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Fall Semester of Fly Fishing Schools and Classes Kicks Off September 3rd with our Beginners Fly Fishing Program!
Click HERE to view the full Calendar!
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Register online and please give us a call at the shop if any questions!
833 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214
614-451-0363
Monday, March 25th
7:00- 9:00 p.m.
Our Beginner’s Fly Fishing Program is a great way to get introduced to the sport! This two-hour lecture session will take years off of your learning curve. We guarantee it.
Join us for an informative session on Getting Started in Fly Fishing which covers the basics on what you need to do to get the ball rolling, where to go, and what further steps to take to become a proficient fly fisher. We will take a look at the 6 basic things that you need to understand and also clear up some of the common myths and misconceptions that surround the sport.
No experience or equipment required!
Click Here to register for this program!
Click Here to view our full schedule of schools, classes, events and trips!
Guide Josh McQueen provides an update on Lake Run Smallmouth, Steelhead, Trout and Musky fishing. Check out the full report over on the OFFG blog!
Pictures from the past week:
Guide Josh McQueen provides an update on the Mad River, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead and Lake Run Smallmouth. Check out the full report over on the OFFG blog page or see below for a quick breakdown.
Nymphing deep holes with Trophy Nymphs or Pheasant Tail Nymphs has been productive. There have not been any signs of Hendricksons yet.
There have been some midges hatching at the Clear Fork River. Nymphing and swinging Wooly Buggers has been very productive.
There are still plenty of Steelhead in the system. The rivers to the west of Cleveland are starting to get low and clear. The rivers to the east of Cleveland are in better shape and have more fresh fish.
A couple lake run Smallmouth have been seen in the rivers. We will start to see more entering the system in the coming weeks!
Click here for the full report.
Click here to hear his full report.
Customer Feedback
Forecast:
Seasonal:
Fall fishing in Ohio means change. Being flexible will keep you on fish. We have many streams that have great Smallmouth fishing. This time of the year the fish are starting to school up and push around baitfish. Your summer 5wt or even soft 6wt gets up away and out comes the better bass rod sizes of 7-8wts. Sink-tip lines like the new Rio Big Nasty and SA Titan are your best bet. If you fish the big rivers then a SA Sonar sinking line with a longer head is a better choice especially out of a boat. Most of these fish are targeting dense schools of Shad. Flies like Whitlock’s Deep Shad, Clousers, Half & Halfs, Bottoms-Up, Dungeons, Peanut Envy and Double Barrel Baitfish poppers are great choices for a floating line. While fishing the more productive sink-tips lines we focus on flies like Bang Tails, Modern Deceivers, Murdich Minnow, Gummy Minnows, Zoo Cougars, Wooly Sculpin, Todd’s Wiggle Minnow, Stacked Blondes, and EP Minnows.
Smallmouth Bass will feed heavily for the next couple months but you will need to target different water than where you find them in summer. Look for the deeper water with good flow around large hard structure. Bridge pilings, rip rap banks, large boulder fields, or other rock structure.
Pond and Lake fishing also continues to be fantastic as long as the water temps stay in the 50s. Largemouth will also start to school and cruse feeding on baitfish. Sinking lines like a SA Clear Tip or Rio Big Nasty are great options for these fish. Flies like the Barely Legal, Bang Tail, Todd’s Wiggle minnow, Dungeon, and Boogie Man work great for fishing fast. If fish are not chasing then slow down with the same lines, but change flies to Super Worms, Reapers, Bottoms-Up, and Gulley Worms get the job done. Do not overlook the Bluegill and Crappie bite also. Fish bobbers/indicators with nymphs or Crappie Specials under them and keep them close to drop offs with structure.
Pike and Musky fishing continues to be great from now into winter. Slowly stripping big flies on heavy sink tips is the game. Josh and Pat’s schedules are usually locked in right now, but both do have some open dates. Make sure to call the shop for details.
