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Clearfork River




7-26-15
Despite the very strange and wet weather around here, we have remained extremely busy. Folks have been finding ways to catch fish and that's pretty cool!

Andy is on his way home today with the July Alaska group and should have reports and pics up this week. Brian is on his way with his group out to visit Kelly Galloup at the Slide Inn and will be reporting as he goes. We never rest!

Most exciting was the official announcement made this week about our new partnership with Flip Pallot! Brian and Flip have teamed up to bring you www.flippallot.com. We are thrilled that Flip has trusted in us to run his online store. You can read the press release from Friday on our Blog.

Both stretches of the Clearfork are in good shape and fishable. With the warmer temps arriving the past few days the trout fishing will most likely be better in the upper stretch. The lower could produce a mixed bag of trout, smallies and a possible musky so not a horrible thing but if you are into trout, may want to stay in the upper.

Terrestrials are the hot bet here. Ants, beetles, inchworms will all produce well. There are a few spots on the river where hoppers may produce as well and they should be coming on strong here in the next few weeks. Also want to have some 14-16 caddis...tan and olive/green. These will mostly be found in the late afternoons and evenings. Several anglers reporting this week that the fish were gobbling up pupa and a size 14-16 green soft hackle was working well.

No reports of Tricos here yet but they should be around soon. They are mostly found in the upper and are mostly an early morning occurrence. May still see a few straggling Light Cahills as well in the evenings.

Get out there and fish and let us know how you do!!!!

7-15-15
The Clearfork is of course blown out as we speak, but not as bad as you might think. Depends on how quickly the upper begins to drop but we'll see.

We will try to keep on it and let you know as we do, but if we don't, feel free to call the shop. We are always glad to hear from you and happy to share what we know.

7-4-15
Both stretches of the Clearfork are looking good and will fish this weekend. The upper has a bit of stain but totally wadeable. Haven't had too many reports this week due to the water levels but a few folks out the past few days in the upper stretch and they did really well. Still some Light Cahills around in the evenings, but just like the Mad, it's time to start thinking caddis and terrestrials. Ants, beetles and hoppers  will be the hot ticket here for a few months, along with your standard fare tan and green caddis.

The lower stretch may be getting a bit warm here soon but that doesn't mean that you can't catch fish. Trout fishing will be better on the upper, but the lower could surprise you.....a mix of smallmouth, rock bass, trout and maybe even a musky doesn't make for a bad day.

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend! Just a reminder that we are Closed today for the holiday and as usual tomorrow. We'll be back at it on Monday and will try to let you know what we hear.

6-29-15
As expected, the Clearfork is blown out...pretty big. Rain predicted all week so hard to say what will happen. We'll let you know as we do but if we don't...feel free to give us a call.

6-23-15
The upper stretch of the Clearfork is a bit stained this morning but pretty much fishable. The lower is still a bit high but as long as no major precip here...they should bring it down to acceptable levels later today or tomorrow. Could be good streamer conditions now though?

Look for some Light Cahill activity in the upper stretch in the late evenings with a variety of spinners right at dark. Otherwise, pretty much moving into Summer mode of Caddis and Terrestrials. Ants and Beetles will be the hot ticket here for quite a while. Nymphs and smaller streamers will always work of course. Caddis larva and pupa will be the way to go but attractor nymphs like Princes, Copper Johns, San Juan Worms will work well also.

Let us know how you are doing out there!

6-18-15
The Clearfork is pretty blown out right now and probably won't fish for a few days. We'll try to let you know as we do but feel free to call the shop if we don't.

Earlier this week we did have some folks reporting good to excellent dry fly activity. Both stretches of the river. Most were reporting Caddis activity but those that we hanging around later did get into some excellent Light Cahill action. Otherwise, typical nymphs have been working well.

Could be a good chance to stick a larger fish on a streamer as this water comes down. 

6-10-15
Both stretches of the Clearfork continue to fish well. As like the Mad....quite a mix of bugs and flies working well. Primary interests right now are the Sulphers, Light Cahills and Caddis. The better dry fly fishing has for sure been in the upper stretch but don't count the lower out. Does seem that there have been more Sulphers in the upper and more Cahills in the lower with good numbers of caddis on each stretch. If the fish aren't rising, try caddis larva and pupa. Green soft hackles or Nitro Caddis pupa have been working well. With this heat coming on, it may also be time to start thinking about having some ants and beetles in your boxes as well.

No word on Brown Drakes yet but should be in the next few days. These are a bit more sporadic on the CF than the Mad but they are still present and can evoke some pretty good feeding activity. Look for them mostly on the upper stretch and let us know if you run into them!


