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The Mad River
08-24-10- Folks- we'll get to some fishing stuff in the next day or so but more importantly:
Seems that we have an epidemic on our hands over at the Mad! Here are a few e-mails from the past few days:
"I appreciate your report on the break-ins over at the Mad. I was fishing Saturday evening at the 55 bridge. I left my truck unlocked, but rolled up the windows because it was raining. My front passenger window was still broken out. I did not lose anything (other than the window), because I left nothing valuable in the truck. I can't believe they broke my window, when the truck was unlocked. On the upside, whom ever smashed the window did cut his/her finger and leave blood on the passenger seat of my truck. The Champaign County Sheriff was happy about that. The deputy said that is the 1st tangible evidence they have been able to collect"- Patrick
"Well…. They're still breaking into cars up there! Just had mine broken into this weekend. I wish I would have checked your fishing report before I went J They smashed out my window took my GPS unit that I left sitting out in the open." - Brian
If you fish the Mad, please be aware......and be careful!
08-14-10- *****Alert****** We have been hearing of multiple break-ins along the Mad River this past week. Several customers have had their cars broken into and fishing gear along with other items stolen. One officer from Urbana claims he has responded to 5 calls in 7 days at Rte 55 alone! Appears that they are targeting Lippincott, 29 and 36 as well. Another officer warns us that there have been dozens and dozens of break-ins along the river this summer.
Don't leave anything valuable in your car if you park along the Mad. May even consider leaving the windows open as they are busting them out. Let's not give these guys anything else. Maybe they might go get a job!!!!!
08-10-10- Typical Summer reports and not much has changed since the last report....although the water is getting low. Despite the low flows, the fishing has been pretty good the past week or so. Tricos are still coming off in good numbers every morning but are pretty well concentrated in the upper river at this point. Maybe another few weeks of strong numbers then they will taper off. Fishing mid-day has been surprisingly productive! Terrestrials like ants and beetles have been good to excellent and there have also been good numbers of caddis hatching in the late afternoons. Fishing soft hackles has been great in the afternoons along with caddis larva nymphed deep. Remember to think green this time of year with lots of caddis larva around the fish have an eye out for anything bright green. We have been seeing a few of the White Miller caddis in the evenings and this activity should really pick up and be the highlight here for a few weeks. These are the ones that look like white moths flitting around on the surface. A green soft hackle 14 is the choice fly here! May also see some Ephrons (White Mayflies) in the evenings but they are sporadic at best and mostly found in the lower parts of the river. Have some Ephron spinners at dark!
07-23-10- Even with the heat the Mad is fishing ok in the mornings and evenings. The Tricos have really started to crank up in the mornings especially in the upper river. In the lower river we have been seeing some of the Pseudocloens (small BWOs) hatching mid morning and some in the evenings. Other than that...think caddis! Especially in the evenings. Ants and beetles can be very important and will continue to be throughout the summer....especially on windy days. We have heard of reports of fish chasing cranefly adults and we always have the larva with us at all times. Under the surface the ticket has been small flies. Fish have been keying on smaller nymphs/pupa. With the lower water one of the keys can be fishing areas that offer a bit of surface disturbance. All-in-all we are in much better shape than we were last year at this time!!!
07-14-10- After a few big shots of rain earlier this week...the mad has not risen much at all and is in fine shape. We are beginning to see the Tricos in the monrnings which marks the start of great morning fishing. Look for this hatch right after first light and may last until 9-10 in the morning. The spinners fall right after hatching so you want to be prepared with both duns and spinners. During the afternoons terrestrials have been productive. Beetles and inchworms are especially on the menu anywhere there are overhanging trees and bushes. Nymphing with small caddis and midge larva has also been very effective in the deeper or faster areas.
07-02-10- Big change from this time last year! Water levels on the Mad are great at this point and looks like we should have a better Summer and Fall season because of it. Not much happening right now as far as mayflies for a few weeks until the Tricos start up in the mornings. You may see some smaller mayflies in the upper river and possibly a few Slate Drakes (Isonychia) and Yellow Drakes throughout the day. These two are good choices for attractor dries right now and be sure to have some nymphs......especially the ISOs. Most of the surface activity from here on out though will be on caddis or terrestrials. Ants and beetles in particular have been great as well as some inchworm activity. Craneflies are also a good bet and the larva and adults should be in your box. Green caddis.....larva, emergers and adults should also be staple for the rest of the Summer. With the water flows we have been having, the streamer fishing is holding up well although you may want to think about fishing them late or even after dark when the temps are cooler.
06-23-10- A few days here without rain and the Mad is running at perfect levels with great clarity. There has been some great insect activity with the small sulphers still the highlight. They have still been strong in the evenings in the exreme upper river and the fish have been going nuts. The lower river has been a bit quiet and a few folks reporting "bugless" evenings in the past few days which can be typical this time of year. A few Slate Drakes (Isonychia) and Yellow Drakes have been around in the lower river but not in great numbers as to be expected. The nymphs here are most important. Terrestrials and caddis are the ticket if you don't see mayflies. Beetles and inchworms have really turned on! There have been lots of fish feeding on caddis pupae in the faster water also.....don't overlook. Streamer fishing has been great to excellent with the flows at these levels and will continue as long as the flows do. Streamer fishing has saved the day in a few cases recently.
06-18-10- The break in the rain has been good to us. The Mad is in prime shape and should fish great this weekend. The lower river certainly has good flow and should be great streamer and nymph water. The upper river has been host to some spectacular Sulpher hatches and there is no sign of letting up at this point. These are the #18 variety. Look for the hatches to start any time after 5:00 p.m. and will last well into the evening with the spinner falls right at dark. Earlier in the day caddis and terrestrials have been the ticket. Ants, beetles, crickets and inchworms have all been good. Caddis are also standard fare and a green or dark soft hackle - #14-16 is a fantastic choice. Be sure to check out the On-River Seminar next Sunday the 27th- great way to advance your Mad River/Trout fishing skills!
06-15-10- The continued storms have kept us in an up-and-down cycle for almost a week now. The river is pretty trashed today but dropping quickly. With no more rain the upper river may fish tomorrow afternoon. There were a few brave souls headed out this afternoon in search of the blizzard sulpher hatch in the upper river we have been experiencing the past week or so when able. Tomorrow is the better bet. No Drakes seen the past few days....if they are still around they are way upstream. We'll see what the weather/water brings and keep you informed.
06-12-10- The Mad certainly came up and is a bit too high and off color to fish today. IF....if we don't get any more rain.....the upper river may be fishable tomorrow afternoon or so. Big IF as the radar is showing some more storms heading our way tonight and tomorrow. We'll post as we know more. **Please note: the On-River Seminar on the river tomorrow has been rescheduled. Two new dates on the books: Sunday, June 27th and September 19th.
06-11-10- Late report: The river is rising big time and things are not looking good for the weekend. More rain predicted tonight and tomorrow. For now consider other options and we'll let you know when things change.
06-11-10- When the water has been fishable this week the hatches and fish have been on fire. Last night there was a blizzard hatch of the #18 Sulphers in the upper river. This is to be expected and can be some of the best dry fly fishing of the year. A few straggler Brown Drakes still around as well but they are surely starting to taper off......would look for them in the upper river maybe over the next few nights we might see a few. Good numbers of caddis especially a small dark one as well as some smaller mayflies in the mix. We have also been seeing terrestrial activity pick up and ants and inchworms have been producing fish in particular. Not long and we'll be thinking trueflies and beetels as well. Also, with the higher water the streamer fishing can be good to excellent and nymph fishing with larger nymphs like Cranefly larva has been working well.
06-7-10- The river got a big shot of water this weekend bring the levels way up on Sunday. Right now the water is at a fishable level but should be off color at the moment. By tomorow evening the water should be clear enough to fish dries, and all day tomorow the conditions should be perfect for streamer fishing. The next few days should also very good for those looking to nymph, the big drake nymphs and emergers will be absolutely key during the afternoons. In the evenings we should still see a some drakes in the upper river this week, as well as some smaller sulfurs and some small midges that the fish seem to love. Be sure to stay a bit after dark and wait for the drakes, big fish after dark on dries is an incredible experience.
06-4-10- The past few nights the weather has had an effect on the spinner falls so the first stable/calm night it's gonna be crazy! The Brown Drakes have pretty much spread throughout the river and can be spotted just about anywhere the next few nights. As the week progresses remember that the activity will move upstream. They have been strong the past few nights as low as County Line but probably won't be down that low much longer. Same with the Sulphers and now the #18 version can be found in good numbers in the upper part of the river and they'll be around for a few more weeks. The Drakes may last another week? The fishing/bug report has been outstanding! One angler told us that he couldn't breathe without sucking on a Drake!!! A few anglers reporting good numbers of Drakes hatching in the MORNING which is odd but with these bugs you never know. Lots of other bugs around but the Drakes are king right now. Best and most concentrated fishing will be right before and an hour after dark with the spinners.
06-2-10- Holy %$*?......the Drakes have been on the past two nights like we haven't seen in a long time! Albeit a few days early but we are hearing of early hatches all over the place (Hex are on in Michigan). They popped big-time during the day and the spinner fall last night was incredible. We had folks fishing Drakes as low as County Line and as far North as 36. Surely they will move up the river in the next few nights and look out!!!! Remember that the duns hatch sporadically during the afternoon and you may or may not see a bunch hatching. We have been using a searching rig of an adult with the emerger or nymph behind during the day and of course the spinner later. The spinners will come out of the trees shortly before dark and the action may happen just about the time it is too dark to see your fly!!! Listen. What an incredible time to fish! We saw #18 Sulphers, Light Cahills, March Browns and the Brown Drakes. This all mixed in with tons of caddis. We should have a solid week or more of fishing all of these bugs but the Drakes are king right now.
05-28-10- Water levels on the Mad are great right now and so are the Sulphers! Also been seeing decent numbers of March Browns and Light Cahills as well. With the stable weather we are having this week the bugs have been hatching predictably every afternoon and into the evening. With the forecast this week calling for more great weather it looks like it will continue through the weekend and we should have some GREAT spinner falls with all the duns hatching right now. During the day the fish have been keying on caddis larva and with the upcoming Brown Drake hatch we are also fishing these nymphs and knocking 'em dead. We will be watching for the BD duns over the weekend but nothing yet. They could happen just about anytime in the next week and the activity will last a few weeks. Get ready!
05-22-10- The Mad did finally come up over night and is now blown. It looks like Monday we'll start thinking about it again. Did have some decent reports of Sulphers on Thursday night and then again Friday in the afternoon. Remember that Sulphers will go all afternoon if it is overcast and rainy. Still sightings of March Browns as well. Hopefully things will straighten out here and we'll get to some good/great dry fly fishing next week.
05-19-10- The recent rains have had little but positive impact on the river. The clarity and levels are great right now. It looks like the weather should start shaping up and we should be back to some good if not excellent dry fly fishing. We have had some good reports of March Browns hatching the early to mid afternoon. These can be sporadic but a few reports have them blanketing the stream a few times over the past week. Look for the spinners at dark! This warmer weather should really get our Sulpher fishing going as well....we have been on pause with the strange weather. Things should really pick up and the Suphers should provide the best fishing of the day, in the last two hours of light. Also quite a few caddis around as expected and soft hackles have been hot (as always). Nymph fishing in the mornings and early afternoons has been good....pheasant tails, copper johns and caddis larva.
05-12-10- The Mad finally got a good amount of rain and the water is currently up and muddy. The flows are fishable at the moment but rain is falling so there are no promises for tomorrow. The water is currently perfect for "stripping junk". There have been alot of great fish caught this spring and these are prime conditions for a full sinking line and some articulated streamers. Once the water clears again we will be right into prime Sulpher and March Brown fishing. Things were just really getting going before the cold snap over the weekend. There have been a good number of bugs coming off in the evenings on the warmer days as well as caddis sporadically in the afternoons. Hopefully more stable weather is close and we can start thinking about spinner falls in the evenings.
04-26-10- The Mad is in very fishable condition after the rains the past few days. With the rain and clouds we did see some Baetis hatches the past couple of days and probably will today as well. There are a few Hendricksons still hatching along with plenty of small black and tan caddis and some craneflies so it can be a task to figure out what the fish are eating on a given day. A few reports of early #16 Sulphers but it will probably take a few warmer evenings to get them going. No reports of March Browns yet but they are surely worth having in the box as well and should hatch sporadically over the next month. Spinner falls have been good to great and will continue to be the most concntrated fishing of the day. Fishing soft hackles and streamers early in the day has been an effective way to catch fish before the hatches of the day kick-in.
04-22-10- Despite the lack of "April Showers", the Mad is holding strong and fishing has been good to excellent. Hendricksons are still around in good numbers and have been hatching sporadically in the early afternoon. The fish have really been keying-in on them! The spinner falls have been good to excellent the past few nights and have given us 30-45 minutes worth of surface activity right before dark. It does seem like the hatch has moved up the river and most activity has been above 36. May start thinking about early Sulphers in the next week! There have also been huge numbers of tan and small black caddis hatching to fill in the gaps so you can really expect to see rising fish all afternoon. The fish are eating the pupa so dropping a green soft hackle or Galloup's downed caddis behind a dry is a good way to get a few extra grabs. Still a few die hards catching fish on streamers too. Storms in the forecast this weekend....goood news.....we'll take the water.
04-16-10- Water levels are looking good for the spring! This is good news and hopefully a sign of a better season. The rain today has had no effect on the river as of 3:00 p.m. Look for Hendricksons in the mid afternoons and spinner falls in the evening. It looks like some cooler weahter in the forecast and it may slow things down a bit but it also may just keep the duns on the water longer making it even better dry fly fishing! If you are planning to fish the river this week be sure to have plenty of emergers and nymphs on hand as well. These have been essential early in the day and dropped behind dries during the hatch.
04-10-10- The river dropped much quicker than expected and is pretty fishable today. A bit of color in the lower river yet but great streamer water. The temps are supposed to rise over the day and we should see the bugs back on. Probably late today and also dependent on how windy it is. Things should pick back up and we may be looking at good spinner falls again on Monday/Tuesday. Look for some caddis to be flitting around also as we go here.
04-08-10- Rains last night did us in! The river is up and muddy and probably won't fish until Saturday. The water and cooler temps will probably slow the Hendrickson action down a bit but 1st warm, sunny day they'll be back on! There was a good/great spinner fall on Tuesday night and they were seen above Urbana so they are spreading out good. The entire river should be alive with Hennys next week. We'll check the levels tomorrow and let you know a weekend forecast.
04-06-10- The rain last night didn't have much effect. The river spiked a pinch and then right back down. Perfect. There has definitely been good bug activity on the Mad and the fish are starting to pay attention. Still some reports of Black Stones, Blue Quills and early dark caddis in the upper parts of the river from over the weekend. There are Hendricksons hatching in the lower river every afternoon. Reports have them popping anywhere from lunchtime to 4:00 p.m. The wind has been an issue also but they have been going anyways. Right now most of the action is in the lower sections of the river but look for the hatch to move upstream as the water tempuratures climb. This may happen pretty quickly here with temps like we are seeing today. Before the hatch starts soft hackles have been productive both fished deep and on a traditional wet fly swing. During the hatch hendrickson emergers and spotlight cripples dropped behind an adult has been a great way to search the water with the good flows. Later in the evenings streamers and caddis have picked up some fish. When we begin to see some consistant spinner falls we will let you know. A few more warm...and calm nights and we'll be fishing until dark!
