* 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
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.
Warmwater
Pre-Spawn Smallmouth Fishing has been really picking up the past week or so. Pat and Josh have been running trips and doing well!
The small cold front coming in this weekend will be short lived only making us more enjoy the weather next week. Local water conditions continue to be high/stained on the bigger systems with clear to clearing water on the smaller streams. Water temps vary by watershed, but we are at that perfect time when things are around the 50 degree mark. As long as we keep the daily lows out of the 30's we should be good for a fantastic pre-spawn bite. The ponds have been producing well for those targeting the warmest parts of the day.
We are starting to hear reports of some crappies and panfish being caught closer to shore, but still suspended off of drops. Bass will start to poke into the shallow bays and norther reaches of the lakes and ponds also. Many of the local ponds have been having good midge hatches and the bait fish and panfish have taken notice. With this activity expect a few predatory fish to be waiting for an unaware meal.
Tactics for the next few weeks will focus on water temps. We always preach having a water thermometer so you know where to expect fish to be holding and what fly to choose. In streams and lakes a sinking line or sinking tip is a good choice as usual. A Rio Streamer Tip or SA Titan Clear Tip are main stays for us in the shop. Match this with a few neutrally buoyant flies of various colors and your set. We are fishing Game Changers, Lil' Swimmers, BangTails, Stacked Blonde, Articulated Fathead, Woolhead Scuplin, Swimmy Jimmy, Murdich Minnow, and Zoo Cougars to name a few. These flies will slowly float or suspend on the pause.
Allowing your fly to pause causes all of the natural materials to "breath" and move very naturally. This is one of the key differences we have verses someone who fishes soft plastics or stick baits with conventional tackle.
Long-time customer and frequent "Guide Tripper" Don Gregory was out on a trip with Josh on Wednesday and got this beast!
And another "regular", Alex Vaughan was out with guide Pat Kelly on Sunday
Forecast:
The small cold front this weekend will slow the pond fishing down a little, but next week looks great. Seek out those shallow bays with dark bottoms and some structure and you will find fish.
The smaller streams will be very productive this week and into next weekend. Get out there and scout your usual stretch this weekend so you are ready for later in the week. Look for...well we should say HOPE for... the Scioto and the Olentangy to start to clear and continue to drop to wading levels. Start your focus below the dams and work your way down until you find fish. Look for a nice mixed bag of fish to be in these locations also.
There have been bugs hatching in almost every part of the river, but no large hatches until this past week. Our good friend Jacob called in explaining a very strong hatch in the upper river with fish consistently rising to them. A few folks out today when the sun was shining in the same areas and didn't see much at all. Very strange Henny season!
Individuals swinging soft hackles and nymphing have been catching fish also. These tactics are great choices while you wait for mayflies to hatch. With the higher flows and overcast days earlier this week the streamer fishing has continued to be great.
Good friend and great customer Mike Canter with a nice streamer eater from today!
Brian was out teaching the On Water Seminar last Sunday and found plenty of Sulphur nymphs while sampling so make sure you have your boxes ready for this upcoming hatch as well. He did not find the numbers of Hendrickson nymphs that he suspected which leads us to believe that the hatch is going to be mostly found in the upper river and may well be in the later stages at this point.
A few shots from the On-River Seminar last Sunday:
Forecast:
We will continue to see Hendricksons next week throughout the river and expect to see and hear many people catching fish, but it appears that we may not see the "explosive peak" like we are used to. It seems like the weather is changing but we are still a little hesitant as we have been let down many times so far this year. Continue to have plenty of Hendrickson Parachutes, thorax, and Sparkle Duns. Also make sure to have Rusty Spinners as you do not want to be caught without them in a Spinner fall! Also take a look at your Light Cahill, Caddis, and Sulphur box and be prepared.
This is a great time of the year to swing soft hackles that specifically represent the active bugs in the water. Nymphing as always is a great choice. Pheasant tails are a good choice along with Hendrickson Nymphs and Hares Ear. Caddis in all stages will produce well also. Flashabou Caddis, Holy Grail, Swinks Core Caddis, Shop Dip, Nitro Caddis, and Peacock Hares Ear are a good choice for those. If you tie take a look at Brian's video on the Hendrickson nymph and the other variations. Also Ryan's Jig style Trophy Nymph is very productive and can be tied lighter colors for the Sulphur variation.
