# Clinton River Report



## Troutdoors (Jun 20, 2010)

Well, my brother and I decided to go hiking this morning so we went above the dam on the Clinton. I took my fishing sunglasses along to scout out the waters. Water was really, REALLY, low but very clear. We did see an abundance of LARGE fish in the river, at one point counting 14 lunkers passing by! They were just far enough away that I couldn't positively ID them but, if they were trout, these were HUGE! I'd say 18 - 24 inches + and looking very well fed! I know that you guys can't say for certain but do you think they were trout? I've just never seen such an abundance of them at one time....certainly never while I'm fishing! The only fishermen I saw was a dad and son team who said that they threw everything but the kitchen sink at them and there was no interest from the fish!

Man, I sure hope that they are there when the water cools off and I can get my line wet again!


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

Troutdoors said:


> Well, my brother and I decided to go hiking this morning so we went above the dam on the Clinton. I took my fishing sunglasses along to scout out the waters. Water was really, REALLY, low but very clear. We did see an abundance of LARGE fish in the river, at one point counting 14 lunkers passing by! They were just far enough away that I couldn't positively ID them but, if they were trout, these were HUGE! I'd say 18 - 24 inches + and looking very well fed! I know that you guys can't say for certain but do you think they were trout? I've just never seen such an abundance of them at one time....certainly never while I'm fishing! The only fishermen I saw was a dad and son team who said that they threw everything but the kitchen sink at them and there was no interest from the fish!
> 
> Man, I sure hope that they are there when the water cools off and I can get my line wet again!


Carp? Maybe suckers.


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## DE82 (Nov 28, 2007)

Carp, a lot of carp this time of year in the clinton.


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## MstrAngle (Feb 28, 2010)

carp, and to catch them throw some dog food out there like chum, then egg loop a peice on your line just above your hook, works good fo rme!


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## 1styearff (Mar 3, 2010)

I saw a couple of large pods (25-30 fish) last week. I landed two fish from one pod and they turned outto be 12-14" rainbows. I also saw a few much larger fish and hooked into a 16-18" rainbow.

I'm with Troutdoors, I hope they stick around - although carp can be fun too.....


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

There are some really good fish throughout the river right now. I haven't fished it for quite some time though. The water temps have been a little warm to catch and release trout like I tend to do. Anything over 69 degrees is too warm for me to think the trout will survive after being hooked and reeled in.


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## 1styearff (Mar 3, 2010)

Check it often!



The Downstream Drift said:


> Anything over 69 degrees is too warm for me to think the trout will survive after being hooked and reeled in.


Agreed. Stream thermometers should be required gear for anyone who purchases a trout stamp, especially this time of year!


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## big_phish (Jan 1, 2009)

1styearff said:


> Check it often!
> 
> 
> 
> Agreed. Stream thermometers should be required gear for anyone who purchases a trout stamp, especially this time of year!


 
Unless you're a trout canivore, then the only temperature you're worried about is how hot the pan should be.:lol:


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## DE82 (Nov 28, 2007)

Do you guys have special stream thermometers you use for checking it? When ever I've brought one it's been my fish tank one but that gets cumbersome to bring and tie a line to and I've lost a couple I've had to go after too.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

I usually carry a digital thermometer with me. It gives me a quick accurate reading. The only issue is that I am only getting temps as deep as my arm can reach. Honestly I feel it is better to get the temp from the shallow water than the deep water. Fish naturally find the deep cold water to stay in but once I reel in a fish through the warmer shallower water it can't be good for the fish. Nothing scientific here, but I think of this like walking from my air conditioned house to the 90 degree heat right now. I know I don't like that temp change so how can the trout? Again, not scientific by any means but its the theory I have stuck with over the years.

I have also seen a very cool infared thermometer at BPS. Haven't used one yet but I hear they are very accurate tools. I just can't part with the $40 to buy one yet when I keep spending money on more fly tying materials.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

big_phish said:


> Unless you're a trout canivore, then the only temperature you're worried about is how hot the pan should be.:lol:


I agree with this thought in theory but I always consider the sub-legal fish I am bound to catch. These fish are even more at risk when the water is warmer. I personnally prefer to make sure these fish make it til next year so they are then of legal size.

While I have never kept a trout from Paint Creek I know there are plenty of those that legally do. Protecting the little ones so they grow to be of legal size for your frying pan is a good thing in my book. Just my opinion though.


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## DE82 (Nov 28, 2007)

The Downstream Drift said:


> I usually carry a digital thermometer with me. It gives me a quick accurate reading. The only issue is that I am only getting temps as deep as my arm can reach. Honestly I feel it is better to get the temp from the shallow water than the deep water. Fish naturally find the deep cold water to stay in but once I reel in a fish through the warmer shallower water it can't be good for the fish. Nothing scientific here, but I think of this like walking from my air conditioned house to the 90 degree heat right now. I know I don't like that temp change so how can the trout? Again, not scientific by any means but its the theory I have stuck with over the years.
> 
> I have also seen a very cool infared thermometer at BPS. Haven't used one yet but I hear they are very accurate tools. I just can't part with the $40 to buy one yet when I keep spending money on more fly tying materials.


Thanks, I know what you mean. 



