# Black River Fun 2010



## faceman9

Ok I'm starting a new thread since Black River Fun got so big an was taking a little longer to load.
Hey Folks, off to a new season and right now its all about restocking, starting with a whole new rig. I started a thread in Tackle Talk called Reel Reviews, doing some research, if you have read the thread you will see that I recieved and $50 gift card to Dick's and started thinking about getting a new reel. Long story short, I have a Mitchell copperhead 20 spinning reel that I loved that I am sending back to Mitchell because they do not have the part I need, but their giving me 45% off a new reel which is going to be a AVOCET II G-1000F for $26 including shipping, the reel has had great reviews and BPS gave it a 4.8 out of 5. Should be getting that with in the month. Think I am going to combo that up with an Ugly Stick 6.6 M two piece. Look out smallies.
Anyways, just wanted to say hey, hope everyone made it through the winter even if we are not done yet. Still have to get a license for this year. Any of you been out steelheading, I nab 1 in December. Black River hit flood stage today. Later


----------



## flippin fool

i've got a plan to make time for river fishin this year


----------



## jay2k

Those Avocet's are really good reels for the money. I have 2 of them on my ice rods and absolutly love em'. I made the mistake of buying a small Gander Mountain reel for my deadstick and really regret not buying another avocet. The G.M. reel gets real sluggish in cold weather on the ice. My Avocets have yet to fail when cold. I know your not looking for an ice reel, but they should work great on open water too.


----------



## flippin fool

what's wrong with a pop bottle and line wrapped around it?


----------



## Yanky

I have a feelin that this year is gonna be a good year on the water. Im anxiously counting down the days till we can get back out wadin.


----------



## One Legged Josh

Here is a pic of the Black river behind my Dads house today, It was rolling pretty good. The east side of the river was in the yards. Neighbors lost their trampoline to the high water.


----------



## flippin fool

awe hell we can wade that


----------



## faceman9

Thats just a trickle, we need to go looking for that trampoline, that should make for some good cover for the fish to hang around. 
Looks like I have to wait 2 to 3 weeks from Mitchell to get my new reel, that should be just about the right time seeing as I have April 8-18 off for vacation. And you have to know what I'm going to be doing during that time, if not in the river than somewhere, but I'm fishing.


----------



## ERIE REBEL

Why is this in the North WEST ohio reports.Shouldn't this be in the North EAST side atuff?Wondered the same thing last year.


----------



## faceman9

You remember when you were a kid and you would ask your parents for something and they would say NO, then you would ask why, and the answer was BECAUSE. Why is this in the Northwest forum? because. Just joking, I figured that the Rocky is Northeast and Vermillion is Northwest, well the Black sits in the middle, so I just decided to start it in the Northwest Forum. No one ever questioned it before, so Erie Rebel is it Ok with you if I just leave it here. Please, Thank you.


----------



## ERIE REBEL

faceman9 said:


> You remember when you were a kid and you would ask your parents for something and they would say NO, then you would ask why, and the answer was BECAUSE. Why is this in the Northwest forum? because. Just joking, I figured that the Rocky is Northeast and Vermillion is Northwest, well the Black sits in the middle, so I just decided to start it in the Northwest Forum. No one ever questioned it before, so Erie Rebel is it Ok with you if I just leave it here. Please, Thank you.


No problem man.Just wasn't quite sure if you were east west challenged or not.


----------



## faceman9

I feel like Christmas, My new reel just came today (Mitchell Avocet II G1000) its nice. I have a $50 dollar gift card, $10 off $50 coupon and two $10 off $25 coupons. Need to get license $19, New rod, Berkley Lightning Rod IM6 or Shakespeare Ugly Stik Lite Graphite Rod? both are $40 at Dick's. What do ya think. Going shopping by Friday cause I'm hoping to fish the river on Saturday. Looks like the rest of the week is going to be nice.


----------



## Yanky

If Im still in town on saturday, Id be down for joining you on the river. Im not sure if Im headed back to new jersey for work or not being as its easter weekend. 

I love my ugly stick so Id vote for that.


----------



## noweight

faceman9:

I have both those rods and I like them both, but a word of warning about the ugly stick lite. The reel seat on mine is a pain. It is too big for my shimano reels, so even when full tightened the reels slip a bit in the seat. Its an easy fix of course, but if you change reels very often, it can be a hassle. Not a deal-breaker by any means and maybe that new Mitchell has a larger foot on it, but something to consider if all else is equal.


----------



## faceman9

I don't know if I settled for it or it was a good deal. Went ot Dick's last night, finally got some waders so Saturday is on for sure. Got some new line, Trilene XL smooth cast 6lb. Now to the rod, They didn't have a very big selection of the ugly stick and diffinetly not the one that I wanted, They didn't have any Lightning rods. So I ended up getting a 6'6" meduim action IM6 Field and Stream, Dick's regular price of 44.99 on sale for 24.99. Looks like a very good rod, so I'll test it out and see, has a one year warranty. So I have my rig together, so I'm ready to start the season. Need to get a few more things, but those can be picked up here and there. Planning on being on the river around 9 -10am Saturday. Yanky, you in town. Tight lines folks.


----------



## Yanky

Looks like Im screwed again. Ill be heading out of town for work on friday and gone till monday/tuesday. If the weather is nice next week, Ill be out on the river. Hopefully we can get some time in then. Keep me posted on how things look this year. With all the rain/snow, I would imagine that the river changed a bit and some of our spots are either gone or way better.


----------



## faceman9

No problem, I'm on vacation April 8-18. lets hope there is some good weather during that time. Let me know when your available. There is a fishmens flea market on April 9th in Oberlin that I am going to, you interested? Drive safely, see ya when you get back.


----------



## faceman9

Get a brand new rig Wed, haven't even put line on it yet, busy last night, and busy tonight. To best days of the year so far and I can't get out. I will be on the river by 9am Tomorrow, anyone care to going me, I'll see ya there.


----------



## faceman9

isn't that like changing the oil in your car and not taking it out for a test drive!


----------



## flippin fool

more like going on your honeymoon and not having sex...lmao


----------



## yonderfishin

Anybody ever see steelhead in the black ?


----------



## flippin fool

nope! never seen any steelhead in the black


----------



## juicebox

there are plenty of steelhead in the black river. i've lived near the river my whole life and have caught plenty.


----------



## faceman9

River looked like chocolate milk today so I went to a feeder creek. 5 hrs bunch of creek chubs, hooked up once, made the drag sing, went air bourne and tossed the jig, looked about 25". talked to another guy who was fly fishing, he got one, about 30". New rig worked great, have to get used to the medium action rod after using ultra lite last year. Couple times I hook into a chub and yanked him right out of the water. As much as I hope the river would clear up with vacation coming at the end of the week and the whole week after that, we need a good rain to bring in the fish. Yes there are steelhead in the Black, we just don't like to anounce it. I used jig and maggot most of the day, did switch the a spinner at one point for a couple of holes but not even a bump. I switched back to jig and maggot and took the float off, just keep the rod tip high and let the current do the rest. Might not have got any steal, but still had fun at least catching chubs, and the weather was perfect.


----------



## flippin fool

same here juicebox. i used to live about 10 minutes away from the lorain side of the metro parks.


----------



## faceman9

With the rain that is suppose to be coming this week, I know I asked for it, I think I am going to head down to the river after work. Looks like height and discharge are down from Sat when I went to look. Scott, did you even try and go out on Sun. Hoping for tinted and not chocolate milk. Going to try some stealheading but not ruling out putting a crank on and seeing if I can find some smallies. Two more days till vacation.


----------



## juicebox

now if any of you ever catch any walleye running up the black in the spring let me know, cause i'd be really interested in that..


----------



## flippin fool

i can honestly say you won't find any walleye up the river. once in a while someone catches one perch fishing by the coastguard station. i didn't go anywhere sunday. still recovering from saturdays adventure...lol


----------



## Shadowolf

I went to the Black river Sun. after easter dinner I played by day's dam the river wasn't too bad at all I saw fish jumpin but I couldn't hook anything. it actually looked summer like to me, and I have caught fish in worse conditions than now. I love the Black river I found it maybe 3 years ago it's very fun for the Smallies in three days two years ago I got 35 most very large 8"-14". It's good to see people talking about it's one of the most underrated rivers in Ohio in my opinion, but I kind of like it that way.....


----------



## faceman9

Thats exactly the way we like it to Shadowolf. I ended up going back to the feeder creek after work to try again for some stealhead, didn't happen, but at least I was fishing, right.


----------



## faceman9

Alright, I tired of the creek fishing, and the wife has already given her approval, so I am heading to the river tonight. should have gone last night, but wanted to see if I could hook up on that steal that I lost from Sat. The camera is in the bag, I will give a post later tonight, hopefully with pics of fish. Sat looked like chocolate milk, Shadowolf said Sun evening wasn't to bad, so I hope tonight will be alright. Going to take the seine and get some minnows if the artificals don't work. I let you know how it goes later.


----------



## flippin fool

if nothing else the bass should be biting good


----------



## faceman9

Yeah, I pretty confident that I should be able to hook up on something. LM, SM, WB, Crappie, maybe even a chome.


----------



## flippin fool

or a rubber boot


----------



## Offshore Limits

why would you consider the black river to be in eastern ohio?? its west


----------



## faceman9

Offshore Limits, not quite sure what the question is, this thread is in the Northwest forum. Black is in the middle of the state. Until there is a North middle Forum, I'll keep it here. 

Yanky and I got together and hit the river around 7pm. started the the first set of rapids, amazing what and extra 6-8" of water will make the river look like. Visiblity was good, about 2 1/2 fow. Looked awesome and was great to finally get back down there. I started the evening with a 12" LM, Yanky was next with a 14" LM, I nab a little 8" SM after that. We moved up to the big hole around the bend, I hit a 15" LM right at the top of the hole in the rapids. Finally, Finally got to put the new rig into action, I'll be happy with it. Yanky's camera had dead batteries, I brought my daughters camera so we have pics, the problem is they are all like 2MB, to big to post on here with the size restrictions. When I get them resized and its not so late, I will post them. Well, that was a great evening to state the year off. looking forward to alot more. I was throwing a jointed rapala shad, thats what I started with and ended with, I believe Yanky was throwing a jig with a 3" shad paddle tail. Tight lines to all. See ya on the river, one more day till vacation.