04-03-10- Strong Hendrickson hatches yesterday and today. Game on! Both days the bugs started earlier than usual....lunchtime and they were popping good and fish eating them. The wind picked up today and shut things down a bit and the overcast skies won't help but next calm sunny day things should be nuts! Some big fish caught the last few days on streamers also....and we mean really big. The river continues to fish exceptionally well for most that we are hearing from.
03-31-10- The Mad is shaping up real nice and it should be an incredible weekend. Dust off the Gink and pull out the light tippets! There is good flow in the river for a change and the next few days will still be Great streamer water, especially in the lower river. We are talking big, articulated streamers folks. Size 6 Wooly Buggers aren't going to do the trick! (See the Modern Streamers category in the store). The new Galloup sinking streamer lines have been critical also. With the weather predicted we are expecting to see some decent Hendrickson activity this weekend as well (Hatches 1 in the store).They will typcially get going in the late afternoon this early.....even as late as 4:00 p.m. and be sporadic but the fish will feed on them. As the hatch progresses and the weather gets better the action will heat up earlier in the day...even 11-12. They will most likely be more concentrated in the lower river 1st and move upstream. The upper river should see some sporadic Blue Quills and BWO's but we have not heard of real strong hatches of these...not much feeding yet. Hendrickson nymphs or a PT #14 is what we would be throwing if no surface activity. The bottom is crawling with the nymphs that are ready to hatch. Also want to be prepared with caddis as they are around from here on out. Happy Spring!!
03-27-10- The Mad is a bit high and off color today but should be good streamer water in the upper reaches. Should start to look better tomorrow and Monday but would still focus on the upper river depending on what you are looking for. Lower river should be GREAT streamer water the next few days. Some reports of smallish mayflies which are a mix of Blue Winged Olives and Blue Quills. Heard a few folks reporting small #16- 18 Hendricksons and what they are seeing is actually the Blue Quills. They do look similar. A few official Hendricksons (#12-14) were spotted earlier in the week but not in great numbers and no fish keying in yet. Hendrickson type nymphs are surely your best bet right now. Fishing should explode next week with some warmer temps. Keep the rain/snow coming by the way..this is nice.
03-23-10- The Mad did start to rise yesterday with the precip and is probably unfishable today. Maybe in the upper reaches with streamers but be careful. It has crested and starting to drop. Tomorrow and the next few days could be stellar streamer water!!! We will keep our eyes on the river and the weather and let you know.
03-19-10- The Mad has leveled off well and has been fishing pretty good the past few days. The lower river is prime streamer water right now and we have seen some of the results. Throw the big stuff and see what happens!!! Check out the Galloup articulated stuff! Those looking for a safer, more traditional experience may want to look at the upper river this weekend. It is clearing and shaping up well.
We have had a few reports of small mayflies, most likely a BWO type, hatching in the upper river. Also some decent midge activity yesterday and some fish feeding. No reports of the swarms of caddis from a few weeks ago (Grannom?), but probably still a few flitting around. No confirmed Hendricksons yet but if this weather keeps up, and the water continues to drop, we could see them any time now! In the meantime a Hendrickson type nymph is a good bet right now. Small nymphs, 14-18 to imitate the bugs about to hatch are the way to go. Despite the mediocre Fall and complaints of lack of fish, the river has been fishing great- especially for March. Great time to be on the river and it's shaping up to be a great season.
03-17-10- The river is coming back down and approaching fishable levels. Today you would want to be in the upper river but tomorrow and the weekend should bring good clarity and levels. Good to great streamer water the next few days and big flies and sink tips could take some really nice fish. Fishing has been excellent...especially for March which is traditionally a slow month. By the weekend the flows should be prime for nymph fishing. Hendrickson and baetis type nymphs will produce as the nymphs are getting active in anticipation of hatching. No reports yet of any mayfly activity but we should be close to seeing some BWO/Blue Quill types. Some midges casusing surface feeding but not much to speak of and for sure not with the higher water the past week or so. Hendricksons should be within a few weeks here!!!
03-10-10- The river is pretty blown.....cool. It is dropping though and may fish in the upper reaches tomorrow, depending on the amount of rain that we get. Good streamer water the next couple of days!
03-08-10- Today's snow melt has shot the river straight up. Looks like tomorrow would be streamer water at best if fishable. Been a long time since we've seen high water. Kind of exciting. We'll check 1st thing tomorrow and post a more detailed report. Fishing has been excellent, especially for March!
02-23-10- The Mad is still low....yes low. Snowmelt is bringing the water up today though and things may get temporarily better. This weekend's fishing was technical due to the low water but there were some good/great catches reported. If you need a dry fly fix, there have been some fish rising to midge pupa mid-day....sporadic though. Won't be long and we could start seeing some hatches....black stones, blue quills and hendricksons. Lately nymphing has been the most productive method with small stonefly imitations being the most productive right now, although we did not see many winter stoneflies this week. Small mayfly nymphs, #14-16 like PT's and HE's have also been producing fish. As the water rises with snowmelt it could be time to bang some streamers with sink tips/sinking lines. When the water is a little off color, fishing big articulated streamers like Galloup's Fat Head can take some of the best fish of the season. Remember big flies usually equal big fish, especially in high water conditions.
02-12-10- Needless to say, conditions have been pretty tough now for the better part of the year so far. The Mad is currently super low and fishing has been challenging. We are still in DIRE need of more...much more...precipitation.
When things were more fishable there for a bit in January, folks were doing well on streamers....and you would still now if you can find some holes. There has been some little black stonefly activity and will continue here for a few weeks if not more. These are about a size 14. A black copper john or black simple stone will work just fine and are a good choice as the fish never really see the adults. Time to start tossing some Hendrickson style nymphs as well due to the fact that they are maturing and getting more active in anticipation of hatching. A few folks reporting sporadic midge activity on the surface and midge larva/pupa still continue to catch fish as they usually do this time of year.
02-09-10- Sorry for our lack of reporting friends. No excuses...but we have been hard at work. You will notice many changes around MRO, both online and in the shop. Basically, the "Fishing Reports" page is one of the last things to be overhauled........... but we are just about there.
You are sure to notice many changes online, as well as in our shop, and even in our staff. We have made some major changes and are very excited about it. Most notably here, Lou Uecker will be in charge of this page, and making sure that our reports page is the best that it can be.
Read more about Lou on our recent blog and check out the changes in our staff on the "About MRO" page.....click on "Our Staff".
Stay tuned and make sure that you are registered as a customer to receive e-mails. 2010 is gonna be our best ever! Be sure to see the new Blog also!
12-2-09- Believe it or not, the rain the past day or so really hasn't done a thing to the river. There is a bit more forecast and we'll let you know if things change. The river continues to be extremely low and we need a ton more precip. Despite the poor conditions we continue to get some decent reports. A few poor ones also. Just can't get too excited about fishing until things change with the water levels. Read below for some good late season ideas if you do go. Stay tuned and put some major rain on your "Christmas list". We would love to see a strong winter streamer season!!!
11-24-09- The tiny dose of precip this week really didn't do a thing for the river. It has been quite some time since we have had ANY rain in an already desperate situation. The river is super low!!! The only good news is that the leaves are down and "winter" fishing can begin. Despite the horribly low and clear water, some folks have been venturing out. We have had a few great reports...a few large fish taken this week. Both came on small streamers. Small #16-20 nymphs have been producing as well including little red and brown midge larva. These will be critical in the next few months. A few reports of some decent surface activity with the fish eating midges on the surface. Not much else around on the surface right now. Another technique is to throw large stuff and drift slow and deep through what holes you can find. A favorite for this has always been Cranefly larva. A few anglers have reported mediocre fishing and have stated that they are not seeing or finding the numbers of fish that they are used to. Hard to say but we can tell you that without a big push of steady rains here soon....we are going to have a long winter. Have a great Holiday and we'll try to check-in over the weekend. Think of MRO this Holiday season...great Gifts!
11-7-09- The Mad has been on a slow and steady drop over the past week. It is now back to being pretty low and it is definitely choked with leaves. It is windy today and this is not going to help. Good news is that we may be nearing the end and a good push of water in the next week or so will really change the situation. We have had a few reports of decent surface activity this week despite the leaves. Some small- 16-18 caddis were out and about this week and fish seemed to be eating. Also quite a bit of midge activity above and below. Best bet this weekend would be small nymphs...about the only way to get a drift and it will probably be a short drift! Dry flies if you see them...streamers are pretty much out of the question unless you get lucky with the leaves. Another week and another push or two of water and it's game on!
10/29/09- Finally some hopeful news to report!!! The Mad did spike up yesterday better than it has in months. Although it has basically dropped right back to fishable today, the drop was slower. Also washed some of the leaves out althouh they will continue to be a problem here over the next few weeks. Beware of windy days. Haven't heard of much hatching other than some midges and a few tiny mayflies. Midges should be the ticket from here on out. Small nymphs have been producing fish....anything like a PT or Copper John. Might even consider a few egg patterns, especially with the leaves around. Streamer fishing probably on hold until we get some more water and the leaves are down and gone. More rain is still the ticket.
10/03/09- The rains the past few days did bring the river up a bit above normal and it is dropping a little slower than it has been. This is great news! It hasn't really colored up so fishing today and the next few days could be pretty good. May even think about throwing some streamers? Still decent reports of Blue Winged Olive type mayflies- #18-24 and a few reports of heavy midge hatches in the upper river. Still some caddis flitting around as well...mostly smaller. No good reports of any of the larger, GB Autumn or October Caddis but it may be a bit late and cool for them. Look for small mayflies and mayfly nymphs to be productive as the water surely drops over the next few days and hope for continued rains!
09/26/09- Good news/bad news. Bad news is that the rains this week did virtually nothing to the river levels. It did spike but never made it to normal flows and then went right back to pathetic. The good news is that the weather has changed for the better and we have had some decent fishing reports this week. It does seem that the fish have fared well this Summer despite the challenges. The overcast skies have brought good numbers of BWO's and small mayflies and the fish have been eating them. A few guys reporting some fairly technical but successful fishing. Small nymphs, #16-20, like Pheasant Tails and Copper Johns have been working well.....typically without the need of split-shot! Good numbers of small caddis around as well especially towards the evening. Small green soft hackles have been working well also. We still need a ton of rain, but things do seem to be looking a bit more positive!
09/18/09- Virtually nothing has changed as far as the general outlook of the river. A bit of rain last week did absolutely nothing to help and it has been blue skies since. It is pretty safe to say that the river is "tragically" low!! Just look at the guages above and see how much below normal we are running!
It does appear that the White Miller and Trico activity is pretty well done for the season and a few of the Fall BWO's have been spotted. Look for them through the end of October in a size 18-20 and especially on overcast, drizzly days (good luck with that though). Terrestrials like ants and beetles have still been producing especially during the day. Small, #16-20 caddis have also been producing some fish on the surface as well. Most anglers reporting that nymphing is still tough due to the low water and streamer fishing is out of the question until we get some water......alot of water.
On a postive note, our friends and cohorts from the Trout Unlimited Madmen chapter have announced a banquet and it will be held on Saturday, October 3rd. See their website for more details. 9/25/09- THIS BANQUET HAS BEEN CANCELLED!
09/04/09- Sorry about the lack of reporting but this is just getting depressing. The river is lower than we have ever seen as we speak. The only good news is that one of the rains a week or so ago did seem to clean out some of the green "crap". We have heard of some good dry fly fishing but those that have been out claim that they have to walk through a ton of ankle deep water to get to a few sparse holes. Overall, this is just not a good situation!
That being said............There have been some tiny BWO/Pseudocloen type mayflies in the afternoons and evenings as well as a few scattered Tricos in the early mornings. The tricos have been concentrated in the upper part of the river and are probably about over as far as any consistent activity. Good numbers of small, #18-20 dark caddis in the evenings and a few reports of the White Miller Caddis going pretty strong as well...just before dark. Try a #14 green soft hackle for those. Terrestrials, especially ants and beetles have still been strong.
08/14/09- This is getting old! The Mad continues to be as low as we have ever seen!!!! On top of that, it is now starting to get pretty warm and that can't be helping. The weeds and muck are still a huge problem and very few folks have been fishing at all. The few that have are getting out super early and targeting the Tricos. These bugs have been exceptionally good this year for some reason and they are still going strong. Need to be there just after the sun comes up though. A few reports of some of the White Miller caddis as well and those are an evening bug. Probably best not to fish during the day but if you do....ants and beetles are the ticket. Pray for rain.
07/31/09- The Mad did spike up......yeah.....to normal......for a few minutes and now back down again. By tomorrow it will be back where it was. We have never seen anything like this! The weed/slime problem did seem to get a bit better but is still a big issue. Anglers the past few nights are reporting slime even when dry fly fishing. Did have a GREAT Trico report from earlier in the week......clouds of them just after sunrise. Most anlgers reporting the hatches occuring in the upper part of the river. Plenty of caddis around as well. Also a great time for ants and beetles (read below). The water temps do seem to be better....we just need more rain and lots of it!!!!
07/25/09- The recent rains have made a BIT of difference. The river has spiked up enough to push out some of the green slime but then has come right back down to below average. One angler said that now only 2 out of 4 drifts come up with "crap" instead of 4 out of 4. We did get another spike day before yesterday and that should have helped even more. The rains today should cause a spike again today and tomorrow may be questionable. It does seem that with today's rain we should be on the road to recovery...but we still need a ton more. Those that have been out fishing have reported some decent Trico acivity in the mornings. Size 20-22 have been hatching just after the sun comes up and causing some decent feeding. Also reports of good beetle activity as well which is to be expected. Make sure the beetle "splats" down real good! Plenty of caddis around as well and a #16 green soft hackle has been producing some decent fish. We'll keep our eye on this weather and try to update early in the week as to what becomes.
07/11/09- Finally- the Mad did get some precip. It shot up yesterday and peaked last night and is on the way back down this morning. Should be fishable in the upper reaches today and fine for tomorrow. We can only hope this was enough to wash out some of the green "crap". Those that have been fishing a bit have been reporting really tiny- 24-26 Pseudocloens hatching in the afternoon and evening as well as some small caddis. It is certainly time to start thinking about terrestrials- ants and beetles especially. No sign of Tricos yet but surely time to start thinking about them in the mornings. Let's hope for a bit more rain this week and things could start looking up.....otherwise, the river will be right back down to where it was.
07/03/09- No good news to report. Things keep getting worse and the rain keeps passing us by. We had folks out on the river today and they cut the day short.....not much point in fishing. The algae and weeds are making fishing virtually impossible. The temps have come down a bit with the cooler weather the past few days but they are sure to go back up. Seriously in need of rain is an understatement. Wish we had better news....but have a great holiday weekend anyways!!!!
