# Darby Bend Metro Park



## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Seems like every time I visit the place... It keeps going down.. down... down and it just opened last summer!

I used to sneak back there when it was still owned and operated by Olen... And the fishing was awesome... Big Bluegills and Bass... 

But today, nothing - Mostly because the lakes were muddy and the weather was pretty much nasty... Didn't even get a bite....

But this is what URKS me. 

1) They aren't allow US to ice fish the lakes in the winter.  

2) They have limits on everything! Besides the limits that the state has put upon our lakes.... 10 bluegill per day? Crappie over 9" and 5 per day!

3) The use of minnows as bait is strictly prohibited...  I love to go throw a slip bobber and minnow... Its just not possible there without breaking the rules...

4) Boats are allowed... Man power only! Boats have to be under 16ft and canoes under 18 ft. BUT - I'm not allowed to take my bellyboat in there during the summer time and fish with that. What a crock of shat!

Anyways - Pretty soon we'll have to use 2 lb test with no reel and barbles hooks to be able to fish back there...


PERCH


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

are you suggesting that the limits are bad? If it were up to me there would be no fish taken out ever. I think that you will find that there just arent many fish left compared to how it used to be when it first opened, because of the many hundreds even thousands of people keeping everything that they are allowed to keep.


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

I've fished all 4 of those lakes for 10 years now.... There are plenty of fish in there... plenty... But I didn't fish them last summer... So maybe I'm missing something...


I remember going down there one summer day and throwing minnows about 10 foot out... and we caught over 50 LMB that day... All over the 14" size limit...

I guess what got me the most is, no ice fishing (its my own damn life!) can't fish with minnows, and i can't go float in the water with my bellyboat.


PERCH


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

You just have to try a little harder for the fish now. Those lakes had zero pressure before and now have dozens of people per day and every lure imaginable thrown at them.

If they allow baitfish(which some people still sneak them in there) then that opens the door to unwanted species being introduced. A little common sense goes a long way. 

It may be your own life, but the minute you drown and your family sues, then who's problem is it?


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

I know there are still fish in there. Last time I was there I caught aobut 40 bass. But I had to work really hard for them. Im saying compared to when it first opened to the public its sad. Ive never seen anyone but myself throw back anyfish that they could legaly keep. stringers, fish baskets, nightcrawlers and lawnchairs are the norm there from what ive seen. Ive only been there 3 times though so maybe im wrong.


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

i like the lakes and always seem to catch fish, and as far as the rules go i think they are good, just b/c they dont allow you to use minnows and keep more fish does not mean anything, it makes you work harder for the fish (without minnows) the bellyboat i can understand you getting a little mad over but thats all.


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## toboso (Apr 14, 2004)

Not every body of water will suit every angler's (or user's) preferences or needs. There are plenty of places in Central Ohio where an angler can ice fish, use a belly boat, use live bait, keep 10" bass and/or 6" bluegill, and so on. Remember that some folks have far fewer options and access than most of us do. Sometimes the progression for an angler begins when he/she feels the need to find new waters to fish for any number of reasons.


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## knightwinder (May 12, 2006)

Well Perchy101, I can see how this could disturb you. You had a perfect place before they made it a park and then bam everything changed. New rules in place, many new people coming around and all. you and I both know that minnows have been used in that place for at least 30 years or more. the locals sure can tell you as well. I know the parks will tell you about unwanted and cross species and all. But the real reason is with all the new preasure as bottombouncer has stated, it wont hold fish with the advantage that live bait offers. Minnows are fun I agree, but they work too well to keep some places having good numbers to repopulate. I agree with many of your points.


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## billybob7059 (Mar 27, 2005)

I'm with ya on the ice fishing and the bellyfloat. I'm a big fan of limits that are good for the fishery. I would think they did some kind of research (trap netting/ shocking) to detrmine what was best for the fishery. The minnow thing is something I too would find hard to handle in the cold water but in the summer it shouldn't be to bad. We all seem to hate change but It's some thing we all deal with. Hope you still catch all those fish anyway. Good luck to ya.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

I worked for the Olen Corp until that location shut down. That was some of the best fishing I ever experienced. Deer hunting was great as well. I still have a stand in a tree there that I left. As far as the ice fishing goes, that water maintains a constant temp of 52 degrees. The surface temps change just enough to allow a little ice to coat the lake. Anyone that would go out on that ice can't be very smart. We always would find a few holes drilled in the ice over by the pump area. It's simply amazing we never had a tresspasser killed there. I would assume thats why there is no ice fishing there. Also two of the four lakes are brand new. They were mined the last few years the quarry was in opperation so unless the parks stocked them then they can't be very productive. The little small pond that is only for the kids used to have some huge crappie in it. I'm sure by now someone has figured that out and emptied it. It was nothing to catch four or five fish ohios there in an outing.

Perch, you must have been one of the guys that never got caught. We were in thier all the time on the weekends. The forman of the quarry and me were in the same bass club so we fished the heck out of that place on the weekends.(another post said there was 0 pressure before being open to the public, I assure you that was not the case) We busted alot of guys for fishing and alot of kids on bikes and quads and very seldom were they just asked to leave.