5-22-15
The Clearfork has been fishing extremely well. Good to great reports from both the upper and lower stretches. A few anglers reporting silly good dry fly fishing especially from the covered bridge up to the dam. Seems that fish have moved up there in search of cooler water already.

A mix of bugs here as well but for sure the star of the show is the Light Cahill and the midges. A few reports of super thick hatches of both. If you can't catch them on a Light Cahill #12-14 try tiny midges. You should do well.

Just like the Mad, the fishing has been better in the evenings as far as dry flies go. During the day stick with standard nymphs or smaller streamers. 

Get out there and enjoy the holiday weekend and experience some of the best trout fishing of the season.

5-8-15
The Clearfork really seemed to turn on this week and we have gotten some great reports of dry fly fishing....as well as nymphs and streamers. Almost seems like you can't go wrong right now. 

The upper stretch has had alot of rising fish this week and alhtough there are some Hendrickson type mayflies around, the caddis seem to be the bug of choice. Angler's fishing a dry caddis with a pupa or larva hanging behind have been reporting good action. If the fish aren't rising to bugs, fishing #14-16 Pheasant Tails or the same in green caddis larva has also been producing fish. Also want to be armed with some March Brown type dries as we will be seeing those around any moment now.

The dry fly fishing down in the park has not been as great from what we are hearing but did have some folks do well on caddis dries between the bridge and the dam the other day. Nymphs and streamers have seemed to do better. One angler reported an 18" Brown in the lower the other day that he pulled out of a deep run below the primitive campsite.

Regardless the fishing has been pretty good and both stretches are fishing well. Might even start seeing some good smallmouth activity in the park....especially the closer you get to the confluence with the Mohican. Still not yet alot of competition from tubers and swimmers so take advantage in the park stretch.

5-1-15
The Clearfork is looking great and fishing has been pretty good. Dry fly fishing has really been picking up. A few different mayflies have been around but most activity has been on midges and caddis. Sporadic Hendricksons have been seen in the upper stretch but not in huge numbers although there was a really good spinner fall the other night that did get the fish rising. A few folks have been reporting catching fish on ants as well.

If you don't see bugs or risers....throw nymphs or streamers. Standard fare nymphs have been working but for some reason Prince Nymphs have been working really well lately. Also, don't be afraid to throw a Helgrammite! The river has plenty of them and the bigger browns love them. Nobody fishes these bugs for trout and on this river you should.

Streamers have been pulling some larger fish out of deep holes in the lower stretch. Walk either up or down from the covered bridge and hit the deeper holes and see what happens. 

Great time to fish the Clearfork! Get out there and let us know how you do!

4-17-15
The upper Clearfork will be good this weekend and fishing should be a blast! The lower is still a bit high but they are dropping it as we speak. We'll let you know but we do expect that the lower will come fishable in the next day or so.

A few folks reported seeing sporadic Hendricksons in the upper stretch along with some midges and a few caddis. Seems that the dry fly fishing is picking up, but most folks still getting the majority of fish on nymphs and streamers. One angler reported that Red Copper Johns were killing them this week for whatever reason. Fishing should only get better and could be a great weekend on the Clearfork.

4-13-15
The upper is coming fishable and should be good this week. Should start seeing some dry fly activity with Hendricksons, midges and possibly some early caddis. Nymph and streamer fishing will be the way to go until you start seeing bugs and risers. Should be a great week up there!

The lower stretch is still pumping out water but should be dropped in the next few days? We'll keep our eye on it and let you know.

Send along any reports!

4-9-15
Both stretches of the Clearfork are pretty well blown out and will probably be so for a few days. We'll try to let you know as we do.

We can tell you that the fishing has been pretty good to excellent for some folks and it should continue to get better as the weather warms here. Hoping for some dry fly activity once the water comes down and we get out again. Stay tuned and keep the reports coming...we appreciate the help.

4-4-15
Still pretty rippin' on the fork. Probably not a great bet for Sunday at this point. If you did, the upper for sure and probably throwing streamers. We'll try to let you know as the situation improves.

4-3-15
As we figured, they have opened up the dam today and the lower stretch of the Clearfork is pretty blown out. The upper has come up throughout the day as well and gotten more stained. Probably not your best bet for tomorrow. We'll check again and try to let you know for Sunday.

4-3-15
As of Friday morning, the upper is a bit up and stained but fishable and the lower is also fishable. They have started to open the dam a bit and chances are they will continue. All depends on how much more rain we get here. If you went fishing today it would probably be good to great streamer water but you also might get run off the river if they raise it. We'll try to check back later today or tomorrow morning and let you know what we do.

