Lake Clinton fishing

Well fellow crappie enthusiasts, I bombed on Clinton Lake again! Fished from noon until 4, warmer weather made life easier, but the crappie just would not cooperate! Saw a lot of small bluegill and dink crappie caught and i am sure there were some keepers as well. I threw a lot of different jigs and tighlined and bobber fished. Lost over a dozen jigs and tubes, dont know how guys fish the Dewitt bridge, tightlining, without losing jigs or getting hung up, but saw a few guys doing it. I had two bonafide hits and missed both fish. I think they were both bluegills by how they hit and where they were on the retrieve in. The plant was off today and the water was quite cold. Saw quite a few dead fish floating, my guess is when the lake froze a week or so ago, the shock did some damage. Good luck men and hope to see some of you on the water. E.

I dont feel so bad about not fishing on this beautiful day now.

Did you look deep. Them fish probably hugging bottom. Keep at it you will figure them out. Im sure they on or around river channel. It runs right through dewitt bridge. Get you a top map so you can know where the channel is.

I fished as deep as i could tight lining. Fished between 7'-8' with a fixed float. I watched an older gentleman cast and hardly moved his jig and i dont know how he didnt get hung up! Not once! He must have caught a couple of limits of small gills and dink crappie. I do need to get a topo. Does old Joe's sell them? I fished the south east bank about 100 yards south of the bridge. It was pretty slow going for all the anglers I could see.

if you are fishing that lake from the bank you better get there early, the earlier the better

also the crappie in that lake can be very very particular. you may have to go to a sixteenth ounce with a number 6 hook

ill bring you a map in monday.

10-4. I was trying to give the water a chance to warm up a little. You are right, there were around 16 vehicles there, give or take, the entire time i was there. I was fishing predominantly 1/16th ounce jigs, only 1 1/8th ounce jig and a few 1/32s with a lil hustler jig body. I'm used to fishing cover at Lake YY (South about an hour and a half!) and have just started fishing this lake. Its really about the overall journey for me, but ide be lying if i said i didnt want to catch fish! Thanks for the advice, this site is the best resource around for folks helping other folks!

Thanks Farmboy, I need all the help I can get. If you're not going to be using that St. Croix anytime soon maybe i can get some fish slime all over the handle for ya!! LOL.

The plant is not down powered. it has been running at full power for over a week now. it was down and we had a huge drop in temp and it did in fact freeze up around the bridge area a little but that was 2 weeks ago. probably the first time in a very long time this has happened.. im sure it shocked quite a few fish.. i havent been out on the lake fishing in a few weeks but i would stay away from DimWitt bridge at all cost... place gets pounded by everyone every day of the week. if you have a boat i would certainly be launching at Mascoutin and fishing from a boat rather than bumping elbows with the rest. im 100 percent certain i could pull a limit out in less than 2 hours if there is open water between the marina and dewitt bridge. the ice line was formed from the big point across from the Marina where the gravel pit starts and the lake turns towards westside and across the lake 200 yards from the marina break docks on Saturday.. we were out to run the buddies Legend for a bit for he final time before winter storage.. lots of deep wood and structure to "riplip" from!!!

Croppiemster; I am watching you JACK.

Thanks RipLip. I really appreciate your post. Yes i am bank fishing for now and I was laughing out loud to your "DimWitt" bridge comment. I have only fished it a few times and have seen it all!! Met some really cool folks and others i dont care to ever run into for now. The plan is to get a boat soon, i just have a few finacial obligations to fulfill and I will be mobil on the water. I'm an old navy vet and really always have enjoyed being afloat. I am constantly on this site, going over what others have to say about crappie fishing, boats, ect and find it to be a wonderful place to be. I love fishing and the more i go the more i realize i have a lot to learn! I do know i hate bumping elbows, people will trash this earth and not care, but on here there is sharing and consideration for others. I am delighted to have found it and look forward to sharing my fishing life with you and all the others! Thanks again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ehall

Thanks RipLip. I really appreciate your post. Yes i am bank fishing for now and I was laughing out loud to your "DimWitt" bridge comment. I have only fished it a few times and have seen it all!! Met some really cool folks and others i dont care to ever run into for now. The plan is to get a boat soon, i just have a few finacial obligations to fulfill and I will be mobil on the water. I'm an old navy vet and really always have enjoyed being afloat. I am constantly on this site, going over what others have to say about crappie fishing, boats, ect and find it to be a wonderful place to be. I love fishing and the more i go the more i realize i have a lot to learn! I do know i hate bumping elbows, people will trash this earth and not care, but on here there is sharing and consideration for others. I am delighted to have found it and look forward to sharing my fishing life with you and all the others! Thanks again.

---

you should try to hit the rip rap east of the mascoutin boat ramp about 200 yards.. also the stumps on the east side of the ramp