Steelhead Fishing on the Clinton River — Michigan’s Comeback River
The fog cloaked the woods in a errie armor as I walked from my car down the trail to a long gravel bar with a bend hole with log jam at the tail end. The smell of decaying leaves mixed with a hint of pine filled the moist, cool air. The pine lined river was steaming when I arrived and was slightly up with 3 feet of visibility. I carefully walked below the log jam and inspected the river. I could see two pair of steelies spawning on the gravel directly above the log filled hole. I took the bonnet off my homemade #3 plain brass spinner and flipped it next to the log, far below the spawning fish. A small aggressive male steelhead clobbered the spinner and ran downstream into the logs. I muscled him out and released him quickly. I then slowly waded up to the spawners. I casted towards the largest aggressive male. On cue, he slammed the intruder and then violently shook his head. Then the hulking male ran downstream through the logs and broke off!! I managed to hook and release the one remaining female in the next ½ hour. I enjoyed the sight of a hunting hawk and a fleeing deer herd on the hike back to the car. Where is the steelhead paradise? B.C.? Alaska? Russia?! No, it’s southeast Michigan’s comeback river, the Clinton!
Mention the Clinton River to most fishermen and images of superfund sites and toxic waste dumps come to mind. But recently, the Clinton River has gone through a rejuvenation. The waste sites have been contained, the public has gotten involved in clean up efforts, and the water quality has improved. Runs of walleye, steelhead, pike, and suckers along with a few chinook salmon (which were never planted) now run the river seasonally. Add arguably the best southeast Michigan trout stream in Clinton River tributary Paint Creek and anyone can see that the Clinton River system has a lot of fishing opportunities to offer and is within a hours drive of over a third of Michigan’s population! I began fishing the river as a teen in the late 70’s. Back then, the runs of chinook salmon and steelhead were fairly strong and the fishing pressure was light. But the river was much more polluted then. Over the years, larger plants of steelhead smolts and cleaner water has increased the steelhead runs but the word has gotten out and the pressure has increased. Recent grass roots efforts have prompted the DNR to survey the Clinton steelhead fishery on the Clinton. The hope is that the results will warrant an increased plant of steelhead similar to the Huron’s plant of 50,000 fish. In 1994, the Clinton only received a 12,400 down from 14,500 in 1993. The first years study determined that the Clinton’s steelhead catch rate of 0.08 (or about 1 fish per 10 hours of fishing) compares favorably with catch rates of some rivers up north. The second years results have not been tabulated as of this writing. Some locals claim that the increase pressure has hurt the steelhead fishing. I am one of them. I can recall mid spring run wades up from Ryan and fishing all day without seeing any other fishermen! A trip in January 1998 included sharing this stretch 20+ anglers and 2 drift boats!! And January is a slow month! Other issues include the popular DNR theory that the smolts get eaten on their migration to Lake Erie (maybe Lake Huron) through Lake St. Clair . This is a big concern for the DNR and they are reluctant to increase the plants. In addition, the smolts are pounded by local fisherman after planting. Many stringers of rainbows are needlessly taken home for the pan by so called sportsmen and the steelhead fishery takes it on the chin! Many Clinton River veteran steelheaders believe that the river should be closed to all fishing after the plants to help survival rate of these baby steelhead. Hopefully with good second year survey results, more people will lobby for this fine river and the plants will be increased and protected to accommodate the new high interest in the Clinton’s steelhead fishery. Call or write district fisheries biologist Jeff Braunscheidel at 313–432–1267. DNR Southeast District 10 Office, 38980 7 Mile Road, Livonia MI 48152–1006 and voice your opinion. You can also write the Chief Fisheries Biologist at DNR, PO Box 30028, Lansing MI, 48909.