----------



## Shadowolf

Nice Job! I have to get down there I was gonna go yesterday but hit Spencer Lake instead did really well there. I should have gone today before work. I have tomorrow off but made a lunch date with a girl I've been trying to go out with I should cancel!! No! it's gonna be raining anyway lol....


----------



## Yanky

I was using a 2" paddletail, but regardless, it was a great night out. The weather was great, the water was clear, the fish were biting. Great night to be out. Im just glad that I got one fish.


----------



## Shadowolf

I hit the river today from day's dam to about 300 ft from the first set of rapids. Nothing! The river still looked decent. I did bump in to a guy that said he got some yesterday I don't remember if he said he got anything today (was that someone on this post?) anyway If the weather would have stayed nicer I would have stayed longer.


----------



## faceman9

Not me Shadowolf, wishing I was there though.
I am on vacation. yeah for me


----------



## faceman9

Pics from last night, They didn't turn out to good, I have to find my camera instead of my daughters. Sorry Yanky, I should have gotten closer instead of zooming in from across the river


----------



## flippin fool

no wonder the fish weren't biting that good, if i had to look at those mugs i'd run...lol  i hope to hit it soon with you guys again.


----------



## Yanky

hahaha awesome! it was a good tester day. cant wait to get out and REALLY test the waters.


----------



## faceman9

yuck, what a day. and tomorrows worse. Hey, I Resemble that remark, Scott. your just jealous that we beat you to it, Haha. I am going to the Fishing Tackle Flea Market tomorrow, its in the Outdoor Events & Seminars Forum as a sticky, anyone else. I have three old reels that I want to get appraised, I say old, I mean, 
1, Pflueger Akron #1894
2, Okel Tripart #581 free spool. A.F.Meisselbach Mfg made in Elyria, it has Patent #'s for Nov15, 1904, Dec 27 1904, June 20 1905, March 5 1907 and Aug 8 1909. In great shape w/ bone handle.
3, Okel Free spool level winding reel #620 w/ bone handle. A.F.Meisselbach Mfg made in Elyria.
That old. And there in good shape.
So, lets take a toll, which river is going to clear first RR, BR, or VR. 
Yeah Scott, have you ever wet wade the Huron river like we do the Black, I am interested in fishing it in the summer, but don't know where to go. Anybody have any experience there. 
I think I'm going to go buy some more of those jointed rapalas, that one worked pretty good. Its the only one I have!
Later.


----------



## faceman9

I found my camera.


----------



## flippin fool

the black will take the longest to clear. as for the huron, it would be a good place to wade.


----------



## faceman9

Went out yesterday from 2-5, 1 LM and 1 SM is all I could get, I did hook into a real big smallie on the back end of a hole, but as I was trying to get down the bank the fish took another jump and I lost it. That was a good size one too. I went out this morning from 8:30 till 1pm, thought I was going to have a good morning, ended up with 1 LM, and a 24in carp. I was bouncing a worm and jig on the bottom and thought I was into a steelhead and big smallie at first, got him in and its a carp, was a good fight though, dang thing peeled line 3 times. Not sure if I am going to go further in tomorrow or some place else. Guess I'll sleep on it unless someone has a suggestion. No white bass yet. Saw serveral guys fly fishing and serveral others throughout the morning, but not really any fish were being caught.


----------



## Shadowolf

I went down today also Started at like 2pm till 6 around 4-4:30 I stumbled upon a nice hole that produced well for me. Finally my first 4 Bass on the river it only took 4 trips to get hot. I'll be back out the next few day's I really want to explore more of the river I still have not made it past the first set of big rapids this year but it's still early...


----------



## faceman9

Nice fish Shadow, that LM looks familiar. I was in the same spot this morning, along with 2 or 3 others on and off during the time I was there. Have a feeling the bite doesn't turn on till the afternoon. The morning just did not have anything going at all. See if I can change that tomorrow, when everything in the tackle box doesn't work, go to live bait. Not sure if I want to carry the seine and bucket or just go back up stream to the non pressured areas. Let me know if you have a mornings open this week, I'll make a trek into the outback with ya.

I was working on trying to catch fish that I didn't take to many pics, but here's a couple. I was surprised at how close the deer crossed the river to me, but with me just aimlessly throwing a lure hoping for a bite, I don't think they were threatened.


----------



## Shadowolf

you're right about the bite being on in the late afternoons that's one thing I have noticed about the Black River in 75% of my good day's down there the hits and fish came around 4 -7ish. today I got my first at 4. I'm sure I passed fish along the way it's just what I've noticed.

Nice fish also I'm good most mornings just depends on how early you go Wed I'm meeting up with a buddy from Parma he's been fishing the Rocky River with some SM success, but the RR SM are tiny compared to what's in the BR I was thinking about bringing him to the Black River or Rest Haven so maybe we'll head out that way. But I'm always game to head to the river.


----------



## Genoknave

I never catch any decent bass in my stretch of the black river. I do have pretty good luck with catfish off bread balls though. Got this guy last night.


----------



## Shadowolf

Wow nice cat!


----------



## faceman9

That's a nice size channel cat Geno, looks about 20", must have put up a good fight. What part of the river are you at. 
Tues morning rain, after waiting for the front to go through and see what damage was done to the river I headed down at 10:30 am, wasn't as bad as I thought, it went up just a little and the coloring stayed the same with good visibility. I was the only one in the parking lot, decided to make the trek into some non pressured areas, and fish the honey hole. I was well rewarded from the walk, I pulled 9 SM and 8 LM, with the biggest smallie going 16" and the same with the LM. Bad news, I left the camera sitting on the desk so the only pic that I got came from my phone.
Shadow, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, we'll hit the water together some time soon.


----------



## Shadowolf

It's cool I went down alone my buddy bailed on me I think I saw you and maybe a friend were you wearing yellow? if so I walked by y'all on my journey up the river. I went quite a way's up! All I managed was 4 SM I had a LM but she came off right at the shore line. I found some nice area's and managed 2 fish up river from the rapids I'm for sure going to head back up river looked to be some very nice area's. Sorry no pic's I took them but they looked like the last one's and I'm sure you've caught them, although they looked fat with eggs which was nice.


----------



## Genoknave

Its behind my house close to downtown elyria.


----------



## bassnassassin

Nice seeing you guys out there today. I ended up getting 5 or 6 bass, the biggest being a Largemouth that went around 16-17 in. First fish came on the jointed rapala. I decided to see if I could get the topwater bite going and got all the rest on a pop-r. Fun to get the topwater action going again! Had a big fish swing and miss on the popper and couldn't get it to hit again.


----------



## Shadowolf

Nice fish.. Top water really? I've been tempted to try one but I have zero luck with top waters it May be a good time to learn how to use them. 

I think next time I go down I'm going to wear a Hello my name is sticker  ... looks like a bunch of us are filtering through the same holes.


----------



## faceman9

bassnassassin, nice meeting you too. I"ve got to see you do that top water action sometime. 
I hit the river about 11am this morning, I fished the first hole and the island for about and hour, not really expecting anything, but trying out a couple new crayfish jigs. Ran into another guy that was fly fishing, we were the only two there for a while. around noon we're fishing the same hole, I noticed he had a fish on, but buy the time I could get over to him to get a pic, he release the fish. Now, I have debate with myself about whether or not I was gong to put this on here, but in the end I decided this is here to help others fish the the river that I enjoy. So, with that out of the way, it turns out as you have by now guessed, the fly guy caught a steelhead, from about 15 feet away, it looked about 18". At this point the fly guy calls it a day and heads out, Yanky is in the parking lot and I am standing by this hole that I know a steelie just came out of. Open the bag of goodies, white malibou jig with a pink head. Second cast produced a 20" steelhead. Yanky showed up, pics were taken, fish was released. 
Yanky and I head back to the honey hole, guess what, no bite, neither one of got anything, we decided to move and go to Yanky's favorite hole, where he starts pulling them left and right, every other cast, I would look over and his pole is bending over and his drag is singing. He got 6 SM and 1 LM, I think the biggest went 15" and the smallest being 12". Everyone of these fish looked like a football today, just fat a thick. I pulled 1 from that hole and 1 more from another hole, I only caught 3 fish today, but the fish I caught, 20" steelie, 17" smallie and a 16" smaliie. Yanky has the 16" pic but here's the other two. Sorry guys, I had to come clean. I'll be on the water early tomorrow, weather looks nice, hope it will be a good day. 
Tight lines everyone.
Where you at Scott.


----------



## faceman9

I picked the best day of the week to not go fishing, decided to get some things done around the house with only a couple of more days left of vacation. But, I still could not stay away from the river. Took the dog for a walk on the Bur Oak side of the park and went along the river, now my wife thinks that I just took the dog for a walk, which I did, just had the fishing pole in my hand as I went. If you guys have only fished the Days Dam side, your missing some good holes on the other side of the park. There wasn't a single person fishing there, I ended up catching 1 SM about 10", and I only made a dozen cast, but if I didn't have the dog and had the waders, it would have been on. So, we have 70% chance of rain tomorrow, but I'm still going out. Hope you guys that fished today, had some luck. Most of the threads all say, beautiful day, slow fishing. Anybody do any better on the Black today.


----------



## Shadowolf

I hit the river from 12-4 saw no one on the water the whole time I managed to get 3 SM's. I got 2 of them up river from the rapids and one just before the bend in very fast water. I think it was a great day on the water my main goal was to get as far up river as I could. As far as the other side I have been wanting to hike around and work it. With waders or warmer water it would be a piece of cake to walk across. I was thinking about crossing the bridge then working my way down. Here's my BEAST I got today just shy of 17" fat and heavy! Although I think if I would have measured her right (tipping the tail) she would hit 17". I was playing with it when I was pulling her in then I saw her break the water and saw how big she was and I was like "get this fish in here now"! Awesome fight best of the year so far.


