# paint creek



## FISHCATCHER1 (Nov 18, 2010)

Hey guys,
Have any of you read any of the trout population surveys done on paint creek? i was reading them on the dnr site and they said they found a 29 inch brown. crazy. have any of you seen such a beast?


----------



## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Which survey years are you talking about? I was with the DNR during the 2010 population surveys and we did not find any fish that big. If I remember correctly the largest we netted was 22".

Of course, there may be a couple of fish that big in the creek. However, the creek is 15 miles long and is no longer cut in half by a dam. A fish that big could potentially move up and down the entire stream in a matter of a couple days. So it could be anywhere in the system.

During that survey I was honestly shocked at the number of fish we found in a couple sections of the creek. For example, one 1000' section produced over 350 trout with over a dozen fish in the 15" or above range. This was almost double the amount of fish found in the previous 2001 survey! 

Can you provide a link to the survey you reviewed that showed a 29" brown netted in the creek? I'd be interested to contact our fisheries biologist and ask him about it.


----------



## sjk984 (Jan 4, 2010)

last year I saw aprox a 24"+ FISH in a pool on the way upper creek. I saw him for 3 straight days cruise threw the pool behind my parents home. Largest fish I have ever seen and I grew up on the creek. I do not fish it but if you find the pools you will find the larger fish


----------



## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Just a minor correction. I thought I had remembered a 22" fish during the 2010 survey but when I read through the report the two largest fish netted in the survey were both 19".


----------



## FISHCATCHER1 (Nov 18, 2010)

DSD,
im pretty sure it was the 2010 survey. maybe it was a typo. look it up you will see that it says 29


----------



## FISHCATCHER1 (Nov 18, 2010)

correction,
it was not the 2010 survey. im on a dumb phone so i cant copy and paste links but it is the LEMU fisheries newsletter january 2012. and it says that at the silverbell site there were 44 brown trout collected between 2" and 29".


----------



## Lubbs (Jan 7, 2012)

I had a feeling that you would start a paint creek thread. I am looking forward to opening day.


----------



## mallardtone-man (Nov 20, 2002)

My biggest on the paint is 19" but several years ago My Dad caught and released one that was 26"


----------



## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Wow! If that report is accurate it is pretty impressive. And even more impressive considering that when the Fisheries Division does their surveys on Paint Creek they use an electro-shocking system that is at a fairly low setting so it doesn't kill the smaller fish. I'm surprised that the machine had enough power to effectively shock a 29" brown.

I'll give our fisheries biologist a call and verify that wasn't a typo. However, I'm kind of leaning towards it being the true. Two seasons ago there was a fish in that section that was at least 26" which a couple of us saw multiple times. We threw everything we could at it but it wouldn't take anything. Not a fly, not a lure, not Power Bait. Heck, I even tried a worm. (It was legal in that section then.) That fish was smart and would ignore everything we put in front of it. Who knows? They could have found that fish there.


----------



## FISHCATCHER1 (Nov 18, 2010)

yeah let me know. hey lubbs where have you been i tried to text you a few weeks ago.


----------



## pilgs (Feb 4, 2010)

I caught a 25+ inch trout in the creek a couple years ago. It was a steelie though.


----------



## Lubbs (Jan 7, 2012)

I'm having a never ending battle with my phone. Replaced twice already and I still don't get all of my voicemails and text messages. I'm on phone #3 which is behaving so far. Text we when you have a chance . Other than that I made a few trips out to the Clinton with success for once. How have you been doing ?


----------



## dogfish17 (May 18, 2012)

Actually the low setting of electricity is so it does not harm or break the larger fishes vertabrae. The small fish are actually harder to shock since less surface area to conduct the electricty. 
I helped shock a creek which will remain nameless and we had over a dozen browns over 24 inches and the largest being 27 3/4 inches. That was in less than 2 miles of stream. I hope I hook into him on opener.

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## fisheater (Nov 14, 2010)

I even tried a worm. (It was legal in that section then.) That fish was smart and would ignore everything we put in front of it. Who knows? They could have found that fish there. 

I am proud of you Jason, you probably should have tried spawn. When you can find them emerald shiners are hard to beat  tight lines


----------



## the rapids (Nov 17, 2005)

there is a guy named ron that owns land along the creek and has a school of "pet trout" which are rainbows he stocked some years ago... he feeds them regularly with some kind of pellet food... as a result some of the brown trout have also caught on and grown quite large. if you see large trout it is likely one of those browns or rainbows, i have seen them upstream and downstream a ways from his property.