* Do you receive our E-News? Should be one hitting inboxes early next week and if you don't...consider signing-up HERE

03-28-15
Good news bad news. The Upper Clearfork is fishable today...problem is...it's cold. Damn cold and you will need some "Stanley's Ice Off Paste" for your guides. The Upper is good looking streamer/nymph water today though and should continue to fish well through the 1st of the week. A few reports of decent to excellent fishing up there.

The lower has dropped a bit but still pretty risky. Chances are they will drop it lower today or tomorrow and we should start fishing in the park again. No reports as the water has been high but it should fish well...also streamers and nymphs but again, we had been hearing about some killer midge hatches with fish rising to them. Should start seeing some BWO types within a few weeks and sporadic Hendricksons around the 5-10th of April or so.

03-20-15
The Clearfork is probably not your best bet this weekend. The upper is still a bit high and stained....could be decent streamer water though. The lower is still cranking and doesn't look like it will fish this weekend.

Haven't had any reports from this week but hoping that the upper comes into shape and we can start thinking about some dry fly fishing. As stated in our last report we had some folks doing really well on midges already, and it will soon be time for some early BWO's and then into some Hendricksons. We are probably not far off from seeing some early caddis as well, the upper river in particular.

In the meantime, arm yourself with some streamers and nymphs and bring your wading staff if you need to celebrate Spring on the water this weekend.

Not doing anything Saturday the 21st? Help us ring in Spring with Jerry Darkes here in the shop. He's doing a seminar called "Tying and Fishing Tubes and Intruders" from 10-4. $65.00 per student and all you need to do is bring your vise and basic tools. 614-451-0363 to register!


03-13-15
Brian and Josh are headed to the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo in Warren, Michigan this weekend and that marks the end of the "Winter Show Season". That means Spring fishing starts next week!!!!! The rest of us will be here in Columbus holding down the ark this weekend. 

Special thanks to all who attended the F3T Film Tour here in Columbus last week. It was a sold out show and looks like we raised over $3500 for Project Healing Waters. Job well done friends!

Both the upper and lower stretches of the Clearfork will be un-fishable this weekend. Between the snow melt and the rain coming we are out of business. Prior to the snow melting earlier this week, some folks were doing pretty well on nymphs and streamers and a few folks reporting KILLER midge hatches with fish rising in big numbers. Hopefully this will continue next week once the water comes down.

Check back early next week and we'll let you know what we do here. Now with the "Winter Show Season" behind us we can start thinking about local fishing again!


02-08-15
Wow....February already? We are still working hard on the new Blog concept for reports here and hope to have something to show you in early March or so. Until then....here's a few notes-

The crew had a blast at the "Greater Cincinnati Fly Fishing Show" yesterday. Our friends at the Buckeye United Fly Fishers always put on a great show. We made some great new contacts, sold some gear and signed a few people up for classes and trips. If you haven't been to this show, think about it for next year.

Next up is the Columbus Fishing Expo!!! We'll be at the fairgrounds Friday, Saturday and Sunday for this exciting event. MRO will have a huge footprint including an 80' casting area. Our own Brian Flechsig will be doing some demonstrations on the Hawg Trough each day and has now been wrangled into doing some spots for NBC 4 News and Fox 28 News. Watch for those to air this weekend. We'll also be joined by Ray and Kate Schmidt from TFO and they will have the full line-up of TFO rods for folks to try. We'll be slinging some good deals around so try and stop by if you can. Further details on the show can be found HERE.

The Clearfork has been fishing pretty darned well...possibly better than the Mad here this winter...with the exception of the week or so in mid-January when there was just too much ice along the edges to safely fish. It is in pretty good shape today and should fish well this week. The upper has been fishing a bit better and we have had some good reports of fish on nymphs and even some midge dry activity. Seems that there have been some pretty awesome midge hatches in the upper stretch and the fish have been respoding....Griffit's Gnats, Brian/Ryan or I.C.S.I. dry patterns are great choices. Also want to be thinking about winter black stoneflies here as far as nymphs go, we should be seeing them here soon and the nymph is the most important stage to have in your box. The lower river did come up a bit the past few days but they brought it back down again and should fish well. Might think about slinging some giant streamers around down there...you might be surprised at what happens!

Go fish and let us know how you do!


01-08-15
Happy New Year friends! Thanks so much for your support this Holiday Season. It was our best on record and we have you all to Thank! Further proof that the specialty pro shop and old fashioned customer service still prevail.