Mad River
***PSA: This time of the year the ODNR stocks small Brown Trout at various bridges along the River. These fish are the future of our fishery and need extreme care when handling. They are easy to catch, but take a beating from the pressure. We advise if you do find yourself catching a couple dull colored fish in the 8-10” range change locations to another stretch of river far away from the bridges.***
Trout fishing continues to be great with the higher water. Nymphing and streamer fishing has been the most productive. There are fish well distributed and most are having good success. Hot flies right now are attractor patterns like Flashabou Caddis, Cranefly Larva, Prince, Soft Hackle Jig Fly, Shop dip in red, Psycho Prince to name a few. Fishing these flies tight to the bottom and close to structure. Euro nymphing also is a great option for quantity of fish.
Streamers right now in the clear water will be Mini Dungeons, Mini Bangtails, Near Nuff Sculpin, Big Eyed Buggers, Skulpin Bunnies, Dirty Hippies and Legals. Make sure to fish a few bigger streamers also. Dungeons, Peanuts, Modern Deceivers, Nancy P, and D and Ds are shop favorites.
***PSA: This time of the year the ODNR stocks small Brown Trout at various locations along the upper river and Rainbow Trout below Pleasant Hill dam in the lower river. These fish are the future of our fishery and need extreme care when handling. They are easy to catch, but take a beating from the pressure. We advise if you do find yourself catching a couple small dull colored Brown Trout in the 8-10” range change locations to another stretch of river far away from the bridges. The same goes for the lower river Rainbows. If you find yourself catching a couple fish change locations as to spread out your impact on these fish. It is legal to keep the Rainbows, but if we would like to catch fish through late Spring then putting them back is the best bet.***
Water Levels continue to be good. Those that are fishing the upper river have been catching fish. Most of these fish are the stocked fish, but there are a few larger fish in the public water. Nymphing bright attractors like Flashabou Caddis, Cranefly Larva, Prince, Soft Hackle Jig Fly, Shop dip in red, Psycho Prince are all a great place to start. Matching the hatch right now will consist of small Pheasant Tails, Midges and small baitfish patterns.
The lower river is in great shape and should fish very well. There has been a lot of people taking fish so success has been hot and cold for some people. Nymphing bigger nymphs like the Rubber legs, Double Stone, Cranefly Larva, or even the TB Jig Bugger in conjunction with an egg pattern will keep you busy. Fishing flashy streamers will also get the fishes attention. For streamer fishing you will want some Skiddish Smolts, Crystal Buggers, Precious Metal, Egg Sucking Leaches, and Glass Bugger. Swinging a light switch rod or using a sing-hand-spey setup can also be a great choice. Here you can use the above streamers or a Micro Intruder.
Forecast:
Look for the low air temps to cause some issues with icy guides through the weekend. If you can deal with the cold then the fishing should continue to be great. Make sure to limit the amount of line you strip in as this is what causes ice issues. Focus on shorter drifts and slowly work through a section of river. Tenkara is also a great option in cold conditions. Small nymphs or Euro type presentations will produce results. Rainbows are a great battle on Tenkara also. Drift egg patterns or attractor patterns either tight lined or under a very small New Zealand indicator. As the week progresses ice will not be as much of an issue, but we do have more rain heading in late in the week.
Seasonal:
In the lower river Rainbows are easily caught by small streamers, bright egg patterns and nymphs. Once the fishing pressure picks up or we get a few rain events these fish will spread out and get selective. If you are targeting Brown Trout then nymphing is a great choice, but streamer fishing should not be over looked. Euro nymphing is big talk around the shop and industry. There is a little learning curve, but we can get you into the game with the basics. We have the rods, nymphs, leaders, and lines to get you started. Typically jig style nymphs are the flies of choice but fall nymphing is not just a bug game though. Nymphing Sculpin colored streamers like the Peacock Bugger, Strawberry Blonde, Autumn Splendor, Trick or Treat, Orange Blossom Special, T.B. Jig Bugger, Teds Swimming Hex, and Conehead Muddlers are great choices. Drop a Soft Hackle, Nitro Caddis, or Swing Nymph off the streamer and you are set.
