# clinton river?



## sdean0004 (Sep 18, 2013)

Hey all,

I work in auburn hills a nd was think of trying to get some steely action on the clinton close to 75 and m59. Any info on where and what kind of geer you use over here would be great. I do most of my fishing on the grand and up at tippy so i have all the gear for those places just wondering if you use the same rod and tackle? feel free to pm me with any info. Thanks sdean0004.


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## ClintonRiverKing (Apr 19, 2013)

same gear is fine but thats very far up river. i only see them that far up in spring. not saying they cant get there but your probaly wasten time there in the fall. try anywhere below yates downriver to the north branch


_Posted from Michigan-sportsman.com App for Android_


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## Ianfish26 (Dec 31, 2012)

I was at yates today and lost my first one  lol was a rush for the 10 seconds he was on before he threw my lure :/


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## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

Waded from M-59 to Dodge Park with only one Pike to show for it today. Gonna wait for some rain until I go back out. Maybe hit Lexington in the meantime. 

Sent from The Halls of Krom


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## jnowicki947 (Apr 12, 2013)

Made my way threw Heritage Park today fro a couple hours, Got a 15in Pike, and finally had my first Steel on the line lost it about 4ft from shore. Water clarity was pretty good considering the rain yesterday.


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## sdean0004 (Sep 18, 2013)

Thanks for the info guys i apreicate it.


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## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

Fished up in Utica north of M-59 and went 0-2 on the Steel. Both hit within 3 min. Of each other. The first rolled up in my line before throwing my hook. The second was very acrobatic, caught me off guard being they hit so close toghter. It was around 5 pm and both hit on the Pearl Ghost Fish Hot N Tot. My buddy went 1-2 earlier in the day in the same area. Think i'll try Dodge Park and Rotary tomorrow. 

Sent from The Halls of Krom


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## fisheater (Nov 14, 2010)

Pikewhisperer, do you know who sells those pearl ghost hot-n-tots? I have been looking since I pulled one out of a log on the Clinton. I am starting to think I may need to customize one pearl ghost. 
It will be awhile before I get much time to fish. It has been a good year for white lures this year for pike, lakers, and kings. Wonder bread has been a good producer, other whites have been good when I had a chance to fish. If I cannot find that pearl ghost hot-n-tot, I do have deep diving little ripper reef runner in wonder bread. I am hoping the fish on the Clinton like eating "bread" also.


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

Found one at meijers the other day, try bass pro, or order on line.


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## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

I usually find them at Meijer and then by a bunch. Think I have 10 or so on hand although I have been switching it up a bit. I went out this morning at 7 am and landed a nice one on a gold/orange stripe hot n tot.
















My cousin got one around Yates on the same color a couple days ago.

I was fishing the Clinton River Park trail. The fish hit around 7:45 am. Even tried to take video while I was fighting it, but not used to my new phone yet. Lol. All I ended up with was this.









Hope I could be of some help.

Sent from The Halls of Krom


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## localyahoo (May 28, 2009)

I am planning to try this one soon. I painted earlier this summer. I named it the spawn bag shad. Hope it catches me some chrome. I might have to try and paint some white pearl. I don't know about you guys, but I just go thru the bargain bins and find the hot n tots in colors that don't sell to well and just repaint them with my airbrush. I have found to really enjoy this and is a great hobby to do in the winter months.


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## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

Looks like a winner. I'd like one in all hot pink, they don't make them though. I went to their sight

Sent from The Halls of Krom


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## nighttime (Nov 25, 2007)

Good work pike, as usual


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

Good job on the fall steelhead so far! You make it look easy!:lol:


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Pikewhisperer said:


> I usually find them at Meijer and then by a bunch. Think I have 10 or so on hand although I have been switching it up a bit. I went out this morning at 7 am and landed a nice one on a gold/orange stripe hot n tot.
> 
> View attachment 48727
> 
> ...


nice work on the fish, im probably gonna try to get out a time or two this week. in regards to the video ive had the same issue. i finally have a gopro now though and im gonna give it a go this weekend on a few TC area waters.


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## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

Have not been out for over a week so I snuck out of work early today and started throwing spinners and Clio's with zero results. Went to old Pearl and got one right away
















Further down even got a carnivorous Carp to join in on the action.









Hooked right in the lips. That is only the second time that has happened to me though I witness it from time to time.
After that, my buddy joined up with me and we hit River Bends with no luck. He did manage a nice Northern in Utica though.

If all goes well I'm going the long stretch through Dodge Park tomorrow. Lots of new holes and fallen trees in there I noticed.

Sent From The Halls Of Krom


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## LumberJ (Mar 9, 2009)

Great job!

Do you have any special techniques/advice for retrieval? I haven't tried crank bait in the rivers before and would love to give it a shot. Do you case upstream at a 45 like you would spawn and just slow crank it in as it floats down, or do you find spots where you can just ease it back into a hole and let it sit there for a minute?


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## Pikewhisperer (Sep 9, 2011)

A little bit of everything, lol. I know it does not help to much. Mainly, I cast ahead of my targeted area, let it drift, and just before it gets to the area, I reel fast or pull twice. Depends on the slack in the line. I do this to get it to the desired depth fast, then retrieve slow and stop and repeat. Current will dictate the feel of this. In the end it is all feel.

I like the deeper cuts with sunken logs and old up-turn tree roots. These spots have proven to hold the bigger Steel ( today was an epic example of that). If you can't see your lure while running it ( which will be most of the time) and feel a bump, do not be so quick to set. More often than not you just fed the river another $3.99 +/- lure. The fish will let you know when it's there.

I was 0-2 today while my buddy was 1-3. They kept rolling and not running. This makes it difficult. Cool thing was today we were getting them to reveal themselves, and if they missed they kept coming back until they hit. My first one missed 6 times until it hit. All were in current either along side or behind old tree roots. All action was in an hour and a half's time and all were chrome, bright. They were aggressive. 









Was going to go again tomorrow but work is first. Saturday for sure. Hope I helped some.

Sent From The Halls Of Krom


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## LumberJ (Mar 9, 2009)

That's great advice, thanks!


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