6/24/09- The river is in bad shape right now. The forecast over the next week or so shows no significant chance of rain. The moss continues to remain a problem. The bigger concern right now is high water temps. The temp at 7:00 pm on Sunday night was 69.3 degrees. This is not good. Combine that with low water and heavy canoe traffic and those fish are starting to get stressed big time. We would all be doing the trout a favor by leaving the river alone for a while, at least until we get some serious rain. The highest water temp I have taken in 25 + years of fishing the Mad was 71. That was in August. We're only a couple of degrees from that and it's not even July. If the weather comntinues like this the temps will surely go up and we may start seeing some dead fish.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 84 cfs
St. Paris- 140 cfs
6/20/09- With all of the storms that came through the Mad still has not received any rain. Conditions remain low and clear. The Brown Drakes have been going but not until well after dark. Wednesday night they didn't start until about 10:30 pm. There's really not much else going on. Sporadic caddis througout the day and into the evening as well as the really small BWO type mayflies.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 97 cfs
St. Paris- 154 cfs
6/13/09- The river is LOW. We need a couple of days of steady rain just to get the river back to normal flow for this time of year. Right now the cfs levels are what we normally see in late fall. It's been flowing well below normal all season. That combined with fertilizer runoff from the fields has generated a huge amount of moss on the bottom. The moss has made nymph fishing all but impossible. We were on the river Wed and literally had to clean off our flies after every drift. The moss is much worse to deal with than the leaves in fall. With that being said, the heavy bug activity is limited to later in the day. The Brown Drakes have definitely started but have not been hatching until after 10:00 pm. There are plenty of caddis, midges and craneflies around to generate surface feeding up to dark. Some small (sz#26) BWO type mayflies have also been fairly heavy.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 94 cfs
St. Paris- 138 cfs
6/6/09- Water conditions remain low and clear. The Sulphur hatch is all but over now with only a few bugs popping off sporadically at the usual time. Most of the surface activity has been limited to some small (sz #26) BWO type mayflies, midges and caddis. There have been a few Brown Drakes spotted in the last week and it is possible the hatch has started in some sections of the river. If you want to catch this hatch plan on being on the river until well after 10 pm. In most cases they won't start until at least 9:30-10 pm and sometimes will not go until closer to 11 pm.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 100 cfs
St. Paris- 138 cfs
5/23/09- The river is getting really low and could use some decent rain. Becasue of the hot temps, the hatch didn't start last night until after 8:00 pm. Normally the Sulphurs start popping closer to 6-6:30 pm. Not many feeders until the bugs really got going and by then it was almost too dark to fish. The hatch is more than half over now. Alot of the Sulphurs we saw last night were sz #18 which indicates that the hatch is starting to peter out a bit.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 126 cfs
St. Paris- 173 cfs
5/9/09- Recent rain did nothing to affect the water level. Things are looking really good right now. This week saw an explosion of bug activity including a huge Baetis hatch on Wed. A couple of leftover Hennys were around but the best news is that the Sulphurs have definitely started. The hatch should blow up here in the next couple of days. Plenty of caddis ranging from a sz #14 down to sz #18 will also be around in the late afternoon up to dark. Look for the Sulphurs to get going after 4:30 pm and continue right up to dark.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 165 cfs
St. Paris- 246 cfs
5/2/09- The recent rain has brought the river up a bit and most of it will be a little high and dirty until at least tomorrow afternoon. The upper stretches may be ok by later today. The Hennys are over now and we'll start looking for Sulphurs over the next week or so. The temps need to come up a bit for them to really get going. The main bug activity in the last week has been limited to midges and caddis with a few straggler Henny spinners.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 260 cfs
St. Paris- 793 cfs
4/25/09- The water is in excellent shape right now but the Hennys are just about over at this point. The hatches over the last couple of days have been sporadic at best with caddis making up the majority of the bug activity we've seen. The warm weather should get the remaining bugs hatched out and we'll see fewer and fewer in the next week or so. Some decent spinners came off last night but with the hight temps they didn't fall until after dark. Lots of fish working midges and caddis pupae later in the afternoon and up until dark. Water temp at 3:00 pm was 61.7 degrees. Rain and lower temps are predicted for next week so we probably won't see any Sulphurs until at least the following week.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 211 cfs
St. Paris- 252 cfs
4-18-09- This past Thurs was great for bugs but not so much for feeding fish. The water volume was pushing a little too hard to generate any surface activity during the hatch. Friday the water was in much better shape but the Hennys were sporadic at best. They didn't go until close to 3:00 pm and then they only lasted about 20 mins. There were a few spinners around Friday night but not enough to really get the fish going. Plenty of caddis around all day as well as midges. Today should produce some better numbers of Henny duns and hopefully we'll see a decent spinner fall.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 223 cfs
St. Paris- 290 cfs
4/15-09- The rain that came thru on Mon and Tues blew out the river. The Urbana area received well over an inch in less than 24 hrs. The good news is that the water level is coming down quickly. Thurs afternoon is a possibility in the upper sections and the rest of the river should be fine by Fri. Saturday looks like the best day this week. Warmer temps Fri and Sat should produce some decent spinner falls. Look for Henny spinners anytime after 6:00 pm and continuing until dark. There have also been a ton of caddis coming off closer to dusk. Most are roughly a size #16 with olive bodies and tan/brownish wings. Midges are always around so expect fish to be feeding on them as well, particularly close to dark.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 378 cfs
St. Paris- 695 cfs
4/11/09- The river came up a little with the recent rain but is on the way back down. It never really got dirty. The Hennys were really heavy last Thurs and there were even a few around with the rain of Fri. Today should also be good. Next week looks excellent. There is a slight chance of showers on Mon and Tues, but after that the temps will warm up and stay that way for several days. We may start seeing some of the heavy spinner falls we've been waiting for.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 173 cfs
St. Paris- 258 cfs
4/8/09- The river is in excellent shape right now. The Hennys came off a little later in the day than usual due to the colder temps on Mon and Tues. They started around 3:30 pm and went fairly strong for about an hour and a half. Not huge numbers, but definitely enough to get the fish going. Steady feeding fish during the entire hatch. Thurs forecast calls for warmer temps so the bugs should be heavier and start hatching closer to the normal time (2:30-3:00 pm).
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 145 cfs
St. Paris- 190 cfs
4/3/09- We got some much needed rain Thursday night but it did very little to the water levels. The river came up a bit but went right back down. The Hendricksons have been going steady all week and should continue over the weekend. With colder temps and possibly snow predicted early next week the bugs will probably shut down for a couple of days. This will give them a chance to bunch up again and the next warm day should see heavy numbers. We're a week or more away from really heavy spinner falls.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 135 cfs
St. Paris- 178 cfs
3/30/09- Water levels remain low and clear. The river could use a couple of days of steady rain. Water temps hovered around the 50 degree mark until about 2-2:30 pm. At 2:45 the Hendricksons started popping off and continued fairly heavy for the next hour or so with fish feeding steadily the entire time. There was a blanket midge hatch that started around 5 pm and was still going at 7. Some fish were sipping here and there but not consistently. Most of the surface feeding had stopped by 6:15 pm. The next several days should be excellent for Hennys. We may even see a decent spinner fall Wed or Thurs. * Please read the report below from Champaign County game warden Jeff Tipton.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 117 cfs
St. Paris- 130 cfs
3/30/09- A reminder from Game Warden Jeff Tipton:
Fellow Anglers,
While working The Mad River today I was flagged down by a landowner who wanted to complain about an angler trespassing on his property. He pointed to the field along the river and said "if that guy walks another 100 yards, I want him arrested". I looked over and watched as a man carrying a flyrod and wearing breathable waders walked through the field to reach a fishing spot. I walked out and made contact with the guy and told him that I had a complaint from the landowner. He showed me his fishing license and told me that he was from Columbus and that he has belonged to a particular flyfishing club for about 4 years. I attempted to explain the issue and told him that his actions could cause the landowner to shut down the entire stretch of the river. I took his information and went to discuss the situation with the landowner. Thankfully, the landowner had calmed down a little and said that he only wanted the guy warned. The man pleaded ignorance about walking in the farm field, so hopefully I was able to educate him. Being that he's somewhat new to fishing The Mad, he likely did not know about the concerns of many landowners. Hopefully he will head the warning.
I left him, went south, and saw another flyangler walking through a field. He had a sticker on his truck from another fly club. Thankfully the landowner hadn't seem him.
I am certain that I am preaching to the choir on this issue, but I am asking for your help. Help me educate folks about the "rules of the river". It's especially important to educate folks that are new to the sport. All it takes is one unhappy landowner to shut down an entire section of river.
If you all could spread the word to all the flyfishing clubs, I would appreciate it. Ask that they post this and other rules on their websites.
Thanks again,
TroutTrooper
Jeff Tipton
Champaign County
Wildlife Officer
3/28/09- The rain on Wed and Thurs did not affect the river at all. Conditions are pretty much the same as they were on Tues. There were a decent amount of Hennys coming off around 3:00 pm on both Thurs and Fri. Fish were feeding on them and it looks like the hatch has officially started. The bugs weren't thick, but there were definitley enough around to get the fish interested. Today should be another decent day for bugs. With the predicted temps we should see them start to pop off around 2:30-3:00 pm and continue for an hour or more. The little black stones have also been thick. Expect to see them around the same time as the Hennys. Some straggler Blue Quills and BWOs are still around. The midges have been really heavy and there should be steady feeding fish up to dark. Colder temps for Sunday but it is supposed to be back in the upper 50's by Monday.
Current Temp
Rt. 36- 120 cfs
St. Paris- 136 cfs
3/24/09- Some much needed rain seems to be headed our way. We'll have to wait and see how much. The river could stand quite a bit of accumulation and not have the level affected much. The problem will be how bad run-off from the fields and feeder creeks will dirty up the river. As far as bugs go, it's basically the same report as 3/19. Lots of stones around from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. A decent number of Blue Quills. Steady feeding fish from around 4:00 pm up until almost dark. Most were taking midge emergers. Lots of larger fish sipping on these in the tailouts. No Hennys to speak of but we're not far away. If we get a stretch of several days in a row with temps in the upper 60's things are going to break wide open.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 120 cfs
St. Paris- 128 cfs
3/19/09- Despite the warm weather over the last few days only a couple of Hennys have been spotted. The little black stoneflies however, have been heavy. They peaked yesterday around 2:00 pm with bugs popping off until around 4. Heavy numbers of the big butt cinnamon ants were also around. These ants usually show up in March when we get a couple of warm days in a row. They only last a day or two but do generate fairly aggressive surface feeding. Steady feeding fish from around 1:30 pm until about 3. After that the surface activity was sporadic at best. As usual, the midges were thick. Several fish over 15" were taken on a size # 22 gray comparadun. Small Parachute Adams in a size #20 were also effective. A little bit of rain blew thru around 5:00 pm but did nothing to the water level. The river is really low for this time of year. We're approaching fall flow. Cooler temps will eliminate any chance of Hendricksons so it looks like it may be April before we'll see significant numbers of this bug.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 129 cfs
St. Paris- 146 cfs
3/14/09- Warmer temps over the next few days should get the bugs going again. Next Tues and Wed are looking like the best days. The insect activity is always better when we have a string of several warm days in a row. BWOs and Blue Quills are what we'll be seeing along with some caddis. Peak bug activity will be after 2:00 pm. There were a couple of early Hendricksons spotted last Tues but realistically we're at least a couple of weeks away from steady Henny activity.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 141 cfs
St. Paris- 159 cfs
3/8/09- The river was in perfect shape today. The day started slow, but by mid afternoon the BWOs started to get going. Water temp at 2:30 pm was 56.4 degrees. Lots of steady feeding fish from a little after 3:00 pm up to about 6. Most of the better fish were sipping in the tailouts. Several fish over 15" taken on a size #20 BWO sparkle dun. After 6 the rain started to get heavy and the fish shut down. So far the river has received about .25 inches of rain. The forecast calls for rain overnight and later in the week along with colder temps. This will shut down the bugs for a while but it looks like we're not far from consistent dry fly conditions.**PS- March Browns don't happen until May around here!
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 151 cfs
St. Paris- 161 cfs
3/7/09- Warmer weather over the last several days brought the water temp up to around 52 degrees yesterday. Sporadic Blue Quills and BWOs in the early afternoon but not enough to generate any interest from the fish. There were also a few of the early season sedges along with little black stoneflies popping off. Today and tomorrow should bring better numbers of bugs, especially in the upper stretches. Finding open water may be challenging. Everybody and their brother will be on the river over the weekend.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 141 cfs
St. Paris- 159 cfs
2/27/09- Despite the heavy rain last night and early this morning the river was in decent shape. The flow is definitely heavier than it's been, but clarity is good. The main problem is that it has cooled off considerably. The warm temps we had Tues-Thurs got the fish going but all that has changed with the the cold front. Paralep and Baetis nymphs along with midge larvae are the top producers as far as nymphs go. The higher water levels are perfect for streamers. Water temp at 2:00 pm was 46 degrees.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 243 cfs
St. Paris- 381 cfs
2/20/09- The river continues to come down even with the rain on Wed. The water is prime right now. Midges have been the only real bug activity we have seen with the exception of a few of the early season little dark caddis. A couple of feeders here and there but nothing steady. We're still a few weeks from any serious bug activity (of course, all of that could change with a warm spell lasting 2 or 3 days). Small Pheasant Tails and Copper Johns have been the top producers along with red midge larvae. With any luck we'll begin seeing Quills by the beginning of March. Spring BWOs won't be far behind.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 180 cfs
St.Paris- 212 cfs
2/14/09- The water level has come down a lot since the melt off and the mid week storm but is still borderline fishable in the main and lower stretches of the river. The upper river (north of 29) should be fine. Barring any additional rain it should be perfect by Sunday.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 292 cfs
St. Paris- 450 cfs
2/8/09- We can forget about fishing for a few days. The snow melt trashed the river overnight. The flow quadrupled in the last 12 hours. We might see fishable levels by Tues if it doesn't rain.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 490 cfs
St. Paris- 1680 cfs
2/7/09- Warmer weather over the next few days should make for more pleasant fishing conditions. So far the melt off has not affected the water level but that may change by Monday. With the early spring hatches just around the corner, it would be a good idea to start fishing small pheasant tails (sizes #18-20) to imitate the Blue Quill and BWO nymphs. They will start to get more active over the next several weeks and the trout are definitely seeing greater numbers of them. The Mad also gets a decent number of little black stoneflies beginning this time of year. Black stonefly nymphs or black pheasant tails in size #14 are good imitations for this fly. The gauge at St. Paris Pike still appears to be providing innacurate flow data.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 79 cfs
St. Paris- 102 cfs
1/31/09- It looks like their may be some warmer weather coming through on Sunday. Unless the river gets a ton of melt off this looks like a good opportunity to get out and chuck some streamers. We should also see some decent midge activity. The gauge at St. Paris froze on the 26th and appears to be reporting slightly inaccurate flow levels right now.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 72 cfs
St. Paris- 101 cfs
1/24/09- Water levels remain low even with the melt off from the warmer temps Thurs and Fri. It looks like we're back to colder weather for a while. The usual winter patterns will apply. Midge larvae or attractor nymphs fished slow. Chucking big streamers is the other option. We won't see bugs unless we get an extended stretch of warmer weather.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 84 cfs
St. Paris- 178 cfs
1/22/09- The Mad is actually pretty low right now. We could use some snow melt and precip. As you can understand, not too many people have been out fishing. We're staying home and tying Hendricksons and BWO's for spring! The river is open....it hasn't frozen over since 1977 so no fears there. Might be a window here the next few days that could make for some decent fishing....other than that.....fish at your own risk!
