The Rivers are Back

If you live in Ohio then you know how much rain we received during the Spring and early Summer. For the most part, the rivers in many areas have not been fishable. Even if you have a kayak or canoe it’s been difficult getting out. Well, the weather finally broke in northeast Ohio and the rivers are now in good shape. In fact, as with all spate rivers that get their flows from weather fronts, we could use some rain. The flows and levels are quite low.

I had one of those weeks when I was able to get out three times. As much as I like steelhead season nothing beats this time of the year. Warm temps, early sunrises, and empty rivers make ideal conditions. I fished three different spots on the Grand and Chagrin rivers and did not see another fisherman. I’m sure they were out somewhere, just not where I was.

During the middle of the summer these rivers have a variety of species for an angler. For the panfisherman, there’s crappies and bluegills. On light tackle or a 4wt fly rod they are fun fish to catch. Smallmouth bass provide a fight for any fisherman. The resident smallmouth, while not the size of their lake run brothers, will not give up when hooked. Finally, for those fishermen looking for a bruiser there are bottom feeding carp. I’ve not hooked one but word is they will run you into your backing very quickly.

Smallie caught on the Grand with a black wooly bugger.

(Click on image for a larger view)

 

Most of the fish caught this week took several different colors of wooly buggers. White and chartreuse have been my best colors but now I’ll have to include black. In the past, I’ve not had much success with black but that changed this week. Several fish came to the net dangling a black wooly bugger out of the corner of their mouth.

I've also been throwing some terrestrials with some success. The bluegill below took a beetle pattern.

This bluegill grabbed a beetle pattern only seconds after it hit the water.

 

This morning I hit a stretch of the Chagrin, and using a white wooly bugger hooked into a nice size smallmouth within the first ten minutes. A few casts later another one grabbed the fly but I must have not set the hook well. It was off after a brief fight.

Moving downstream to a deep pool I switched to a topwater Sneaky Pete. This has a size 8 hook which may be too big for most of the fish. Over the course of 20 minutes I had about six hits but missed the hookset on all but one. It was time to downsize. I pulled a red and white popper from the fly box that is designed for panfish and two casts later a smallmouth attacked it. I played it for a bit but close to the net it got off. Fishing on the surface is so much fun!

This smallie fell for a white wooly bugger. It put up a good fight.

 

Walking back to the car I realized that I may no longer be a beginner. I’ve been fly fishing for five years and looking back at where I was two or three years ago there’s a big difference, and it is not only because I’m catching more fish. There’s a comfort level in knowing where the fish may be holding. Learning how sunlight affects the fish and the rivers has me looking at areas to fish differently. There have been many outings when I would catch a couple of fish early before the sun hits the water only to lose the bite once the sun makes an appearance. Find the shade and you will find the fish. This was true today as well, concentrating on shaded areas of the river I was able to extend the bite.

Can’t wait to get out again and learn something else.

Get out and fool a fish!