----------



## troutmaster (Jun 7, 2011)

My personal best was a 19" brown. This was 2 or three seasons ago and the largest I've seen since was a 20"+ brown a few days after the opener last season. I also, caught several in the 13"-16" range last season, more than ever in that size range.

here's that 19" brown. I was beyond exited when I hooked this fish


----------



## Lubbs (Jan 7, 2012)

That is a great picture


----------



## Silverexpress (Sep 6, 2006)

the rapids said:


> there is a guy named ron that owns land along the creek and has a school of "pet trout" which are rainbows he stocked some years ago... he feeds them regularly with some kind of pellet food... as a result some of the brown trout have also caught on and grown quite large. if you see large trout it is likely one of those browns or rainbows, i have seen them upstream and downstream a ways from his property.


Lol. The next time any of you are in downtown Grayling, pay a visit to the Hatchery. Actually you want to go behind it at the Children's park. There you'll find some of the biggest "wild" trout in all of the Ausable. They've honed in on the floating pellets that have escaped the hatchery trout. Bummer, only kids can fish in that section, and it is patrolled! When the bulls fight over the food, it's like the sound of dogs splashing in the water.

29" Brown. I believe it. Last summer I saw a big one at one of the parks. It was dusk, and I only made out a huge girth with a tail that was as tall as both my hands stacked on top each other thumb to thumb. It was in knee deep water, and I figured it lived in the deep pond area just upstream during the day. I was planning on keeping it a secret....oh well.


----------



## Maverick1 (Jan 28, 2009)

Been fishing the creek for awhile too. Biggest to date is just over 20, but I've seen larger. I have 100% confidence there is a few 24" browns in some of the less pressured sections however like any apex predator they are very smart and don't make themselves known too frequently. 

I saw my biggest one downstream from the old dam site last year staging just in front of a log jam. One cast and it spooked.















Just a few surprises from last season.


----------



## ckendall (Sep 1, 2000)

a 26" brown in the paint creek about 15 years ago . . . 

haven't fished it much recently


----------



## CreekHopper (Mar 20, 2013)

Good evening gents! I'm piggy-backing on this post! I've recently taken up fly fishing with limited experience. I've fished a trout river once, the Rifle river and had some luck with almost landing a salmon but got ahead of myself and out led the fish while retrieving. 

New to the site and cold water fishing, I wasn't aware of paint creeks abundant success stories! I am making plans to make several trips once the season is open. I would greatly appreciate a PM on a suggested starting point if anyone is so generous.:help:


----------



## Lubbs (Jan 7, 2012)

Fishcatcher1 if your heading out this weekend let me know. I will probably be free on Saturday


----------



## DLHirst (Mar 14, 2009)

Creekhopper, the Orvis store in Royal Oak has printed maps of Paint Creek, Clinton River and I think one or two others. Free. They also sell a book on Paint Creek written recently by a local guy. Probably someone on this site.

Good luck!


----------



## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Here is my best ever from paint creek. Those who know me will immediately know how old this picture is. Don't remember exactly how big the fish was, but I was pretty excited at the time,.... and hooked on trout fishing for life. I'm guessing this was probably circa 1989.


----------



## FishonRon (Jun 1, 2012)

"An Angler's Guide to Paint Creek" was written by Jason Davis, president of Clinton Valley TU chapter and owner of The Downstream Drift. I think Orvis bought the rights to this book. Pretty impressive! [ame="http://www.amazon.com/An-Anglers-Guide-Paint-Creek/dp/0615533744"]An Angler&#39;s Guide to Paint Creek: Jason Davis: 9780615533742: Amazon.com: [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@51LZYdC9kRL[/ame]


----------



## CreekHopper (Mar 20, 2013)

That's excellent. Thanks for the advice 


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## kawigreen (Mar 28, 2013)

Does that book come in electronic form also I tried the paint last year for the first time without much success. not wanting anyone to give away too much secrets and a pm is fine but how do you fish it with wooly buggers a nymph? Very new to fly fishing and hearing so many success stories 
I have to be doing it all wrong?


----------



## DLHirst (Mar 14, 2009)

Put your time in. You will have some success. Nymphs are always a good answer, but there's someting about seeing a fish RISE to the dries...

Remembr too, you've seen evidence of a half dozen or so trophy trout here. Be thrilled when the creek offers up fish north of 8" and you will have great fun/success!


----------



## DLHirst (Mar 14, 2009)

And yes - Jason's book. Wasn't sure about the rules on "advertising" here. It is a great book!


----------



## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

I didn't make the first post but I'll comment... 

The book is available on Amazon and, unless the publisher has an error in his system, there should be an e-version available.

That's all I'll say. Don't want to get a strike for "advertising". I've tried to be pretty good about not saying anything about it here on the forum.


----------



## FishonRon (Jun 1, 2012)

My fault guys. Didn't think about the advertising thing. Just wanted to give some help in finding the book, and a little credit to Jason for writing it.


----------



## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

FishonRon said:


> My fault guys. Didn't think about the advertising thing. Just wanted to give some help in finding the book, and a little credit to Jason for writing it.


Shouldn't be a problem Ron. The mod's here are good guys. They know I wouldn't post something to self-promote. You are probably in the clear.


----------

