Friday, May 26, 2017

Fishing Reports- 5/26/17


* 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.

***The rain has been the most common topic here in the shop over the past couple weeks.  We have been getting a small window of good conditions before the rain raises the flows.  Looking into the weekend...  The rain amounts have been changing by the hour it seems, but The other topic over the past couple weeks have been Brown Drakes!  More about all of this below.  


Warmwater

The local streams have been off colored for the most part.  The Darby, Walnut, and Blacklick have been the first to clear out and produce.  It seems like we will not be fishing the Scioto till July...hopefully not, but we will let you know when it comes into shape.  If the predicted rain totals continue to decrease then focusing on the Big Walnut and Darby Creeks will be the best bet.  These streams might fish as early as Saturday evening, but most likely Sunday and Monday.  Shoot us a call Saturday as this can change.  Other Smallmouth options around the state have been great.  If you want to get in on a Smallie float make sure to get your trip booked soon as our days off are filling up! 

The status in the local ponds is mixed.  Most of the bass have or are currently spawning.  In the smaller waters the panfish are moving to the beds also.  Fishing these ponds have been the best bet as they are seldom muddy and consistently produce fish.  Fishing poppers have started producing and will only get better.  Wet flies, streamers, nymphs, and San Juans or Squirmys keep the panfish and bass on the line.  4-5wt fly rods are what we prefer for panfish while 6-8wts are our go-to rods for throwing big bass flies.  

Pike fishing has continued to be excellent.  Again the flows have been a little problem, but we are still putting clients on fish.  Pat and Josh have been seeing some great fish as you can see on our earlier posts.  



Ohio Pike fishing has been good to excellent and will stay strong. Trips booking now!


Mad River



It is great that we have a spring creek so close to Columbus.  Despite the rain levels this Spring the Mad River has a very short runoff time.  In most situations water levels drop quickly and start to clear out 24 hours or less!  Combine the runoff time and the amount of bugs we have been seeing this Spring the Mad has been treating us very well.  Dry Fly fishing continues to be great. 

There have been a few reports of BROWN DRAKES, but the Sulfurs and Light Cahills have been the main focus.  Midges and Caddis are the go to in the mornings while the Sulfurs and Cahils have been the evening ticket.  Before the rain late in the past week there have been a few reports of Ephermera Olives in tiny size 22.  

The Drakes are early, and we have only seen a few, but the next few weeks should provide some absolutely incredible dry fly fishing. Be sure to have Duns and Spinners. Remember that these are usually an evening deal, although an overcast cooler day can see the Duns hatching in the late afternoon. As the hatch progresses, it can even be an after dark affair. Be sure to have the NYMPHS to fish if the bugs aren't hatching at that moment......they are critical.

If you are looking to dry fly fish this weekend you box will need to be filled with ICSI Midges, Goddard Caddis, Henryville Special, and Elk Hair Caddis for the mornings.  Stock up on #16-18 Thorax, Parachute, Comparadun, and Spinner Sulfurs for the afternoons/into the evenings.  For the late evenings Brown Paradrakes, Bear's Hi-Vis, Comparadrake and the Brown Drake Spinners will be the go-to's.  

Nymphing is always a productive option.  Right now you will need to fishing the Brown Drake nymphs with either an unweighted nymph or softhackle trailer.  Typically we are fishing either an unweighted Hares Ear or Pheasant Tail as the second fly.  Having some Net Builder Caddis, Flashabou Caddis, Core Caddis, Nitro Caddis, and the Drowned Caddis will set your straight accross the board.  

**The AuSable boat has been in the shop for some minor repairs but is now back and ready for action. Brian has a few slots open between now and mid-June so if anybody wants to do a float in this legendary craft....during this legendary season......give him a call at the shop.


She's all repaired up and ready to float!


Clearfork River


Clearfork Map


We need more reports with good information and pictures of bugs from the Clear Fork.  With all of the options around the state right now we just haven't been able to spend much time up that way.  There have been some good hatches, but with the rain predicted up there it is going to be hard to guess what this weekend will look like.  If you are up that way then make sure to be prepared for different conditions.  A streamer rod, sink tip, and articulated streamers for the off colored water, Dry fly setup for the evenings, and a nymphing rig as a backup will keep you in the game for the upper or lower river.  Down below the Pleasant Hill Dam is always a good place to stop by and fish a streamer as you never know what you will find.  There have been a few reports that the road heading down to the covered bridge was closed, but you can still park close to the dam and walk down.  

