Every spring and fall my wife and I make a trip to Mohican State Park in northcentral Ohio. It is a very popular park for hikers, campers, rafters, and fishermen. In fact, during the summer it is difficult to fish with all the rafters. We find that the best time to visit is while school is in session.
The part of the Clear Fork that flows through the park is considered the lower section, below Pleasant Hill Dam. Periodic releases can change the flow quickly, as we found out this last trip. When I planned our trip this past week the depth at the gauge was .75 ft. However, by the time we arrived there was a release that bumped it to 1.8 ft. That bump stained the water, and the fishing was not the best.
You can see from the photos the river has a lot of structure, good riffles, and deep pools. In fact, the lower could pass for a Pennsylvania stream. The river can get a lot of angling pressure, so the fish are wary. The most popular fishing spots are between the dam and the covered bridge. But for someone who will take the time to hike downstream, there are some very good spots that are less pressured.
Excellent structure will hold fish.
(Click on image for larger view.)
A great run with good flow.
With a scene like this you could forget you're fishing.
Every fall the Ohio Department of Natural Resources stocks the Lower Clear Fork with brown trout. The brownies are found throughout the entire five miles of the river in the park. The park has a 12” length limit for any trout, so any trout caught right after the stocking will be released to be hooked another day.
In addition to brown trout, the river will give up smallmouth bass, bluegills, carp, creek chubs, and every once in awhile, a musky. It seems like a musky ends up in the river after getting caught in the flow when the gates are opened for a release.
Fly fishermen will have success using streamers, nymphs, and dry flies. The river can have some good hatches of midges, caddis, and mayflies. Last spring I had a good day drifting a Griffith’s Gnat on top. This past week, there were tan caddis everywhere, but no fish were rising.
This brownie fell for a Griffith's Gnat in the spring.
Summer will take a toll on the trout. Even though the river has good overhead coverage, the water warms to a critical temperature that is harmful to all but the heartiest trout. It’s a shame that something can’t be done to lower the temps, as the river could be a top trout stream. I don’t pretend to know all the intricacies of dam releases but if the Chattahoochee River, that runs through Atlanta, can hold trout year-round the lower Clear Fork should be able to.
Our favorite time to visit is during the fall when the leaves change from green to bright orange, red, and yellow. My wife, with her ever-present camera, takes care of the memories. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.
Go out and fool a fish!
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