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

BassBlaster said:


> I worked for the Olen Corp until that location shut down. That was some of the best fishing I ever experienced. Deer hunting was great as well. I still have a stand in a tree there that I left. As far as the ice fishing goes, that water maintains a constant temp of 52 degrees. The surface temps change just enough to allow a little ice to coat the lake. Anyone that would go out on that ice can't be very smart. We always would find a few holes drilled in the ice over by the pump area. It's simply amazing we never had a tresspasser killed there. I would assume thats why there is no ice fishing there. Also two of the four lakes are brand new. They were mined the last few years the quarry was in opperation so unless the parks stocked them then they can't be very productive. The little small pond that is only for the kids used to have some huge crappie in it. I'm sure by now someone has figured that out and emptied it. It was nothing to catch four or five fish ohios there in an outing.
> 
> Perch, you must have been one of the guys that never got caught. We were in thier all the time on the weekends. The forman of the quarry and me were in the same bass club so we fished the heck out of that place on the weekends.(another post said there was 0 pressure before being open to the public, I assure you that was not the case) We busted alot of guys for fishing and alot of kids on bikes and quads and very seldom were they just asked to leave.


Bass - I'll admit to yah... I was caught more then once... and all my times I was... I was just simply asked to leave... But I never did fish the back 3 lakes as much as I did the one across the Darby... The one called Beaver Lake... and its not even open to the public yet...

But, Bass... That water was MUCH colder then 52 today... and they all had PLENTY of ice on them this winter to fish... I've Ice Fished the back lakes before .. and it had 6-8 inches of ice on. Beaven Lake - The same... Always went in there and drilled holes and caught nice crappie and gills... and never found a spot of thin ice... 

I suppose its more less, them telling me HOW to fish rather then the limits... I can live with the limits... Maybe the rules should be changed... or better patroled for limits... Any fish caught with minnow shouldn't be allowed to be kept?

I've never cleaned a fish in my life - So whats that tell yah? I'm not a big fish keeper.... 

I've caught, alot of Fish Ohio's out of the front lake... There are some HUGE Large Mouth in there +6lb's. Crappie that go 15+ inches and jumbo perch ... And the catfish that i've caught are nice - but few and far between...

I'll change my stance on the issue - But i still believe if I wanna go sit on a bucket on the ice and fish I should be allowed... and if I wanna float around in a tube and fish... I should be allowed... 

I pay my taxes and buy my fishing license's every year....


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Perchy, All I got to say is your one lucky fella. The sherriff was called many times to escort people out of there. You must not have been caught by Terry, the quarry foreman.

The epa or city water, I dunno which, used to come and take water samples of the lakes weekly because we pumped all of our water into the Darby. They always left a report when they came to sample and the temps were always around 52 year round. You have to remember that the two biggest lakes are well over 100 foot deep so they hold there temps pretty good. I never saw 6 to 8 inches of ice out there but I guess it could happen. I'm not an ice fisher so I was never interested in checking it out.

The Beaver lake you are referring too is the one on Beach Rd. correct? If so I have no experience with it. That property was allready mined before I was there and I never fished it. I do know it is nowhere near as deep as the others, and the island was left there to make the lake look more appealing when the property was to be sold.

The 6 pounders you talk about could be caught pretty regularly and we caught them up to 9 pounds. There is one more lake back there that is now privately owned that produces 7 to 10 pounders regularly.


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

I think that it should be catch and release only in all of those ponds....

As long as people keep posting this place on the open forums it gets more people interested....more people fishing it....


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

BassBlaster said:


> Perchy, All I got to say is your one lucky fella. The sherriff was called many times to escort people out of there. You must not have been caught by Terry, the quarry foreman.
> 
> The epa or city water, I dunno which, used to come and take water samples of the lakes weekly because we pumped all of our water into the Darby. They always left a report when they came to sample and the temps were always around 52 year round. You have to remember that the two biggest lakes are well over 100 foot deep so they hold there temps pretty good. I never saw 6 to 8 inches of ice out there but I guess it could happen. I'm not an ice fisher so I was never interested in checking it out.
> 
> ...


I never knew who I was talking to... They just asked me poliety to leave... And we did.. Just hopped the creek and fished the darby there and headed back home after awhile....

Beaver is the one on Beach and that is the one I mainly fished... But I moved... I used to live within walkin distance from the lakes... Thats why I was always back there fishing...

The Private one you speak of, I know the owner and can get on it any time I want... He even lets us ICE FISH! Who would of thunk that? So I get to fish that lake year around and we've pulled some monsters out of there... Heck, he even lets us use minnows...  

All I know, is they were great lakes... Probably still are in some aspects... Just not as good as they once was... I'll go back this summer and fish them more... I'll throw my minnow and bobber... or I may even take worms with me... Nothing like fight'n off bluegill the whole day when you are going after crappie... 