----------



## faceman9

Thats a nice Smallie Shadow, Thats 17" don't think twice about it. She gave you a good fight. Did you put her back in her hole too make babies? I love knowing that we have these 17-23", And yes I say 23" I helped net it in 1984, The guy put it in a bucket and went to get it mounted, never saw him again. My PB is 19.5 on the Black. What is everyone else's,
PB Smallie on the black?
Shadow, you don't have to walk to the other side, East river rd S across 254, Ford rd on the right, take it till it ends and that's Bur Oak Park, the other side. Park the car in the first parking lot at the end, follow the paved path on the left you will see a path that takes you to the river. bunch of good holes in there.


----------



## flippin fool

damn fellas... i am gonna have to quit reading these posts...lol i need to find time to get my sorry butt out there with you.


----------



## Shadowolf

Ok thanks for the parking info I've been looking at the river in google earth trying to spot some sweet spots and how to get to them. And yes I put her back in I never keep a Bass or really any fish for that matter.


----------



## faceman9

I fished the Millow side of the park. I went for steelhead, which are everywhere and massive in size, if you fly fish, you are set. I'm not a fly fisherman, so I was drfting a white fly pinkheaded jig under a inline float. Steelhead all around me 25"-35" swear. I tried everything, different colored jigs, spinners of different colors, plastics, rapala's, I even placed a fly, from arm out pole out straight down on the nose of a 25" steel, I could see him breathing, didn't want anything to do with it. I could not get them to bite. Helped a fly guy almost land a 30" male buck, broke off when he tried to beach him. But what I did get with that white fly pinkheaded jig was pretty good. It started with the first SM 12" pictured, ended 6 later with the last one pictured, picture speaks for itself. That would be PB for the year so far. Go to the VR, you will be dumb-founded. Also pulled 4 Rock bass throwing a jig and worm.


----------



## Shadowolf

wow nice fish!!! tell ya what, soon one of us is going to get a fish Ohio sm out of that river.


----------



## flippin fool

wait til we get the 6 lbers out of erie...lol


----------



## faceman9

Patiently waiting for that day. you say when and I'll be ready. Thats why I switched to a medium action rod and 6# test this year instead of the ultra lite and 4#. Although my oldest daughter loves the ultra lite, just have to get her a new reel. Yanky is supposed to be fishing the V today, waiting to hear back from him for how his day went.
Shadow, planning on getting one this year sometime, I have lost 2 already that I believe were 20"s. 
Sunday is the last day of vacation, think I will hit the Bur Oak side of the park tomorrow and see what I can get. not sure what time I am going yet. Did anyone fish the Black today?
You know, I went to that fishermen's flea market in Oberlin last Friday and they had Fish Ohio pins for sale from 1984 -1990 that were like $16 - $20. I guess it all has to do with what is on the pin, I think 1990 was a smallmouth bass, that one was $20.


----------



## faceman9

Is no one fishing, or just not posting. Yanky and I went out on Friday after work, went to the Ford rd bridge area. Fishing was slow, but I did manage it get this one, #2 for the year.


----------



## faceman9

I headed down to the Bur Oak side of the Park to fish on Sat, rain was on and off, river had not been phased yet. I know that I talk about the Days Dam side alot, but if you have not seen the otehr side than here you go. I caught 14 smallies and 2 rock bass in 2.5 hours. Walked from the parking lot to the path behind the first pavillion to the river. There is a path that follow along the river for the parts that you can not wade in, I went all the way to the first bridge. Tell ya what, by the time I got back to the car I was dead tired, waders are heavy, but beats a treadmill anyday of the week.


----------



## faceman9

Two more pics of the day.


----------



## danishmaggot

Hey Faceman, what parks do you go to for your spots?


----------



## faceman9

Hey Folks, headed down last night from about 6:30 till 9. River looks good, I thought it would have been up with all of the rain, but most of what we got was right here in town. Water was clear, good 1 1/2 visibility, flow was good, so on to how things turned out, NOTHING, thats how it turn out. I can honestly say, that was probably the first time that I have gone down and not caught a single thing. What was I throwing, everything, here's a list, Top water: Heddon torpedo, Pop R, Spinners: Roostertails, multiple different colors, Mepps. Cranks: Rapala's, orginals, floating, count downs, jointed, big and small. Plastics: if you have seen my box, I have it. I could feel them lipping the plastics, but no takers at all. The spawn is on big time right now, I could see SM and LM making beds, but to get them to eat something, wasn't happening. This was about the same as Yanky and I fishing the Vermilion river last weekend. 1 SM, 1 LM and a couple a rock bass between the two of us. Oh well, what was biting were the Carp and Catfish. Saw a couple of guys come down a bit from were I was, set a chair down, baited a hook and tossed it out, about a 18-20" channel cat in about 5 minutes. Before you turn your noses up, if you have never sat down on the bank and tossed out a dough ball or catfish bait or use the tail of a crayfish on a hook and waited for something to bite, namely a catfish or carp, and than set the hook into one of those things, your missing some fun. I've had battles with carp that have been 10-20 minutes long and they can peel line out when ever they want. That goes the same with the catfish, there are some big un's in there, and can be a blast to fish for. I had Yanky hooked up on a 24" carp last year using a minnow, hook and bobber, lol, I will never forget the smile on his face after he finally landed it some 20 minutes later. 
*danishmaggot*, as for where we fish, parks. Looks like your in Lorain, go to 31st St between 57 and E River, Park is called Days Dam, walk down the concrete path to the river and find and area that looks good. Also, Bur Oak park off of Ford rd, also Cascade Park in to summer is a blast. If you do a search for *Black River Fun *, you will find a thread that I started that has about 8 or 9 pages, alot of good info and pics in that one, I go back and check it every so often to see what I was using about this time of year. With all that being said, The rain that is coming in this weekend and the cold front next week, I am done fishing for a couple of weeks. Have some yard work, house work and vehicle work that needs to be done. I figure around the 22nd or 29th of the month the white bass will be on. I give a post if I head over to the park as to water conditions. Tight lines all. Let us all know if anybody is having luck.


----------



## danishmaggot

Thanks, I know all those places. I will see if I can get my brothers in law with me down to one of them when the weather gets nice again. Might see you there!


----------



## faceman9

Stopped by Days Dam yesterday and today to check the river, I would say coffee with cream was about the right color, and a big time flow going on. Hopefully this will bring the WB in. So I headed to a little creek that I know. Just when you think it's over, not, 17" rainbow hiding in some deep water with a lot of cover. I'm going to post a pic in the steelhead section.


----------



## flippin fool

your just having a good year


----------



## faceman9

Hope it stays a good year. Looks like the levels are still up according to the gauge. I going to heading over to one mile in Lorain after work and see if I can find some WB. Figured I'd try the mouth of the river and see if they are stacking up. To nice of a day to not try something.


----------



## faceman9

Beautiful evening yesterday. picked up a buddy and headed down to the marina. I toss up a little of everything but no takers. Would have been real nice to have a boat a throw some rapala's to the breaker walls or boat docks. hint, Scott. How's the boat. Anyways, Saw a 6" crappie twitching a little on the surface, laying sideways but not quite dead. 15 minutes later this 20" channel cat starts playing with the crappie, trying to eat him. The cat got him in sideways, then he spit him back out and play with his food a little more. Finally got him head on and swallowed him down. Did this for like 15 minutes. Right around dust we watch a 4' long gar swim by looking for food, I had a heddon torpedo on and threw it down the bank ahead of him, gave a couple little twitches, but nothing. They have the land developement going on in the wetlands there, moving alot of dirt, I read about it at one point but forgot what they were doing. If anyone knows, let us know. Later folks.


----------



## flippin fool

i'm hoping sometime in the first week of june to have the boat back together?


----------



## faceman9

Finally, no more waders. With limited time this week, actually, no time left the rest of the week. I headed down last night from 8-9pm. I started at the deep section down stream of the first hole, tossed a 1/8th white roostertail across the river to a downed tree, water is stained, about 12" visiblity, and still running high. The lure hit the water about a foot from the tree branch, I set the blade in motion waiting for the hit, Bam, yeah baby, you still have it. skunked the last two times out. Felt good to have some weight on the end of the the line, ripping down stream than back up again, the tell tell signs of a smallie on the end of the line and out of the water it came. Not a monster, 12", thats ok, at least something is biting, and something was, Mosquito's. Holly crap, had to get away from the bank and land in general. I walked down to the first hole still using the roostertail but the smallie's are not setting in the fast water right now. I changed up to a jig and 3" white twister tail and made my way to the big hole around the bend. If you are in the middle of the river, the little knat's fly around you, which I can handle a lot more than being on shore and the mosquito's biting you. I flipped the bail and held the line with my finger, working my way in the water to a good casting position. Picked my spot and let it fly, I was working the back of the pocket and casting to the rapids, dozen cast later I walked up to the rapid and let the water take the lure instead of retrieving it back to me, know I can let it go out with the current. That seemed to be the ticket, I slow down my retrieve, keep the rod tip high, and slowly twitched the jig in the current, Bam, 10" crappie, Bam, 9" crappie, Bam, 10" crappie, BAM, what the hell, this has some weight, must be a smallie. the fish hit the current making it easy to peel some line out, then headed up into the rapids which get me a better position, slow working it back to me, I see something, looks like a big smallie, down again and hit the current, ripped out 10 yards of line. Easy boy, I don't want to lose you now. walk to the back of the hole and work him to the bank. 20" channel cat inhaled my jig, nice fight though. I caught 1 more crappie after that, but it was time to head out. Not bad for 1 hour. The bugs made thing miserable. Not a single WB, I would have thought they would have been there by now. Come on in, the water is fine. A couple more day of this weather and the river will be great. tight lines to everyone.


