* 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
The new limited edition MRO "Fly Fish Ohio" Sticker
**Send us a fishing report, a picture, and your name, phone number and address and we'll send the sticker out to you! We appreciate the reports and sense of community here and we want to reward the efforts that we all put into "Fly Fishing Ohio"
Send a report and get yours on the way!!!
Mad River
Hendricksons are ON! Big Time! The past two days have seen good to epic hatches and the next few days should offer up some of the best dry fly fishing of the season. You'll find most of us on the river tomorrow night looking for a spinner fall!
The bugs started yesterday around 3:00 p.m. or so and lasted until about 5:00. Today they started a bit earlier and are still hatching as we speak. Tomorrow and Sunday they may even pop earlier in the day with the increase in temps. Should be a great week of fishing ahead with duns during the afternoons and spinner falls anytime after 7:30 p.m. or so. If nothing happening on the surface, go with #12-14 Pheasant Tail nymphs or Trophy Nymphs and you should catch fish.
The lower river is still a pinch high but will be looking good for streamer anglers over the weekend. Most of the bugs have been more in the upper river if you are looking to dry fly fish.
Should be a great weekend and great week ahead. Let us know what you see if you get out and we'll send you along one of the new MRO "Fly Fish Ohio" stickers!
****Please make note of the ODNR "Creel Survey" that is going on now...runs April 1st- November 1st. It is very important that we help these guys out by completing the Survey Cards and sending them in after outings. You can read more on our Blog from 4/2 and we'll post it again periodically throughout the season.
The Survey cards are available in the shop and we can also send them out to you if you can't make it in the shop. We'll be happy to drop some in the mail to you free of charge. Once completed they are postage paid so all you have to do is drop them in the mail.
This is a great chance for those of us that fish the Mad to help the ODNR to help the river!
Clearfork River
The Upper Clearfork is in good shape and should fish very well this weekend. It is still a bit high so the streamer action we have been experiencing up there should continue. We did get a call this afternoon from an angler on the water that was seeing good numbers of Hendricksons and had fish eating them. They started hatching around 2:45 and he said they were coming off good...so....game on here also. Should start seeing some caddis in the evenings as well. Did have a few reports of anglers doing well on green caddis larva as can be expected on the CF. Be sure to have some #12-14 Pheasant Tail nymphs as well to imitate the Hennys. Evening anglers be on the lookout for Henny Spinner Falls. Have a #14 Rusty Spinner and stay until dark.
The lower stretch is still a bit high. One would expect that they will drop the water level very soon but they haven't yet. We'll keep our eyes on it and let you know with an update here when they do. Fishing should be good to excellent down in the park when they do.
Let us know if you get out and what you see! Send us a photo and a report and we'll send along one of the new MRO "Fly Fish Ohio" stickers!!!
Clear Creek
Clear Creek has dropped nicely as well and the weekend looking good. Not many reports this week due to the high water but we have high hopes for the weekend.
Anglers heading that way need to be armed with Hendricksons and #14-16 Caddis. If you don't find rising fish, go with nymphs that imitate these and you should do well. Also not a bad idea to chuck a streamer around, especially in the deeper runs and holes as you get closer to the Hocking.
Can't wait to see the reports and pics from this weekend! Should be gorgeous down there!
Anglers heading that way need to be armed with Hendricksons and #14-16 Caddis. If you don't find rising fish, go with nymphs that imitate these and you should do well. Also not a bad idea to chuck a streamer around, especially in the deeper runs and holes as you get closer to the Hocking.
Can't wait to see the reports and pics from this weekend! Should be gorgeous down there!
Erie Steelhead
Here we go friends....it's giddy-up time. Tons of folks through the shop today headed north in search of chrome! Can't wait to see the pics and read the reports. We do have guides out of course this weekend and we'll let you know how they do.
The Vermilion is in good fishable shape but is a bit cloudy as of today. Hopefully it will clear a bit more over the next few days but regardless, you want to have some bright flies for now. This stream should turn-on big time for the next bit here. It could be stellar!
The Rocky is coming in nice this afternoon and folks out and about and finding some fish. The Chagrin is still on the high side but folks swinging flies this afternoon and by tomorrow and Sunday it should be in prime shape.
The Grand is still pretty high but the tribs should fish well this weekend. Hopefully some fresher fish have moved up them with the bump in flows. We'll let you know what we hear.
Ashtabula and Conneaut are prime right now and should fish very well over the weekend. These two should be on fire as well.
We can't wait to see the results from this weekend. This water should have brought that "big push" of giant, chrome, manistee fish in that we always get in mid April. The best fishing of the season could be at hand.
Get out there and let us know how you are doing! Send a pic and a report and we'll send you out one of the new MRO "Fly Fish Ohio" stickers!!!!!
We'll let you know what we do and always feel free to call the shop for an "up-to-the-minute" report!
Mad River Outfitters
Fly Shop, Guides, Schools and more!
813 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214
614-451-0363