Clearfork River
Clearfork Map
Not much to report as most in that area are focusing on Steelhead. The stream has been high, but fishing well for those who know the area. Streamer fishing this spring continues to be great during those windows of stained water. We have not had any reports of Hendrickson as expected with the higher water levels and temps. There are surely some bugs hatching here and there and we would expect that this will pick up dramatically in the coming week.
The lower river has been producing well for those streamer fishing and nymphing. Along with trout there have been plenty of Saugeye being caught also. As the weather starts to stabilize look for great dry fly fishing in the upper river and a mixed bag to continue to be great in the lower river.
Forecast:
There is a cold front and some rain heading in this weekend. Look for this to help out the streamer fishing, but continue to put off the Hendrickson hatch. By mid week expect ideal dry fly conditions on both sections of the river. If you want to take advantage of the Spring dry fly action make sure to have plenty of Hendrickson Parachutes, thorax, and Sparkle Duns. Also make sure to have Rusty Spinners as you do not want to be caught without them in a Spinner fall! Also take a look at your Light Cahill, Caddis, and Sulphur box and be prepared. This is a great time of the year to swing soft hackles that specifically represent the active bugs in the water. Nymphing as always is a great choice. Pheasant tails are a good choice along with Hendrickson Nymphs and Hares Ear. Caddis in all stages will produce well also. Flashabou Caddis, Holy Grail, Swinks Core Caddis, Shop Dip, Nitro Caddis, and Peacock Hares Ear are a good choice for those. If you tie take a look at Brian's video on the Hendrickson nymph and the other variations. Also Ryan's Jig style Trophy Nymph is very productive and can be tied lighter colors for the Sulphur variation.
As the water temps start to raise fishing for warm water fish in the lower sections can be very good. Match that with camping in the State Park and you have a great way to spend a Spring weekend. Target these fish with various articulated streamers line the Barely Legal, Mini Dungeon, Wooly Buggers, Zoo Cougar, Near Nuff Sculpin and others. We are at least a month out from popper season though.
Not much to report as most in that area are focusing on Steelhead. The stream has been high, but fishing well for those who know the area. Streamer fishing this spring continues to be great during those windows of stained water. We have not had any reports of Hendrickson as expected with the higher water levels and temps. There are surely some bugs hatching here and there and we would expect that this will pick up dramatically in the coming week.
The lower river has been producing well for those streamer fishing and nymphing. Along with trout there have been plenty of Saugeye being caught also. As the weather starts to stabilize look for great dry fly fishing in the upper river and a mixed bag to continue to be great in the lower river.
Forecast:
There is a cold front and some rain heading in this weekend. Look for this to help out the streamer fishing, but continue to put off the Hendrickson hatch. By mid week expect ideal dry fly conditions on both sections of the river. If you want to take advantage of the Spring dry fly action make sure to have plenty of Hendrickson Parachutes, thorax, and Sparkle Duns. Also make sure to have Rusty Spinners as you do not want to be caught without them in a Spinner fall! Also take a look at your Light Cahill, Caddis, and Sulphur box and be prepared. This is a great time of the year to swing soft hackles that specifically represent the active bugs in the water. Nymphing as always is a great choice. Pheasant tails are a good choice along with Hendrickson Nymphs and Hares Ear. Caddis in all stages will produce well also. Flashabou Caddis, Holy Grail, Swinks Core Caddis, Shop Dip, Nitro Caddis, and Peacock Hares Ear are a good choice for those. If you tie take a look at Brian's video on the Hendrickson nymph and the other variations. Also Ryan's Jig style Trophy Nymph is very productive and can be tied lighter colors for the Sulphur variation.
As the water temps start to raise fishing for warm water fish in the lower sections can be very good. Match that with camping in the State Park and you have a great way to spend a Spring weekend. Target these fish with various articulated streamers line the Barely Legal, Mini Dungeon, Wooly Buggers, Zoo Cougar, Near Nuff Sculpin and others. We are at least a month out from popper season though.
Clear Creek
Clear Creek Map
The little creek has had a couple hard flushes over the past few weeks. There have been a few trees moved around and newly added. Before the high water Ryan was out with Will his son doing some sampling. There were plenty of Hendrickson nymphs, Caddis, and Sulphurs. We have seen a few Hendricksons this week so far. We would expect that the dry fly fishing really picks up next week and could be a mixed bag with Hendricksons and Caddis leading the charge.
Nymphing the typical Pheasant Tails and Hares Ear will always produce. Also fishing a small streamer like a Wooly Bugger in size 10 is a good choice to cover water looking for fish. These fish are small and not heavily stocked, but if you are in the Hocking Hills area it is worth a few hours of time.