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 89 cfs
St. Paris- 185 cfs
1/10/09- The water level is still on the way down. The rain that came through did nothing to affect the river. Much colder temps predicted for the next week will make fishing pretty unpleasant. Attractor nymphs and midge larvae will be the way to go for anyone willing to brave the weather. It might be a good idea to spend some time tying for the upcoming season and wait for better conditions.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 99 cfs
St. Paris- 220 cfs
1/5/09- The river was in perfect shape yesterday with water temps hitting the upper 40's around noon. There were a decent number of fish feeding on the white/grey midges that were coming off all day. Most of the better fish were moved on streamers. Large attractor nymphs with midge larvae or soft hackle droppers also produced a good number of strikes.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 113 cfs
St. Paris- 243 cfs
1/2/09- The water level has continued to drop since the last report and should be in pefect condition. The weather is supposed to be decent over the next couple of days so hopefully the fishing will pick up a little. The only bug activity we'll see for a while will be midges. All of the early season mayfly nymphs will still be really tiny right now so fish accordingly. Small pheasant tail nymphs (18-22) and midge larvae would be good choices for the next month or two. Streamers are also a staple for winter fishing.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 125 cfs
St. Paris- 280 cfs
12/29/08- The river was a little cloudy yesterday even in the upper stretches but the fish were actually pretty active. Streamers were the top producer. A fairly rapid retrieve generated some really aggressive strikes. As expected, most of the fish were hugging the banks were the clarity was a little better. Water temp at 1:00 pm was 45 degrees. Tues should be prime water conditions.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 183 cfs
St. Paris- 481 cfs
12/27/08- Additional rain has blown the river out for a day or two. The flow has more than doubled since yesterday. It doesn't look like we'll be able to take advantage of the warm temps.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 318 cfs
St. Paris- 1070 cfs
12/26/08- The rain that came thru a couple of days ago blew out the river. The level at Rt. 36 on Wed was well over 400 cfs (up from 96 cfs). It's back down now, but will more than likely be dirty until at least tomorrow. The lower river is in the same condition. The good news is that it's supposed to warm up considerably over the next day or two which should get the fish going.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 154 cfs
St. Paris- 397 cfs
12/23/08- The river is back down to the level it was before the rain (not like it matters). EXTREMELY cold temps have made fishing challenging at best. Our advice would be to relax and enjoy the holidays until it warms up a bit. If you absolutely have to get out, streamers and midge patterns are the ticket.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 96 cfs
St. Paris- 252 cfs
12/19/08- Some decent rainfall has sent the water level way up. The lower river is blown out and the upper stretches are starting to rise as well. According to the gauge at Rt. 36 right now the level seems ok, but that section received almost 2 inches of rain. It will definitely be much higher by the end of the day. Barring any more rain everything should be fishable by Sunday.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 99 cfs
St Paris- 434 cfs
12/15/08- The river was in excellent shape over the weekend but fishing was a little slow. Streamers produced a few strikes and follows but not consistently. There was a heavy midge hatch yesterday which actually produced a couple of feeders. Th overnight rain did nothing to the flow. More rain is predicted over the next several days but unless there is some serious accumulation it probably won't affect the level enough to make it un-fishable. Water temp at 2:00 pm was 38.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 89 cfs
St. Paris- 235 cfs
12/10/08- The recent rain brought the river up slightly but not nearly enough. We would have liked to see at least one more day of steady rain. It's a little cloudy but fishable now. The river should be cleared up completely by Thurs.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 104 cfs
St. Paris- 252 cfs
12/8/08- Water levels continue to fall. The sunny skies yesterday got the fish going somewhat and streamer fishing was surprisingly good. Not a lot of fish landed but plenty of flashes and boils. Woolhead sculpins and zoo cougars were the top producers. A fairly aggressive retrieve generated the most strikes despite the cold water temp. Water temp at 2:00pm was 37 degrees.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 86 cfs
St. Paris- 212 cfs
12/5/08- The river came up slightly with the rain but went right back down the next day. The water is fine. Fishing will slow down with the colder temps. Midge larvae and small nymphs (18-22) are the rule for winter nymph fishing. Big streamers can generate some really aggressive strikes even when the fish won't move to nymphs.
Current Flow
Rt. 36- 94 cfs
St. Paris- 226 cfs
12/1/08- Same report as 11/28 except the water came up a little. Clarity should be fine.
Current Flow:
Rt. 36- 102 cfs
St. Paris- 241 cfs
11/28/08- The river remains in good shape. The next day or so will provide some temps in the 40's which should get the fish a little more active. A fair number of decent fish caught on small stuff. Pheasant tails in sz 18-20 as well as attractor flies like copper johns and prince nymphs have been producing. Midge patterns are also a good bet.
Current Flow:
Rt. 36- 94 cfs
St. Paris- 223
11/19/08- The water has almost dropped back down to pre-rain levels. Colder water temps will slow things down a bit. The fish won't move very far to take a fly so spend some extra time at each hole and cover the water thoroughly. It's safe to say that the BWOs are pretty much over along with any caddis activity. We may see some stragglers here and there but the majority of the bugs are hatched out. Midges take over as the main hatch. Brassies and Disco Midges in sizes 18-22 are must haves for midge larvae. Fish these as a dropper behind a copper john or some other attractor nymph. Big streamers are always an excellent alternative to the tiny stuff.
Curent Flow:
Rt. 36- 99 cfs
St. Paris- 235 cfs
11/15/08- Finally, some real rain. The river has come up quite a bit already and with rain predicted 5 out of the next 7 days it should continue to rise. The flow at 36 went from 96 cfps to 116 in the last 12 hours. Hopefully the additional water will wash out all of the leaves that have been laying around for the last month or so. The week of Thanksgiving should be good.
11/14/08- The river came up a little with the recent rain but went right back down. Clarity is fine. The weather yesterday was perfect for BWOs. They were coming off in decent numbers around 2 pm yesterday with a fair number of fish feeding on them. There were some straggler duns closer to dark along with good numbers of spinners. Caddis were not as heavy but still generated action on the surface. However, most of the feeders took BWO patterns.
11/10/08- The river received none of the recent rain and remains low and clear. Cooler temps mean any BWO activity will be in the afternoon during the warmest part of the day. There still may be a few BWO spinners in the late afternoon as well as caddis but the excellent dry fly fishing we have had over the last few weeks will be winding down. Midges will start to take over as the main source of surface activity once we get into colder winter weather.
11/7/08- The forecast calls for scattered showers over the next few days but as of right now there hasn't been very much accumulation. According to the gauges the river has received only .04 of an inch. BWOs were going good earlier in the afternoon and continued up to about 3 pm. Decent BWO spinners this evening but not a lot in the way of caddis.
11/3/08- The river is getting ridiculously low. What it needs right now is about 2-3 days of steady rain to get it back up to a decent level. Leaves are also becoming an issue. Combine that with the low water and nymph fishing is very difficult at best. With that being said, surface acivity has been pretty decent. Good numbers of BWOs yesterday around 1:30-3:00 pm. There were several fish feeding on them even with the bright sun. Later in the afternoon the midges got really thick and there were a lot of steady feeding fish working them up to dark. BWO spinners and caddis also were fairly heavy with the fish readily taking patterns imitating either one. Water temp at 1:30 pm was 57 degrees
10/27/08- With the colder temps look for BWOs to come off during the warmest part of the day (usually around 2 pm). Sporadic BWO spinners after 5 pm and good numbers of caddis right at dark. Very few feeding fish despite the decent number of bugs.
10/25/08- The rain that blew through yesterday did nothing to the flow. Conditions on the river have not changed. Expect more of the same as far as bugs are concerned. Caddis and BWOs are it. The majority of the caddis activity has been from the mottled autumn sedges sz #14-16. The BWOs have been on the smaller side which usually means the hatch is more than half over. BWO sparkle duns in sz #20 with 7X tippet has been necessary to get some of the better fish to take when they're feeding on the olives.
10/24/08- The water level remains low. The forecast calls for some rain over the weekend so we'll see if that does anything to improve the flow. Decent caddis activity after 5 pm as well as sporadic BWO spinners. The midges were particularly heavy but the fish seemed to be focused on the caddis. Good numbers of feeders up to dark.
10/16/08- Same as before. No changes. BWOs during the day. Caddis and BWO spinners closer to evening.
10/13/08- No changes from the previous report. The river is still low. BWO duns during the day, BWO spinners and caddis closer to dark. Several good fish in the tailouts feeding on BWO spinners last night between 6-7 pm. Water temp at 4:30 pm was 61 degrees.
10/10/08- The rain that came through Tues night and during the day on Wed did nothing to change the water level. The river is still really low. The BWOs have been heavy during the day but have not produced much in the way of surface activity. The only steady feeding has been produced by BWO spinners and emerging caddis closer to dark. Water temps have been hovering around 58 degrees in the afternoon.
10/3/08- The river is getting really low. It could use a big time shot of rain. Fishing has been pretty tough. Bug activity has been strong with decent numbers of BWOs and caddis starting in the afternoon and continuing up to dark but the steady surface feeding we've seen in the last couple of weeks has slowed down. The White Millers were particularly heavy last night along with good numbers of BWO spinners but there were very few fish feeding. Most of the fish were taken on soft hackles fished as a dropper behind a Baetis nymph or below an Elk Hair caddis. Water temp at 3:00 pm was 57.
9/30/08- Unfortnately the river did not get much rain overnight. The lower river (St. Paris gauge) received about .10 inches and the upper river (Rt 36 gauge) received none. It looks like we'll still be dealing with low water. The good news is that the forecast calls for cooler temps over the next few days which should provide some better BWO activity. Look for duns sometime around 1:00 pm and later. Spinners should be active any time after 4-5 pm. Caddis are always around so make sure to have plenty of soft hackles in sz #14-18 and caddis dries in sz #16-20. A BWO sparkle dun in sz #18-20 is an excellent choice for the olives. Tippet down to 7X may be necessary.
9/28/08- Water levels remain low. The forecast calls for some scattered thunderstorms in the Urbana area so hopefully the Mad will get some rain. BWOs during the day with decent spinner falls in the evening as well as sporadic caddis from late afternoon up to dark are generating most of the surface feeding. Not a lot of feeders last night. The fish that were feeding were very spooky. Size #20 BWO sparkle dun with 6X or 7X tippet produced all of the rises. Water temp at 6:00 pm was 58 degrees.
9/21/08- Despite what the gauges say on the USGS site the river is actually getting really low. Not sure if it has anything to do with the recent storm but the gauges seem to be a little off right now. As expected after the hurricane like winds last Sunday the river is full of branches and deadfalls. Several large trees have fallen in a number of sections but it looks like none of them have completely blocked the flow. If any of them make it through the much heavier spring flow we could have a lot of new holes next year. As far as the fishing right now is concerned we are still seeing decent numbers of Pseudocleons during the day into late afternoon. There was a heavy spinner fall last night with good numbers of fish sipping between 6-8 pm. There were also a fair number of egg laying caddis around. The fish seemed to be feeding oportunistically with sz #18 caddis dries producing as well as tiny spinners (sz # 20). Water temp at 5:30 pm was 60 degrees.
9/12/08- The river received a small amount of rain overnight but registered no change as far as flow is concerned. The water should still be in excellent shape. With more rain predicted over the next 4 days today would be the best day to be there. The current conditions are perfect for BWOs.
9/11/08- The water is in perfect shape right now. Numerous feeders starting around 5 pm and going right into dark. The bug activity was the same as reported on 9/8 except for a better number of egg laying caddis showing up around 7 pm.
9/9/08- The river got about an inch of rain overnight and has come up a little bit. The flow at 36 is about 134 cfps right now up from about 119 but seems to have leveled off. There is more than likely a bit of stain to the river so the upper stretches are probably the best bet today. Barring any additional rain conditions should be perfect by Thurs.
9/8/08- No rain over the weekend and the river is in pretty good shape. Still not much going on during the day as far as bugs are concerned. Most of the activity seems to be late afternoon up to dark. Decent number of steady feeders starting around 6:00 pm. Good numbers of Pseudocleons coming off around that time with a sz #18-20 BWO sparkle duns producing well. Water temp at 5:00 pm was 60 degrees.
9/5/08- The recent rainfall on the river was minimal. Less than .20 inches according to the gauge at 36. The level seems to be holding steady. The cooler temps and pressure change make for a nice departure from the recent heat wave and should get the fish going. There is a small chance for thunderstorms tomorrow (30%) but hopefully the river will just get a nice drizzle and continued cooler temps (perfect BWO weather). The heat and bright skies return on Sunday.
9/1/08- No big changes since the last report. The water is still looking good but is getting close to the normal late summer flow. It could use a shot of rain. Again, not much in the way of bugs. There was a decent Pseudocleon spinner fall last night that had a few fish feeding steady for about an hour. Sporadic White Millers and a couple of fall BWOs but nothing major. We're still a week or so away from heavy caddis activity on most of the river. Flow was 128 cfps at the 36 gauge. Water temp at 5:00 pm was 62.
8/25/08- The river is looking really good right now. The flow yesterday was 140 cfps. We should have excellent water for late summer/early fall. Nothing special to report as far as bug activity. There were sporadic Pseudocleons coming off around 9:30-10:00 am with a few fish rising. Heavy midge activity all day long but very few if any fish feeding on them. Sporadic caddis early in the day but no sign of White Millers in the evening. Large attractor dries in the morning were bringing up fish consistently. Small nymphs with soft hackle droppers worked well during mid day when the fish were holding in the deeper runs.
8/11/08- The river is in good condition right now. Clarity is excellent and the flow is as close to normal level as it has been in weeks. Trico activity has slowed considerably but there may still be a few around. The hatch will more than likely be over in the next week. Terrestrials in the morning and late in the day will be the way to go until we start seeing the heavy micro caddis hatches later in the month and into Sept. Water temp Sunday morning was 57 degrees. * Have also had some confirmed reports of the White Miller caddis which are the white moth looking critters that hover the water in the evenings. Fish the pupa/soft hackle for these behind an adult. These should be around until mid to late September. Also should start seeing some White Flies (Ephorons) in the evenings as well.
7/19/08- Water levels are dropping, the problem is they are dropping extremely slow. The river is only coming down an average of 20 cubic feet per second a day. Right now the flow at the 36 guage is at 328 cfps. Normal flow for this time of year is about 110 with fishable levels being 250 or less. The high water volume means that fishing in the main or lower stretches of the river will be tough. The flow should be better in the upper stretches but the fact is that we need the water to come way down. It's definitely affecting the Trico hatch. The bugs will still go but very few if any fish will probably be feeding on the surface. Hopefully the storms predicted for Sun and Mon will give the river a break and blow over before they dump any more water in the area.
7/14/08- The river spiked big time from the recent rain. It has come down quite a bit but is still far from fishable. Maybe by mid week. The upper stretches will of course clear up first.
7/9/08- The recent rain has blown the river out again. It spiked last night and is on the way down but will not be fishable until at least Saturday or Sunday.
6/30/08- With the continued rain the river has remained high and will probably be that way for some time. The forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms 6 out of the next 10 days. Right now the flow is more than double what is normal for this time of year. If it ever stops raining we can expect Tricos around the middle of July. Depending on tempuratures they usually start coming off just before sunrise and will go until 8-8:30am. A Trico spinner in sz # 18-22 is the best pattern for this hatch. Other than the Tricos we should see an incease in terrestrials as the summer continues. Caddis continue to be important so make sure to have adults in sizes #14-18 in various colors. Soft hackles in the same sizes are a great imitation for the pupae.
6/18/08- The river is finally at a fishable level since the big storm last week. Although the flow is still fairly high the clarity should be ok. It's just about back to the level it was on 6/12. The drakes should still be around and may come off a little earlier due to the cooler temperatures (by earlier we mean near or just after dark instead of 10-10:30 pm). There also should be a few straggler sulphurs left as well as sporadic Cahill and March Brown spinners. The caddis will continue to get heavier as summer approaches and will be the primary focus for dry flies until the Tricos in mid/late July and the terrestrials in Aug.
6/14/08- Just as the Drakes get going the rains come and blow out the river. The flow is roughly 5 times above normal for this time of year and continues to go up. Without additional rain we're looking at 4 or 5 days before the river gets back to fishable levels. If any more storms come through it could be at least a week.
6/13/08- The storm that blew through yesterday missed the main stretch of the river. The water level is still a little high for this time of year but clarity is good. There are still Sulphurs around with most of the bugs coming off after 7:00 pm. There were decent numbers of Cahill spinners around as well as small black caddis in sz #16-18. A few larger tan/cream caddis were also coming off in sz# 12-14. The best news is that the Brown Drakes have started. The spider webs were loaded with Brown Drake spinners which means they started earlier in the week. The drake duns and spinners were HEAVY last night around 10:00 pm and were still going strong when we got off the river at 11:00. Unfortunately there were not a lot of fish feeeding which could be due to the heavier flow right now. The next week or so should be excellent.