Thanks also for your patience with Fishing Reports. We should be getting back to some regularity here but as always, feel free to call the shop. We are always happy to share what we know. That being said...stay tuned...as we are working on a new Blog format for our fishing reports that you are going to LOVE. We should have it up and running sometime in February.

Some cool things coming up in the next few months. Always be sure to check the Calendar...but here's a few highlights:

* Saturday, January 17th- Special Guest: Blane Chocklett- FREE program on Musky on the Fly- 7:00 p.m.- Click Here

* Sunday, February 1st- "Tying and Fishing Tubes and Intruders"- day-long class and seminar with Jerry Darkes- Click Here

* Wednesday, February 9th- Intermediate/Advanced Fly Tying with Mike Schmidt- Click Here

* February 13th- 15th- Columbus Fishing Expo- Click Here

* Thursday, March 5th- Fly Fishing Film Tour in Columbus- Click Here

Now onto the Clearfork......

December was a so-so month on the Fork...primarily due to low water conditions. We did hear of a few nice fish being caught on nymphs, but most were recent stockers. The upper river fished a bit better than the lower for some reason which is usually not the case this time of year. The river did blow out last weekend and is now back down to comfortable fishing conditions.....but the temps are certainly not comfortable. We are starting to get some rim ice along the river and probably won't be fishing much until we get a break in the weather. When we do, nymphs and streamers will be the fare and we will be hoping for some heightened streamer action.


11-26-14
Did get a bump with the precip this week. The upper is in great shape and fished pretty well today. They did open the dam a bit in the park and that water came up as well. Fishing today was decent, but no hogs on the line. They are there, but playing hard to get at the moment. Should be a great weekend up there though and you should be throwing larger nymphs, or stripping streamers. Not impossible to find rishing fish, especially in the park water and if so, make sure you have some midge dries like a Griffith's Gnat.

11-21-14
Despite the low water on the Clearfork...the fishing has improved...mostly due to the ODNR if you know what we mean. Fishing down in the park has been pretty good on nymphs, streamers and eggs. Keep in mind that the covered bridge area gets hit pretty hard so the further you move up or downstream, the better off you typically are. The upper stretch has been fishing better as well and most fish being taken on standard nymphs...but don't be afraid to try something larger. You might be surprised. Fishing should remain good here through the winter, especially if we get some precip.

Upcoming Events:

Black Friday- In store and online sales and promotions- SALE page here
Shop Small Saturday- November 29th
Mad River Outfitters 20th Anniversary SALE- Monday, December 1st- Online and in the shop!

**Make sure that you receive our E-News for updates on all of these next week.


11-4-14
Fishing on the Clearfork has been pretty tough....but should begin to pick up over the next few weeks. Of course, the leaves are a challenge so just like on the Mad, we have been fishing small nymphs or skating large attractor type flies on the surface. We have had a few reports of folks getting smaller fish on smaller, midge type dries but these are mostly recent stockers and near the bridges. Best to leave those guys alone and let them acclimate anyways. The water is very low and hardly moving, especially in the lower stretches. We really need a good push of water here to get things going. Things should really pick up here in the next few weeks, especially in the Park water.  

9-13-14
The Clearfork is fishing better than normal for late summer, flows are low but the water has remained relatively cool so the fish are doing well. We have even heard some recent reports of some nice sized holdover fish being caught. The upper river has been fishing best, early and late in the day fish have been looking up to caddis and mayflies, think small in the morning and light colored in the evening when the white millers and ephrons hatch. Mid day fishing dries with droppers has been a good bet, you can also swing soft hackles in the riffles. While there is good insect diversity hear on the clearfork right now think caddis nymphs and dries if you want to keep things simple. Most of the active fish have been in areas of heavier current but make sure to fish around any woody cover you find. 

8-19-14
Reports on the clearfork remain about the same, with the recent cold nights there has been some better trout activity in the upper stretches. Fishing terrestrials or caddis, especially in the mornings, with a small nymph as a dropper has been the best bet.

8-4-14
Summer usually brings slower fishing to the clearfork, water temps in the lower river are up meaning that what fish are there won't be great targets for anglers, however the smallmouth and warmwater mixed bag has been good in the park. In the upper reaches anglers are still taking some fish, especially early on the day on tricos and beetles. Focus on shaded areas with faster current for the summer fish here. Nymphing will also be effective, san juan worms and caddis pupae are top here.