As for streamer fishing both in the upper and lower river these tactics will work. 6-8wt rods with Sink tip lines line the SA Sonar Titan Sink Tip or the AirFlo Streamer Max Short are a great choice. Select flies in the 4-6+ range and make sure to have various colors and designs to figure out what will get the attention of the fish. Most of us carry a large array of colors of the same pattern also. We take Kelly Galloup’s approach of switching colors until we find out what they want. A good place to start would be Bottoms Up, Dungeons, Peanuts, Drunk and Disorderly, Bang Tails, Modern Deceivers, Fat Heads, and other Modern Streamers.
Forecast:
Mad River
Remember the land owners allow us to wade this river. If you do find someone deer hunting then find another fishing location. Flows continue to be elevated. This weekend is turning into great streamer fishing as the flows start to bump up slightly. With some more rain heading our way early next week these conditions will continue. Pull out the streamer rods and cover some water.
Clear Fork River
Flows have been elevated and with this rain the upper river is on the way even higher. Fishing has been good, but this rain will most likely limit the upper river to streamer fishing. The lower river is in great shape and has been fishing well. Rainbows are being caught! As long as the upper does not blow out the lower river should continue to fish well.
Clear Creek
Clear Creek will be closed to fishing from Monday to at least Wednesday for deer hunting. With the rain this weekend the creek will not fish until then anyhow.
Steelhead
Be aware of Deer hunting this coming week. Although many of the fishing locations are parks the surrounding areas will have hunters. Traditionally this has been a time of lower fishing pressure and the dedicated steelheader looks forward to this week each year. Fishing continues to be fantastic. Temps are cold, but there are fish around. This rain will continue to add a little color to the water and flush out some more leaves.
More to come next week but just wanted to bring this to everyone’s attention. Stay tuned.
* OPEN Sundays- Noon-5:00 p.m.- through Christmas- rumor has it will be running “Sunday Specials” throughout the season!
* Cyber Monday- our biggest online shopping day of the year! FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00, same day or next day shipping, 2-4 days delivery to either coast. Click Here
* Tuesday, December 4th is “Ladies Night”- Join softgoods manager Linda Farner for fun, refresments and savings- Click Here
* In-Store Pickup- Shop our website, (which shows our Entire Inventory and Stock Status) from the convenience of your home and choose “In Store Pickup”. We’ll have your items waiting for you when you arrive.
Big Weekend!
Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends and family! We hope that you enjoy a day off with good food and good people.
Around the shop here, we are thankful for 24 years in business and counting…and we couldn’t have done it without you….so THANKS!
Of course, we will enjoy the Holiday…and then things change for us on Friday. Big weekend ahead to kick-off the holiday season.
* Black Friday- open at 8:00 a.m. for “Early Bird” specials and then great deals and “Cash Back” awards all day- full details will go out via e-mail and social media tomorrow
* Small Business Saturday- shop small and support locally owned business.
* OPEN Sundays through Christmas- look for Sunday specials each week
* Cyber Monday- our biggest internet shopping day of the year and we’ll be offering 20% “Cash Back” awards for every online purchase.- full details will go out via e-mail and social media tomorrow
* Ladies Night- join Linda Farner on Tuesday, December 4th- from 5-9 p.m.- Click Here
As usual, Thanks for taking the time to read and we’ll be in touch!!!!!!
Brian, Andy, Pat, Linda, Ryan, Judy, Roger, Dick, Cristina, Kevin, Josh and Rogue
Seasons change overnight here in Ohio it seems. Summer to Fall right into Winter. Fishing local has been a weather window game. Understanding fish seasonal movements are a must. Hybrid Stripers, Smallies, Saugeyes and Panfish are been the quarry. Most individuals have targeted the dams during higher water. Big shad flies are the common choice. High water in these areas can be very dangerous for both boating and wading. If you do brave the conditions grab a buddy. Looking for schools of shad have provided the most success. Most of the time these fish are visible as they school tight together. Once you find these baitfish casting sink tips and matched sized flies to the edges get the job done.