6/4/08- The river is blown out big time! In about 24 hours the Urbana area received almost 5 inches of rain with more predicted. Going by the guage at St. Paris Pike, the ideal flow for this time of year is around 280-290 cubic feet per second. Right now the flow there is registering at just over 3,000 cfps. Some of the upper stretches might be fishable by Sunday or Monday if the river doesn't get any more rain.
6/1/08- The water was up and a little cloudy from the rain Friday but did not affect the fishing. Water temp was 61 at 5:00 pm. The sulphurs were pretty heavy with steady feeding fish after 7:00 pm. With the hotter temps expect the bugs to come off a little later than they have been in the past weeks. We're coming to the end of the hatch with most of the bugs being the little sulpurs in a size #18. There are still a few of the sz #16's around but the fish seemed to be keeing in on the smaller bugs. The sulphur spinners were particularly heavy in the riffles right at dark with a few March Brown spinners mixed in. Hotter temps this week should bring the Brown Drakes. Most of the activity will start near or after dark.
5/29/08- The river is in perfect shape right now. Water temps have been in the low 60's and the clarity is excellent. The Sulphurs seem to be winding down in the lower stretches of the river. They are still around but in very small numbers. Decent numbers of March Browns are still coming off during the day and into the early evening. Most of the feeding has been sporadic until just before dark. There were good numbers of Sulphur spinners right at dark and they should continue for the next week or so. We are not far away from Brown Drakes now. They could start any time in the next week. Plan on staying late if you want to catch this hatch. Most of the time they will start popping off between 9-10:30pm.
The Clearfork of the Mohican River
08-10-10- The Clearfork is on the low side for sure and with this weather....fishing has been marginal. Those that have been out are claiming mornings and evenings which is true just about anywhere this time of year. There have been some Tricos in the mornings in both stretches but not great reports of gangbuster feeding. Terrestrials and caddis in the afternoons. Look for White Miller caddis in the evenings and we have had a few reports of the Ephrons in the evenings. These can at times be killer but also frustrating. Have a few #12-14 white spinners and fish at dark! Hopefully a bit of rain and cooler temps and we look forward to a good fall up there.
07-23-10- Not too many reports recently from the Clearfork and with this heat we can understand why. The water is very low and most fish are being caught in the faster flows very early in the morning. There have been some Tricos around in both stretches in the mornings but no gangbuster reports of feeding as of yet. Midges and caddis dominate the evening. Terrestrials really seem to be the way to go right now. Beetles, ants, crickets and in certain places hoppers. Be prepared to share the stream with swimmers/tubers etc. if you are to fish during the day.
07-02-10- After a spike in the water level earlier this week the river is back in good shape and should fish well this weekend.....just be warned of the crowds. Look for caddis in the evenings and terrestrials in the afternoons. There have also been some tiny mayflies around in the evenings but not much feeding on them. A few larger Slate Drakes and Yellow Drakes around and they act as good attractors but the nymphs have been the most productive. Most fish have been taken on nymphs in the faster water but it's always fun to try the dries. Craneflies....both dry and larva are also surely worth having for the rest of the Summer up there.
06-24-10- Levels are finally back down and the fish have gone right back to feeding. There are still some Light Cahills around in the evenings as well as some Slate Drakes and larger type mayflies but the fish haven't been all over them. Most of the fish have been up in the faster water feeding on nymphs and emergers. Swinging larger soft hackles and high sticking in the deeper, faster areas has been very effective. There have been a few fish taking ants and beetles under overhangs and below trees and this will only become more common as the Summer progresses. Be sure to have the Clearfork favorite fly- Steeve's Firefly! Killer up there.
06-15-10- The Clearfork is pretty well blown out as we speak. Best guess is that it will take a few days before it comes fishable again. We'll let you know as we do.
06-11-10- There is still lots of water being let out of Pleasant Hill Lake but at least the lake is getting close to pool level so that should be done with soon. The upper is fishable but a bit off color and hard to say what the weekend will bring there. Once the water drops in the park look for lots of caddis, some Light Cahills and midges. Also time to start thinking about terrestrials up there as well! Could be a good weekend for streamers if we don't get too much rain. We'll check things out in the morning and try to post where we stand.
06-04-10- Brown Drakes, caddis and Cahills! Surface activity has been good to excellent on the Clearfork. Caddis are surely your most reliable as always but the Cahills have been strong in the afternoons and evenings and fish have been feeding on them. A few Brown Drakes have been spotted as well as some small Sulphers but nothing too strong. The Brown Drake fishing could be excellent this weekend and into next week. Keep your eyes out and fish late.....spinner falls have been good. Wanna catch a big fish....try a helgrammite pattern up there and see what happens!
05-28-10- Lower Clearfork is currently in prime shape with a slight jump in the flow. Hatches have been good with the caddis out in big numbers. Sulphers, March Browns and Cahills are also to be found and bringing fish to the surface. The upper river will be in great shape for the weekend and the Cahills will be out in force. Look for good fishing in the mid to late afternoon on the duns and spinner falls right at dark.
05-22-10- The Clearfork is looking very fishable for the weekend despite the recent rains. The upper was a bit off color yesterday but looking good this morning. The lower stretch is actually very low but recovering as they shut the dam down earlier in the week. Looks like they are gradually raising the level and it looks pretty fishable today. Good reports of March Browns, especially in the upper stretch this week. A few Cahills around also and they should only get stronger as we go here. No great reports of Sulphers but this week should pick up as far as surface activity.
05-19-10- The Clearfork has been fishing really well as of late. The big news is the Light Cahills are out already in decent numbers. A bit early but we'll take it! They have been hatching in the mid to late afternoons and the spinners falling in the evening. There are also lots of small caddis around to keep the fish happy as well. The water is actually a bit low right now making the dry fly fishing even better!
05-12-10- The Clearfork is currently fishable in the lower stretch as they did not get as much rain as most of the state. The upper will be off color for a few days but currently good streamer water! Fishing has been very good to excellent the past few weeks especially! On sunny days expect to see fish rising to midges and caddis all day long! Have been seeing a few March Browns as well as some smaller BWO types. No signs of Sulphers or Cahills yet but they should be around soon....Sulphers first. With the shaky weather look for streamer and nymph fishing until conditions improve.
04-26-10- The Clearfork is running on the low side but the dry fly fishing has been good. Look for lots of caddis as always in addition to the Hendricksons and Baetis types that are still hatching up there. There has been good surface activity in the afternoons and evenings in the lower river and not alot of other fishermen. Midges continue to catch fish as well.
04-22-10- The Clearfork has really picked-up this week and we have had some great reports of dry fly activity in both stretches. Mimimal reports of Hendrickson duns but there were spinner falls the past few nights in both stretches so they are around. Caddis are the main fare so having a good selection here is critical. In the lower river, don't be afraid to try midges as well when it's slow as there always seems to be some fish feeding on midges both above and below.
04-16-10- Both the upper and lower Clearfork are very fishable right now. The upper is very clear and down in the park the water was a tad off color this week but shaping up nice. The upper has lots of midges coming off in the afternoons but not many fish looking up at them. Dry/dropper rigs with big bushy dries and attractor nymphs were working well. The lower river had a few Hendricksons and caddis coming off in the afternoon with fish rising to them. There was also a great midge hatch in the evening that brought lots of smaller fish to the surface. If you find the water a bit off color from these rains here today streamers would be a good option.
04-06-10- The Clearfork is now down to prime fishing levels. Like the mad you should be prepared for the hendricksons as well as some dark caddis. We did get a report today from the upper stretch and some Hennys were spotted! Nymph fishing has been good to excellent with hendrickson imitations, midges, as well as attractors like red copper johns and san jaun worms. Also want to be armed with plenty of caddisflies from here on out....wet and dry. Both stretches of water should really tun on and fishing should be great up there.
03-31-10- The Clearfork is still pretty high but it is making progress. The upper stretch may fish today/tomorrow and should look good for the weekend. Our guess is that the lower stretch will continue to drop for the weekend as well. They did bring it down a bit yesterday afternoon. One could streamer fish today if they were careful. Should start to see some good bug activity up there this weekend. Could see some BWO's and relateds but also be looking for some early Hendricksons and Caddis popping around. Midges should be active too and if the water comes down enough they may cause fish to feed. Chucking strreamers probably our 1st choice yet but surface activity should be an option this weekend. Otherwise, #14-18 dark nymphs should catch fish! Should be a great weekend to be outdoors.
03-27-10- The Clearfork is a bit too high and off color to think about this weekend. Maybe throw streamers in the upper section. Things may shape up for Sunday afternoon/Monday. We'll try to let you know. Have been seeing some early caddis and some BWO types up there but not alot of surface feeding reported yet. Hendricksons are right around the corner and the nymphs should be in your box!
03-22-10- The Clearfork did come up yesterday and it has some color to it. Borderline today although it could be awesome streamer water. The next few days could be killer up there. Not too many reports coming in.....let us know if you go!
03-19-10- Sorry- we dropped the ball on this one. They slowed up the water a bit late on the 17th and the entire system is now pretty darn fishable. Should be a great weekend to be on the Clearfork! We are still holding onto streamer season and would be stripping big flies down in the park! Or in the upper for that matter! Those fish should be waking up! Midges have been out in decent numbers....and a few small mayfllies spotted in the park. Water is a bit cold and may be a few before we see consistent hatching but BWO types and Hendricksons are coming. Small dark nymphs should produce as well as small midge larva. Keep your eyes out for bugs and let us know how you do!
03-17-10- Clearfork is still quite blown and off color. May shape up for the weekend and provide some good to great streamer fishing. Once the water comes down we should be right into some good fishing. We'll try to keep our eyes on the levels for the weekend....hard to say right now.
02-23-10- Not too many reports the past week or so....understandable with the weather/snow conditions. The water in the park is in good fishable shape and should continue to be so for a bit with the snow melt. The upper section was low and clear on Monday with most areas being free of ice. Fishing techniques should be similar to what you would do on the Mad right now.....small nymphs, midges or big streamers. Hopefully things will ease up a bit and we can get some reports from up there. Not much pressure this winter so the fish should be hungry!
02-12-10- The lower stretch of the river is open...some rim ice but fishable. Problem is, the past week it has been challenging getting there. The upper has some open water but fishing has been tough. Low water as well. Most reports have folks catching fish on basic nymphs, small midge larva and of course streamers. Pretty much "winter mode" and nothing too exciting to report. Did have a really nice, 24+ fish caught down in the park on a streamer in January but most reports have been pretty boring. Sit tight and pray for more snow and precip.....we need it!
02-09-10- Sorry for our lack of reporting friends. No excuses...but we have been hard at work. You will notice many changes around MRO, both online and in the shop. Basically, the "Fishing Reports" page is one of the last things to be overhauled.........but we are just about there.
You are sure to notice many changes online, as well as in our shop, and even in our staff. We have made some major changes and are very excited about it. Most notably here, Lou Uecker will be in charge of this page, and making sure that our reports page is the best that it can be.
Read more about Lou on our recent blog and check out the changes in our staff on the "About MRO" page.....click on "Our Staff".
Stay tuned and make sure that you are registered as a customer to receive e-mails. 2010 is gonna be our best ever! Be sure to see the new Blog also!
12-2-09- The river is actually up a bit due to the rains the past 24 hours or so. Still on the low side but much better than we have seen in quite some time. We have had a few good reports in the past week. Mostly from down in the park. Most fish have been taken on wooly buggers and similar streamers. Smaller has seemed to be better with the low clear water! Fish seem to be stacked up in holes just below riffles. One angler reporting very good fishing on egg patterns which is a good bet up there at this time of year. Hopefully the rain will continue and the weather will hold. Maybe a fall season yet to come!
11-24-09- Well the leaves are gone and not an issue any more...but the river is extremely low and clear. Most are reporting fairly tough fishing despite the stockings in October and November. A few nice fish caught down in the park on streamers but not many other glowing reports. Best bet overall is midges and small nymphs. Any surface activity will surely be on midges from here on out. Still a nice time to be out especially with the great weather we have been having. Pray for rain and hopefully things will pick up.
11-7-09- The Clearfork is running pretty low and is full of leaves. This will make fishing pretty tough this weekend but it will be nice to be out. We did have a few good reports from down in the park earlier this week. They were eating small BWO type mayflies. Also lots of midges around. Nymphing about your best bet although we might suggest an egg pattern as well....fish can see it through all of the leaves! Stay tuned!
10/29/09- We got water! The Clearfork has spiked from the rains the past few days and is in better shape than we have seen for some time.....a long time. Leaves are the big complaint now and will be for the next few weeks..... Nymph fishing is probably the way to to....maybe even toss an egg pattern to get their attention as well. We have had a few good reports of fish eating small bugs on the surface....especially in the park stretch. A Griffith's Gnat is a great choice if you find this happening. Streamer fishing is going to be tough with the leaves but we are tying and getting ready for when it does happen. Hope for more rain and know that things are looking up for a good fall/winter trout season!
09-18-09- No signs of fishing or water levels improving on the Clearfork. Most anglers are declaring not much reason to fish due to the pathetic water levels. If you were to fish, the upper stretch would be the best bet although we ARE HOPING that the lower stretch picks up a bit. Lower temps should help but we still need a ton of water to come before things begin to shape up. For those that have been fishing, terrestrials and small caddisflies. Some typcial tiny mayflies around in the evenings a few scattered White Flies but no reports of fish feeding on them. We wish that we had better news but until we get a major push of water, things will remain to look pretty bleak.
08-14-09- The Clearfork, like other streams around is super, super low. Fishing has been challenging to say the least.....as far as trout go. Some good reports of warmwater action being pretty good especially down in the park. Some Tricos reported in the morning in the upper stretch but not much feeding activity. Terrestrials and caddis are the deal!
7-31-09- Recent rains have put a bit more water in the system but it is still very low and clear. The upper stretch is the better choice right now if you are heading that direction. Did have some reports of Tricos being spotted in both stretches but not much feeding activity on them. Have some with you if you are fishing early in the day though. Terrestrials and caddis are the ticket.
07-11-09- The rain yesterday didn't do much up there. It is still very low. Some tiny little mayflies around but not much activity on them. Also decent caddis- #14-18. Some folks reporting decent activity on terrestrials and certainly time to start thinking about this category of flies....especially beetles!!! Don't forget the damsels as reported below, especially in the park. No sign of Tricos yet but they are surely around the corner. If trout aren't happening, the smallmouth and carp are!!
07-03-09- Currently the Clearfork is running on the low side of fishable. That combined with the holiday traffic- might be best to look elsewhere this weekend? Sulphers are pretty much done and Cahills have been very sporadic. BWO types (size 26) have been fairly heavy, especially on these overcast days but fish are hesitant to dial-in on them. Damsel nymphs and adults are around in big numbers and are very active at this time. Don't overlook their importance as the mayflies dwindle. Keep your fingers crossed for some rain and have a great holiday weekend.
05-22-09- The Clearfork is in great shape for the weekend. Should be busy and crowded, but still plenty of room to get out and enjoy some fishing. Dry fly fishing has been excellent on both stretches of water. Lots of caddis around #14-16 tan and olive. Great reports of Sulphers and Light Cahills especially in the evenings. Also a few March Browns spotted as well. If nothing is happening on the surface, try caddis larva/pupa patterns in bright green or some March Brown type nymphs (a ton of them in the water). Have a great Holiday Weekend.