Forecast:
A small cold front is moving in for this weekend, but everything will rebound by next week. Look for mid week to be ideal dry fly weather and hopefully a good push of Smallmouth Bass.
Nymphing the typical Pheasant Tails and Hares Ear will always produce. Also fishing a small streamer like a Wooly Bugger in size 10 is a good choice to cover water looking for fish. These fish are small and not heavily stocked, but if you are in the Hocking Hills area it is worth a few hours of time.
Forecast:
A small cold front is moving in for this weekend, but everything will rebound by next week. Look for mid week to be ideal dry fly weather and hopefully a good push of Smallmouth Bass.
Erie Steelhead
Gauge Links and Maps
STEEL has been the other big topic in the shop over the past month. Every tributary has plenty of fish in every stage of the run. With the low temps and high water this season the fish are still fighting hard and kicking away strong on the release. Fish have been actively spawning for the past month and the rain has continued to bring in fresh fish.
If you have not made it out yet…
STOP READING and head north (well maybe stop by the shop or place an online order first).
Lake run Smallmouth Bass have started showing up also. These are the early fish and with the cold water temps they are not consistently chasing streamers yet. Most of these fish have come from swinging streamers or slowly fishing crawfish patterns. Suckers are also in the systems in large numbers. These fish are usually found in the slack water areas adjacent to fast water. Nymphing with double egg rigs have been the most productive. Egg patterns to be well stocked on are Glo Bugs, Scrambled eggs, Otters eggs, Cyclops, and Sucker Spawn. As the water clears and drops swapping out an egg for a nymph is a good choice. Swinging streamers has also been very productive. Flow Ryders, A.I., and Sili-Leg Intruder, Skiddish Smolt, Woolhead Sculpin and Wooly Buggers are the flies to have. If you tie flies take a look at Ryan’s Sunken Fox on our YouTube page. This has been a hot fly in the clearing water conditions.
Forecast:
We need some rain to help keep water temps and levels in perfect shape. Looking at mid week temps there will be a lot of fish pushing to the gravel to spawn. If the extended forecast holds then cooler temps and rain will come in later in the week keeping the fish happy. The guess as of right now is that we still have a couple weeks of fishing left before the water temps get too warm. We will keep you update as things start to change. Feel free to give us a call or shoot an email for up to date conditions.
STEEL has been the other big topic in the shop over the past month. Every tributary has plenty of fish in every stage of the run. With the low temps and high water this season the fish are still fighting hard and kicking away strong on the release. Fish have been actively spawning for the past month and the rain has continued to bring in fresh fish.
If you have not made it out yet…
STOP READING and head north (well maybe stop by the shop or place an online order first).
Jim Bagnoli out with MRO guide Josh McQueen on 4/26/18- they caught fish ALL DAY LONG!
Lake run Smallmouth Bass have started showing up also. These are the early fish and with the cold water temps they are not consistently chasing streamers yet. Most of these fish have come from swinging streamers or slowly fishing crawfish patterns. Suckers are also in the systems in large numbers. These fish are usually found in the slack water areas adjacent to fast water. Nymphing with double egg rigs have been the most productive. Egg patterns to be well stocked on are Glo Bugs, Scrambled eggs, Otters eggs, Cyclops, and Sucker Spawn. As the water clears and drops swapping out an egg for a nymph is a good choice. Swinging streamers has also been very productive. Flow Ryders, A.I., and Sili-Leg Intruder, Skiddish Smolt, Woolhead Sculpin and Wooly Buggers are the flies to have. If you tie flies take a look at Ryan’s Sunken Fox on our YouTube page. This has been a hot fly in the clearing water conditions.
Forecast:
We need some rain to help keep water temps and levels in perfect shape. Looking at mid week temps there will be a lot of fish pushing to the gravel to spawn. If the extended forecast holds then cooler temps and rain will come in later in the week keeping the fish happy. The guess as of right now is that we still have a couple weeks of fishing left before the water temps get too warm. We will keep you update as things start to change. Feel free to give us a call or shoot an email for up to date conditions.
Here's Greg Shoup who was out with Josh on 4/23. We usually see a nice push of big Manistee fish right around 4/20 each year and 2018 did not disappoint!!!
Mad River Outfitters/Mad River Travel/Midwest Fly Fishing Schools
Fly Shop, Guides, Trips, Classes, Schools and more!
813 Bethel Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43214
614-451-0363