As for flies they will be much the same as for the Mad. If you are looking to dry fly fish this weekend you box will need to be filled with ICSI Midges, Goddard Caddis, Henryville Special, and Elk Hair Caddis for the mornings.  Stock up on #16-18 Thorax, Parachute, Comparadun, and Spinner Sulfurs for the afternoons/into the evenings.  For the late evenings Paradrakes, Bear's Hi-Vis, Comparadrake and the Brown Drake Spinners will be the go-to's.  Be sure to have some Light Cahills also as they can be thick in the evenings for the next month or so.....both stretches.

Nymphing is always a productive option.  Right now you will need to fishing the Brown Drake nymphs with either an unweighted nymph or softhackle trailer.  Typically we are fishing either an unweighted Hares Ear or Pheasant Tail as the second fly.  Having some Net Builder Caddis, Flashabou Caddis, Core Caddis, Nitro Caddis, and the Drowned Caddis will set your straight accross the board.  


Clear Creek


Clear Creek Map


The creek is low and will continue to clear out even more into the weekend.  Light rain will make the creek fish well this weekend.  The Smallmouth bite is heating up so small streamers are a good bet for both Smallies and trout.  Cover lots of water and enjoy the scenery.  

Nymphing always produces with Hares Ear and Pheasant tails.  As for the dry fly fishing the most consistent flies have been small Elk Hair Caddis and Henryville Specials.  There are a few Sulfurs and Light Cahills around so have a few in the box just in case.  Ants like the Ant Acid and Quick Sight Ant along with Flash Beetles and other terrestrials also make good choices in the coming weeks. 




Erie Steelhead/Smallmouth


Lake Run Smallmouth fishing is still good, but most of the fish are moving out into the harbors. Guide trips this week have focused on the lower rivers and river mouths.

There are plenty of resident fish in the rivers although this weekend up there looks rough as the rain has messed up the rivers. We are just about done reporting on the tributaries, but we will keep you updated on what we experience and hear for those heading that way. 



John Wiesinger flew in from Georgia to fish the tribs with us and did VERY well.


Jim Wiers this past Monday with Josh on the jet at the mouth of Conneaut



Mad River Outfitters
Fly Shop, Guides, Trips, Classes, Schools and more!

813 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214

614-451-0363

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Lefty Kreh on the TFO Impact Fly Rod

Making an Impact: My Favorite TFO Rod by Lefty Kreh


Since I joined the sport in 1949, TFO’s Impact has become my favorite fly rod for general fly fishing. I’d like to explain why.

First, it’s important to realize the amount of bend put in the rod when it stops at the end of the stroke is what unrolls line to target.

A stroke is a movement to deliver something from the starting point to the target. The proper stroke makes it possible for the baseball player to make a bunt or hit a home run or to throw the Frisbee a short or long distance.  A proper stroke can be short or long but it must continue to smoothly accelerate or go faster and faster, ending in the direction you want to deliver an object. The stroke can start slow or fast but must accelerate to the end.  I believe understanding a good stroke is the most important factor when fly-casting.

Conventional fly-casting techniques suggest stopping the backcast a little past vertical. If the forward cast begins from this position, it allows the angler only a relatively short stroke. However, the rod needs to bend more to deliver a forward cast with heavier lines and flies, into the wind or for more distance. Such a short stroke requires more effort to bend the rod to do job. Experienced casters have learned to drift the rod hand well back allowing a longer stroke (forward cast) with less effort.



I think the Impact series that TFO designed is a revolutionary rod that can help fly fisherman improve and appreciate a proper casting stroke. Almost all modern fly rods are flexible near the tip but increase in diameter and stiffness toward the rod handle, requiring more effort to bend the lower portion. The Impact is different. From the tip the rod tapers slowly in diameter to the reel seat without lacking in power or strength. This design offers many advantages.