Forecast:
Although we are technically still in Fall most of the fish are in winter mode. With Temps below freezing and highs in the 30’s and 40’s bass fishing will be limited to just a few hours on the warmest days. Targeting Panfish will be your best bet. Hit the coves, fish slow, and send us come pictures!
Pike fishing continues to be great. When the rain has given us a break there has been some great fish brought to boat. There are a few openings on our calendars so shoot us a call.
Seasonal:
Fall fishing in Ohio means change. Being flexible will keep you on fish. We have many streams that have great Smallmouth fishing. This time of the year the fish are starting to school up and push around baitfish. Your summer 5wt or even soft 6wt gets up away and out comes the better bass rod sizes of 7-8wts. Sink-tip lines like the new Rio Big Nasty and SA Titan are your best bet. If you fish the big rivers then a SA Sonar sinking line with a longer head is a better choice especially out of a boat. Most of these fish are targeting dense schools of Shad. Flies like Whitlock’s Deep Shad, Clousers, Half & Halfs, Bottoms-Up, Dungeons, Peanut Envy and Double Barrel Baitfish poppers are great choices for a floating line. While fishing the more productive sink-tips lines we focus on flies like Bang Tails, Modern Deceivers, Murdich Minnow, Gummy Minnows, Zoo Cougars, Wooly Sculpin, Todd’s Wiggle Minnow, Stacked Blondes, and EP Minnows.
Smallmouth Bass will feed heavily for the next couple months but you will need to target different water than where you find them in summer. Look for the deeper water with good flow around large hard structure. Bridge pilings, rip rap banks, large boulder fields, or other rock structure.
Pond and Lake fishing also continues to be fantastic as long as the water temps stay in the 50s. Largemouth will also start to school and cruse feeding on baitfish. Sinking lines like a SA Clear Tip or Rio Big Nasty are great options for these fish. Flies like the Barely Legal, Bang Tail, Todd’s Wiggle minnow, Dungeon, and Boogie Man work great for fishing fast. If fish are not chasing then slow down with the same lines, but change flies to Super Worms, Reapers, Bottoms-Up, and Gulley Worms get the job done. Do not overlook the Bluegill and Crappie bite also. Fish bobbers/indicators with nymphs or Crappie Specials under them and keep them close to drop offs with structure.
Pike and Musky fishing continues to be great from now into winter. Slowly stripping big flies on heavy sink tips is the game. Josh and Pat’s schedules are usually locked in right now, but both do have some open dates. Make sure to call the shop for details.
The lower river should start to drop soon offering you a great chance at catching some Rainbow Trout. Nymphing bigger nymphs like the Rubber legs, Double Stone, Cranefly Larva, or even the TB Jig Bugger in conjunction with an egg pattern will keep you busy. Fishing flashy streamers will also get the fishes attention. For streamer fishing you will want some Skiddish Smolts, Crystal Buggers, Precious Metal, Egg Sucking Leaches, and Glass Bugger. Swinging a light switch rod or using a sing-hand-spey setup can also be a great choice. Here you can use the above streamers or a Micro Intruder.
Forecast:
The high water should slowly continue to drop thought the rest of the week. There is some rain heading in this weekend so keep an eye on the flows. This will mess up the upper if thing keep as forecasted, but the lower should continue to fish. There are some cold nights heading our way so make sure to have some Stanley’s Ice off Paste for the early mornings. Nymphing will be your best bet as usual for numbers. Do not leave your streamer rod at home though. Once the air temps are above freezing then stripping a streamer can be a good change to get the blood pumping.