The Downstream Drift said:


> I agree with this thought in theory but I always consider the sub-legal fish I am bound to catch. These fish are even more at risk when the water is warmer. I personnally prefer to make sure these fish make it til next year so they are then of legal size.
> 
> While I have never kept a trout from Paint Creek I know there are plenty of those that legally do. Protecting the little ones so they grow to be of legal size for your frying pan is a good thing in my book. Just my opinion though.


I also agree with this


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## Troutdoors (Jun 20, 2010)

Regarding taking the stream temp, I have found a nifty little gadget that works quite well. I have a digital meat thermometer that has the probe on a long line and it works incredibly well! I compared it's readings with those of a friend of mine who bought an expensive stream thermometer. It was within 1 degree of his thermometer's temps.

Just don't tell my wife that I'm taking the temp of the Clinton with the thermometer she uses for her meat! :yikes:


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## 1styearff (Mar 3, 2010)

I have an old mercury thermometer with a stainless steel sleeve that I think I procured from a large animal veterinarian I worked for many years ago. When they switched to digital equipment, I offered to take this one off of their hands and save the hazardous waste fee. I tied a length of parachute cord to it and can let it dangle in the water while I tie on a leader, or untangle a wind knot.

DD - I agree with your shallow water theory and analogy, very descriptive. You are also spot-on with the handling of sub-legal fish. I am a firm believer that these little guys should be handled with as much (if not more) care than the trophy fish we all love to catch.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

There is also a local company that is making a thermometer that has an adhesive backing which attaches to your waders just below the knee. I think the company is called Eco-Temp. They are very cool as long as you don't wade in deeper than your knee. Kind of tough in the shallow sections though unless you are sitting down in the river. But I suppose if you are sitting down you have probably fell in and spooked the fish anyways.


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

I won a Eco-Temp at the one fly this year. Used in Up North and compared it to my normal temp gauge. It is great for giving an idea of water temp, but not an exact science by eny means.


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## 1styearff (Mar 3, 2010)

Maverick1 said:


> IIt is great for giving an idea of water temp, but not an exact science by eny means.


Maverick:
How closely did teh EcoTemp read to your standard thermometer, and what do you use for a "standard" thermometer?


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## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

I would tell you it was good within 5 degrees. I have a old SA temp guage I use. Getting an lazar soon. very cool technology.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Well, we all know that 5 degrees is way to much room for error when trout fishing. The infrared thermometers see to be the most accurate. I would probably rate a good digital next in line.

The old mercury thermometers are very accurate but they take awhile to get a measurement. I suppose though that this would be a good way for impatient anglers to slow down and take a minute to see what is going on in the stream before they trounce through spooking all the fish. Not like I have ever been impatient about getting into the river to catch a fish. :lol:


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## SteelEFever04 (Apr 9, 2010)

Ive been doing quite abite of trout fishing lately and i dont have a thermometer, the trout i released swim right off..im sure its still a good idea, i love them trout and wouldnt wanna catch a barely legal one and kill it, so i might purchase one, what is the temp that would be too warm to fish?


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

For most of us the 70 degree mark is where we stop trout fishing. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I take the temperature reading in the shallow warmer water. I know that the trout have found the deeper, colder sections of the river to hold in but when the shallows are at 70 degrees I find somewhere else to fish.

The good part about Oakland County is that when the Clinton is too warm we can usually fish Paint Creek. If Paint Creek gets to a dangerous temperature there are plenty of lakes throughout the area to catch bass and panfish.


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## 1siena (Apr 15, 2007)

I had heard that the infrared thermometer on gets the surface temp, and there is a big difference between the surface and deeper in the water column. AM I off base?

If I am, could someone recommend a good infrared thermometer?


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## bborow2501 (Nov 12, 2007)

the paint was at 72 this evening, still mostly stained
It looks like it will be too warm all week looking at the forecast


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

1sienna... the infared does take the temperature in the top of the water column. Not exactly on the surface but within the top 6 inches. My theory is that when we are taking the temp to protect the trout we should look at the highest temp we find. This is different than when fishing for spring steelhead and we are looking for the water they will best spawn in. If the water on the surface or in the shallows is warm, you have to pull the fish through it when you reel it in. Imagine running a mile in 70 degree weather. You could probably do it without falling down from exhaustion. Now what if I turned up the temp to 100 degrees a third of the way into your mile? It would probably change how the physical stress of running the mile affects your body. As I have stated before, I am not a fisheries biologist. These are just my opinionated theories. Maybe I'm wrong but I would like to error on the side of protecting the fish.

bborrow... where did you take the temperature reading at? Yesterday the river temped below 70 in two different locations. And it wasn't my thermometer. It was the one the MDNRE carries when they do fish surveys so I have to believe it was right.


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## bborow2501 (Nov 12, 2007)

the section behind my house in the faster water
none the less the forecast still looks bad


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## DE82 (Nov 28, 2007)

You guys also have to remember temp with change by location, one spot you check might be 72 but another could be 68


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Good point DE... This morning I fished a section of the Paint and had temps ranging from 66 to 73. I was constantly checking the water temp. Needless to say, when I hit the pools above 70 it came time to simply walk upstream to the next run hoping for colder water.


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