Range of Power – Modern fly rods usually cast well the line designed for it and one lighter or one heavier in size. The Impact rod bends easily from tip to the butt so it handles a number of line sizes.  For example I can fish effectively with my 8-weight Impact with lines from 5 to 9 weight. I’ve never cast another rod so versatile that it would handle five different line-weights. It also is not as critical to have just the right amount of line outside before the backcast.

Rod Recovery – Watch the rod tip of a great caster. The tips stops smoothly and doesn’t bounce up and down. For most fly fishermen the tip vibrates on the stop because the lower portion of the rod is so much stiffer. The vibrating tip produces undesirable shock waves in the line. Because Impact rods taper smoothly throughout, the tip stabilizes quickly – eliminating any bounce at the end of the cast.

Roll Casting – During roll casting a greater portion of the Impact bends allowing most anglers to roll cast so much better.

Durability – It is one of the toughest rods I’ve ever fished. Using a 20-pound tippet on an 8-weight rod I hooked a redfish of almost 20 pounds in the Louisiana swamp and fully expected to break the rod but didn’t.  Unlike a fast action rod, the extreme load in the fight with this fish was spread throughout the rod – reducing the “high stick” break risk.

In summary, the generally accepted casting stroke is rather short which requires much more effort to load the rod deeply. Casters who use this method who have tried an Impact rod do not like it all. The Impact rod requires a longer than normal strokes so the rod bends more and less effort is needed by the caster.  Keep this in mind and give an Impact rod a try – I believe you’ll appreciate the Impact design as much as I do.

Lefty Kreh

* Reprinted from the TFO Blog- Check it out HERE




Mad River Outfitters
TFO Flagship Dealer

813 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214

admin@madriveroutfitters.com

614-451-0363


Saturday, May 13, 2017

Fishing Reorts- 5/13/17


* 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.



Mad River



Sorry for the delay in updated reports.  We are still recouping from the great Selectivity weekend programs with Matt Supinski.  Thanks again to all who participated. It was a GREAT weekend and we all learned alot.

The river was high late last week and into the weekend, but has been fishing great all this week.  Look for EPIC hatches in the evenings.  Brian had Matt Supinski out Monday evening and they were rewarded with one of the best Sulpher hatches we have seen in years! Maybe EVER! The reports the remainder of the week have also been of excellent to epic dry fly fishing.

 There have been good hatches of Caddis, Light Cahills, March Browns and a few Blue Wing Olives mixed in everyday this week but the big news has been the Sulphers.  It seems that the fish have been keying in on them although we did hear of fish choosing the Light Cahills last night. 

Consistent dry fly fishing can be done throughout the river, but the section above Urbana would be a great place to start.  With the forecast next week it looks like the evening dry fly madness will continue.  



Legendary author and "Selectivity Man" Matt Supinski on a float trip Monday with Brian


Pull out your 3-5wt fly rods, Wulff Triangle Tapers, Rio Perception, or Rio Gold fly lines, 4x Dry fly leaders, Floatant, pleny of Sulfurs and Light Cahills and hit the water!  Make sure to have a good variety of dry fly styles.  Comparadun, Thorax, Parachute, and Spinners are a must to cover every water type.  Also be sure to have fly sizes  #14-18.  Other patterns to carry now and definitely in the next few weeks are Drakes, March Browns, Adams, Mr Rapidan and plenty of Caddis. 

Nymphs and emergers are a good choice for earlier in the day and when there are no visible hatches around. The typical Pheasant Tails, Hares Ear, Prince, Copper John, and a good supply of Brown Drake Nymphs are a good choice.  Swinging soft hackles always produces and is a good choice for beginners and when exploring new water and also imitates the action of the emergent nymph.  

We'll try to update during the week as things progress but in the meantime, don't hesitate to give us a call.