----------



## bassnassassin

Hey guys,
Hit the river this morning for a couple hours. River is starting to clear up, still got a nice stain to it though. Fishing was pretty slow.... Ended up catching two catfish, the first of which was pretty big (biggest one I have ever caught at least), didn't measure but took some pics and will post them when I get a chance. The first cat hit a plastic crawfish and the second one hit on a white grub. I guess the catfish are biting huh faceman. The both gave some good fights, but would have liked to got into some bass. Lost 3 or 4 bass, all of which were only on for a couple seconds. One seemed pretty good. Threw pretty much everything I had but couldn't get anything going. Even snagged two baitfish and tried them under a bobber but still got nothing. Did see fish chasing and feeding, just couldn't get any consistent bit going. Lotta snakes out and about, one snuck up on me while I was walking in the river which is never a good feeling.... Also saw some gar in the river. 

Hope the fishing picks up as the water clears. Good luck to all! Only have limited time to get on the water but I hope I can be getting out again later this week.


----------



## faceman9

I agree, I was hoping for a smallie bite, was fishing for white bass, everything else is bonus. Wish the crappie would have been a couple inches bigger, and the channel cat, you have to admite, they are fun to catch, espically on artifical. Look like things are going to have a chance to clear up this week, down side is I have no time till next week. Oh well, for see many good days ahead. Glad you were able to get out *bassnassassin*, I had the same thing last night, I though I was getting some bites but it was liek they were tail lipping it, nothing that want to hang on, think they are in that "protect the nest" mode, piss them off and they will grab ahold, but no attacks. Gar, I saw a couple of them last year, wondering if they are finding the black suitable for habitation, anyone know how to catch a Gar, if they are going to be around, wouldn"t mind know how to catch them. I am going to throw this out there, it's something I was thinking about last year. The section of river that is above the rapids/little falls at the big bend. that section is flat during the summer and slow moving, but has little pocket all around it, I would kind of suspect that during this time of the year with the water a little high and little flow would make a good breeding ground for the smallies, rock bed, gravel, pockets. I have never fish that section this time of the year. Just saying, they are not where they would nomally be, but they are somewhere in there. Couple of pics from last night, no smallies pic, was small and I thought I was going to get a bigger one for a pic.


----------



## faceman9

I was able to get out tonight from 8-9:30. Did the usual starting hole than moved upstream. going through the shallow riffle area I see fish on beds, still using the jig and 3"white twistertail, I start throwing across river, about the third cast I hook up, white bass. I pulled 6 males about 10" each from one pocket and 4 more the same size from another pocket. No big females or males yet, but in the next couple of days it will be on. 
River looks really good, visiblity 2', flow has gone down by half from two days ago. I made my way to the big hole, I fished the back for a little for crappie, nothing. I fished the front, in the rapids for a little, nothing. So I took my words of advise. From the big hole I made the trek into the flats area that I was talking about. Its about 300 yards from the big hole where the river is about 2 fow, but with pocket holes that drop to 4 fow.

Alright, you know this river, you told others to go up here and look for the smallies, you do it. Started walking along the edge of the cliff, man this is some slippery stuff. Where was that hole again, the rock, there it is, still about 50 yards. As I sneek up to the hole I see fish flashing, turning side ways, there's a bunch of them, oh those are smallies. because of the water depth I switched to a orginal 2" floating rapala. Alright, you have fished this hole before, right up there is a shale plate with a drop off, always bass right there. Flipped the bail and fingered the line, got to my casting point, let it fly. Slow a steady, that was a bump, that was amother one. nothing. Right back into the same spot, Hookup. I parked the car on the street next to the park so that I could stay later in the park. Smallie, 12", thats a good start. The sun had gone down, I could see the big moon through the trees, still enough light to see what I was doing before it got to dark. Flash right there on the back side, flash again 2' from me, big one just jumped at the front of the hole. I was rght, they are up here spawning. I stayed on the hole for 30 minutes and pulled 12 smallies, the smallest went 12", the biggest went 17.5, acually 2 went at 17.5. I didn't want to leave but it was getting real dark and I still needed to walk back along the cliff and slipper rocks. I left, on the way back to the big hole I went down hard, thought I broke my new reel but it's ok, nice scrape on my leg and a good chunk off my thumb, didn't care, I was to happy that I found the smallies. by the time I made it back to the big hole the moon was cresting the trees big and bright. I made a couple more casts at the back of the hole and hit 1 more smallie at 13" before thing got erie and I started hearing noises in the woods and thinking no one else is out here and the park is closed, it's time to go, glad I keep a mini mag in the bag, needed it to get back through the woods. Beautiful night, glad I was able to make it out, what a blast. No pics, left the camera sitting here at the desk. White bass are here. smallies are in full spawn with the full moon and I have the the weekend and Monday off, I don't see any rain in the forecast. who wants to get together this weekend and fish. tight lines.


----------



## flippin fool

i should have the new trolling motor this weekend for the boat. 1 down 1 to go...lol


----------



## faceman9

Let's get that thing in the water Flippin, River is in awesome shape right now. If you look off of Henderson bridge (611) Theres all kinds of spots that look like it would hold some lunkers. I have know idea what my schedule is for the three days off, I do know that I am taking a ride out to Bass Pro Shop I believe tomorrow to pick up a pair of river shoes that they have on sell, and I need to get another reel for the oldest daughter, not sure if we are going to stop any where on the way back or not. Now that the WB are in the Black, would like to get back down there for a stringer full with the kids. see if I can find some of the bigger crappie. I believe Monday is family day so that only leaves Sat and Sun. What's everyone one else got going on. Talked to one of the park rangers the other day, he recommended a spot that I have been meaning to try, but have not gone to yet, might have to hit that this weekend too.


----------



## bassnassassin

Glad you were able to put your theory to work and find the fish! Have been out of town for the wknd, let us now how the fishing was, hopefully I'll be back out again soon!


----------



## westtoledofisherman

how could i get to the black river from toledo or what are the names of the parks around there so i can google map it? thanks.


----------



## faceman9

Headed down Sat from 4-9, had a good day. Fish around caught a couple of WB small. Couple of Crappie, nothing to brag about. Walked the flats and pulled 6 SM, here's a couple of pics. Good sun burning day. I caught a crayfish and hooked him up with a float, through to a hunny hole caught the current, Bam, 20" channel cat. I may go down a just catfish one day. We'll have to see what the rain will do, yes, we know. Tight lines.

*westtoledofisherman*go to the 5-7-2010 date in this thread, it's explained there.

Lot's of cottonwood in the water, have to clean the line about every cast.


----------



## flippin fool

the cotton wood is getting bad everywhere


----------



## westtoledofisherman

hey whats up flippin? how's your truck coming along?


----------



## Sandpike85

Is visiting the black river worth an hour and a half trip or longer for smallies? I am from the Toledo area and Im always looking for new places to try out. Does anyone think it is comparable to the Maumee River for smallies? It looks like a nice place with all the pictures on the thread. It seems like it would be a nice place to catch some smallies and enjoy the natural surroundings.


----------



## westtoledofisherman

Sandpike85 said:


> Is visiting the black river worth an hour and a half trip or longer for smallies? I am from the Toledo area and Im always looking for new places to try out. Does anyone think it is comparable to the Maumee River for smallies? It looks like a nice place with all the pictures on the thread. It seems like it would be a nice place to catch some smallies and enjoy the natural surroundings.


hey are u ever gonna text me back? lol. you wanna go out on a headboat? ive been doing it abou once a week and last week i came out of there with 17 perch.


----------



## Yanky

I was down there last thursday and yea, the cottonwood fluff is horrible. I was cleaning after every cast. The white bass are slowly movin in though. Hopefully Ill get down there this week Tom, if youre up for it. Or maybe this weekend for a full day trek?


----------



## flippin fool

the truck is ready to go fishing, the new trolling motor is on the boat ready to go fishing, now just gotta get some carb issues worked out on the outboard and i will be good as new


----------



## VermFisher

I fished the river last Friday. But I couldn't tell what I was catching. I'm not real educated on fish so, I was either big white bass or big white crappie. They were all 9-10 inches. I was throwing a black headed jig w/ white twister tail. They seemed to be setting in deeper slow water with shade near. Cast after cast, fish on. It was a surprise to me as I was trying for smallies. But I do have one question. Is it possible to catch sheephead in the Black? My first cast i hooked a huge fish. When I brought it in, it looked little a sheephead. But I wasn't sure.


----------



## faceman9

*VermFisher* yep, sheephead. There are some good sized ones in there. every now and than you hook into one and think "big fish" but they come in like a stick. If they would fight a little more, they would be fun to catch. if you were throwing jig w/ white twister tail, it could have been Crappie or WB, as far as size goes, 10-14" would be more along the size that would be big, 9-10" are just dinks.

*Yanky* Sunday would be the best day for me, but I think it's up to mother nature right now. I have not gone over to the park since the rain, but the gauge shows it up. Not sure what if any more rain is coming? 

*westtoledofisherman*, *Sandpike85*, either of you guys fish Sandusky or Huron. I have been wanting to making a trip that way to see what the fishing is like over there. I hardly ever see posts about the Huron river, but from looking at google earth there seems to be a lot of fishable water.

*Flippin* patently waiting, we may have to break out the rubber bands and a piece of woods to make a pin wheel paddle. We'll get there some day.


----------



## VermFisher

Thanks for the info. Does anyone eat white crappie? i see people eat the white bass. But I don't know about the other.


----------



## faceman9

I am sure that some will agree and some will not, to each his own. If I could find a place where I could catch a bunch of crappie between 12-15" dinner would be on the table. To me, crappie is one of the best tasting fresh water fish there is.


----------



## VermFisher

Is there a way for me to tell the differance between the two? I know that seems like a dumb question. But I just don't know my fish.


----------



## faceman9

ODNR website. Here's a link for fish indentification.
http://www.flipseekllc.com/wildohio2009sportfish.html


----------



## Mykidsr1

Faceman,
Just caught your thread by accident. Looks like you have a very nice area to fish. Love the pictures of the river...

GL Man'


----------



## faceman9

Thanks *Mykidsr1* I like the area a lot and believe quite a few other do as well. Just doing my part of letting everyone know what is biting and where I go for the most part. I do have some honey holes that get mentioned here and there but locations are not always given away.


----------



## Rainer Wolf

Thinking of hitting the mouth monday...if i do, will def update ya...love the link...tight lines


----------



## Yanky

It looks like were gonna have spotty rain over the next few days. Hopefully things clear up by the end of the weekend. Im itchin to get back down and have a proper day of fishing. Ill keep my eyes on the gauges.