4-15-09 Rain this week has taken many Ohio streams including the Clear Fork high and muddy. It's a pity because we have been getting reports of some great fishing on the Clear Fork. Watch the gauge and be ready for some good Spring dry fly action.
3-13-09 5 pm on Friday. The gauge in the parks looks good. The river was very high during the week but the dam release seems to be at a good level to fish in the park over the weekend. Be prepared for caddis and BWO. Small to mid sized standard nymphs will also be a good bet as the naturals are growing and moving looking forward to hatches later this spring. We don't have a direct report from the upper river but speculation is that it might still be high from the rains. Let us know if you've fished the upper river.
3-9-09. The Clear Fork as been fishing but the water levels on the lower river (in the park below the dam) have been variable. Rains yesterday have likely put the upper river out of commission for some days. As soon as we have first hand info we'll pass it along. The season should be heating up and dry fly fishing on the Clear Fork is just around the corner.
2-11-09 Blown out! The Clear Fork is ugly at the moment. Warming temps have finally melted the snow and ice. The fishing will likely be off for a while but the good news is things will pick up once the water comes back down. Check back for updates.
2/4/09 The road to the lower in the river remains closed but according to the park office it could be opening soon with the thaw coming this weekend. Lower river water levels are low but watch for spikes in the levels. The coming snow melt could also change the conditions quickly. Small nymphs and midges or large streamers are mid-winter standards on the Clear Fork. With the low water search out the deeper holding areas. The fish are there.
12/27/08 Recent heavy rain and release from the dam has put the Clear Fork back up. The upper river is likely unfishable. In the park it currenty has a steady flow on the high side. Careful waders could see success running big streamers. Check the gauge before making the trip. At this writing it's 2.12 feet. A better level is below 1.75 feet.
Lake Erie Steelhead
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New- 2010 Photo Album Here!
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05-12-10- An Erie Smallmouth report from the guys over at SAO:
Overnight, 1-3 inches of rain fell across the alley. Currently all tribs are up and out. By days end, the Elk will be dialed in. Conneaut will most likely be fishing well in a couple days as she was pumping huge amounts of chocolate colored water this morning at 6:30. All other tribs will follow suit, fishing well by Friday and into the weekend. The Grand is the exception as she is back to her normal spring self. She will dial in when she feels like it (a week or more) barring more rain.
Best fishing is on the lower 5 miles of our tributaries such as Elk Creek, Chagrin, Vermilion, and Conneaut Creek, with fish scattered further up stream on the Grand River.
Everything from Large Sculpins, Wooly buggers, Clouser Minnows, Swimmy Jimmy's, Senyo's Ice Man Minnows and crayfish patterns are doing well. Try to imitate steelhead smolts(Rainbow) and creek chubs on Erie tribs as these colors are extremely hot!
05-07-10- Although a few steelhead are still lingering, the season appears to be over. Yes, you may be able to get out and find a few fish...and maybe even a few fresh ones.....but that would be luck. It appears that it is now time to trade pink for hues of green and gold. Thanks to everyone who participated in steelhead season around MRO! Reports from here will be geared towards smallies.
Here is what SAO had to say yesterday:
The Small Mouth Bass are in the rivers in decent numbers! Bass from 3 to 5 pounds have been regular catches with a few bruiser 7 pounders being caught.
Best fishing is on the lower 5 miles of our tributaries such as Elk Creek, Chagrin, Vermilion, and Conneaut Creek, with fish scattered further up stream on the Grand River.
Everything from Large Sculpins, Wooly buggers, Clouser Minnows, Swimmy Jimmy's, Senyo's Ice Man Minnows and crayfish patterns are doing well. Try to imitate steelhead smolts(Rainbow) and creek chubs on Erie tribs as these colors are extremely hot!
05-01-10- Looks like a bust. Most reports have steelhead few and far between. Not to mention the water levels came right down to "low" levels much quicker than anticipated. A few reports of decent numbers of fish in the Vermilion but pics we saw looked like mostly drop back fish. Rocky and Chagrin are not showing much. A few reports of some fish in lower Conneaut but mostly smallmouth. The Grand is fishable today with about a foot of visibility but no reports of anybody catching or seeing fish. The good news is that we are getting happy reports from anglers catching bruiser smallmouth! It does seem that steelhead season is coming to a close and smallmouth season is on! Trips booking now! We'll let you know if anything changes but we are surely a report or two away from the end.
04-30-10- Tons of folks heading out today including a bunch of guides who are mostly scouting. We should know more throughout the day and into tomorrow. The Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin and Ashtabula are all fishing today. Conneuat will be prime tomorrow but will surely have a crowd today. Elk is nice and fishing well for smallmouth. There are certainly steelhead around....question is how many came up and what kind of condition they are in. Water levels and temperatures surely improved to the point where we could see a strong late season here. We'll see.....send pics!!!!
04-27-10- The rains this weekend brought us the water that we needed.....better late than never. All Erie trib streams are up and muddied and will be a few days before we can get out to scout again. The big question is to whether this water will bring a fresh push of late steelhead up the rivers. The ODNR did state that there were fish piled up at the mouths of the creeks just waiting for water. If they do come, it is very likely that they will travel fast both in and out of the rivers so be ready to go! As soon as we start hearing from guides/anglers we'll let you know!
04-22-10- The good news is that there is still quite a few steelhead around....bad news is the water levels the past few days are approaching "critical low" levels. Guide trips the past few days have produced fish but it has been challenging to the point where unless we get a good push of water this weekend......we will not be conducting any more steelhead trips this season. If we get some water...there may be a bit of life left in the season and we may yet see some fresh fish. If that doesn't happen in the next few days it may be all over. Don't get us wrong...you could and can still go catch some steelhead, but you'd better get up there. We will keep our eyes on the flows and let you know if things change but for now we are thinking about Erie Smallmouth season!!!! Look for blog and pics any minute now to see what's moving up into the streams now. We are accepting trips for bronzebacks!!!
04-16-10- The water in the Alley is super low and clear. We really need some rain to put some water and color in the streams. Hopefully the forecast is right and we get some precip. Fish are still around....in big numbers most places....and very willing to bite! Smaller nymphs and more subdued colors is the trick with the low clear water. Look for fish in fast water just below the big pods of fish on the gravel. There are also good numbers of drop-backs that are willing to take swung flies. Still good numbers of bright fish and we are really just a week into this big "push" of fish. Get out there in the next couple of weeks and you will score BIG! Be srue to see the photo albums for recent guide trip pictures.
04-10-10- Fishing the past few days has been incredible. Guides on Wednesday and Thursday said that fish started pouring into the streams and hook-ups nearly tripled. Good numbers of fresh fish showing up. We'll see what the weekend brings but the next two weeks should be the peak of steelhead season! Streams are getting pretty low and we need some water at this point. The larger streams are the better bet. Yes....the Grand is fishable......they are working on the gauge! Great reports from the Vermilion, Grand and Conneaut the past few days. Other streams seem to be a bit low and clear and not quite the numbers of fish. Another push of water will surely help.
Great season so far though! See the updated pics including a bunch from this week:
Here is what our guides over at SAO had to say on the 7th:
Everything is fishable at this point with the larger rivers looking the best and most rivers on the low and clear side of the spectrum. Thunder Storms and Rain are in the forecast and the river conditions could change quickly. Keep an eye on the gauges. Lake Erie weather can be fussy, but forecasted mid week cold temps with possible snow flurries??? Talk about hot and cold!
Hot Flies this week so far are Senyo's Ice Man Minnows, Robinson's Chicken Little's and Chicken Hawks. Various stoneflies, caddis and attractor rubber legged nymphs. Egg patterns in cheese, peach, white, cream, and light pink.
04-06-10- Can you believe we are in need of a shot of water? Good news is that fishing has been decent almost everywhere in the Alley. Big news we have heard the past few has been the Grand and the Vermilion. Both are extremely fishable and also seem to have more fresh fish than others. Fish are surely being caught throughout but most are running in and hitting the gravel pretty quickly. Lotsa dark fish around. As in many years past....we are still feeling that the best is yet to come. A good push of water and the Alley could explode with steel! It does look like we are in for some welcome rain and some cooler temps which will surely help. Darker nymphs and streamer/nymph crossovers like Robinsons chicken little have been really productive. Another nymph we have been hearing good feeback on is the Bloody Mary. With the lower water light colored eggs and sucker spawns are also picking up a good number of fish as well....smaller sizes. With the incredible weather we have been having there are a lots of anlgers out but those willing to walk and cover ground have been well rewarded.
Pictures from the last few weeks of guide trips are coming....sorry for the delay.......stay tuned.
04-01-10- From our friends over at Steelhead Alley Outfitters:
Eveything is fishable today except the Grand River and the Vermilion River which are still a few days out. The weather is going to be absolutely beautiful this week! Fish are spread out through the rivers nicely and staying mobile and locating pods is key to a successful day.
Hot Flies this week so far are Senyo's Ice Man Minnows, Robinson's Chicken Little streamers. Caddis, stoneflies, and attractor nymphs. Various egg patterns in cheese, peach, white, chartreuse, and hot pink.
If you are swinging; Sculpins, zonkers, and intruders in whites, olives, and black were productive.
We are out daily and will have Report blogs up when we are able.
03-31-10- Guide trips the past few days have been pretty challenging. We are having to work awful hard to find good fish and most appear to have been in the rivers for some time. We are really chomping at the bit to get back onto Ohio waters. Conneaut fished yesterday but was still a bit high. We should get a good report today and expect good numbers of FRESH fish.......but it's spring and we always do with high water. The Vermilion is still high and muddy and could be another day or so. The Rocky and Chagrin should fish today and will look prime for the weekend. Heck the Grand may even look decent by the weekend. With a good mix of fish and temps rising you can expect a variety of techniques to work. Swinging Ice Man Minnows and large tube flies/spey flies has continued to produce fish and we are hearing of this more and more. Basic nymph fishing has been good and you surely want a good staple of eggs/sucker spawn/crystal meth. Seems we are experiencing somewhat of a late season and we fully expect April to be "all out" and the season should last well into May at this point. We'll see. Smallmouth right after that!
Guides are out every day and we are in "full-steel" mode at the shop right now.....if you don't read what you need here, give us a call.
03-27-10- Kind of a tough week conditions wise. Water did rise again with the rain/snow mix and the temps plunged. Turns out this was a good thing as it got the fish on the move. Guides had to work hard but some great fish were caught. We are now seeing a pretty good push of fresh fish and the 1st of the week should be GREAT fishing. The Vermilion is high and muddy and may not fish for a few days. Rocky and Chargrin are coming in and basically fishable today. The Grand is out for a bit but we'll think about it mid-week. The Ashtabula and Elk are fishable today, Conneaut is borderline but we did have anglers call in this morning from the upper stretches and they were doing well swinging flies in the bigger water. The switch rodders are out there today. Subdued colors of eggs have been working with the colder water. Other hot flies have been Chicken Littles and of course Ice Man Minnows. Also great reports of the Bronze/Peacock sparkle nymph and the Bloody Mary doing well on guide trips. Think nymphs and eggs- big flies if the water is up and dirty.
03-22-10- Good news/bad news! A great weekend of guide trips (pics coming) and now just what we always need.....more water. Perfect. The Vermilion has come up a bit and is pretty stained but may fish later today/tomorrow depending on the weather. Everything East of that is pretty well blown and will be a few days. The Grand came way up but those that got on it the past few days did ok. PA is up also and may fish tomorrow/next day and they were in need. This water should bring a fresh push of fish up the rivers. We were hearing reports of fish around but not a strong run yet. Hold onto your hats! We'll let you know as soon as we are fishing again.
One interesting note is that due to the popularity of "Switch Rods" and swinging bigger flies, we are seeing and hearing folks fishing higher, muddier water and taking advantage of the really fresh fish. In essence they are getting out there sooner and reaping the rewards. Due to the fact that you can cast much further, you can sometimes even swing from the bank, or a secure wading position, in these high water situations. Just be safe out there. Pretty cool evolution going on.
03-19-10- Three guides out today and each did well. Morning was slow but the afternoon really picked up for all. Steelhead season is on throughout the region! Sounded like they had to move around to find fish but finally did. Many independent reports are sounding pretty grim but it does appear that a push of fish came up with the water and have moved way up the rivers. Most of the reports we are getting have people fishing in the lower sections of the rivers. We'll see over the next few days.
We will have guides and customers on the water most every day from here on out and will do our best to keep up on reports from all. Please note that if we don't post....don't hesitate to call. We should have some further details from the guides, including pictures, over the weekend. Here's what we know as of now-
Most streams are in fishable condition. The Vermilion is fishable but does have a good bit of color to it- folks have been fishing for a few days now with very limited results. The Rocky and Chagrin are actully down and totally fishable....varying reports from both. The Grand may even fish Sunday or 1st of the week and the tribs are certainly fishing as we speak. Ashtabula is normal to low flow and Conneaut fished today and should be prime over the weekend. The PA tribs are of course in good shape and decent reports of #'s there. Seems more fish caught the past few days in PA.
The next month and a half is going to be a blast! Stay tuned and look for a report from our friends over at SAO any minute now also!
03-17-10- The rivers in Steelhead Alley are falling and conditions are shaping up to where we could have a banner weekend. The PA tribs are starting to fish and all but the largest Ohio streams should begin to fish well by the end of the week. This looks to be the first weekend of good conditions in a long time! Look for fish to be spread throughout the rivers and taking a variety of presentations. The water may not be all that clear so bigger eggs, nymphs and streamers are all still on the menu.
Here is what our guides over at SAO had to say yesterday:
The Elk started fishing well yesterday. Not so many fresh fish around but decent fish were caught in the upper and lower sections. White Wooly Buggers, Ice Man Minnows, Stone fly and attractor nymphs, and egg patterns in Chartreuse, hot pink, and peach were also productive.
Most of the Ohio Tributaries are still high, but they are on the the drop. The smaller streams and feeders are fishing now, as for the larger tributaries look for the Chargin to fish here quickly.
We are out daily and will have blogs/reports up when we are able.
We'll have more for you soon...
03-09-10- Right now the tributaries are high and muddy, as you can understand, The good news is that this push of water should move all of the remaining ice out into the lake for good. The high water should also bring in a nice push of steelhead that have been waiting to move into the rivers but have been blocked due to the ice. We start up with guide trips later this week so we should be able to keep you updated on the river and fishing conditions more often now. Although the reports from the last week have been marginal, the fishing should be excellent as soon as the levels drop. This weekend you may be able to find some fishable water in the PA streams and thier tributaries but with a fair bit of snow still waiting to melt they could remain high for some time. With the high water if you do fish, bring some bigger flies to get the attention of the fish and use lots of weight to get them to the bottom where the fish will be holding. Big, gaudy streamers can do the trick! Otherwise, plan on the usual fare of nymphs and eggs.
Also remember that this weekend is our Steelhead Extravaganza, be sure to stop in and check out the new tube flies and tube fly tying gear. Special guests Greg Senyo and Patrick Robinson.
02-23-10- Same old story but maybe a bit of light at the end of the tunnel! The rain and snowmelt this week should push the bulk of the ice out of the streams. Looks like a good bit of rain and snow this week in Cleveland. We'll have to see what happens. Could be some fishable water by this weekend....could be super blown. We are hoping for the 1st weekend in March to really kick things off. Up to this point there was very little open water and not alot of fish being caught. Until it warms up a bit, egg patterns and black stonefly nymphs will be the main flies of choice but don't forget dead drifting streamers if the water is off color. **Be sure to see the Erie Steelhead Info chart if you are not familiar- good links all in one spot!