Seasonal:
In the lower river Rainbows are easily caught by small streamers, bright egg patterns and nymphs. Once the fishing pressure picks up or we get a few rain events these fish will spread out and get selective. If you are targeting Brown Trout then nymphing is a great choice, but streamer fishing should not be over looked. Euro nymphing is big talk around the shop and industry. There is a little learning curve, but we can get you into the game with the basics. We have the rods, nymphs, leaders, and lines to get you started. Typically jig style nymphs are the flies of choice but fall nymphing is not just a bug game though. Nymphing Sculpin colored streamers like the Peacock Bugger, Strawberry Blonde, Autumn Splendor, Trick or Treat, Orange Blossom Special, T.B. Jig Bugger, Teds Swimming Hex, and Conehead Muddlers are great choices. Drop a Soft Hackle, Nitro Caddis, or Swing Nymph off the streamer and you are set.
As for streamer fishing both in the upper and lower river these tactics will work. 6-8wt rods with Sink tip lines line the SA Sonar Titan Sink Tip or the AirFlo Streamer Max Short are a great choice. Select flies in the 4-6+ range and make sure to have various colors and designs to figure out what will get the attention of the fish. Most of us carry a large array of colors of the same pattern also. We take Kelly Galloup’s approach of switching colors until we find out what they want. A good place to start would be Bottoms Up, Dungeons, Peanuts, Drunk and Disorderly, Bang Tails, Modern Deceivers, Fat Heads, and other Modern Streamers.
Forecast:
**Sorry for the long lag in fishing reports. No excuses other than we have been extremely busy. We are working very hard at keeping everything running smoothly and regret that these reports have taken a back seat. Most of you have been calling in to get the most up-to-date report and we love hearing from you. We will continue to supply these reports and commit to getting back on schedule! **
What a Summer!
To say that we have been busy is actually an understatement. Seems hosts and guides are always coming and going these days…..and we love it!
Smallmouth fishing continues to be fantastic as the fish are fattening up for the winter. Despite the cold temps fish have been eating poppers with regularity. The local streams are very low and clear. This has caused some issues with finding fish for those unfamiliar with certain water systems. Understanding migratory patterns of bass at certain water temps has played a major factor in finding quality fish. Most people have been fishing shad streamers on a sinking line like the SA Clear Tip, Rio Big Nasty, or SA Titan sink tip. We still have a few weeks of great Smallmouth fishing so make sure to get out there or book a trip.
Lake fishing also continues to be fantastic. Bass and panfish are bulking up on baitfish making streamer fishing good right now. Most of us are fishing shad patterns on our larger rods with sinking lines. The window of productivity is getting smaller as the air temps are dropping fast, but if you adjust your technique then you will find fish.
Pike fishing continues to be fantastic, but for this year so far it has not slowed down! These fish are packing on the pounds right now making fishing really good. Expect good numbers and big fish this time of the year. Seeing the pictures coming from guide trips we are exceeding our client’s expectations. Make sure to get on our calendars now before you miss out on any of these warm water opportunities.
Forecast:
COLD! We are not getting a break from the cold…seems like just a few weeks ago we were saying the same thing about the heat…well it was just a few weeks ago. The good thing is that we have decent flows on our warmwater rivers and not many leaves as of yet. If you can keep your mind off of Steelhead and Trout this time of the year a diverse bag will be your reward. The cold night temps are going to get the leaves changing fast so make sure to take advantage of clearer water and feeding fish before you miss out. We have a few open spots for the Smallies and Stripers left and a quickly shrinking window for Largemouth. Pike season seems to go on all year, but the best is right now. Guide Pat Kelly is also in FULL ON Musky mode in case you were interested in chasing these Apex Predators.
Make sure to contact us now if you want to book a guide trip. Take advantage of some great fishing right in town on your own also before water temps drop and the bass get into winter mode.