Tom, did you end up picking up any wading shoes? I ordered some from cabelas yesterday, but its been hard finding a good selection at decent prices. Locally I was unable to find a damn thing.


----------



## flippin fool

alot of my poor hillbilly friends just use old tennis shoes travis


----------



## flippin fool

as for the huron river, if your in the area it's worth fishing. i wouldn't make a special trip from toledo to fish it. yeah you'll catch smallies and largemouth but not much size to them. i have not found a river that comes close to the black yet?


----------



## faceman9

_as for the huron river, if your in the area it's worth fishing. i wouldn't make a special trip from toledo to fish it. yeah you'll catch smallies and largemouth but not much size to them. i have not found a river that comes close to the black yet? _

Now look what you did. they'll be coming out of the woodwork now. I have been a poor hillbilly for quite a few years, Yes, I have found wading shoes. It's actually a funny story. Kids needed some clothes, Saturday we decided to go shopping, I didn't. Went to Old Navy, I ended up getting 2 shorts, 2 shirts and a belt. Went next store to Marshall's, girls were trying on clothes, I have the youngest, start looking around and what do I see, a pair a Columbia wading shoes on sale for $30.00, the pair I want to get at BPS were $25.00, it would have cost me $20.00 to get there and back. Anyways, I wore them on Saturday, they are great, couldn't be happier for what I wanted and considering I didn't want to go shopping in the first place. I'll have to take a pic. Thinking about going back a getting another pair, just because.

Hope this rain stays away, I am planning on fishing Sunday and hopefully that will happen.

*Rainer Wolf* look forward to your report.
Tight lines all.


----------



## Yanky

Which marshalls were you at? Id love to go see what they have. 

As for old tennis shoes, that would work if they didnt retain water so well. They always ended up smelling too much for me in the past. Thats why I wanted something made for wading that has less material to hold water, something that is a little more tailor made for it.


----------



## faceman9

Avon Commons off of 254. detroit rd. Go look if your in the area, there were 7 maybe 8 pair left. I don't know Yanky, it's still up and flowing, but coming down fast. I'll have to swing by and look at the color, but you know how that goes. If we stay clear, let's hope. Here's the shoes


----------



## Yanky

Those look pretty good so Ill take a look tomorrow. Anything would be better than the ones that I have now. Snug fit and wade good, but give me at least 3 blisters every damn time I use em. Im so tired of that.


----------



## faceman9

yeah, these are pretty good, comfortable, lightweight, No Blisters, traction is alot better than I thought, like I said, I have no complaints.


----------



## Yanky

I went to marshalls to take a look and all they had was size 8 and 9 which was a bummer. Im gonna look at some other ones to see if they have any too but I think Im out of luck on those. Its too bad too cause they look pretty slick. Hopefully mine from cabelas will be in by mid next week so I can wear em out to our next outing if we cant get out this weekend.


----------



## faceman9

Swung by the park, river looks chocolate milk, with about a foot to foot and half visibility. I am planning on going down tomorrow morning around 10ish. Will have to keep an eye out for the weather, not sure what the over night is going to bring and Sunday is suppose to be Thunderstorms most of the day. Radar right now shows everything missing us going either north or south. As long and the gauge doesn't show going up, than I am going out.

Yanky call me.


----------



## Yanky

I was out in the area tonight and the storm did hit the river. Having just checked the gauges, its higher than it was after the last storms rolled through. Im afraid that fishing is out of the question for the next week or so.


----------



## faceman9

Obviously not going. were done.


----------



## flippin fool

hey tom i got some nice ones at new london today. check them out in this section


----------



## bassnassassin

Just when the river was about fishable again it gets blown out.... hopefully we don't get too much more rain this week and it clears up by the end of the week.

By the way, those were some nice looking smallies Flippin, congrats!


----------



## faceman9

And it's raining again. Shoulda, woulda, coulda, figures I knew I should have gone on Sat, but I wanted to get the yardwork out of the way first. 

* bassnassassin* I agree. Other than Wed, the rest of the week looks real good. 

I took Tuesday off for my B-Day, usually Golf, wanted to fish, think I'm going golfing, maybe I should go to New London. Anyone have the day open on Tuesday. 

And we wait...


----------



## bassnassassin

More rain.... think it will clear up by the weekend? Here's to hoping so....


----------



## Yanky

Its comin down so the flow rate and river height will probably be back to normal by the weekend, but the real question is how much clarity will there be. Unless we get more rain, we might have a decent shot this weekend.


----------



## faceman9

So I took Tuesday off for the Bday, headed out to New London, good looking reservoir, saw alot of big bass. I caught 3 dink smallies about 8" each. I took my brother and a friend, neither of them caught anything. came all the way back home and everyone still wanted to fish. We went and got the seine from my house headed to the river, knew it was going to be up and muddy. got 4 3" minnows and 3 crayfish. sat down on the edge of the river hooked up the biggest minnow I had and tossed it into an eddy with slack water. Ten minute later I pull in a 14" smallie. Should have just went to the river in the first place. That was it for the day. No pics, camera batteries died.

Visibility will be the key factor, I believe the level and flow will be down by this weekend, espicially by Sunday. I would bet that RR and VR will be a lot more clear than the BR though.

Anyone else thinking about getting into the Twisted Whiskerz: Black River tournament on June 19. I think I am going to get in that. 
Tight lines guys.


----------



## flippin fool

sorry to hear hear you had a lousy day at new london. i guess i'm gonna have to just take you out there in the boat.


----------



## faceman9

Boat would have been nice. Kinda pround of myself for pulling a 14" smallie that day. Look at the gauge for 6-8 at 17:00, not ideal conditions thats for sure. So I went for a little redemtion tonight, I have access to a 1.5 acre pond with nothing but LM and Gills. Two years ago I pulled a 23.5" LM. I caught it by catching a 12" LM and the big one came out chasing him as I am reeling. I pull the 12" out off the water rehooked the rapala on the outside lip and toss him back in, I watched a 23.5" Largemouth come out from under the dock and inhale a 12" LM like it was a snack. That's my PB LM, hence the reason to go fish there tonight. Anyways, I pulled 21 LM 12-15" from 8:30 to 9:30 on a Heddon Torpedo, fun time with top water. I had one good hookup that was bigger than the rest but didn't stay on for very long. I feel better now.


----------



## Yanky

i got my new water shoes so now the river just needs to cooperate some. It still looks a bit high and fast. Tom, if you get a chance to swing by, let me know what the color looks like. Id like to get out tomorrow or sunday before the storms hit us.


----------



## faceman9

Travis, you might want to look at RR or VR, Black is not even close, High water and really stained, mud. Maybe if we don't get any rain for a week we might get there. I am completely booked for the weekend, next free day is Tues. Hey, look at the Twisted Whiskers thread, tournament on Black river on Sat 19th, you interested. Let me know.


----------



## Yanky

I dont normally fish for catfish so I dont have that much knowledge on the how to's of it, and I wouldnt want to blow the $25 fee in that case, but if you have the knowledge and methods, then im down. If anything itll be a learning experience and some fun.


----------



## faceman9

Well, I guess all we can hope for is that all that rain that came and went and came and went and the river went up and down and up and down that we get a bunch of fish in the river.
Here comes summer, 90 degrees on Sat and Sun. http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=148690 Looks like a good time, anyone getting in it.
I'm fishing Sat.


----------



## faceman9

Finally had a couple of hours with nothing to do, Go to the river! Good news is the Height and Flow are good and going down. Bad news, visibility is 4-6". Tough fishing conditions, tried a couple of spots for WB, nothing. I ended the evening using a crayfish rattle trap and pulled this 14". Had a couple of other hookups that felt good, but only stayed on for a couple of seconds. Looking forward to better days.


----------



## Yanky

Got your call but didnt get a chance to call back. Hopefully by tomorrow itll be lookin better. either way its gonna be a good day on the river! good lookin fish!


----------



## flippin fool

until you can catch some 31 inch bass you shouldn't bore us with these dinks lmfao


----------



## faceman9

Now that is funny. Thanks Scott.


----------



## bassnassassin

Did you guys make it out this weekend? Thinking I'll go sometime tomorrow... river looks like its low and you should be pretty clear by now.


----------



## Yanky

we made it out. the river has good flow and height but is still pretty stained. vis was about half a foot when we were there but given a couple more days it will probably be better.


----------



## bassnassassin

Went out today for a couple of hours. River definitely still had a good stain to it. The craws were all over the place, and I ended up throwing the rebel craw most of the time. All fish I caught came out of riffles, none from the pools. Here is a pic of the biggest, only around 13". Looks like rain is going to be coming through again, we'll see what it does to the river....


----------



## faceman9

Hey *Bass*, at least you got out and hit some. 
Sorry that I haven't posted sooner, ended up have to take my Dad to the emergency room on Father's Day, He has been admitted into the hospital, don't think he is going any where soon, but he in ok for now, and where he needs to be.

I went down on Saturday, started around 2pm. Yanky was coming to meet me, so I had a hour to fish before he got there. I started throwing a jig w/ 3" twistertail white, I was looking for the white bass, instead I caught a 17" channel cat. Switched to a 2" floating rapala and nab a 9" smallie. I figured it was going to be slow fishing with the water stain, so I walked back up to the car and got the seine. Headed back down and went straight to the big hole. rigged up the pole with a casting bobber and hook and put a split shot up about 3" from the hook to keep the minnow from swimming around to far. I caught 4 channel cats by the time Yanky walked in. We got some more minnows and just sat back and tossed it out with the current. I caught a couple more cats than stared hit some smallies, I think the biggest was 15". I ended up moving down into the slack water and found a pocket of crappie, but nothing over 7", I think I got 4 total. Yanky finally had a good hook up that made his reel sing a little, looked to be around a 16-17" smallie before it got off the line at his feet. We took a walk upstream to some of the pocket holes, I hooked up once but lost it, that was about all we had. walked around in the area some checking water deep for possible spots for fish to hold up before we head out for the night around 8pm. NOTICE, if you are going to walk up passed the big hole, be very careful as you step, yes, both Yanky and I went down once each, lol, it was funny, just glad neither of us got hurt, that is some slippery s**t.