6-24-14
Currently the water levels are high in the upper and lower clearfork. The fishing has been good, especially in the upper reaches for trout. Terrestrials are already taking good numbers of fish, and there are still some cahills hatching to draw a few fish up. With the summer heat look for fish to hold in the faster stretches or in shaded areas. The lower river is getting a bit warms for good trout fishing, though you can still find some active fish in the faster areas in the mornings. Soft hackles and nymphs have both been working well. The warmwater mix in the lower clearfork has been great, anglers have reported everything from bass and panfish, to drum and carp, and even pike and saugeye. This can be a great place to get out and catch many species of fish in one day.

5-19-14
Great fishing continues on the clearfork, the cahills are hatching and fish are looking for them. The upper river is in great shape right now, the lower stretch is still high but should be in good shape by the weekend. When the fish are not coming up fishing soft hackles has been productive. For nymph fishing try PT's, caddis, san Juans, and copper johns. The fishing here usually is very good before things slow down in late june, especially for dry fly anglers.

5-12-14
This is a great time of year to fish Clearfork! The big event here is the Light Cahills that will hatch here for the next several weeks. Both the upper and lower stretches are fishable, the upper is in great shape and the lower is fishable but high. Fish are also taking some caddis and even terrestrials. Before the hatches start in the afternoon swinging soft hackles and nymphing have been productive as well. This is the best dry fly fishing of the year on this stream.

4-22-14
Both the upper and lower clearfork are in fishable shape right now with the lower being a bit high and the upper just right. With the faster flows in the lower swinging buggers and soft hackles will produce well, there may also be some surface action with hendricksons and caddis hatching in the afternoons. The upper river will offer better dry fly fishing, and fishing nymphs will produce before the hatches start. Look for fish to hold in the deeper riffles looking for the bugs to hatch.

4-15-14
The clearfork got a big shot of rain last night but things should drop into shape by thursday in the upper river and things should be fishable this weekend.
4-14-14
Water conditions are improving on the clearfork, the upper river is in good shape and the lower river should drop into good shape by wednesday. Swinging flies has been very productive lately, and dry fly fishing should be an option later this week. Stoneflies have been hatching and the hendricksons should be hatching this week, you might even see a few caddis, and there will be midges. If the fish are staying down drop a nymph off of the dry or indicator fish, caddis larva and pheasant tails are top choices right now.

4-9-14
Clearfork is currently blown out but might be back into shape by the weekend. Streamers and large nymphs will fish first as the water drops. 

4-1-14
Clearfork is a bit high right now in the lower stretch, the upper river is currently stained and fishable. The rain should blow the stream out but the upper river should fish by sunday. Small streamers and attractor nymphs are always killer here especially in the higher water flows. As things clear keep an eye out for fish rising to blue quills, midges, and small black stones.

3-25-14
Water levels are back in good shape and the color as well in both stretches of the clearfork. Swinging flies was productive with the staind water this past week. As the color cleared indicator fishing took the most fish. Like the mad hendrickson nymphs are working here but caddis, midges and san jauns are all consistant producers here. Find the holes where the fish are feeding and you should be in good shape. Dry fly anglers keep an eye out here this weekend when it warms up, warm afternoons will get the adult stoneflies active and they may bring a few eager fish up.

3-14-14
Both the upper and lower clearfork are high and stained, though the upper river should be low enough to fish this weekend. Larger nymphs fished in the pools and swinging streamers will be top bets in the higher water.

3-7-14
Like the mad the clearfork should fish very well this weekend. The same nymphs and buggers will work here, but the fish often lean to smaller patterns here, midges are always a good bet on this fishery when it clears up and the stoneflies should be out in numbers. The upper clearfork should have a few rising fish with the warm weather, definantly have some midge adults ready for these guys.

2-28-14
The clearfork normally produces well this time of year, after last weeks rain the upper river should fish well this weekend, the river below pleasant hill is in great shape as well but the lake is high so keep an eye on the guage as they should be letting more water out of the dam soon. Indicator fishing with small stones, midges and worm patterns is the best bet here, but buggers always take fish here. With warmer temps forecasted tomorrow there may even be a few fish taking midges and maybe stones on the surface in the upper river. As with the mad as soon as we get some warmer weather look for some good insect activity.

2-12-14
Both the upper and lower clearfork should be in good shape for the weekend. Small black stonefly nymphs and midge or caddis larva are good fly choices. There should be some stoneflies hatching with the warm weather next week! Black winter stonefly dries can make the first good day of dry fly fishing of the year.