The Clinton River and it’s tributaries drain 763 square miles of Macomb, Oakland, and St.Clair counties and was first planted with steelhead in 1882. The river has a stable flow due to the influx of ground water from the course soil it drains in the Rochester-Utica area and the water treatment plant in Pontiac. The Clinton is one of the few Michigan rivers that stay open enough in the winter months to fish. Due to the clay substrate in part of the area that it drains, the water has a green hue to it. This hue adds mystery to the deeper holes even in during low water periods. The river handles rain fairly well but a significant rain event will put it out of shape for 2–4 days. The Clinton has some of the best holding water in the state and is very reminiscent of northern Lake Michigan tributaries such as the Betsie and the Pere Marquette. I believe the main problem with the Clinton’s steelhead fishery is there is so much good holding water and not enough fish. The best grade on the Clinton can be found from midway between M-53 up past Yates to Rochester. A few fish pass the dam at Yates but most of the steelhead are caught downstream. This whole stretch includes riffle pool habitat with some exciting gravel runs and deep mysterious holes. A fish ladder place here would open more water to steelhead. The few fish that pass the dam spawn in the upper river, Paint Creek, and Stoney Creek. A few steelhead smolts are caught each year in Paint Creek. The best gravel stretches on the Clinton can be found between Ryan and Dequinder roads and below Ryan for about a mile. I have caught a fair amount of resident browns and rainbows in this area. The appearance of these fish indicates that natural reproduction is a possibility here and approximately 10–20% of the fish I catch each year appear to be natural based on the condition of the fins. The lower river down stream of M-53 runs deeper and slower than the upper river and contains only sparse gravel but can be productive in the fall and winter.
Access on the Clinton is great. There are parks at Yates Dam, Ryan Road, Van Dyke Road, Riverland Road, and Dodge Park on Utica Road. Most of the fishing pressure (and most of the fish catching!) for steelhead and salmon takes place in the Ryan to Yates stretch. This makes sense because the steelhead plants are at Dequindre or Ryan Roads and research performed by the MDNR’s P.Seelbach indicates that most planted fish will hold within 1½ miles of the plant site. The DNR should consider spreading the plant sites to spread the fish. The pressure decreases as you head downstream. The lower stretches are best in the fall and winter due to limited spawning substrate. The fish are less concentrated here so it pays to fish fast. The steelhead in the Clinton tend to run to the plant site. I believe this is due to the lack of obstacles and deep water between the lake and the planting location. Low water will negatively impact the amount of fish that run in the fall. The river is wadable in normal conditions from Klino Road upstream. The lower stretches are characterized by sand filled holes with logs and an occasional gravel bar or clay hole. The grade lessens so the current is slightly slower. The spillway upstream from Harper is another popular spot. This inflatable low head dam is used to control the flow in the mainstream. Steelhead and walleyes often stack up behind this “dam” and anglers take them casting spoons, plugs, or on spawn or minnows.
In terms of run timing, the fall steelhead run starts in mid October but most of the fish reach the Ryan area in late November to early December. The spring run is earlier than northern Michigan rivers and begins in earnest in mid March with the best fishing in early April. The river is quite crowded this time of year so it pays to hit the river early. Fish will spawn through the first week of May and fallbacks can be caught in the lower river through May. The Clinton also gets a small run of lake run browns, Pink Salmon, and Chinook Salmon in the fall and a good run of pike and walleyes in the spring. In fact, one of my fishing partners landed a lake trout from the hole under Avon Road!! Don’t forget poacher boy, the walleyes are out of season until late April in the river.
A lot of the steelhead are caught on spawn in the Clinton. Both drift fishing and bobber fishing take fish. There is a fair amount of snags in the Clinton so be prepared. A fair amount of fish are taken on flies as well, especially on and near gravel in the spring. Nymph patterns and egg flies take the bulk of the fly hooked steelies on the Clinton. Jigs and bobbers also take fish especially in the holes during low water periods. Tip the jig with wigglers or minnows and use a slip bobber. Plugs like Hot n Tots are rapidly gaining in popularity and may be the most popular method on the Clinto to put a steelhead on the end of your line Spinners (Sizes 2–5 in silver) also take a few steelhead. Cast #4-#5 silver plated spinners in holes near structure such as logs in the fall and winter. Cover the water quickly and move on. In the spring concentrate on areas with gravel. Use smaller less bright brass #2-#3 when fishing for sighted spawners. Spoons like the 2/5th oz Little Cleo or BC Steel in standard steelhead colors also take fish. The average weight of the fish I have landed is around 6 lbs but several over 15lbs are landed each year.
In short, I believe the Clinton gets a good return and could handle a fish plant similar to the one put into the Rifle River. (50,000+) The plant should be spread out and the river should be closed to all fishing after the plant to protect he smolts. The North Branch should also receive a plant. The access has improved due to land purchases by the Huron Clinton Metro Parks. The Clinton may be the prettiest river system in Southeast Michigan. It is full of gravel, easily waded, runs very clear, and has excellent holding water. It also stays open in winters and is the first river in southeast Michigan to drop into shape after a heavy rain. Hopefully more people will lobby for this fine river and the plants will be increased and protected to accommodate the new high interest in the Clinton’s steelhead fishery. Get involved! Call or write the Fishery Division of the MDNR at to voice your opinion on this fine river today!