Seasonal:
Fall fishing in Ohio means change. Being flexible will keep you on fish. We have many streams that have great Smallmouth fishing. This time of the year the fish are starting to school up and push around baitfish. Your summer 5wt or even soft 6wt gets up away and out comes the better bass rod sizes of 7-8wts. Sink-tip lines like the new Rio Big Nasty and SA Titan are your best bet. If you fish the big rivers then a SA Sonar sinking line with a longer head is a better choice especially out of a boat. Most of these fish are targeting dense schools of Shad. Flies like Whitlock’s Deep Shad, Clousers, Half & Halfs, Bottoms-Up, Dungeons, Peanut Envy and Double Barrel Baitfish poppers are great choices for a floating line. While fishing the more productive sink-tips lines we focus on flies like Bang Tails, Modern Deceivers, Murdich Minnow, Gummy Minnows, Zoo Cougars, Wooly Sculpin, Todd’s Wiggle Minnow, Stacked Blondes, and EP Minnows.
Smallmouth Bass will feed heavily for the next couple months but you will need to target different water than where you find them in summer. Look for the deeper water with good flow around large hard structure. Bridge pilings, rip rap banks, large boulder fields, or other rock structure. As long as we stay out of the 40-degree temps at night, fishing will continue to be fantastic.
Pond and Lake fishing also continues to be fantastic as long as the water temps stay in the mid-50s and up. Largemouth will also start to school and cruse feeding on baitfish. Sinking lines like a SA Clear Tip or Rio Big Nasty are great options for these fish. Flies like the Barely Legal, Bang Tail, Todd’s Wiggle minnow, Dungeon, and Boogie Man work great for fishing fast. If fish are not chasing then slow down with the same lines, but change flies to Super Worms, Reapers, Bottoms-Up, and Gulley Worms get the job done. Do not overlook the Bluegill and Crappie bite also. Fish poppers with nymphs or Crappie Specials under them and keep them close to drop offs with structure. As temps cool down swap out the popper for a float and add a dropper to your other sub-surface fly.
***PSA: This time of the year the ODNR stocks small Brown Trout at various locations along the upper river and Rainbow Trout below Pleasant Hill dam in the lower river. These fish are the future of our fishery and need extreme care when handling. They are easy to catch, but take a beating from the pressure. We advise if you do find yourself catching a couple small dull colored Brown Trout in the 10” range change locations to another stretch of river far away from the bridges. The same goes for the lower river Rainbows. If you find yourself catching a couple fish change locations as to spread out your impact on these fish. It is legal to keep the Rainbows, but if we would like to catch fish through late Spring then putting them back is the best bet. Fall also means spawning time for Brown Trout. During this time some of the biggest fish in the river are in shallow water on gravel. Out of ethics these fish should be observed, but not pestered with fishing pressure.***
As usual this time of the year we have had a few more reports and guides out over the past few weeks. Brown Trout fishing in the upper river has been very slim with the very low and clear water. Those that have had success have permission to fish close to the feeder creeks. The public fishing sections have produced a few fish, but mostly late in the day on small nymphs or very small dries. Again, the water is very low so approach has been the most challenging factor in success. Small dries like BWOs, Parachute Adams, Henryville Specials, Elk Hair Caddis, and RS2’s have produced. Nymphs that have provided results are Nitro Caddis, TB Jig Pheasant tails and Hares Ear, Purple Hot spots, Spanish Bullets, Swing Nymphs and Peacock Hares Ear. Reports from the lower river has continued to be a mixed bag of warmwater fish for the most part. Streamers have been the most productive for these fish.
Forecast:
No relief from the low and clear is in sight. There is a slight chance of some rain late next week, but that can change from day to day. Look for a continuation of very small dries late with a few caddis sporadically in the mix. Euro nymphing, very small yarn indicators, or a beetle with a dropper will be your best bet. We will keep you updated if conditions change.
