* 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.
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.
In the News
Special THANKS to all who participated in the "Black Friday" through "Cyber Monday" promotions. We had our biggest Holiday Weekend by far in our 22 + year history. We truly appreciate the support!
* Just another reminder that we are OPEN Sundays from Noon- 5:00 p.m. now through Chrstmas. We will also be running "Sunday Specials" which will be available in the shop or the online store. Watch Facebook and here on the Blog for the details each week.
* Should be posted shortly but we ARE participating in the Orvis promo this month- buy a Helios 2 rod and get a FREE Hydros SL fly reel. We should have the details on the website within the next day or so but if you just can't wait...give us a call. We'll get you the FREE reel with the purchase.
* Also a reminder as you shop this Holiday Season- Mad River Outfitters will always meet or beat any price that you find out there and ALL competitors coupons always welcome! Any questions don't hesitate to give us a call.
* Brian has a few spots OPEN on the Bonefish Trip in February-
You get to Andros Island and we'll do the rest! Our 18th season at the Andros Island Bonefish Club.
Click Here for details and pricing on this trip
Here's a quick video teaser on the trip as well:
* Linda wanted us to also remind you to tell the gals-
"Ladies Night" is coming up on Tuesday! 5-9 p.m.
Click Here for the details
Mad River
Not alot exciting to report. We have pretty much been writing this same report for almost 6 months now. It's just a bit colder now.
The intermittent rains have not done much for the Mad. The drought is taking it's toll and fishing continues to be tough. We desperately need a few solid days of rain before anything is really going to change.
That being said, we have had a few folks out catching some fish. Most fish have been the smaller fish from the Spring or Fall stocking but a handful of nicer fish. Most have been on nymphs or small streamers.
The good news is that the leaves are not hindering fishing like they were during November. That's a plus.
The fish are eating tons and tons of midge larva right now. If you just want to catch a few fish, #16-20 red or natural midge larva patterns will do the trick. If you are looking for a larger fish, go with something bigger like a Cranefly Larva or a Bitch Creek, Big Nasty etc. A rig that has been producing fish the past few weeks is a Cranefly Larva with a #14-16 Green Soft Hackle behind it. Try putting some Frog's Fanny on the soft hackle. It will get their attention.
A few folks catching some fish on smaller streamers in the shallow water but it does seem as if we are getting screwed out of our Fall Streamer season. A big push of water and that could change in a heartbeat, but as of now, nothing to report.
Here's an e-mail that we got from our new friend from Colorado:
"Just wanted to say thank you to Brian (if I remember right), who helped me at the shop there on Saturday. He told me to fish the Mad river where the river runs under the 55 bridge near Urbana. I went downstream from there and caught a few small browns using the flies he sold me there in the shop. I fished a green soft hackle below a crane fly using an indicator rig and all the fish hit the green soft hackle. I saw a few bigger fish (in the 10 lb range) swimming in some of the deeper holes but I wasn't sure if they were browns. They looked more like carp to me but I wasn't sure if carp are even in the system there. One big fish did flash after I hooked a smaller trout and it looked like a big brown to me. Just thought I would give you a quick report and say thanks for making my visit from Colorado a good one." - Jeff Marlo
Clearfork River
The lower stretch of the Clearfork did fish fairly well over the weekend. We did hear some reports of both nymphs and streamers producing some decent fish. Also egg patterns did the trick for several.
They were releasing some water to bring Pleasant Hill Lake to "Winter Pool' but that seems to have slowed as the week has gone on and it is looking pretty low as we speak. Still better than Summer flows but not what it was last weekend and earlier in the week.
The Upper river is still very low and most reports have fishing as challenging. As most elsewhere in the state, we are in dire need of water. Not that you can't go catch a fish or two but we just haven't had any reports of anything other than recent stockers being caught in the upper.
Go fish and prove us wrong and if you do....send a pic!
Hopefully we get some rain here and can get some trout fishing in on the Clearfork before the end of the year.
They were releasing some water to bring Pleasant Hill Lake to "Winter Pool' but that seems to have slowed as the week has gone on and it is looking pretty low as we speak. Still better than Summer flows but not what it was last weekend and earlier in the week.
The Upper river is still very low and most reports have fishing as challenging. As most elsewhere in the state, we are in dire need of water. Not that you can't go catch a fish or two but we just haven't had any reports of anything other than recent stockers being caught in the upper.
Go fish and prove us wrong and if you do....send a pic!
Hopefully we get some rain here and can get some trout fishing in on the Clearfork before the end of the year.
Clear Creek
Clear Creek is of course also low and clear but fishing has been ok. We have had a few anglers down there this week and they are catching trout. Nothing to write home about but they are there and willing to eat. You just need to be a bit stealthy!
Most reports have fish eating nymphs. No reports of any surface activity and the water is a bit too low to really concentrate on streamer fishing. If you did, you might throw smaller more traditional stuff on longer leaders.
The leaves are pretty well down and not as much a problem as in November but we still need to get the water up to push them all the way out of the system.
If you get out there, let us know how you do.
Most reports have fish eating nymphs. No reports of any surface activity and the water is a bit too low to really concentrate on streamer fishing. If you did, you might throw smaller more traditional stuff on longer leaders.
The leaves are pretty well down and not as much a problem as in November but we still need to get the water up to push them all the way out of the system.
If you get out there, let us know how you do.
Erie Steelhead
The big news this week has been Steelhead fishing in Ohio! It has come a bit late but it does seem like thiings are busting wide open, especially here this week. We have had tons of good to excellent reports and several anglers reporting 20+ fish days. A few guide trips this week did VERY well. Pretty much everyone reporting that the best fishing is from the Chagrin and East.
Happy angler on a guide trip 11/3016 with Josh McQueen
The Vermilion right now is in the same shape that it has been in all season. Virtually a trickle and super clear. Nothing to report in the West as of yet but a good push of water could change this in a heartbeat. It just hasn't rained at all West of Cleveland.
The Rocky has some fish in it for sure but is on the low side right now.
The Chagrin is looking good and has been fishing good to excellent. Guide trip there this week did extremely well and they found fish throughout the system.
The Grand is a bit up today but should fish well this weekend. Most reports have the largest population of fish downstream of Painesville but with this second push of water this week they should be fairly well spread out.
The Ashtabula and Conneaut are also a bit up but should shape up nice for the weekend. They both have lenty of fish throughout and all phases of fish from fresh to post spawn. The further East you go the more you get a mix of the Manistee and Pa fish and it shows in these two right now.
Elk Creek of course has tons of fish in it but has also been very crowded. Certainly can catch some fish if you are willing to fight the crowds.
Egg patterns have been the hot ticket this week for sure. If the water has been stained we have been doing well on Steelhead Orange and Bright Pink and as the water clears switching to Cheese and lighter, more subdued colors. A few fish taken on nymphs of course but the bulk has been on eggs. Also a few reports of fish slamming swung flies and streamers which makes sense with all the bright fish we have seen this week.
All in all, seems like December is going to be a great month for steelheading here in Ohio.
Send us reports and pics and if you need an up-to-the-minute report, don't hesitate to give us a call.
Mad River Outfitters
Fly Shop, Guides, Schools and more!
813 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214
614-451-0363