1-16-14
Water levels are back in good shape on the clearfork. The upper streches should fish this weekend, and the lower has just dropped back down and has great flow. The upper river will get slushy but the lower normally stays ice free unless it gets really cold. Anglers looking to get out and catch fish should stick to nymphing with small black stones, #16-20 midge larva and smaller attractor patterns. Focus on deeper slow areas and watch for subtle takes, the fish will be less aggressive in the cold.

1-9-14
Water levels in the lower river are now back in fishable shape, a bit high but fishable and the water should drop as long as we don't get too much rain. The upper river has been fishing well especially with nymphs. Try cranefly larva, san juan worms and larger midge patterns. The key has been focusing on the deeper holes where fish have plenty of areas to get out of the current. Swinging buggers has also been productive in both stretches.

12-23-13
Pleasant Hill reservoir went up twenty feet this weekend, it will be a good while before the lower clearfork fishes as they lower the lake back down. The upper stretches should begin to fish later this week and should be good this comig weekend.

12-20-13
Clearfork is on its way up with snowmelt, the area below the dam may still fish tomorrow but after that it should be blown out for several days. Once its back down large nymphs should be top produces, and don't forget san jaun worms here.

12-9-13
Clearfork is fishing well with both the upper and lower stretches in good shape. Nymphing and swinging small streamers both have been producing. Fly selection is very similar to the mad this time of year, focus on the deep water and cover ground until you find them.

11-29-13
Clearfork is low and clear but fishing well. Swinging small streamers always works well here, especially is you trail them with a soft hackle. Nymph fishing is usually the most productive here, clearfork standards such as san jauns contimue to produce but in the winter smaller scub patterns and midges take lots of fish as well. Try the deeper holes and when you find one there are usually more.

11-18-13
Clearfork has jumped with the rain last night but later this week should be back in good shape. As the water drops swinging wooly buggers is a go to here, as well as fishing large attractor nymphs such as san juan worms. When the water drops smaller attractor nymphs and midges will be the best bets. This stream fishes well through the winter so don't forget this stream when it gets cold!

11-8-13
Clearfork is running high but the upper portions should be fishable this weekend. Swinging buggers should be very effective this weekend, don't be afraid to hang a soft hackle off the back. Nymphing with the standard patterns will take plenty of fish as well, lots of attractor patterns here mixed in with caddis a midges.

11-1-13
The rain has elevated the flows on the upper and lower clearfork, look for the water to drop as early as sunday and certainly by early next week. Nymph fishing has been a staple here with San jaun worms, copper johns, and caddis larva producing well. Like the mad there has been good insect activity with caddis and BWO's, as well as lots of midges out on the clearfork. Fish have been taking dries but swinging a soft hackle has been the most effective. Stripping and swinging buggers and small streamers will be effective especially in the higher water.

10-23-13
Like the mad not much of a change in the report here. Think caddis above and below, midges and bwos are both important here as well as attractors. Some good reports from here lately both in the upper and lower river.

10-18-13
The clearfork is fishing well right now with good numbers of fish around and they are getting aggressive with the cold nights. Nymph fishing has been productive with caddis pupae and attractors as top bets, small streamers are also producing. There have been good numbers of caddis hatching, as well as BWO's and Midges. The fish have been taking dries, especially caddis, but often they are keyed on the pupae so soft hackles have been more productive.

9-28-13
As the water cools the clearfork continues to improve, this fishery typically picks up in mid oct. but has been better than average this summer. Fishing the upper river has been more productive, caddis and BWO's are the biggest factors here, nymphs will be the most productive but you can find some rishing fish late in the day or when it's cloudy. The lower river still has a few trout but the bass and warmwater fishing has been good there as well.

9-17-13
Clearfork continues to fish better than normal for this time of year. Terrestrial fishing is slowing down though it continues to produce a few fish. Midges and caddis, especially caddis are the main game here. Nymphing with an attractor followed by a midge or caddis pupae has been good. Fishing a #14 elk hair with a small soft hackle or pupae behind it will take the rising fish you come across, and is a good way to prospect. The water is low for streamers but there are some bass and saugeye around that will certainly eat a clouser or wooly bugger.

8-14-13
Clearfork is down and in great shape this summer. With the cool weather and the rain the water temps have stayed low enough that the trout fishing has remained pretty good. The upper river fishes best in the summer, with terrestrials and caddis taking fish up top. Nymph fishing with caddis and san jauns has been very effective in the faster runs, as well as swinging soft hackles. Clearfork rarely fishes this well through the summer so get out and take advantage!