Clearfork River


Clearfork Map


The upper river is currently a little off colored due to some recent rain, but will clear out fast.  Good hatches up high also.  Much like the Mad River Report: pull out your 3-5wt fly rods, Wulff Triangle Tapers, Rio Perception, or Rio Gold fly lines, 4x Dry fly leaders, Floatant, pleny of Sulpersrs and Light Cahills and hit the water!  Make sure to have a good variety of dry fly styles.  Comparadun, Thorax, Parachute, and Spinners are a must to cover every water type.  Also be sure to have fly sizes  #14-18.  Other patterns to carry now and definitely in the next few weeks are Drakes, March Browns, Adams, Mr Rapidan and plenty of Caddis. Dry fly fishing on the Fork has also been good to excellent the past few weeks, especially on the upper.

Have a good mix of Caddis nymphs and soft hackles as these have been productive.  The upper river is going to be low and clear by the end of next week.  This will make the fish very spooky.  When the upper is low head down to the lower river below Pleasant Hill Dam.  Here we like to fish streamers as there is a good mix of fish.  Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, Rock Bass, Brown Trout and others are very common.  The trout down low will key in on hatches so make sure to have caddis, midges, and typical nymphs.  These patterns specifically are Nitro Caddis, Net Builder Caddis, Holy Grails, and Flashabou Caddis for caddis nymphs.  Peasant Tails, Hares Ear, and Prince nymphs will round out your boxes well.  


Clear Creek


Clear Creek Map


May can be a great month on Clear Creek.  This small stream does not even come close to matching up to the Mad in quality, but if you happen to find yourself down in the Hocking Hills it will not disappoint.  The smallmouth bass fishing firing up along with a few hatches and the wild flowers can make for a great time.  The trout do not always take advantage of the hatching Sulfurs, March Browns, or drakes, but usually a small Elk Hair Caddis size #16 and smaller will produce.  Make sure to have plenty of midges in both dries and nymphs along with caddis pupa and larva.  We like the Nitro Caddis, Net Builder Caddis, Holy Grails, and Flashabou Caddis for nymphs.  Your usual trout patterns will also produce Pheasant Tails, Hares Ear, Prince Nymphs, and Wet flies.  

If you are looking for Smallmouth bass then make sure to have a few Kelly Galloup streamers like the Bottoms Up, Dungeon, and Barely Legal. Floating lines and heavy tippet to keep these fish out of the wood will always treat you fine. 



Our good friend and great customer Steve Buckley sent us this photo of a brown taken this week on a Sulpher dry. Attending the "Selectivity Program" last Friday got him fired up!!




Erie Steelhead/Smallmouth


Steelhead fishing is pretty well done for the Spring season and our thoughts are now onto smallmouth......big, lake run smallmouth.  Yes there are a few leftover steelies here and there, but those fish are either spawning or heading back to the lake.  The big deal is the Lake Run Smallies.  THese fish are big and fat and readily take flies.  Fish streamers in the lower rivers and you will be rewarded with the biggest Smallies of the year.  Make sure to get your spots on the calendar as they are filling up very fast!  

Here is a more detailed report on fishing the tribs from friend and customer Bill Harsha- "Thur PM & Fri AM:  Elk on Thur was low and clear. Lots of quillbacks in the system some suckers.  Bass were not aggressive.and not interested in large flies. Switched to small stuff just crawled across the bottom and started hooking up. Landed 6 in about 4 hours of fishing all on the new trout Spey.

Fri came back to fish Connie. Water good with a little stain. Lots of redhorse and some suckers. Hooked and losta bright steelhead on the swing with a chartreuse and white deceiver. Pretty much kicked my ass on the 4weight. A couple of nice bass on the same fly stripping and one on the swing. Again bass not very aggressive. Talked to a group from Chag. R. Outfitters same story with even less action. They quit bass and were nymphing with bobbers.They pulled out before I did.."- Bill





Mad River Outfitters
Fly Shop, Guides, Trips, Classes, Schools and more!

813 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214

614-451-0363

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

MRO/MWFF May Classes and Schools


Education is the Cornerstone of our Business!