Yanky went out yesterday, I would have thought the conditions would have improved, but judging from, bassnassassin"s post, looks like it was still stained, Waiting for the report Yanky, lets see the pics.

Rain rain go away.

I'm on vacation again next week, Flippin, that boat ready yet?
Have a good one folks.


----------



## Yanky

The river still has a ton of stain to it, with visibility still looking to only be about half a foot or so. I hooked up a nice 15" smallie out of my fav hole, and a few small rockbass but didnt get any pics. It was a nice day to be out but the river definitely needs improvement. I talked to a couple other guys who were fishing and they said that they were having the same experience. 

Hopefully we get a break in the weather and get some recovery on the river for next week and your vacation Tom.


----------



## flippin fool

i crossed the river today at fuller road and it was clear. shouldn't be long now.of course that's just the east branch of the river also?


----------



## flippin fool

the boat is ready for new london reservoir. don't make any plans for next tuesday morning and we can go learn you how to catch smallies at new london  let me know if this is good for you?


----------



## Yanky

oooooh i wanna come if theres space!!


----------



## flippin fool

yanky, i think we can squeeze all 150lbs. of your fat ass in there with us  let me know if you can go tuesday morning?


----------



## Yanky

I should be able to but Ill double check my schedule and let you know for sure by the weekend.


----------



## faceman9

Oh yeah, don't tease me now. This is like a Happy B-day, Happy Father's day, I'm on vacation treat. Yes indeed, You got's to learn me how fish for the big boys uh. We'll see. If thats not enough of a yes for you than, YES, I'm there. This should be interesting. I am betting that if Yanky didn't have the day open, he's going to make it open.


----------



## Yanky

lol you got that right


----------



## flippin fool

glad to hear you fellas can go, how about meeting up at the reservoir at 9 a.m.?


----------



## faceman9

Well hopefully the river will come down and clear up sometime this week. It's not just the Black either, took my brother and one of my daughters to Vermillion today, no fish at all, even with minnows and crayfish, it was up and stained the same as the Black. So, vacation has started, the drinks are flowing, I will be in Norwalk Sunday at the speed nationals selling ear plugs and programs for my wifes work, twist my arm a little further, drag races, ok I'll go. other than that, its one day at a time. Fishing will be the first priority for each day. Tuesday is New London, hoping to have a good day with some pics to show after. Think we are going to camp over night on Wed at Findley, brother pulled a 24" channel cat the other night and wants to go back. Hope the rain stays away. Have a good one all. Let me know if you want to go fishing.


----------



## flippin fool

the fishing for anything else at findley st. park sucks goat b*lls


----------



## faceman9

Hey All, been a while, but I think thats the same with all of the river reports. All the rain from a couple of weeks ago jacked them up some much that there wasn't much to report about. I did manage to hit the Black a couple of time while on vacation last week. 
Friday July 2, took the kids down, river height was good but still stained, we used the siene and got some minnows and hooked the kids up. My daughter and her friend were sitting on the bank when her friend looked up and didn't see her bobber, she started to reel it in when it started to pull back, ended up being a 15" smallie, biggest fish she had ever caught, and coincidering that the first fish she ever caught was two days before that at Findley, she got a couple of gills and a couple of small cats.
Monday July 5, took a friend of the family, single mom and her 15yo son down to the big hole at the bend. Again, I had another kid that had never caught a fish before. The river was looking alot better but I still decided to use minnows and bobber. I put her son at the front of the hole by the rapids and told him to just keep tossing it in there, 15 minutes later and he yelling I got one, His first fish ever turns out ot be a 17.5" smallie, he caught 4 more while we were there in the range of 12" - 15" I think he's hooked, already wants to know when we can go again. Just cause we were staying in one spot the whole time, I setup for catfishing a nightcrawler on the bottom. I pulled a 26" channel cat that I made the mistake of sticking my thumb in its mouth and hold it like a bass, the first time it bite down I was like, that hurt, when I realized that I was bleeding, he bite down again, ouch, I have a new found respected for anyone that noodles for catfish. no fingers of mine will be going in their mouth again. I still have teeth marks on my thumb.
Tuesday July 6, I went down late, 9 - 10:30, The water had cleared up to the point of finally throwing some lures. I put on a 2" orginal floating rapala, went straight to the big hole at the bend and starting throwing right into the rapids, second cast I had a fish on and a good one, I'm throwing a rapala, it's got to be a bass, nope channel cat, 21". I caught 9 fish total, all were catfish. That was the most aggressive feeding of catfish that I have ever seen. They tore up my rapala, the treble hook of the back is now a single hook from trying to get them off with needle nose pliers.
Thursday July 8, Finally the river is right where I like it, low and slow and clear. Time to throw some plastics and I know right were to go. Took my brother out with me who has never caught a smallie before, I thinking we are going to be all over them at the honey hole. After making the trek out and getting setup, where are the fish. I'm telling my brother to cast here and there and each time I'm thinking a smalliw is going to hammer it, nothing. I called Yanky early so we were waiting for him to show up which was about 15 minutes later. We decided to leaved the not-so honey hole and go to yanky's favorite spot. Second cast in an Yanky's pole is doubled over. We stayed there for a bit before heading up stream some more. I think we caught around 20 smallies between the three of us before we ended the night. While walking back to the cars the storm started to roll in, had a couple of good down pours on us before it stop which was good because it got real muggy after that and we still had the hill the go back up. Fun night.

Friday July 9, its raining again, guess we'll have to see what this does, hopefully not much I want to hit the river again on Sunday.
Later folks.


----------



## Flyfish Dog

I have always done well for bass at Findley. It a hard place to fish but learning it is the key.

BTW nice report on the Black.


----------



## faceman9

I feel like I have turned into a fishing guide. My two half brothers who have never really fished before have both been all about it this year. So I have been taking them to the river and showing them how to river (smallie) fish, teaching them what to look for and how to fish different lures, not to mention the fact of having to show them how to tie one on they line and how to take fish off the hook, their 29 and 27, I feel like I'm teaching my kids (at least they know how to take a fish off a hook). Still it's fun, the look on their face and watching them trying to bring in a 14" smallie when they have never caught one before, lol, funny stuff. Their like, I got a huge one on, I just laugh and say wait till you get a 17 or 18"er on. Their both hooked now and want me to take them shopping for their own equipment.
On top of that I have been taking the kids out, some of you know what that is like. It's not that I am getting out fished, it's more like I have been putting everyone in the good spots and just casting everywhere else till it's time to take a fish off. I guess these are the things that make good memories. 
Black River report: Perfect, if you are going down try throwing a 1/8 jig with black twister tail or a 2" original floating rapala, You'll have fun. This is the time of the year that I love, I my not be catching a bunch, but everyone I take is.

PS. Sorry no pics as of late, camera took a drip in the river and no longer works. Not in the budget right now for a new one.


----------



## flippin fool

tom, everyone on here has read enough of your posts and seen enough pics to believe anything you catch down there


----------



## bassnassassin

Glad to hear your still getting into the fish and putting other people on them, as well. Last couple of times I have been down there I have caught fish, but not in the usual spots. I have mainly been getting out in the morning or the early afternoon. They seem to be more in the slack water around these times than in the faster moving water. I'm going to see if I can't make it out down there one night this week and hopefully get some better action going than I have had going on during the day.


----------



## faceman9

Yep, still catching them, but have not really pulled any big ones lately. I went down on Sunday by myself for the first time in awhile, I fished the middle section of the river between the two park under the 254 bridge. I have not been back in there for a few years and wanted to see if things had chanced at all. I ended up catching about 20 smallies but not one of them was over 12". I have been teaching so many different people how and where to fish this year, its been fun and a pain at times. I think its about time to start heading into some other areas of the river because some of the easy excess spots are getting hit hard. I am headind out with Flippin Fool after work tonight to a different area of the river, my camera is dead but still have my daughters, so I'm hoping to have some pics. Its been kind of dishearting with the quality of fish this year. don't know if it has to do with more people fishing/taking or just a weird year altogether. Never had any good sized white bass like last year if any at all. Channel cats seem to be going crazy and hitting everything. Oh well, its called fishing not catching. sometimes we have good days, sometimes we don't. Tight line all. PM me if your in the area.


----------



## flippin fool

we might get wet tonight


----------



## faceman9

Well we didn't get wet, by rain anyways. Flippin Fool and I hit a different section of the river last night, and had a blast. We ended up getting completely away from the parks and hit and area that we both knew about and have wanted to fish for awhile. We both took acouple of pics, but nothing worth bragging about so I'm not going to ever post them. The fun part ended up being that we hooked into about 50 smallies from 5:30-9pm. We probably only landed about 35 of them all in a mile and half, bunch got off at are feet or right before landing them. Most of them were in the 9-13" range, Flippin had one alittle bigger but jump off at the last second. I'll tell you what though, when you hooked into anyone of them you would have thought you had one 3-4" bigger then what it was, dam those fish can fight good. The river is real low so we just started walking in the middle and casting upstream towards pockets and riffles, couple of spots we thought were going to be real good, ended up not catching anything and other spots that you wouldn't even think to fish ended up pulling ten from one little hole. That was a good time Scott, we'll have to do that again when your in the area.


----------



## flippin fool

definately had a great time. just wish they could of been a little bigger. nothing better than taking a break from the congested boat scene on the water and getting back in the woods where you don't see anything but water and wildlife.


----------



## danishmaggot

I might join you guys one day if that is cool?


----------



## flippin fool

come on down danish


----------



## bassnassassin

Anyone see the river recently? Just wondering what the recent downpours have done and how stained it is, was thinking about getting out tomorrow. Thanks if anyone has seen it, if not I'll head down there tomorrow and check it out for myself.