Seasonal:
Like on the Mad the past few years we have had prolonged low and clear water in the Fall. In the lower river Rainbows are easily caught by small streamers, bright egg patterns and nymphs. Once the fishing pressure picks up or we get a few rain events these fish will spread out and get selective. If you are targeting Brown Trout then nymphing is a great choice during low water conditions for numbers of fish. Euro nymphing is big talk around the shop and industry. There is a little learning curve, but we can get you into the game with the basics. We have the rods, nymphs, leaders, and lines to get you started. Typically jig style nymphs are the flies of choice but fall nymphing is not just a bug game though. Nymphing Sculpin colored streamers like the Peacock Bugger, Strawberry Blonde, Autumn Splendor, Trick or Treat, Orange Blossom Special, T.B. Jig Bugger, Teds Swimming Hex, and Conehead Muddlers are great choices. Drop a Soft Hackle, Nitro Caddis, or Swing Nymph off the streamer and you are set. If you do decide to try a small streamer during low water, then you should focus on small white or natural colored flies with a little weight. No need to pack the sink tip and 8wt here. A 4-5wt rod matched with a size 6-12 streamer is all you need for this small creek at this point.
***Rainbows are scheduled to be stocked this fall. Once fish do get stocked these fish are the future of our fishery and need extreme care when handling. They are easy to catch, but take a beating from the pressure. These fish are totally legal to keep, but we always encourage catch and release so we have productive fishing through Spring.***
The creek continues to be low and clear. Success has been diverse along with the species. There are some Brown Trout still around and the cool temps have them more active. There also have been reports of some Smallmouth bass being caught. Most of these bass are small, but we still have a few weeks left before they slow down for the season. We have also seen a few reports of other species being caught. Most have been nymphing, but those fishing small streamers have been catching the most diversity.
Forecast:
We really need some rain. The creek is slightly higher than normal, but is still very low and clear. We had some serious wind this past weekend so expect a few new trees to have found their way into the creek. Cold temps and very little rain is forecasted. Next weekend will give us some of that needed rain, but so far does not look like very much. So as usual for the past few years Fall has been dry so let’s hope this pattern ends soon.
Fall trout fishing in Ohio means prolonged low and clear water. Rainbow Trout are slotted to be stocked starting this year. Rainbows are easily caught by small streamers, bright egg patterns and nymphs. Once the fishing pressure picks up or we get a few rain events these fish will spread out and get selective. Nymphing is a great choice during low water conditions for numbers of fish. Euro nymphing is big talk around the shop and industry. There is a little learning curve, but we can get you into the game with the basics. We have the rods, nymphs, leaders, and lines to get you started. Typically jig style nymphs are the flies of choice, but fall nymphing is not just a bug game though. Nymphing Sculpin colored streamers like the Peacock Bugger, Strawberry Blonde, Autumn Splendor, Trick or Treat, Orange Blossom Special, T.B. Jig Bugger, Teds Swimming Hex, and Conehead Muddlers are great choices. Drop a Soft Hackle, Nitro Caddis, or Swing Nymph off the streamer and you are set. If you do decide to try a small streamer during low water, then you should focus on small white or natural colored flies with a little weight. No need to pack the sink tip and 8wt here. A 4-5wt rod matched with a size 6-12 streamer is all you need for this small creek.
Upcoming Trips
Mad River Travel kicks-back into high gear here next week! Should be getting reports as we go so be sure to follow along on Social Media and such
July 13th- July 20th- Three Rivers Lodge in Labrador– Brian Flechsig is hosting 9 lucky anglers for trophy brook trout and pike. We already have reservations to do this trip again in July of 2020.
July 21st- 28th- Katmai Trophy Lodge- Naknek River in Alaska. “Alaska Sampler” trip. 14 guests along with hosts Ryan Ratliff and Jerry Darkes. Always a great trip at a great lodge!
July 29th- August 4th- Slide Inn- Montana. A Summer Tradition! We always love visiting our old friend Kelly Galloup and the gang at the Slide Inn on the banks of the Madison River. This has always been “Brian’s” trip but due to the fact that he’ll be just getting back from Labrador, Pat Kelly got the nod this year. 7 folks along with Pat on this one and is sure to be a ton of fun…..as it always is.