7-12-13
Pleasant Hill lake is currently 17ft above summer pool so the lower clearfork will not be fishable for some time. The upper river should still be cloudy this weekend but may drop to fishable flows. In the high water large attractors and small streamers will be the most effective flies here.

6-15-13
This weeks rain has really effected the clearfork, look for the water to take 4-5days to clear.

5-29-13
Great late spring conditions here on the clearfork. Cahills are the main draw right now, but caddis are holding strong plus a few sulphurs. Terrestrials are also starting to produce here. Try dries in the afternoons and nymphs or soft hackles in the fast water in the mornings.

5-18-13
The clearfork has continued to fish well with the good flows. Look for rising fish in the afternoons and evenings, cahills and caddis are taking fish. Nymph fishing with caddis and san juan worms has also taken lots of fish. When all else fails soft hackle fishing has been killer.

5-8-13
Finally some really good conditions on the clearfork, the upper river has been fishing well and now the lower river in the park is in great shape. Look for the fish to be very active with caddis, midges, and the begining of the Light Cahills being the target. Swinging soft hackles will be very effective here, as well as fishing nymphs such as Caddis, San Juan Worms, Copper Johns and hare's ear nymphs. For dries caddis and a #14-16 light cahill will be a top pick. Don't forget a few streamers, the trout will take them but so will the smallies here.

4-30-13
The water is finally going to drop in the lower clearfork this week, it is high right now but the lake is close to pool and there is little rain in the forecast. The upper river is dropping into good shape and fished well this past weekend. Fishing attractors such as San Juan worms and copper johns, with PT's and Caddis will produce very well. With the warm weather look for rising fish in the afternoons, caddis, hendricksons, small craneflies and midges are all in the mix. Often a caddis or hendrickson is all you need, but have some other patterns on hand for picky fish. Swinging a wooly bugger with a soft hackle below is a great way to catch fish right now as well, as well as a good way to cover ground.

4-13-13
With the rain this week the clearfork is blown out, we'll let you know as soon as it's back down.

4-6-13 
The Clearfork looks great right now! The fishing has been getting better as the water warms and the fish have been looking up. Midges and Hendricksons have been catching the eye of the fish, but weather or no they are taking midges they are very willing to take a Handrickson drifting by. Small attractor nymphs and hendrickson nymphs are taking fish as well.

3-30-13
Great water conditions on the clearfork should lead to good fishing into the next week. Dry fishing fishing should be good with Midges, Olives, stones and blue quills all in the mix, and hendricksons on the way. Nymphing in the mornings before the hatches get going with pheasant tails and copper johns or swinging soft hackles if if there is no surface activity will work as well.

3-8-13
 Water conditions are great here this weekend. The fishing has been best in the upper portions. Fish here respond well to little black stones both deep and on the surface. There should also be sporatic blue quills as well.


3-1-13
 The water here is still high from the weeks rain, look for the fish to be looking for stonefly and mayfly nymphs when the water level drops.


2-12-13
 Not much has changed here, the water levels are good and the fish are in winter feeding mode. Swinging streamers will remain a top bet here. When nymph fishing make sure to have some stoneflies and copper johns.


1-8-13
 Great water conditions on the clearfork should lead to good fishing with the warmer weather this week. With the warmer water swinging buggers and soft hackles should take some fish. Nymph fishing will be good with Copper johns, hare's ear's and midges all taking fish.

12-11-12
The Clearfork is in great shape above pleasant hill, but below it is currently very high. Nymph fishing with caddis, midges, and small stones will take good numbers of fish, on sunny days you may even find a few fish rising to adult midges. With the water a bit elevated swinging big buggers by wood might pull a big holdover out of the cover.

10-31-12
Clearfork is currently high and off color but as soon as the water has dropped we will let you know. Keep an eye on the guage if it drops below 2ft fishing small steamers and wooly buggers should be good.

10-11-12
It's getting good on the clearfork, flows are good and the fishing is best from now through the winter. Nymph fishing is very good with copper johns, san jaun worms, and caddis being favorites. There are also some caddis and BWO's hatching, dry fly fishing will be best on cloudy days. Leaves here a a problem but the fish should still bite.

9-21-12
With cool weather the waters temps have dropped and the fishing has improved on the clearfork. The lower portions in the park typically donnot fish well until october but the upper portions have some nice fish to be caught. Nymph fishing in the pools has been the most productive technique. Caddis, princes, and san juan worms have been the top fly options, if nothing is going try a small streamer. This fishery is best in the winter months but can be a fun option from now on.