----------



## faceman9

I was just thinking the same thing, I'll head over after work and take a look. The online gauge shows it dropping at a pretty good rate, just a matter of what the color is. I'm thinking about going out tomorrow after work, when you thinking about going *bassnassassin*. 
I have to give *Yanky* a call and see what he has been up to. You out there man, give me a shout.
*Flippin Fool* that's a go for the evenings, either let me know 
*danishmaggot* anytime, I usually am on here at least once a day, put a post when your thinking about going.

Let hope the rain will stay away so we can get back into some river action. See you guys on the water, tight lines.


----------



## faceman9

Sorry Folks, never made it down to see what it looked like. I guess we'll just have to hit it and see. I'm pretty sure I will be going after work today (Friday) but you know how things change. Talk to you all later.


----------



## Yanky

I cant go tomorrow but I think Ill be going out on saturday. I wanna hit someplace new so hit me up Tom if youre available.


----------



## bassnassassin

Ended up hitting the Rocky instead of the Black. Rocky was still stained and coming down from the rain we have gotten. Looks like I'll be trying to hit the Black sometime Monday at the earliest. Hopefully by then its come down and cleared up nicely. Hope you guys did well if you made it out yesterday/today.


----------



## faceman9

Much to my dismay, I have not been fishing as much as I would like to, but isn't that always the case.
I went down on Sunday with my brother and hit acouple of hole in the outback, was a fun 3 hours with about 20 smaliies, but thats what they were smallies, nothing over 13". I haven't hooked into a decent sized bass, LM or SM since the spring. Although I have not been out to fish some area's that I know would hold some good sized ones, I just have not had the time. Vacation is coming up on Aug 16-20, hope the weather will be kind as always. 
Side note: I see alot more people fishing in the Black now, as always with this time of the year, the first couple of holes receive alot of pressure. I do have to lay some blame on myself as I have taught at least five people this year alittle bit of the art of river fishing, they are all addicted now and go when they have the time with or without me. I have witnessed some of the catches and heard some of the stories from these newbies with both happiness that they are enjoying the sport that we all love so much, and with remorse in knowing that some of my productive area's to fish are not so productive anymore. My 15 min to the rivers edge and catching fish are now more like 30 min to other locations that I have not told anyone about, but still have not gone myself. I find myself thinking of the days of being on the river with not a single other soul around, the peacefulness, the tranquility, the surrealness of nature and all that it provides to revitilize me each time that I am out. To sappy or not, I can teach people how to fish and what to look for on a river, but how do you teach someone to look at nature and enjoy the beauty that is around them and absorb all of that, instead of marching upstream just to get to a spot and catch some fish. I know there are some of you that feel the same way, fishing can be a art form in what you are doing, but if I catch a fish or not I still come home refreshed and replenished to keep going till the next time I get out. 
There was a post about "why do you fish" I guess that is why I do. Everytime I go is a new adventure, everytime I make a cast is hoping that the next one will be your new personel best. The memories that I am able to think back on, the stories that I am able to share with others. I have not posted any pics in awhile because I haven't really caught anything big enough worth taking a picture of. I think the next time I go out I'll take some pics of why I go, not what I catch.


----------



## dklien

Well said Faceman. The peacefulness and solitude is what attracted me to river fishing in the first place. It is not something that you can readily experience in a boat on a lake. I fish the Rocky River exclusively. I know all the places where the river is farthest from the parkway. I can drive down the parkway and see hundreds of joggers, fishermen and cyclists. Then I park and wade half a mile down stream and see nobody for two hours. I love to catch fish but catching fish is secondary to getting away from it all.


----------



## flippin fool

very well put fellas, but you forgot about one of the most important parts of a great trip.....the bloopers and misfortunes


----------



## danishmaggot

I like that point of view faceman. My brother in law is always baffled at why I still want to fish even if I haven't caught anything within the first hour or 2. It's not about catching big fish for me. It's about being out side, enjoying the nature and being surprised when a fish strikes. Catching a big one is just a bonus


----------



## fshnfreak

i also enjoy sharing spots with people as well but i keep a few for my own selfish desires. its not a bad thing. i also enjoy communing with mother nature but communing is much more fun when u slay those smallies for a day of fishing fun.


----------



## VermFisher

You guys said it best!!! So much so, I'm dipping out of work early and going down there. Been hitting the V without much success. So I'm hoping all this good karma talk is gonna make things a little better whether I catch fish or not!!!


----------



## faceman9

Thanks, I figured most of you would get what I was talking about. I guess I needed to vent a little frustration and talk to some one who gets how I feel, thank you OGF. 

*VermFisher* I'm with you on that, I'm cutting out of work early and heading to one of the no name spots just to get the monkey off my back. Hopefully I know what I'm talking about and maybe find some decent size SM, if not the scenery will be worth the trip out to start the weekend in a good mood. 

Hope you all have a good weekend and catch some fish if your going out, appreciate everyone who understands what I was feeling
Tight lines guys.


----------



## Yanky

Well we didnt find too many large smallies, but did really well on the smaller guys, which fight like the big ones anyways. We both lost a couple of big somethings, as they came off just shy of getting them in. Man I woulda liked to have seen what they were. Anyways, hit a couple newish spots and did pretty good. It was a great day to be out on the water.

Pics to follow. 

T


----------



## CoolWater

I've enjoyed your posts Faceman, your passion for fishing is evident.

I can tell you it is a daily struggle for me between wanting to help folks, but also wanting to preserve my favorite places. It is kinda weird how I probably am 50/50 on this site between those that like and admire they way I am protective of places, and those that hate the way I post as I usually just don't get too specific. Guess I'm a Jeckyll and Hyde of sorts... on one side I have a page on my site devoted for giving people ideas for specific places to fish and on the other side I cringe when someone asks in a report where exactly I caught something... I always envision my next trip to the spot will have 500 yards of various strength fishing line to pick up, 2 empty Spam cans, 3 various empty bait containers, and a 3/4 eaten sub, not to mention all my favorite fish probably went home on a stringer...

Sorry, might have derailed there... lol... looking forward to some of your nature and scneic shots of why you enjoy the Black River.


----------



## flippin fool

coolwater, which rock were you standing on when you caught that smallie? what direction on a compass were you casting? exactly how many feet out did you cast?


----------



## faceman9

As I said, I headed out of work a little early on Friday so that I could get on the water sooner, and that I did. I was well rewarded then and pretty much through the whole weekend. I took a bunch of pics that still need to be downloaded from the camera and then resized before and can upload them to OGF. As promised most of those pics are of the area's that I fished. Some of you will know exactly where these locations are and some won't have a clue, but I bet I get asked where. I will try and get them up tonight.

Friday, after making some phone calls, I headed to a area that I haven't fish since last year. just walking in was bringing back memories of one of the best days on the river last year. This time of the year when targeting smallies there are pretty much only a couple of different lures that I throw, Lures in question, Rebel wee craw, 1/8 jig/paddle tail minnow. 2" rapala orginal floating and my goto that I ended up fishing with all weekend, 1/8 jig/ 3" black twister tail. I was into the first smallie at around 5:30pm, he was only 8" but it was a good sign that at least they were biting. I fish a couple of pockets pretty heavy since I was waiting for Yanky to show up. 1 hour and 7 fish later and the biggest at 16" (first decent fish in awhile) Yanky came walking in. I guess I should mention the fact that I had prefished the area on Thursday with the wife and the youngest, but only for about 30 minutes, an after catching and releasing a 17" on a spot my wife told me to cast to, I figured I should share the fun. Yanky and I hit a bunch of different holes catching some here and there, with one 20" channel cat that I thought was a monster smallie, before settling on going to one in particular spot. Once we got there Yanky was on with a couple of 12 and 13"ers and I managed a couple of dinks. What we did miss a Yanky stated, Not sure what either of them were, but some serious pole benders and both getting off the line before was could find out. Just the kind of fish that makes you say, Oh yeah, this is a good one, then makes you want to cry when your line goes slack and you say nnnnooooooo. We finished the night at 8:30pm with a smile and tring to make plans for the next trip.

I got home about the same time my brother showed up asking what my plans for the night were, none at that point. To make this portion shorter, my brother, his girlfriend, my oldest daughter and I ended up at Spencer lake at midnight and fish till 4:40am, one 8" crappie was all that was caught, I got to sleep at 5:30am, back up and 9:30am, had a new window installed on my car, cleaned the garage so that I could get both cars back in it. Brother showed up at 2pm to help with the garage, and was back on the river with him at 5pm.

Saturday. This one I will share. Indian Hollow Park on Parsons Rd by Grafton. This is, as I explained to my brother, probably one of the prettiest stretches on the Black river, yes there will be pics. Brief explaination, First I grew up in Grafton and know this portion of the river like the back of my hand. Second we had made plans to have a fish fry on Sunday and was needing a few more fish. So yes, to all those that know me, I eat smallmouth bass, and I am eating it right now at lunch while I am typing all of this. Thats out of the way. We walk down the path to the river and then up stream a little to a flats area thats above the section that we are getting ready to fish. If you have read previous posts you will know that I taught my brother how to fish this year, he is 30. And know after catching probably a dozen smallies in earlier trips is hooked and thinks he knows it all, little does he know. Now while we are standing in this flats section I start to explain somethings to him about how to read the river and that we are now going into stealth mode and not plowing down the middle of the river an kicking crap up or walking into the middle of a hole if you get a snag and this and that. Heading down river is just pocket after pocket after pocket of all these little holes with riffles and eddies, just smallies heaven. One very important session learned for him was, fishing down stream now instead of up stream from previous times. he was throwing his favorite lure, 3" rapala multi colored I don't know, because he had caught his biggest (15") on it before, I stayed with jig and black twister tail. 5 fish later he asking me for a jig and twister tail. He learned that just because you fish a hole from the upstream side and you don't get anything doesn't mean that there's nothing there. Get to the back side of the hole and throw upstream into the same hole, he caught on fast with a 16" the next hole down. When I finally got to one of my favorite spots we had one fish on the stringer, his. By the time I left one of my favorite spots, we had 5 on. He was still up stream of me at the time, I just tossed that twistertail right at the base of a little set of rapids and was coming across the hole when I just slammed. I reeling and the drag is singing (drag is set for a 16" or better) what a fight, everytime I would get him close he would turn back into the flow and pull more line out. The first time he went airbourne I'm like, yeah baby, your mine, at this time my brother see's the fish. the second time he went airbourne, I'm going, please stay on the line, please, please. I lost him. that was the second fish that I had hooked into in that hole and now my brother was standing next to me. I let him have the upstream side and I went around the back, my next cast to the front of the hole is the same thing, Slam, ok no playing around anymore, I came here to get some fish. A couple of minutes later and I'm slinging and 17" on the bank and jumping on it. We finished the evening at 8:30 with 6 smallies from 14 -17 inches and with a new found respect for fishing according to my brother. I let him have all of the hole first the rest of the way down the river and I continued to pull fish out of area's that he had just been in with the same bait. He now know's that he still has a lot more to learn, don't we always.

