, but both of these book's are the best for finding good area's to fish.

I know what you mean about wasting time lookin for a stream.....i once spent 3 full hour's looking for the pine river in makado....do you have any idea how many pine river's there are up north i think i found 3 or 4 in that afternoon,it was a fun adventure though! 


STEELDRIFTER


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## subocto (Feb 21, 2003)

there is a small trout stream in wayne co. , check your PM's


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Both of those books are available in our bookstore at:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/books.htm


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## SALMONATOR (Jan 7, 2003)

HAMMERHEAD, 

Man, don't waste two hours one way to fish the Paint. It's just not that good. Anymore, it's a nice little after-work stream if you live close by and have a couple hours to kill and could care less if you caught anything at all. Oh, there are trout there. Even the occasional decent one, but if you're gonna drive that long, you may as well keep right on going and hit a real trout river. As someone advised already, anything more than 20-30 minutes away, and you'd probably do better to re-evaluate your options. Just my $.02.

Al


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## FlyDaddy (Dec 29, 2002)

Stick with the Huron and invest $20 into a Michigan Atlas/Gazateer.


FD


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## fishpinoy27 (Oct 19, 2002)

Just one question for every body, what part of the river should i start and finish? i was there last weekend and park in the front of the library and started there and went upstream until under the bridge and went back. my first time there and i dont where you guys fish.


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## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

fishinpinoy27:

I usually start and finish where I park my car 

Seriously though, there are fish in the entire creek, just pick a spot and try it. Learn a section of the creek little by little. I have found some decent fish in almost every section I have fished and I have fished most of the river from Rochester to Lake Orion over the years. 

Have fun out there,

John


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## PET (Aug 23, 2002)

I was in the lower stretch of the Paint Creek today. I didn't see any fish in the hole where I hooked up tons of fish this time of the last year. 

By the way, I found an evidence that there was a construction for the river bank.


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## fishpinoy27 (Oct 19, 2002)

Thanks jnpcook.


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## TODDFATHER (Jun 5, 2002)

fishpinoy27,

Yea, the lower streaches of the paint haven't been the same since the skamainia moved up from below, it's really hard to fish for them lovely little browns and rainbows with the tackle busters tearing up your equipment. I avoid it completely and generally move further upstream! 

Just Kidding! Just Kidding! Just Kidding! 


I've got to get out to the Paint soon and see for myself how things are! As I said before in a previous thread, I'm not too optomistic: Lots of bad ice this year, and still no stocking reports! 



Toddfather


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## fishpinoy27 (Oct 19, 2002)

Thanks todd, where do you start on this time of the year and how do you go there?


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## TODDFATHER (Jun 5, 2002)

Well, honestly Jnpcooks is dead right! any access on the Paint is as good as another. I really can't imagine fishing to be much better in one spot than it is in another! Some guys like fishing in the bramble and others do not! I'd recommend just as he would to find Paint Creek Trail, which I think begins in the city of Rochester, walk up it a bit and enter the stream where the stream suits your style! Some areas are more open than others! I don't even own a spinning rod but I can see how the Paint might be best fished with one, unless the fisherman had lots of experience! 


Toddfather


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## fishpinoy27 (Oct 19, 2002)

Thanks todd..


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## jnpcook (Jan 19, 2000)

If you go up Rochester Road and turn east at University drive, there is an Orvis store called South Branch Supply Company (formerly Paint Creek Outfitters). They used to and most likely still have a good map of paint creek that you can buy for a few bucks. I think some of the money from the map sales goes to Trout Unlimited. This map should give you plenty of places to explore.

Good luck,

John


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## steeldrifter (Apr 7, 2003)

Just as john said there's a map that show's all the access point's , it's like four buck's and half go's to the clinton valley chapter of trout unlimited i believe. You can also get it at flymart in royal oak,like TF and john have said the paint really fishes the same from one spot to another just find a area you like and fish it well.


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## fishpinoy27 (Oct 19, 2002)

THANKS GUYS!


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