Late Summer/Fall Classes
The pop-up thunderstorms over the past few weeks have made the windows small, but rewarding. We are in full Bass fishing mode and the amount of poppers heading out the door tells the story well. Ponds, lakes, rivers and streams have all been producing. Like mentioned before the rain has put the damper on some locations. Ponds have been the most consistent producing good bass and panfish. Streamers close to weed cover never lets down, but the topwater bite has been the most popular. Over the past few days though the heat has pushed the bass deep and limited the popper bite to low light periods.
Smallmouth fishing continues to be great when conditions allow. Streamers, crawfish patterns, and poppers have been our go to flies. Having a good knowledge of the local streams will provide you with a backup plan if a pop up thunderstorm forms as there is usually something that runs off quickly.
Pike fishing continues to be fantastic and our guys have been putting clients on some great fish. As long as we continue to have some rain every few days fishing will continue to be good.
Forecast:
Look for the heat and pop ups to continue to be a problem. Looking at the rest of the week the Scioto and smaller streams will fish well as long as we do not get too much more rain. Fish poppers under over hanging branches with decent flow and cover. The heads of pools are also great places to target on top or with streamers. Look for large rock or log jams with current as prime locations. Grad some Booglebugs or Double barrel poppers, Clousers, or articulated streamers and cover lots of water. If you plan on hitting a local lake or pond Clousers, Bottoms Up, Reapers, and Super Worms are great choices. If you are fishing out of a boat grab a lake line from Rio or SA Sonar Warmwater and a few unweighted flies like Fathead Minnow, Zoo Cougars, or Swimmy Jimmy and target the deep weed edges and points.
Pike fishing should be on fire during the month of July. Josh and Pat have been lighting things up here the past week or two and they expect this action to continue. Give us a call at the shop if interested.
Guide Donnie Knight also claims that the Stillwater and Great Miami are coming into great shape and he’s looking to get folks into smallmouth. If you are interested in fishing over near Dayton, let us know! Donnie is a hoot to fish with and can put you on the fish.
Carp fishing should only get better here the next few weeks as the streams begin to clear. Sight fishing should be excellent and the carp have been on the feed. Typical nymphs like the Wabbit Worms, Barry’s Carp Bitters, Carp Charlies and Back Stabbers are all worth having in your box. Have some crayfish along as well.
The Upper river has actually been fishing pretty well, but the heat the past few days is taking a toll. The lower is of course too warm to consider trout fishing but has been producing well when it comes to warmwater species.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A THERMOMETER WITH YOU. Although there are plenty of locations that provide good cover, oxygen, and spring influenced water temps pressuring/stressing trout at water temps over 68 or so can be lethal. Even if water temps are in a good zone our air temps are way too high for these fish to recover. If you do make it out bring the net and heavy tippet. The net will provide you a way to keep the fish in the water to take the hook out and help revive the fish. Heavy tippet allows you to bring the fish in quickly limiting fatigue.
Those that understand all of the above have been rewarded with some good fishing. Most of the mayfly hatches are done, but there are plenty of the usual Summer bugs to match. Caddis have been the main insect the fish have been feeding on. Look for an early morning and evening hatch. We usually either skate a dry or swing Soft Hackles to match these bugs. Also look for fish to be targeting Ants and beetles midday.
We have not seen any Tricos as of yet, but with the heat it should be any day now. This is usually later in the summer, but how this year has been going the “usual” is just a guideline.
Although we had a surprisingly productive June on the creek, things are slowing down here for sure. Water temps will be a concern until we get a break. Probably best to think about fishing warmwater species and leave these guys alone for now. Move on down to the Hocking and chase some smallmouth around. Decent carp fishing to be had there as well.
We’ll update as we know more and as always, feel free to call the shop if you have any questions.