Sunday, I took the family and brother back out to Indian Hollow again for some hiking and rock climbing and fishing. I caught a couple more (released) and let him do the rest of the fishing. got home about 5:30 and had a fish fry. Yummy for my tummy. What a wonderful weekend. Thanks for reading. Tight lines to all.


----------



## faceman9

*CoolWater* I know how you feel as do many of us. You have a nice website there, I thought about doing the samething at one time, but with OGF and a website was just to much. Every year I start a fish count, but by the second month it's just not worth it any more. I good news is that while I may be going to different areas to fish, the people that I have taught are still going to the same place and still catching. So at least they are still having fun as well. Sometimes we need a little change to make thing right again.


----------



## gretschrocks

Man....to wordy. I got board after the 1st two paragraphs.
I dont mean to hurt your feelings but if I want field and stream Ill subscribe and read it in the bathroom in 3 or 4 settings.


----------



## gretschrocks

bassnassassin said:


> Anyone see the river recently? Just wondering what the recent downpours have done and how stained it is, was thinking about getting out tomorrow. Thanks if anyone has seen it, if not I'll head down there tomorrow and check it out for myself.


Muddy like pudding. maybe 4" to 6" visibility.


----------



## flippin fool

gretschrocks said:


> Man....to wordy. I got board after the 1st two paragraphs.
> I dont mean to hurt your feelings but if I want field and stream Ill subscribe and read it in the bathroom in 3 or 4 settings.


if you don't like it don't read it.... no one asked for your opinion any how


----------



## Yanky

agreed. if its too wordy, find something else to do and leave us to our stories. we like em that way.


----------



## faceman9

To each there own *gretschrocks*, some like it some don't. Nobody said you had to read the whole thing. Or maybe you are right, to long, I should just say that I caught 32" bass out of the ditch, but it was to small so I through it back, thanks for reading. Inside joke if you don't get it. Is it me or is there some off with people in Toledo?


----------



## flippin fool

gotta be a toledo thing


----------



## VermFisher

Faceman, don't let his comment get to you. I love reading your post. And I think alot of other people do also. I guess my question is grets, if you are from T-town, how do you know the clarity of the Black? And to add to it, if you read the post from Face and really understood what he was talking about with the whole package of scenery and fishing, you would bite your tongue. I am from Toledo. And there is not a place there that is even close to everything the Black offers. I'll throw in the V there too. not even close. So instead of being critical, do what I do. Read the posts and put yourself there. Put yourself in his shoes. Because if you do, you will do what I did. Go there and find that everything he is talking about is true!!!


----------



## faceman9

Not for the lack of trying, my bad. Time constraint's and work are to blame for not getting the pics up yet, but as I was downloading them from the camera last night, I run out of room on my 19 gig hard drive. so after going through and deleting a bunch of old pics (ah the memories) I still don't have enough room. Looks like I will be adding a third drive to the computer this weekend or buying a bigger one. Sorry.


----------



## flippin fool

think maybe it's a sign you fish too much?........ nah.... me either


----------



## faceman9

Fish, To Much, Three words that should never be used. Although some people might think that, my wife. But there was nothing but smiles and full bellies after dinner. I think I'm going to try and go tonight, wish me luck, not on catching fish, but to get premission to go. See, if I said let go shopping ever night there wouldn't be a problem with that. Over worked and under paid and I have three daugthers, Fish, To Much, LOL.


----------



## Yanky

A better idea would be to just buy one new drive and consolodate to it (keep the operating system hard drive working as it is). This will start you fresh with new hardware and also put less stress on your systems power supply. Large capacity drives are cheap as hell nowadays. In the long run, youll like it better.


----------



## flippin fool

yanky, was that chinese? maybe hungarian? or dutch? lol i'm so computer stupid


----------



## faceman9

Well its been awhile. Haven't done much fishing even though I had a vacation. Did have one good day on Wednesday last week. My brother and I chaperoned at my daughters band camp, yes I said band camp. This one time at band camp, ain't happening! And besides they have a Lake. This place is off of 271 Mayfield exit which is 322, now go 27 miles east. Google earth Windsor Mills covered bridge. We get there about 8pm, band is practicing, start fishing at 8:30. First cast to a nice corner along a weed bed 12" LM, brother's first cast along the bank 12"LM, we caught 21 in 1 hour, all between 10 and 12". 1/4 oz jig/3" white twister tail. Awake at 6am, fishing by 6:45, stayed till 8am, caught 8 more, same size. Headed west, stopped for breakfast, then hit Headwaters park,Crystal Lake, It sucked walked like 5 mile total to get to a fishable area and back, there draining the lake, but after looking on google earth, I fished the wrong part, now I know where to go. Anyways, headed west and turn left on riverview rd and stopped at a pretty little town of Gate Mills. You are aloud to park on the side of the rd before the bridge, but drive over the bridge first, look to your left, there is a perfect 12" falls with some great runs, smallie heaven. Talk about a picture perfect piece of river, but this is the way I explained it to my brother, the fish are like the people who live there, if it wasn't the most perfect spot on the river, they weren't there. But when you found those perfect spot's and there's a few. I pulled a 17.5 sitting in a 20' wide section 3' deep of good moving water, right behind a big bouder under the water, threw a 1/4oz jig/3" black twistertail. My brother pulled a 16.5 just up from that in the front of the hole and lost a big one. I lost two other good sized ones, but we caught 16 SM in 3 hours. Headed west, ended up in Westlake, dinner an acouple of beers at Brew Engine, you have to go there. Hit Rocky River at 7pm we caught 18 SM by 8:30 nothing bigger than 10" I lost 1 big one that broke off with the jig. Home by 9pm, total miles walked 8. Dam was I sore the next day, but dam it was fun.
Sorry this is so long, anyways, my daughter left the bag that had the digital camera at the camp I am driving out this morning around 9, I'm taking the fishing gear.


----------



## Yanky

did you mean Beer Engine? If so, thats in lakewood and is my fav place to eat and grab some tasty beers. if not, let me know where the one is in westlake, as ive never heard of it. 

weve gotta plan something and get back out soon. its been too long for sure.


----------



## flippin fool

tom, i went back down to the huron river thursday morning. caught 10 smallies. 6 were right around 12 inches the others were about 6. got to see a coyote standing at the waters edge about 30 yards from me too


----------



## faceman9

:B
Finally.
It's been way to long since I have been back down to the Days Dam side of the park. I looked at the water gauge online, just where I like it, low and slow, main reason I like this time of the year, you pretty much know where the fish are going to be, getting them to bite is a different story altogether.
I could drag this out and tell you about the tree's starting to turn colors and how the river is at its lowest and clear, guess I just did tell you about it. Started at the first hole at 6pm and worked my way upstream hitting all of the normal spots and keep going, I'll leave it at that, I'm not giving up location on this one. I just wanted to go fishing last night knowing that I would not have an opportunity for awhile, working the Cleveland Air Show this weekend all three days. 
Let go with right spot, right time, right lure, no camera and no one with me, I just caught my personel best Smallmouth ever. 20.25" first ever SM that I have caught over 20", yes its only a quarter inch over 20, but it's still over. Last PB was 19.5 three years ago when I start the Black River Fun post. So to end the story, the fish got a kiss, a little smack on the a$$ and is setting in the same place that I caught it. Wish I had a camera or taken someone with me to see it. No, I don't. Hell of a fish, Hell of a fight, I have caught alot of SM and as a personel goal to get one over 20 in the river, this fish did not disappoint. I am glad it played out the way it did.


----------



## flippin fool

congrats tom, must of been the highlight of your week


----------



## faceman9

Week, thats been the highlight of the year as far as fishing goes. Not that often that you get to see a 20+ SM out of our rivers. I need a new goal.


----------



## flippin fool

now we need to work on the walleye thing


----------



## Yanky

Youve got that right!


----------



## RiverDoc

What did you get the 20-1/4 incher on? Way to go!


----------



## flippin fool

tom, i got a 16 inch smallie out of the huron yesterday  wasn't expecting much over 10-12. small water, little holes. caught a bunch of little guys. large and smallmouth


----------



## faceman9

Wow, it's been over a month since I have been on here, where did the time go. I guess thats what happens when school starts for the kids and your constantly doing something every weekend. I took alook at the gauge and notice how low the river was right now, thinking about going tonight, not sure yet. I have been working on vehicles for the last month and still have things that need to be done. So what has everyone else been doing, I haven't seen any posts, I know I'm not the only one that hits the Black this time of year.


----------



## LilSiman/Medina

Seems like you guys are doing good on The black. I live way south of you in Medina county. The river runss right behind my house and into a Wildlife Area then a dam. I fish the black for Smallies, Channels, and sunfish. That about it The biggest me or my bros has ever caught was 22 inch smallie and 19 inch channel.( we've only caught one smallie and two catfish all together) the water is realy murky, mocha color and almost impossible to see anything. Do you know the reason, and it is realy small compared to the pics i saw of elyria. We havent done much fishing there, but for the upcoming spring weekends are planned to float down and wade the river for severel miles towards the dam to try to catch some brutes. Any addvice? Tips, bait, lures, techniques or anything to help get us started would be awesome!


----------



## maassen

hi im new to the fourms but i have been fishing in the black river for acouple of years now as it runs through my yard. i have had the best luck using a tubes, shallow running crankbaits, and grub tails.


----------