02-12-10- As you can imagine, there has been relatively little steelheading going on so far in 2010. We did have a few windows where waters were accessible during January and a few folks got out and caught some fish....but for the most part we have been locked-up. There is a ton of snow and ice in the region and there is really nothing to report as of yet and no signs of ice to clear-out in the next few weeks. We'll keep you updated and will only post here if things start to change.
02-09-10- Sorry for our lack of reporting friends. No excuses...but we have been hard at work. You will notice many changes around MRO, both online and in the shop. Basically, the "Fishing Reports" page is one of the last things to be overhauled........... but we are just about there.
You are sure to notice many changes online, as well as in our shop, and even in our staff. We have made some major changes and are very excited about it. Most notably here, Lou Uecker will be in charge of this page, and making sure that our reports page is the best that it can be.
Read more about Lou on our recent blog and check out the changes in our staff on the "About MRO" page.....click on "Our Staff".
Stay tuned and make sure that you are registered as a customer to receive e-mails. 2010 is gonna be our best ever! Be sure to see the new Blog also!
Erie Steelhead Info
Mad River Outfitters/Steelhead Alley Outffitters Erie Guide Service- Details and Pricing by Clicking Here!
Archived Steelhead Reports- Mad River Outfitters/Steelhead Alley Outfitters
12-19-09- In the last few days, water across the region has been dropping back from our last big blowout from earlier in the week. Most streams are back to fishing now and some are already getting clear. With this happening, ice and slush is becoming even more of a problem. In the next few days, expect to see more ice with low nighttime temperatures. Fish can still be had for those who know where to look. Make sure you fish the obvious winter holds and fish smaller offerings such as egg and nymph patterns.
We are still running some trips and will be monitoring the flows....ice flows that is. We will keep you posted on what we find.
12-8-09- The last few days have provided great late fall water levels. On Saturday night we saw the seasons first measurable snows up on the Alley and it looks like more is on its way.
The concern in the next few days is a storm system that is bearing down from the plains states. Forecasted is a wintry mix with the possibility of high winds. Only time will tell what kind of precipitation will hit the ground. Immediately following the storm, we are forecasted for cold temps....WINTER IS HERE. We are going to be out as much as possible between now and the inevitable ice up that is around the corner. Water temps as of yesterday were 34 which means the possibility of ice in the flows will increase quickly in the coming days. Don't let that keep you off the water though. Many great days of steelheading come with ice!
We will keep our eyes open and let you know what we see.
12-5-09- All streams in the region came up dramatically and are on the way back down to fishable....the Grand may be a few days more but the next few days could be awesome. We did have guides out yesterday on upper Elk and they claimed that others in the area would fish today/tomorrow. This is what we have been waiting for!
From SAO on the 3rd- "Well we finally got the mother load of rain! No complaints here it's about time! All the area streams are up and dirty... Keep one eye on the gauges over the weekend. The feeders in Ohio and PA Mile tribs will fish first...
Steelhead will be on the move once again, but heck with this much water, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out...With the colder temps and chances of snow/rain mixes through the next week, the streams flows should hold and provide excellent december fishing for all. "
12-2-09- Rains the past few days have brought the streams up and really have things moving. Most streams are coming back down and looking good today and the next few days could be great! Rain is falling as we speak but looks to be slow and steady.....just what we need and more in the forecast. Guides that were out today did very well. Looks like it could be a killer weekend. We do have guides available.....Click Here for the Details.
Here is what the guys at SAO had to say on Monday:
The area got some rain overnight and streams are on the rise to healthier levels. The first measurable snows are in the forecast for the next couple of days, so we will see what actually becomes of it. Perhaps our normal fall weather is catching up to us.
Flies that have been producing the last couple of days have been nuke eggs and other miscellaneous eggs in pinks and oranges as well as Bob's minnows, Money Flies, and natural colored nymphs.
Keep your eyes on the stream gauges as everything is in a state of flux right now. We will be out and about throughout the week and will keep you posted.
11-24-09- We did get enough rain this week into the tribs that at least they are moving again. Guide trips have resumed although fishing continues to be tough. Those that were postponed last week will be contacted by your guides soon for rescheduling. Looks like tough fishing.....small flies, light tippets and lots of walking.....until we get a good push of water. Here is what the guys over at SAO had to say:
The Area streams are back on the low and clear side for now, but we are forecasted for a good amount of precipitation during the week. Lets hope we see it! Right now think small flies and light tippets! Nymphs such as Copper johns, pheasant tails, and princes have produced great results in sizes #12-#14 Small nuke eggs and single egg fly patterns in sizes #12-14 in Peach, cream, white, light pink, and orange have also caught their fair share of fish.
11-18-09- Certainly some of the worst conditions we have seen in a long time. Bottom line is that there is no water! There are fish around....but they are basically trapped and can't move! Here at MRO our eyes and ears are primarily in the hands of Steelhead Alley Outiftters and they have decided to suspend all guide trips until the conditions improve.
Here is what they had to say as of yesterday:
"All the area tributaries in Ohio and PA are low and clear. We need a serious dose of precipitation to bring the streams back to good fishable flows!
In fact, the only trib fishing currently is the Grand River and the pressure on that stream is increasing greatly with every angler and guide operation pounding it.
Here at Steelhead Alley Outfitters we have made the decision on behalf of our clientele to suspend all guide trips until we get that good dose of precipitation we are all waiting on.
This is a tough decision, but we believe it to be the right one by our clients.
Of course, we will have our eyes on the streams and will keep you posted on what changes come."
11-09-09- All of the area tributaries in Ohio and PA are low and clear. Some are better than others but in general, we need a serious dose of precipitation to bring the streams back to good fishable flows. The guides put alot of miles on their waders this week! The fish are defintiely spread out and few and far between in most tribs right now. Most of the steelhead we found were in small pods and holding in faster flows. A good push of water should push most of the leaves out and bring some fresh fish in.
Hot flies were #14 KW's Catt Nymphs, Chicken Hawks, Natural toned nymphs, and various #12 and #14 pastel colored egg patterns. Small minnow and emerald shiner imitations also took a fair share of hits.
Rain in forcasted for this Tuesday, and lets hope we get it! Until then keep trekking and hunting water....... it will pay off in the end...
11-7-09- Most streams are pretty low and clear and fishing has gotten progressively tougher this week. Fish are certainly being caught but guides are walking alot to find a few pods of fish here and there. Leaves of course have been a big problem but do seem to be winding down late this week. Small flies and light tippets have been one secret this week and have produced fish in tough conditions. This weekend will be great to be out but you would most likely see many..many more fishermen than fish. Another push of water to get the leaves out and things should start to "green-up". Perfect!
10-30-09- Yet another decent push of water over the past few days. Streams are dropping and as we speak are in pretty good shape....the Grand may even fish over the weekend depending on the weather tonight and tomorrow. Folks that were out yesterday on the Elk caught fish all day. A few of the Ohio tribs were a bit tougher and off-color. The leaves are definitely a huge issue and will be for a bit here. If you have to go...go.....but may be best to wait for the leaves to fall and wash out. Then it's game on!!!!
10-24-09- The PA tributaries of "Steelhead Alley" were on the rise as of mid day today. We didn't get a huge push of water, but it was enough to bring the streams back up, flush some leaves, and get the fish moving again.
The Ohio Tributaries (eastern) have started to follow suit and were rising in the afternoon hours. We will wait to see how the streams react....
Best bet is still on the lower to mid river sections, some fish have moved up further but in small numbers. This rain will definitely allow more fish to push into the upper reaches of the rivers.
Fly choices vary right now due the fluctuating flows, so carry what you have. If the waters stay elevated, go big and don't be afraid to swing those flies. If waters drop back down and clear again, go back to some of the smaller, paler colored flies and egg patterns.
10-11-09- The PA tributaries of "Steelhead Alley" looked great as of this morning with a good greenish color. We still have a small chance for precipitation going into the week, but overall the streams flows are still lower than usual. Most area streams are clearing thoughout the day and they will fish well to start the week. Elk, Walnut, and the Mile tributaries all have a decent amount of fish that have spread out nicely.
The Ohio Tributaries are seeing a smaller run of stray PA steelhead as well, and its only getting better each day. The Ohio tributaries have really started to turn on this week.
Flies of choice will be Emerald Shiner imitations such as clouser minnows, woolly buggers in white, Chartreuse, and Olive. Blue/Pearl and Orange/Pearl toned Ice Man Minnows, and various rabbit strip Zonkers.
Small Nymphs #14 and #12 in natural toned colors such as black, tan, and grey. Hares Ears, Pheasant Tails, Wiggle stones, Catt Nymphs, and Copper Johns, etc...
Small eggs #14 in Peach, pink, orange, cream and chartreuse in single egg designs such as Nuke eggs and cluster patterns like sucker spawn are on the menu..
10-01-09- The tributaries of "Steelhead Alley" are starting to look good, with fishable flows and good color. This weekend should fish pretty well.....especially the further east you go. Look for the lower rivers to be the most productive. Flies of choice will be Emerald Shiner imitations such as clouser minnows, wooly buggers in white and olive, Olive or Blue toned Ice Man Minnows, and various rabbit strip Zonkers/Sculpins. Small Nymphs #14 and #12 in natural toned colors such as black, tan, and grey. Hares Ears, Pheasant Tails, Wiggle stones, and Copper Johns, etc...Small eggs #14 in Peach, pink, orange, cream and chartreuse in single egg designs such as glo bugs and cluster patterns like sucker spawn are on the menu as well but these early fish are known for slamming streamers and they are not yet accustomed to seeing the eggs.
We'll have more soon!!!
09-30-09- The big news is: It's raining and looks like more on the way. Stay tuned.....looks like the early season may be ON!
In the meantime, mark your calendar for MRO's "Steelhead Extravaganza". Friday and Saturday, October 23rd and 24th. Help MRO and Steelhead Alley Outfitters "kick-off" the season! Special guests in the shop will be Greg Senyo and Patrick Robinson.
Full details to come but this will event will both serve online customers as well as locals!
09-18-09- We need rain bad!!! Tributaries are very low and clear! A decent amount of fish are patroling the surf off the stream mouths. Right now casting and fishing the beach is your best bet.. #2 thru #8 Emerald Shiner imitations are the fly selection of choice.
A few scattered fish are starting to show up in the Lake Erie Tributaries. To be completely blunt, few is an understatement. Most fish are just entering the stream mouths early and are moving back to the Lake by mid afternoon. Elk had fish up to the "Mud Hole" but very few are up to the access as of today. Walnut Creek from the Project waters to the break wall have more anglers than fish right now.
The Ohio Tribs are fairing about the same with fish staging at the mouths. I am sure a few fish are further up stream, but not enough to get your hopes up... look for the next big rain and each rain after to slowly bring them in...
Best bet right now is hitting the Lake Erie Surf in the early mornings and evening. Watch the forcast for a northern wind and shoot out a good Emerald Shiner imitation. The fishing will not be fast and furious, but it will be exciting!!!
As long as we keep having cool nights and continue to have good rain fall, steelhead season will be right around the corner.
This is the best time of year to scout Steelhead Alley tributaries. Due to the low and clear water every nook and cranny is exposed giving you a detailed view of the river bottoms. Seeing potential hidden spots steelhead will likely hold is a big advantage. This is very useful and beneficial during the fall steelhead season when the river contours are not visable during normal flows.
Take advantage of the time of year and scout if you can.
04-29-09 Don't call this season dead just yet. There are Erie tribs fishing and reports of fresh egg-dropping fish in the rivers as I write this on Wednesday evening. As the water warms the smallmouth fishing in the Erie tribs has also taken off with catches of 2-3 pound fish. The steelhead are there and fishing should remain strong through next week.
04-21-09- Rains the past few days have brought the streams up and un-fishable starting yesterday afternoon. The V to the Grand are all unfishable today. It looks like things may start to shape up for the weekend. The Eastern Tribs may clear a bit quicker...in fact we do have guides out today on Elk Creek and they are finding some fresh fish. We have been finding a mix of fresh fish and fish that have been around/spawned. There are a ton of fish on gravel so they are getting on with their business. This water should still bring plenty of fish and we should still have another few weeks of decent fishing ahead of us but we will know more once we get back on the Ohio streams. PA is certainly winding down as far as steelhead go.
04-15-09 UPDATE Rain in the Alley has put many of the streams high and off color. The Grand is especially high and even Brandy Run in PA is showing a sharp increase today. Check the gauges or call the store for the latest information.
04-14-09- All streams in the alley are looking good and most fishing even better. A few streams on the low side! Even the Grand is coming good and fishable....(which will please Mr. Turek and our new "Switch Rod Brigade"). The rain has been intermittent the past few days and it looks like it will do the same today although a few streams have started to spike a bit this morning. All reports have a ton of fish in the water and it is certainly "game-on". The guides have been having a blast with folks....be sure to click the links above for more details and pics! * Details on the Spring Fling event next weekend will be announced shortly!!!
04-08-09- As of right now, the Ohio/PA streams are shaping up (except the Grand), and barring additional precipitation should fish well this weekend. The rivers are still running a bit high due to snow melt the past couple of days. Some fished today and our guides did fairly well with clients. The water color quality did decrease due to the afternoon sun and melt-off, but should improve overnight. Most of the snow is gone, so expect the next couple of days to tell the story......did that fresh push of fish come in hard and heavy? We will keep you posted with details as they come available.
04-07-09- Some precip over the past few days...good and bad. Snow-sleet-rain still falling in the region and it is pretty hard to say exactly what will happen the next few days. Depending on how much snow falls in an area..then melts...it's day-by-day right now. The Vermilion is fishable level but cloudy. We did get some glowing reports from there the past few days and it does appear that fish are moving into the river in good numbers. Today the Rocky and Chagrin are borderline and really not that safe to fish..but also full of fish. The Grand is blown but not outrageous. Conneaut about the same as the Rocky and Chagrin but did have some folks fishing up high and in PA and they killed em. Elk is in good shape and there are fish around but most reports have the recently stocked smolts making fishing a hassle. We'll stay on top of this here and let you know how the weekend looks.
04-04-09- Here is what we know- The Vermilion is still fishable level but has clouded up....go figure. Everything else in Ohio is pretty blown and will be Monday or Tuesday before fishing resumes. The PA streams should be in decent shape for fishing on Sunday and we have still been finding plenty of fish...and fresh fish....moving into them. The Grand is of course really blown and it will be a week or so at the least. Guides are out and about so we will try to get a report up on Monday to see how the week is shaping up. The good news is that this should be the big push that we have been waiting for. The next 2-3 weeks should be the best fishing of the season!!!
03-30-09- Well we finall got a push of water. As we had all hoped, it wasn't a blow-out, but a nice slow rain event! The streams did bump enough to allow the passage of fresh fish. The reports the past day or so has good numbers of fish moving in. We had 5 guides on the water today and all of them found chrome or fairly fresh fish. The current water conditions are slightly elevated on most streams with a slight downturn in visibility.
At this time, due to the slow rise, most streams are still very fishable for those willing to fish tougher conditions. Hot flies today were fluorescent egg patterns, dark colored wooly buggers with flash and bright colored nymphs. Should be good water here for swinging big flies for a few days. Stay tuned- the best is yet to come!
03-24-09- The PA and Eastern streams are fishing well....actually getting a bit on the low side. It is a great time to get out and enjoy the fishing before the next flood event! Although there are plenty of fish around, the majority of them have been around for a while. It does appear that we have yet to see the "big push" of spring fish. We are now in need of another rain event. Hot flies have been black stoneflies (Senyos Wiggle Stones), caddis larva and chartreuse and cheese colored eggs. Great reports on the new Bloody Mary fly also!