Upcoming Classes:

Wednesday, May 10th- FREE Beginners Fly Fishing Program- 7-9 p.m.- Click Here to Register

Saturday, May 13th- Basic Knots and Rigging Class- 9-11 a.m.- Click Here to Register

Monday, May 15th- Basic Fly Casting Clinic- 6-8 p.m.- Click Here to Register

Saturday, May 20th- 1-Day Fly Fishing School at Sunnybrook Trout Club- 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.- Click Here to Register

Saturday, May 27th- Advanced/Saltwater Fly Casting Clinic- 8-11 a.m.- Click Here to Regsiter

Wednesday, May 31st- Basic Fly Casting Clinic- 6-8 p.m.- Click Here to Register


For more information or to read our reviews.......



614-451-0363

Fishing Reports- 5/2/17


* 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.


Spring Creek/Selectivity Weekend

May 5th- 7th



Noted author, angler, lecturer, guide, historian, lodge owner, master chef...this guy does it all. We are thrilled to have Matt as a guest here at the shop for this very special "Spring Creek" weekend. Matt is probably the world's foremost authority on Spring Creek angling. His latest book, "Selectivity" is one of the best books ever written on the subject. He will be with us to help all of us to become better and more technical anglers.






Friday, May 5th- 6-9 p.m.- Special Presentation: Selectivity

Join us in the shop for a great presentation and some beer and pizza. Matt will blow your mind with the information in this program and you will come away a better trout angler. We will also be running a special price on his "Selectivity" book and a great chance to get it signed by the author himself. Tickets to this event are only $10.00. Pizza and beer starts at 6:00 and the program should start right around 7:00.

Register Online HERE




Saturday, May 6th- 8 a.m.- Noon- Fly Tying Session: Favorite Spring Creek Patterns

Matt is an epic fly tyer and instructor. This class will cover some of his favorite patterns for finicky trout. Bring your vise and tools and we'll do the rest. Class is limited to 6 and the cost will be $50.00.

Register Online HERE




Saturday, May 6th- 3 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.- On-Water Spring Creek/Selectivity Clinic

This class will be half-classroom learning and half on the water experience. It will be held at the legendary Zanesfield Rod and Gun Club so you will get to practice over some of the finest trout fishing in Ohio. Again, Matt will blow your mind with intermediate and advanced concepts and techniques that will make you a much better trout angler. Sample topic outline listed below. A unique opportunity here to fish this club for the "evening hatch" as we would expect the insect activity to be at a peak and offer a great chance for picky fish on dries. We will be grilling some burgers and dogs and take a break from 6:30 -7:00. This class is limited to 10 anglers and the cost will be $125.00. 

Register Online HERE


Sunday, May 7th- 9 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.- On-Water Spring Creek/Selectivity Clinic

Can't make it Satruday? We'll do it again on Sunday.

This class will be half-classroom learning and half on the water experience. It will be held at the legendary Zanesfield Rod and Gun Club so you will get to practice over some of the finest trout fishing in Ohio. Again, Matt will blow your mind with intermediate and advanced concepts and techniques that will make you a much better trout angler. Sample topic outline listed below. Should be a great chance to witness first-hand some terrestrial fishing which Matt is very fond of. Lunch will be provided from 12-12:30. This class is limited to 10 anglers and the cost will be $125.00. 

Register Online HERE


Warm Water

The rivers are currently high making for the pond fishing to be the best choice.  This cold front setting in for the next few days will have the fish a little sluggish and moved out of the shallow water to suspend over near shore drops and bay mouths.   

Before the rain and high water currently we have been continuing to have great Smallmouth fishing.  The fish are currently in spawn mode.  Earlier last week Ryan checked on the Scioto and found many bass on beds in the riffles.  Make sure to take a good look before heading right into a riffle to cross the stream.  Ryan found himself having to carefully walk around beds making sure to not further disturb these fish.  We suggest crossing just below these riffles.  

Many of the local ponds also have been fishing very well.  The Largemouth Bass are very close to spawning also.  This time right before they spawn can be some of the best fishing of the year.  We do not advise disturbing fish when they are on the spawning bed, but there are still plenty of fish to be caught before they transition to these areas.  

Fishing streamers is always a top producer.  Dirty Hippies, Boogie Man, and Bottoms Up are the guides Go-To, but do not overlook the Ehlers J-Pig, Foam Tail Superworm, and Grim Reaper.  While these flies are also great river Smallmouth flies we usually focus on Half and Halfs, Little Swimmers, Modern Deceivers, and Clousers.  Make sure to line up your 6-8wts with a Sonar Titan Clear Tip for a sinking line or SA MPX and Rio Smallmouth line for a floater.  Stock up on the Rio Bass or SA Hard Mono Leaders and tippet.  



