The Clinton River

The Clinton River begins in Springfield and Independence Townships.  This river flows east through Pontiac, Auburn Hills, and Rochester.  There is a small dam at Yates Park in Rochester that presents an obstacle for migrating fish.  From Yates Park the Clinton flows to the southeast through Sterling Heights and Mt Clemens.  Eventually the Clinton empties into Lake St Clair in Harrison Township.

Fishing opportunities on the Clinton River have greatly improved over the last ten years.  For a river that was once known as a highly polluted system, the Clinton is now a fishery to take note of due to the work of the Clinton River Watershed Council, several Trout Unlimited chapters, and the DNR.  The Clinton River main branch is fishable in Oakland and Macomb counties.

The main draw for the Clinton is its exceptional spring steelhead fishing.  During the month of March steelhead begin their annual spawning run up the Clinton from Lake St Clair.  The DNR has established a steelhead stocking program that has grown over the last several years.  Due to the continued improvement of the Clinton the DNR has “robbed” fish from the Belle River stocking to provide additional fish for the Clinton.  The Clinton River stocking is usually done in mid April at a location below Yates Park.  This is important to note as most species of fish will return to the section of the river they inhabited as smolt to spawn as adults.  The Clinton River steelhead run usually extends into the first week of May and allows the southeast Michigan angler an excellent opportunity to hook some very exciting fish.  Most of the spawning activity is concentrated below the dam at Yates Park although some fish do clear the dam and spawn in the upper stretches of the river and into Paint Creek.

In the spring the Clinton River also receives a modest run of walleye and a sucker run that can keep anglers busy while searching for steelhead.  These fish are a ton of fun to catch but beware of the open season dates for walleye.  The Clinton River closes for walleye on March 15th therefore no fish may be kept after this date.

Contrary to popular belief, the Clinton receives a modest salmon run in the fall every year.  While the numbers of fish that ascend through the system are not high, this does provide the southeast Michigan angler an opportunity to salmon fish in late October.        
Above Yates Park there are some excellent trout fishing opportunities. 

The Clinton River is now home to several brown and rainbow trout.  The health of the river is now providing the proper habitat for trout species to thrive.  Several sections of the river through Auburn Hills provide angler access.  The Clinton River does flow through some private property in this section.  Being respectful of the land owners will go a long way to improve the relationship anglers have with property owners in this part of the river.

Paint Creek

Paint Creek is a gem of a trout stream that flows from Lake Orion through Rochester and eventually empties into the Clinton River.  While the Paint is a fairly small stream it boasts high numbers of resident trout through most of the river.  Angler access is abundant throughout the river due to the Paint Creek Trail paralleling most of the river.  Along the river there are several road crossings that provide parking for anglers and easy entry into the river.  Portions of Paint Creek flow through private property therefore anglers need to be respectful while fishing.  Property owners, in general, are open to fishing the river as long as anglers are respectful of their riparian property rights. 

It is important to note that Paint Creek is a designated trout stream and there are season closures for the stream.  Paint Creek opens for fishing on the last Saturday of April and closes again in the fall to protect the spawning activities of the resident brown trout in the stream.

While fly casting can be tight in some locations, the Paint is perfectly suited for a short 3 or 4wt fly rod.  Using short, light weight rods such as these provide the angler an added thrill when hooking into one of the Paint’s 20 inch browns.  Anglers can expect regular hatches throughout the year that include various caddis flies, mayflies, and midges.  During the late summer terrestrial fishing can be excellent along Paint Creek.

The St. Joseph River

The St Joseph River is a southwest Michigan river.  The Downstream Drift is on this river during the month of July fishing for Skamania (summer steelhead).  The St Joe’s headwaters are in southern Michigan.  The river flows southwest into Indiana and then turns to flow northwest into Lake Michigan.  The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has stocked the river with Skamania in exchange for the Michigan DNRe continuing a salmon stocking program on the St Joe.  A large dam is located in the town of Berrien Springs and the fish can ascend a well designed fish ladder.  Every year anglers flock to Berrien Springs for their chance to hook one of these beautiful, strong, and exciting fish.

The Pere Marquette

The Pere Marquette River flows from Lake County into Lake Michigan.  The river stretches for 67 miles and has several fishable tributaries, notably, the Little South Branch and the Baldwin River.  This river is rich with history as it is the first river in Michigan to receive brown trout in 1884.  The town of Baldwin celebrates the Pere Marquette and its exceptional fishing opportunities.  An angler will rarely find another place in Michigan with so many fly shops located in such close proximity.  The PM is home to the famed “Fly Only” water which stretches from M-37 to Gleason’s Landing.  Anglers should be aware of all special regulations while on this river.   

As with many northern of Michigan’s rivers, the Pere Marquette supports excellent trout, steelhead, and salmon fishing opportunities.  The Downstream Drift is on the PM for a week during the month of July waiting for a hatch of Michigan’s hex flies to push trout into a feeding frenzy.  This type of fishing can be very exciting and worth the time spent in the dark waiting for giant bugs to hit the water. 

Manistee River

   The Manistee River is a northern Michigan river that runs approximately 232 miles from the town of Alba to the city of Manistee where it enters Lake Michigan.  It is considered to be one of the best trout fisheries east of the Rockies.  In 2009, the Manistee River recorded the world record brown trout.  This fish was over 41 pounds, a true testament of the quality fishing offered in its waters. 

This is the largest river that The Downstream Drift fishes regularly.  The river boasts a fall salmon run that is nothing short of amazing.  Below Tippy Dam thousands of salmon begin spawning on the gravel areas in early September and will continue to hang around until almost mid October.  During this time of year anglers flock to Tippy Dam for their chance of hooking one of Michigan’s King Salmon.

 
Once the salmon are in the river spawning they are quickly followed by opportunistic steelhead looking for a meal of fresh salmon eggs.  The steelhead will remain in the river until spring when they will perform their own spawning ritual.  The Manistee River provides excellent opportunity for anglers to catch steelhead from November through May. 

The Little Manistee River

The Little Manistee River begins in the town of Luther and empties into Lake Michigan 40 miles downstream.  This river is home to the Little Manistee Weir which is the starting point for most of the steelhead and salmon raised by Michigan’s hatcheries.  The river does have special regulations for several miles of its flow therefore being up-to-date with the DNRe fishing guide is suggested.  While the Little Manistee can be tough fishing in its headwaters, the river is very easy to fish below the town of Irons.  The Downstream Drift spends the first week of May on the Little Manistee in search of late run steelhead and some brown trout.  This river is an amazing fishery that every angler in Michigan should fish at least once.  Nothing compares to the Little Manistee.