**Note on the Vermilion: The V is retaining a ton of sediment again...it appears that we are dealing with less than stellar conditions over there again this year. Most folks are reporting few to no steelhead. Sucker fishing has been good!
03-17-09- The PA tributary streams are fishing well, and starting to get a little on the clear side. We have been successful on both the upper and lower sections of the streams and look forward to the next few days or so...fishing should be killer. Hot flies were Yellow and Pink eggs, various minnow imitations, and caddis patterns.
The Ohio tributaries are really looking good, and the fishing is starting to heat up. The only river not yet fishable for obvious reasons is the Grand River. The lower rivers are seeing some fresh fish, but the majority of the river systems are seeing hold overs from the winter. We are yet to see the strong push of spring fish as of yet.....but it's coming!!! Black Stones, Caddis, and Emerald Shiner patterns have all been good producers... Lots of good fishing is still to come and we will keep you updated along the way.. **Be sure to see the chart below for some great information on each stream including desired flows!
3-13-09 The Elk is fishing today and word is the Ohio tribs should start to fish as early as Sunday. Into early next week looks very good based on what we see right now. The recent rains and high river levels will certainly bring in the fresh fish.
3-11-09- Rains continued and all streams are currently blown out. Here is what we currently imagine: Elk will fish well starting Friday with Ohio tribs following behind by a couple of days...in most cases. The Grand for example is blown out for a good while and is currently well over flood stage. One thing is for sure....the fish are in! When water comes down to fishable levels we will instantly be at full throttle for Ohio/PA spring steelheading.
At this point, it is day-by-day though. We are staying in touch with all of our contacts, guides that are on the water and watching the gauges. As things change we will let you know.
3-9-09 The good news is that more water in the streams is exactly what we need to bring in fresh fish. However, the flow gauges are reflecting the rain we have received and the Ohio streams are high, and in some cases very high. PA is also receiving rain and Elk is on the rise. The end of last week, fishing reports had a silver lining. In fact on Elk in PA, we had reports from the mouth all the way up to Folley's and beyond that anglers were landing fresh chrome. It's a foregone conclusion that a fresh push of fish will ride the wave of water coming out of our tribs currently. We may not have good fishing conditions for a few days, but soon, fresh fish will be ours for the catching.
Keep your eyes on the gauges and we will let you know what we see.
03-04-09- As of noon today, reports from guides were less than ideal. Most streams are frozen over (completely) in the lower reaches making fishing impossible. Though the ice isn't that thick, it is an unfortunate nuisance. Upper regions of the streams have some open water at this time. The problem however is the low number of fish that remain there due to the ice grinder that killed a large number of fish a month ago as the ice blew out (this varied depending on the stream). As temps warm and rivers rise, fish will push in making the upper reaches more favorable targets.
The current temps in northeast Ohio are in the mid 30's but the next 5 days are forecasted for mid to upper 50's. This will take care of the ice, but will also bring rain to the region. Keep your eyes on the guages (chart below) and we will update you with changes as we see them. From here on out we have guides on the water every day so check back often for updates.
02-27-09- Everything is blown and looks like it will be for the weekend. Vermilion level is ok but climbing- problem is the clarity is shot. It will probably blow out completely over night. We had all the best intentions for the weeknd but mother nature feels otherwise. We'll let you know as we see conditions improve.
02-25-09- The past couple of days have been down right cold on the alley, with 12 degree night time temps side ice was forming and slushy water was present most of the day. Today's warmer temps have started freeing the streams of Ice once again. Jim at Folly's End fly shop stated that Elk Creek is starting to fish well today with guys coming into the shop with great reports. Elk should fish well into tommarow, but chances are good that the forcasted rain and Snow melt could make the rivers come up and become unfishable. The Ohio tribs are all at fishable levels, but have been having the same problems with slush and side ice in the mornings. Again the warmer temps today are freeing the streams and providing decent conditions. Rain is in the forcast so take advantage....We will keep you updated.
02-21-09- Things are really looking up.....As we speak, everything but the Grand is in fishable shape. The Vermilion is even clearing and looking good for the weekend. Folks have been out catching fish the past few days. Still a bit of rim ice and slush but really not bad at all. Many good reports from over on Elk! We did have some guides out the past few days and we are anticipating some good reports. Check back Monday morning and get ready!!!!
2-10-09- The good news is the tribs are free of ice this morning! The bad news is the rivers are at flood stage and many tributaries are so high that we couldn't believe what we saw on the flow gauges. The Vermilion right now is at over 15,900 cfs and still has not peaked. The Rocky, Chagrin, and Grand Rivers are dangerously high with more melt off expected today. With rain in the forcast and the continued melt off this will keep our rivers unfishable for a while. The PA tribs are experiencing much of the same right now and are also at flood stage. We don't see the tribs freezing up again this year, so its only a matter of time before we all can hit the streams once again. Stay Tuned!!!
2-6-09 Ice is still the story of the day with the exception of the lower stretches of the Rocky which are open. The thaw coming this weekend could start to turn things. We'll keep you posted.
1-26-09 Well, the cold has held long enough to finally freeze lake Erie almost 100%. That has drastically cut the amount of snow we are seeing, but we still have 10 inches or more on the ground. A few days above freezing recently brough those levels down from 30 inches to the current levels. All the streams are socked in with ice. It's time to tie flies and dream of great days to come.
01-18-09- The last report we gave, we made the announcement that Old Man Winter had arrived. Well, it looks like he brought his grandfather too. In the last week, we have gone from temps just below freezing to temps at my home in the heart of the alley at near -15. Yes, you heard it.....15 below zero. A few weeks ago slush was our enemy. This week, we would be happy to see slush! It looks like winter is making up for lost time. With nearly 20 inches of snow on the eastern alley, and the streams frozen over, now is the time to get loose ends wrapped up around the house.
As always, come see us at upcoming shows and get to tying some flies if you tie. If you are interested in some of our patterns, we are adding tutorials daily to our fly tying blog.....
01-13-09- Well, we can officially say that Old Man Winter has finally arrived. Currently most streams are partially locked up and approaching full lock-up in many areas. The current temps are just below freezing on the alley, and the forecast is for blistering cold the next couple weeks. Some areas are forecasted to see single digits.
At this point, we can pretty much call it quits for the winter and hope for an early thaw. As soon as water is fishable, or we get out to investigate further, we will give you a full update. Until then, throw another log on the fire, get out the fly tying gear, and make the most of the winter season.
01-08-09- Roughly 4 inches of snow fell in Lake City and Girard. The Elk is very slushy this morning, and with the cold nights predicted ahead this could possibly lock our rivers up here pretty quick. The Ohio streams look to have the same problems as the PA tribs, but still have a little open water on some sections and on the bigger streams. Best bet now is to hit the rivers in the afternoons, until we see a little warmer weather.
Hopefully soon!!! See you in Cleveland and Indianapolis this weekend...see the blog for details.
01-05-09- Talked today with Clyde Murray at Folly's End Fly Shop, and Elk and the PA tribs are seeing alot of side ice and slush coupled with low water. Much of the river is slowly starting to freeze over. Hopefully this is temporary and we get to see a season with no freeze over, but thats just wishful thinking. Our guess is that it is coming. The Ohio streams are seeing simuliar situations with slush and side ice, but the flows seem stable for now. The larger rivers such as the Grand are your best bet right now. Stay tuned for Iced rods and cold feet.
Be safe in these conditions and good fishing!!!
01-01-09- Happy New Year Everyone!!!!
Well its January and the streams are still free of ice as of yesterday, which is good news in itself. The PA tributaries are fishing well and Girard, PA received just an inch or two of snow on tuesday. Pink/Cerise colored fly patterns were the weapon of choice this week. Most Ohio tributaries are dialing in and are looking really good, hopefully the weather will stay cooperative this year and keep them open thru the winter. Temps are dropping so be on the look for shelf ice and frozen fly lines.
Have a safe holiday!
12-24-08- Well, it has happened once again, only this time with wicked extremes. It all started Friday as snow and ice hit the region. Shortly after, we saw actual temperatures registering below zero with wind chills as cold as 20-30 below. That was Sunday night. Fast forward to today, and all the snow and ice we had hit the region the last two days has been met with nearly 50 degree temps.
We think by now you have figured out where the rivers stand. You guessed it they are all blown. In fact, the secondary streams around my home are way out of their banks which doesn't bode well for the main rivers in the next day or two or three or four.
MRO Update 12-26- Continued heavy rains in the region are only making the above report worse- things don't look good for the weekend and even beyond.
12-20-08- After yesterday's mixed bag of precipitation, the rivers did rise slightly. Rivers to the west more so than the eastern tribs. Currently it looks as if the eastern tribs are either starting to fish (Elk) or will in the next day or so (Conneaut). Keep your eyes on water levels and keep your ear to the ground.
In the past two days, good numbers of fresh chrome fish have been caught, so get out if you can. Although we are slowing down for the holiday, the fish are still heating it up.
We will let you know as we do.
12-15-08- Today we once again cancelled trips due to high water conditions. It seems to be the theme lately. However, looking to the rest of the week, it looks as if cold temps will return making any precipitation a mix or snow. Hopefully this will allow streams to start shaping up for later in the week. Keep your eyes on the gauges and your ears to the wind. When we get on the water, we will let you know.
12-12-08- Quick Update- PA streams did come into shape and we did get guides out on the water today. All streams are dropping quicker than anticipated but snow fell last night which may mean a melt the next few days. Keep your eyes on the guages.
12-10-08- Well, just as you think things are going to dial in, the rains come, the snows melt and it's up, up, and away! Currently all tribs are completely blown! A good example is the Grand River. It went from running roughly 650cfs to about 8000cfs in just a matter of hours.
The fish are available as always though....just not right now!
On the bright side of things, this keeps the rivers from freezing, so there is still more fishing to be done. Keep your eyes on the gauges and we will try to get out as soon as we can.
For now, make use of the high water to restock those fly boxes.
12-6-08- What a week is all that can be said. Most streams from the Vermilion clear into New York were up and out of condition most of the week. All of our trips were cancelled due to the unfavorable conditions. Yesterday, Pennsylvania tribs started to fish while the Ohio tribs remained high and stained. The bad news is that after a week of high water, we are now looking at extremely cold temps for our region. This morning, we were on the water and there was a lot of slush and ice flowing. The forecast looks to remain just as cold with more snow, so we could be in for a much earlier end to the fall season than we would have liked. Temps the next few days will remain well below freezing (with high winds) making most of the tribs an icy mess until early to mid afternoon. If you are willing to brave the elements and can confidently get your drifts through the ice flows and in the zone, things will start to fish in a couple days here in Ohio. Just be forewarned that the conditions will not be for the faint of heart and can be dangerous. If we keep these conditions for very long, ice up will come soon.
12-1-08- Well, we wish we had better news, but the rain received on Monday has officially put us out of the steelheading game for a few days. We had guides out scouting today and everything from PA water to Ohio's western most streams were an abundance of chocolate milk. Looking at the flows, most streams will be out of shape until late week at the earliest. We will let you know what we do, when we do.
11-28-08- We hope everyone had (or is having) a great holiday. We have had a number of guides and friends on the water the past two days. As far as the eastern tribs are concerned, most are fishing, but are flowing at higher than usual flows. As one guide put it, the river(s) are not navigable (by wading) in many zones. Anyone attempting to fish should exercise caution. Having heard that, please be careful as you find yourself out on the water. Remember that fish are not worth your life. Water temps are near freezing and high water makes for treacherous crossings. The clarity in most areas is improving and fish are being caught. If you get out in the next couple days, conditions should only improve. Just keep safety at the forefront of your mind. We'll see you on the water.
11-26-08- We just got off the water a couple of hours ago which means it was a half day....not good. The news is that the rivers have come up to unfishable levels. Only time will tell how high the rain and snowmelt will push things up. Based on the forecast, it may be sometime on Thanksgiving before they start to fish. If not then, it may be Friday. Snow started again this morning (east alley) coming down at about an inch an hour. Travel conditions are currently treacherous but should improve as the snow subsides. Remember that snow on the ground means potential run-off in the days to follow. Keep your eyes on the flows and watch for them to drop. Most streams are full of fish and are willing to come to a fly if you present it well. We will keep you posted as we find things change.
MRO Note- The Vermilion has come up a bit to more fishable levels. It is a bit off color today but may be a good choice over the next few days. Elk is currently coming into condition and may fish tomorrow but do keep your eyes on the guages to get an idea of what the snow melt/runoff is doing. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for checking.
11-24-08- All that can be said for the current conditions is welcome to December a bit early. It has been bitterly cold for November! We had numerous guides and clients on the water today and most got a late start due to high volumes of slush in the flows. The diehard, persistent angler can still catch fish as all of us did today. Only one box was needed today and it was the egg box. A mixture of old and fresh fish were caught, so get out while the getting is good. Be forewarned though that this is the holiday week and crowds will increase with each passing day moving toward turkey day. Additionally, we got rain today. The precip coupled with warmer temps (40+) brought some snow melt and runoff. By days end, streams were starting to go off color. We will be on the water again tomorrow and will have a better idea of what to expect for the holiday.
In the meantime, keep the air temps in mind as the colder they are, the colder the water will be. When I came off the water today, the water temp was a balmy 32 degrees. Definitely plan for ice in the mornings until we get some warmer temps.
Get out while you can.....Ice up may be sooner than later....
11-20-08- Just got off of the water after a couple days away due to weather. The good news is that most water is fishing or starting to fish today. Scouting this morning produced good numbers with a mixture of fresh and old fish. The snow in areas still remains (mostly on the eastern side of the alley), and overnight tonight they are forecasting a major lake effect event with major accumulations. So, if you are planning a trip for the weekend, be mindful that travel conditions could be hazardous due to the nature of lake effect snow. Fish today came on a variety of flies both big and small, eggs and streamers. If you have a chance to beat the elements, the fall season is back in swing.
MRO Note: Thanks again for your patience friends. We will be chiming in here from time to time with some additions from our own guides and what we hear from customers. We are super excited about our new partnership with Greg, Patrick and the rest of the guides at SAO. We can tell you that it has been a very exciting early season in the Erie Region. It's good to be back!
* This report provided in part or whole by our friends at Steelhead Alley Outfitters. Click Here to learn about our new partnership!
11/08- Sorry for the very late start this season friends and thanks for your patience. We have been working on several major "steelhead related" projects...including an updated Fishing Reports section. Look for a few big announcements in the next few days.
4/28/08 We've finally had a couple of weeks of good fishing. Over the weekend water levels were low and clear making conditions a little tricky. Rain early this week could change this. We've had reports of many fish still in the streams with some excellent catch rates. Swinging streamers is very popular at the moment but fishing nymphs and eggs is always a good technique.
4/18/08 The season is finally in full swing. Water conditions are good from west to east and we've had many great reports this week and conditions look good for the near future. Swinging streamers is very popular at the moment but fishing nymphs and eggs is always a good technique.
03/28/08- Snow melt the past two days was causing some streams to rise and color up...then.....
Rain and more snow yesterday and last night blew things out yet again. Looks like the only bet for the weekend would be the mile creeks over in PA and possibly the upper reaches of Elk Creek but that is a crap shoot. Very hard to predict anything at this point as there is 2-3 inches of rain predicted by Monday. We can only hope that someday soon we can write a positive steelhead report.
03/25/08- Our guides report that the fishing in Ohio has started to pick up. Conneaut is fishing today and the rest of the Ohio streams heading west from Conneaut should fish tomorrow if we don't get any more rain. The Elk over in PA has been fishing well and should continue.
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