Wish I had the technology now when we were catch'n those huge bluegills out of that lake... That was the BEST fish'n i've pretty much ever had... 

and btw - I used to fish all those lakes/querys around that area... Those 2 smaller lakes on Lucas/Beach I fished... and the Quarys back on PC Georgesville I fished till they started making it a private home area.... Alot of GREAT fishing in the area... And its mainly all gone...


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Perchy101 said:


> The Private one you speak of, I know the owner and can get on it any time I want... He even lets us ICE FISH! Who would of thunk that? So I get to fish that lake year around and we've pulled some monsters out of there... Heck, he even lets us use minnows...


Yes Don is a great guy. His lake is the best of all of them. He let us put a boat ramp in his pond that was only accesible through the quarry. It really sucks that we can't get the bass boat back there any more. He still allows us to fish but we gotta fish from the bank or bring a small boat we can carry from his driveway. We caught many LM in his pond from 6 to 10 pounds and that pond is full of crappie. Some really nice ones. Good luck!!!!


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## knightwinder (May 12, 2006)

> ```
> The epa or city water, I dunno which, used to come and take water samples of the lakes weekly because we pumped all of our water into the Darby. They always left a report when they came to sample and the temps were always around 52 year round. [/QUOTE]
> This Year the ice was WELL over 5 inches thick through out those lakes, and in many places 7 inches thick. I got to tell ya bassblaster, those temps were not taken on the top 12 feet of the lakes. Sure down 40 - 70 feet they will be consistent unless under very extreme weather most of the year. But yea, we would all like to see this place both improve a little and not get over pressured right?
> ```


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## Fish Slayer (Mar 6, 2007)

You guys are all lucky to have had the good fishing you had there! I used to fish the Darby starting out on Beach Rd. and I knew those lakes were there, but was always afraid I'de get caught if I went on that property to try them. I always knew they were good, and I wish I could have fished them. Hopefully they'll manage them right so big fish can still be caught in those lakes.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Yes I really hope that they decide to do some type of management before it's too late. I can only dream that it's once again what it was in the past. We never took any fish out of that place when I worked there with the exception of a couple crappie every now and again and the fish numbers where staggering. If you couldn't catch a fish there, you ain't gonna catch a fish anywhere.


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

As both of us know Bass... It probably won't be... We both got to fish a once in a life time place.... You did it the right way... I did it the sneaky way... Doesn't matter how it was done... But I can only remember the memories of the place....


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Right way or the sneaky way Perchie, I'll definately agree that was a once in a lifetime fishin hole.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I to would like to use minnows in there as I think they would be deadly on the crappie and bass, I know for a fact that there is carp in the front lake there as you first come in as I witnessed a buddy of mine catch one last year, I dont know if thats the trash fish people might be worried about being introduced by fishing with minnows, I cant see a problem with people being able to use electric motors on there boats(gas might be a bit much) I applaud the size and bag limits as there are people who are strangers to common sense, I have seen people stringer up 10" bass there even though I told them of the limits, its a nice and convienant place to take my son fishing when we are pressed for time and I support any rules and regs that will help it thrive.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Smallmouth, there are some HUGE carp in there. They are pretty easy to spot, they lay up in the shallows and when you walk by and spook them it sounds like someone did a connonball into the lake. I think those are probably the biggest carp I have seen in my life.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

My biggest issue out there(and its been said before) is the fact that the place has gotten so trashed up in a short period of time, I mean basically within a month or so of it being opened there was trash all over the banks, when my son and I would go we would get a couple dozen nightcrawlers and a bottle of pop for each of us to sip on in the summer heat, we carried the stuff in with a bag and it came out in a bag along with whatever other trash thats was in our area that we could squeeze in there, I cant see the issue that people have with removeing there trash .


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

As far as trashing the place goes I think it all boils down to one thing, a false sense of entitlement that brats have. This is an epidemic in America.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Pigsticker, I most definately agree with you!!


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

It's not just there....every bank you fish on has trash all over the place. Even when there are trash cans are only feet away... It's what happens when people aren't taught respect or courtesy.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

It still surprised me on how quick it got trashed last year, you go to the bigger places where people have been fishing for years and years and its expected(as bad as that might sound) but that place was barely open a month and the trash was scattered from one end to the other.


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## 8poundbassyaker (Jul 16, 2007)

Well knightwinder, I just caught an 8.5 24" large mounth out of the Quarry
on Lucus rd next to beach bridge. It is now called beaver lake and it is open to the public and owned by the metro parks. You can put hand powered
boats on it such as kayaks conoes up to 16 feet. It is great .
have fun Matt B Galloway ohio


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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

Hey matt, did you get your pic of it I took?
Its in my gallery.


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## 8poundbassyaker (Jul 16, 2007)

how do i see your gallery


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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

There is the image for ya.


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## 8poundbassyaker (Jul 16, 2007)

thanks shwookie thats bad a**


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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

Yea, for a cell phone pic its ok.
You look like hell, but the fish looks good and thats all that really matters.


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

The limits are the only thing keeping that place going. People keep enough fish out of there and keep over the limit.


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