mad river ohio

* Please remember to call us for more up-to-date or detailed information! These reports are not meant to be your one and only, daily source of information. They are typically general, even seasonal type reports and we currently don’t have a set schedule as to when we update. Please, just because we don’t update as often as we like, it doesn’t mean that we don’t care.

There are many different approaches you should take in order to get a good game plan for a trip or a day of fishing. Also remember that things change and these reports are what we know at the time of posting only. Keep in mind that we do express opinions and personal preferences from time-to-time which may be different from yours or what you may read elsewhere. Thanks for checking and don’t forget to call us if you need any further information or a more up-to-date report. 614-451-0363

Thanks as always for reading our reports friends. As the weather gets more conducive we should be reporting more regularly….but we need your HELP!

Send any and all reports to admin@madriveroutfitters and we’ll do our best to get them up.

Across the board most of the streams are on the drop and fishable.  There is some rain in the forecast for Sunday and the middle of next week.  The amounts are changing by the hour so make sure to contact us if you head up early in the week.  This is a great time of the year as almost everything is active.  Get out there and fish.  

Warm Water


Smallmouth Bass fishing has been on fire lately!  With the temps forecasted for next week it will not be long before they start to spawn.  Many of the local streams are off colored.  The fish are aggressive and feeding, but with low visibility make sure to have a wading staff with you.  We do guide for smallies so get your trip on the books to take advantage of this pre-spawn bite! Bass and Panfish have also been the talk as the ponds continue to warm.  Look for the Largemouth Bass to start thinking about spawning in the next couple weeks also.  

Gear for Smallmouth Bass would be 6-8wt rods, Intermediate sinking lines, and flies 4-6″ in length(Kelly Galloup style Modern Streamers).  These same flies and rigs can be used for Largemouth Bass as well.  Panfish or small pond Bass will be fine on a 4-5wt with floating lines. Flies will be small traditional sized trout streamers (Black Nose Dace, Muddlers, Matukas, Mickey Finns), Wooly Buggers, big nymphs (Prince, Hares Ear, Bears PM Caddis) and San Juan Worms

The Mad continues to be very productive!  Look for lots of rising fish in the late afternoons and into the evenings.  These fish are keying in on the tail end of the Hendrickson hatch.  If you want to take advantage of this dry fly fishing stock up on Rusty Spinners in various sizes, Parachute Adams, Thorax/Traditional style Adams, Red Quill, Quill Gordon, and Irrisistibles.  With the cloudy forecast into the weekend make sure to have some Blue Wing Olives in your box also.  In the next coming weeks stock up on Light Cahill, Sulfurs, March Browns, and Caddis. 

Yesterday, Brian and Donnie were both out on the water with clients. It was pretty windy so the hatch really didn’t come off at all but the spinner fall was GREAT in the evening so the bugs are still around. Tons of fish eating the spinners from 7:30 till about 8:15 or so. We are truly experiencing a great dry fly season here with the best activity by far in the evenings, an hour or so before dark. Did also see a handful of March Browns and Light Cahills. No Sulphers yet.

Fishing in the mornings have also been good.  The most productive has been nymphing and swinging Soft Hackles of various colors.  Nymph with Pheasant Tails, Hares Ear, Copper Johns, and Prince Nymphs.  

With the low clear water the streamer bite has not been the best so we suggest getting your streamer fix on one of the many Smallmouth Bass streams in the state.  If you insist, the smaller stuff like muddlers, buggers and small sculpin patterns are the way to go.