# Mad River 9/25



## JeremyDavis (Jun 24, 2008)

Anyone heading over to the Mad tomorrow? I thought about heading over in the early morning to the rte 36 bridge. The stretch just south of the bridge where the damn is, is it private property? I have heard there is a real nice hole just below the damn and I want to give it a shot and just need to know if I need to ask permission or if it is public. Thanks!


----------



## ckfowler (Jul 14, 2008)

Tomorrow is the 24th on my calendar and I have a 9:00 meeting. Thu the 25th, I might be able to come in late and get a couple hours from sunrise.

The property at 36 down to the RR bridge is a public accessible easement. I have had luck right below the 36 bridge and all the way down by the RR bridge but only rushed through the rest pushed by an incoming storm. Looked to be a couple decent spots though.


----------



## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

correct, the 1900 feet from St Rt 36 south to the RR Bridge has a Public "fishing" Easement on it. It is on Private property but fishing is ok, all other activities are prohibited, ( Trapping, Hunting, fires, partying etc) 
BTW, Thank the Mad Men TU Chapter and the Mad River Watershed Organization as well as the City of Urbana for this lifetime easement!

Salmonid
( former Mad Men TU President)


----------



## JeremyDavis (Jun 24, 2008)

CK, you are correct, tomorrow is the 24th. I looked at the wrong date/day on the calendar. I have to go tomorrow because I have to work Thursday.


----------



## JeremyDavis (Jun 24, 2008)

Any advice for early morning flies? I have to go in the morning unfortunately.


----------



## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

small caddis, bwos, griffiths gnats maybe ants, good drifts are key. if you nymphing, caddis, swinging soft hackles the norm. I like dries, fish light tippets and move slow, stand still for 5-10mins before you fish a spot, if you dont see risers move acces points. at 36 fish right below the bridge, down a hundred yards or so there are some TU habitat improvments that are good and then the rail bridge, I start at the bottom and work up, there are a few other small eddies that hold fish as well. if you dont see fish dont be afraid to move I have caught fish out of, 55, 29, county line, pimtown, 36 and lipincott on dries in the past 3 weeks, but often there are fish rising at two or three and none of the others.
goodluck


----------



## JeremyDavis (Jun 24, 2008)

I have decided that I am officially the worst fly fisherman ever. I tried everything today, caddis, ants, all sorts of different stuff and I didn't get a single strike. Hell, I didn't even see a single trout. All I saw were chubs and 2 large suckers about halfway between the 36 bridge and rr bridge. Anyone have any advice? Frustrated.


----------



## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

the best advice is, the mad river is a rediculously tough stream, I think they call it the mad river because it causes people to go mad, everyone gets skunked there from time to time, or even most of the time. I would try farther downriver next time if the water is this low, I have given up on fishing blind there, if there are no risers I wont cast move until you find fish, and that might be a move of miles instead of one pool to the next.


----------



## JeremyDavis (Jun 24, 2008)

River - This is going to sound like a stupid question, but do you wade to look for risers or do you walk above the river on the bank? The reason I ask is because a) the trees on either side make it difficult to walk above the river and b) the private property issue.


----------



## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

the first place I look is under the bridge (if its and area like 36, 55, county line) I go down without a rod and watch for a few minutes, no risers drive. I like to start from above the water and then move down at the waters edge, if they're eating emergers this can be the only way to see them, these are the fish I wait around to see, look for fins instead of splashes. if your walking from pool to pool sneak up from the base, stand in the riffle before you throw wakes over where there may be fish, wakes and shadows will spook fish before anything else. so to answer your question, I dont get out of the water once I get in it, but I spend alot of time standing still with the fly in my hand.


----------