Josh continues to put clients on the Hybrid Striper game.  The rain has messed things up for a few days, but we will keep you up to date as conditions change.  This fishing only lasts a short period so make sure to get a trip on the books while it lasts! 


Mad River


Many people have come into the shop sharing frustrations with the muddy water.  Individuals looking to have some streamer action over the weekend were greeted with poor conditions due to runoff.  Many of the local farmers have or were in the process of planting crops.  With the heavy rain and the loose freshly planted fields caused the water clarity degrade worse than usual.  Look for a small streamer window to happen Wednesday and then quickly close with the predicted weather later in the week.  We will keep you posted as things change.  

Take a look at our past Social Media posts to see some on stream videos and photos.  We are looking forward to some of the best Dry Fly fishing we have seen in years!  

As far as the bugs go, the big news is that we DID have Sulphers as of last Tuesday. They didn't come off super strong, but they came off. We did also see some March Browns and some LIght Cahills as well. It is pretty likely that the Hendrickson hatch is mostly over except for the upper reaches of the stream. Hopefully we'll know a bit more once the water clears and we get back to dry fly fishing. One thing is for sure is that we have quickly moved into the "Evening Game".

If you can make it out midweek focus on streamers and nymphs to make the most of this small window.  Streamers consists of the usual Barely Legals, Articulated Monkeys, Dungeons, Bottoms Up, Silk Kitty, Boogie Man, and others.  Smaller streamers also get the job done: Cougars, Dirty Hippies, Wooly Sculpins, Near Nuff Sculpin, and other traditional streamers.

While nymphing make sure to have plenty Pheasant Tails, Hares Ear, Copper Johns, and Prince Nymphs to fill in the gaps.  Your main nymphs will be Brown Drake Nymphs, big Hares Ear, Guides Choice Hares Ear, and San Juans though.  

Dry fly fishing will be limited here for a few, but this time of the year you never want to travel without your dry fly rod and flies.  3-5wts with a Wulff Triangle Taper, Rio Suppleflex Leaders and a good mix of size 12-18 Rusty Spinners in various sizes, Parachute Adams, Thorax/Traditional style Adams, Red Quill, Quill Gordon, and Irrisistibles.  With the cloudy and rainy forecast on Thursday  make sure to have some Blue Wing Olives and Sulphers in your box also (Sulphers will go all day in overcast/drizzly conditions as well).  In the next coming weeks stock up on Light Cahill, Sulfurs, March Browns, and Caddis. 



Clearfork River


Clearfork Map

With the past rain the upper and lower river are high and muddy.  Only those who know the river and have the proper access to float the upper will have good streamer action.  This window is going to be very small looking at the forecast.  They are currently letting water out of the dam at a high level creating unsafe wading conditions.  Look for this to continue into the weekend.  

If you are in this area focus on some of the ponds for bass and panfish.  There is a cold front setting in that will push these fish off the shallow water to suspend over near shore drops and bay mouths. 


Clear Creek


Clear Creek Map


Look for the high water to continue into the weekend.  It is highly unlikely that there will be a fishable window through the rest of the week, but we will keep you updated if things change.  



Erie Steelhead

There are posts of a few fish being caught here and there, but they are few and far between. Our guides have moved on to other species to focus on till this fall. Not to say that you couldn't still find a few steelhead around, but professionally speaking, we're calling it a season for now.

The Smallmouth fishing has been fantastic in the Tribs.  If you want to focus on these fish look at the lower few miles of the rivers.  Stripping big streamers is our go to tactic.  Streamers like Kelly Galloups Dungeons, Monkeys, Peanuts, Totally Articulated, Fat Head Minnows and Deceivers.  Load up your 6-8wt, Scientific Anglers Titan Sonar Clear Tip, heavy tippet and have fun!  



Mad River Outfitters
Fly Shop, Guides, Trips, Classes, Schools and more!

813 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214

614-451-0363