8-1-12
Low warm water has turned the lower portions of clearfork into a smallmouth and carp fishery, and the warmwater fishing has been good. However for trout the best option will be early mornings in the upper stretches. Look for good trico hatches in the mornings with fish keyed into the spinner falls in the riffles. After the tricos fishing nymphs in the deeper areas has been the best option, caddis pupae have been most effective here. There are some fish taking terrestrials throughout the day and into the evenings as well. The fishing here should pick up as soon as the water cools in the fall. 

6-16-12
Still running low and very clear here and as the water warms the fish are feeding like crazy before mid summer heat sets in. Terrestrials are a major player here with beetles and ants taking fish well. Smaller nymphs fished in deeper, faster runs will take fish, especially if there is wood cover nearby. In the lower stretch try trout in the morning and carp or bass in the afternoons!

5-25-12 
The water is running low and clear here but the fish are feeding heavily. Cahills are still the main attraction, especially in the upper river. However the caddis are making a strong showing, and terrestrials are taking fish as well. This stream fishes best before the summer and is also a great place to fish a streamer for a mixed bag of warmwater and coldwater species.

5-03-12 
The rain this week is a welcome change to the low clear water up on the clearfork, the water is running a little higher now making the fish less spooky. The Light Cahills are the main event right now, and fish have been eager to rise to these big mayflies. Nymph fishing in faster runs has been productive as well, caddis pupae and attractor nymphs are often top on the menu on this stream, but when the fish get picky don't forget smaller patterns such as a zebra midge.

4-27-12
This is a great time of year to fish the Clearfork, both the upper and lower stretches are fishing well and there are good dry fly opportunities. Caddis often get the attention here and there are lots of fish willing to come up for a caddis adult, but the Light Cahills have begun and the trout have trouble letting a big helpless mayfly dun drift by. Look for the afternoons to be the best time to find rising fish. Early in the day try dropping a nymph below a dry or indicator deep runs. Fishing smaller streamers such as wooly buggers can be lots of fun here in the spring, the browns will come out for the attact, but so will the many warm water species that share the water with the trout here.

4-06-12
Clearfork is in great shape and currently is fishing pretty well. Lots of caddis and some Hendricksons have kept the fish looking up for an easy meal. As is often the case here nymph fishing with a caddis pupae and pheasant tail always takes some fish. Once the begin to rise try a Hendrickson and if they don't want that try the caddis. Often this time of year your will see fish making splashy rises when they are eating caddis pupae just below the surface. So if you can't get the fish to eat swing a green soft hackle and hang on! There also have been a few nice fish taken by anglers fishing with small streamers and buggers. 

03-19-12
The clearfork has been hit pretty hard by the recent rains and is running high right now. Once the water returns to normal expect some of the same hatches as the mad. We will let you know a soon as the water drops.

03-08-12
Fishing has been warming up on the clearfork. Nymph fishing down in the park has continued to produce fish. Streamer fishing the park in the spring is always exciting, swinging a shad pattern may produce a brown trout, a smallie, and saugeye or one of many other predators that call lower clearfork home. In the upper clearfork look for fish beginging to look up for clue quills and late winter stones. Nymph fishing the same patterns as the Mad will also produce here. Look for faster areas in pools and deep runs.

02-25-12
The water has been up and down here but anglers are catching fish in both the upper and lower stretches of the river. Now the water has stablized in good condition look for good fishing. Nymph fishing with caddis and stonefly nymphs has been the ticket, but a few anglers are also picking up fish with wooly buggers. Keep an eye out for rising fish in the next few weeks, especially in the upper streches. Cloudy days should provide the best action, but if you are looking for some early dry fly action stick to sunny afternoons.

1-27-12
The water on clearfork is on the high side but in fishable condition. Indicator fishing with large nymphs followed by midges has been working well here all winter. Small streamers always have thier place in this fishery, try white to imitate the shad and olive for the sculpins, you can even swing two wooly buggers at once to get the fishes attention in the higher water. When the water drops here keep an eye on the surface on sunny days, the fish will often sip midges of the surface all winter here, try fishing griffiths gnats and Brian/Ryan Midges to these risers. If the fish are being difficult, try dropping a small zebra midge behind and small parachute adams.

1-5-12 
The flows in clearfork have dropped into great shape and the winter full will be in full swing here. Nymph fishing with midges and standared nymph patterns such as copper johns and hares ear's has been productive. Fishing wooly buggers through the holes is always an effective and fun way to fish the stream as well. There may be some fish rising to midges on warm sunny days through the winter here, try griffiths gnats and Brian/Ryan midges to these picky fish.
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