# Westbranch spillway



## BIGEYURK25 (Apr 4, 2013)

Can someone tell me how to get there from stow, Where to park, and where to fish??


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Whassup Eric! Killed them today. Hope you do well. We'll have to hit them up again with you and Wargo sometime. Take Care and Merry Christmas


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

East on 59 thr Ravenna. Keep going til you see signs for the reservoir /park. Keep going to Wayland Rd past the Ravenna Arsonal fences. Turn south on Wayland til you get to a bridge. Just before the bridge is a parking area on rt hand side of the road. Park there and look for trails which take you thru the woods to the dam. You can fish anywhere along the stream all the way to the dam.


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

Also, wear shoes/boots that you don't mind getting muddy, and if you go in the summer make sure you have insect repellent!!!!


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

Rod Hawg said:


> Whassup Eric! Killed them today. Hope you do well. We'll have to hit them up again with you and Wargo sometime. Take Care and Merry Christmas



Thanks Rod Hawg
What were you using/ throwing at 'em?
Just wondering if you needed live bait?


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Hey doboy, live bait was the ticket. Very Slow presentation


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

Thanks RH,,,,,,,


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## rangerjulie (Apr 12, 2011)

fishinnick said:


> Also, wear shoes/boots that you don't mind getting muddy, and if you go in the summer make sure you have insect repellent!!!!


Ditto on the insect repellent in the summer!

RangerJulie


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## colonel594 (Aug 31, 2012)

Rangerjulie... Just to be clear, if you use that lot for parking your allowed to fish the river all the way up to and including the dam tail race? I know those concrete shoots when not in use usual produce some nice perch! 

Just asking for myself and others who really aren't familiar with WB I've been down there once and remember a large storage building with a chain link fence while walking to the dam... And only because I didn't know for sure, got an uneasy feeling wondering if that was off limits or not? 

Btw thank you for every thing you do... You def go above and beyond and it is appreciated! Wish there were more rangers like you that got involved to help spread awareness!


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

colonel, 
You can fish the river from the dam all the way to Wayland Rd. bridge. On the other side of the Wayland Rd. bridge (east side of Wayland) is private property.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I assume that stream out of WB is a fork of the Mahoning River probably joining other creeks and streams(maybe the disharge from Mosquito?) somewhere in the vicinity of Center of The World to the east. Would it also be the flowage that makes up the stream at Newton Falls??


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## rangerjulie (Apr 12, 2011)

colonel594 said:


> Rangerjulie... Just to be clear, if you use that lot for parking your allowed to fish the river all the way up to and including the dam tail race? I know those concrete shoots when not in use usual produce some nice perch!
> 
> Just asking for myself and others who really aren't familiar with WB I've been down there once and remember a large storage building with a chain link fence while walking to the dam... And only because I didn't know for sure, got an uneasy feeling wondering if that was off limits or not?
> 
> Btw thank you for every thing you do... You def go above and beyond and it is appreciated! Wish there were more rangers like you that got involved to help spread awareness!


Colonel,

Lewzer is right. You can fish the outflow waters from the parking lot clear up to the dam. The other (east) side of Wayland Rd. is private property. The concrete structures you referred to are what we call the outlet works. This is where the water is discharged from the lake. The water enters the gate(s) we have open, travels through a conduit (tunnel) under the dam and comes out at this location. There have been reports of some awesome-sized walleye in there too!

The structures with the fence around them is our maintenance complex. The first building was actually used during the construction of the dam. That area is off-limits.

Also know that we do not permit anyone to stand on the concrete wall. It is dangerous and we don't want anyone hurt.

Thank you for your kind words Colonel. Good luck and Fish Safe!

RangerJulie


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## rangerjulie (Apr 12, 2011)

c. j. stone said:


> I assume that stream out of WB is a fork of the Mahoning River probably joining other creeks and streams(maybe the disharge from Mosquito?) somewhere in the vicinity of Center of The World to the east. Would it also be the flowage that makes up the stream at Newton Falls??


C.J.,

What comes out of WB lake is the West Branch of the Mahoning River. The waters of the actual Mahoning River, as I'm sure you know, come from Berlin Lake and then Lake Milton. The two merge at Newton Falls and continue on to Mosquito and eventually end at Beaver Falls, PA where it becomes the Beaver River. 

RangerJulie


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

rangerjulie said:


> C.J.,
> 
> What comes out of WB lake is the West Branch of the Mahoning River. The waters of the actual Mahoning River, as I'm sure you know, come from Berlin Lake and then Lake Milton. The two merge at Newton Falls and continue on to Mosquito and eventually end at Beaver Falls, PA where it becomes the Beaver River.
> 
> RangerJulie


I probably knew most of that just looking for affirmation but that really explains where all the walleye come from in the Mahoning. Not sure I'd want to eat any of them since I have heard of lots of pollution in the Mahoning flowages.


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

c. j. stone said:


> but that really explains where all the walleye come from in the Mahoning.


With the amount of walleye there are in the river you'd think there's at least a decent amount of natural reproduction. As in if they quit stocking the lakes(I realize the walleye in WB are wild) with 'eyes there would still be a resident population in the river. The same with the Shenango in PA, and then the Beaver from the confluence of the Mahoning & Shenango down to the Ohio River in Beaver Falls. There just seems to be too many of them in the Mahoning and Shenango Rivers for them to be just spilling out from the lakes. I don't know....I'm not a biologist....



> Not sure I'd want to eat any of them since I have heard of lots of pollution in the Mahoning flowages.


I'm a huge C&R fisherman, but I have eaten one or two out of the Mahoning a couple years ago and haven't grown an extra limb, yet


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## colonel594 (Aug 31, 2012)

Thank you Rangerjulie, i appreciate it! 

Hope every one is having a great holiday season!


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I'd bet they do reproduce naturally below the dams. The river under the bridge on 59 towards Warren doesn't look too bad-usually muddy. I'd also think there has to be musky, northerns and SM in the Mahoning also though I never fished there(except below WB where I've had no luck.)


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## bigsplash (Nov 7, 2013)

I would say the walleye population is doing pretty good. Here's a pic of a few I caught about 2months ago in the beaver river about a week before I met Doboy there.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

c. j. stone said:


> I probably knew most of that just looking for affirmation but that really explains where all the walleye come from in the Mahoning. Not sure I'd want to eat any of them since I have heard of lots of pollution in the Mahoning flowages.


i catch walleye in warren at the summit street bridge everytime i fish there. i dont always keep them, but i also have no problem eating a few. that river is so much cleaner now that copperweld and denmen tire are out of business.


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## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

c. j. stone said:


> I'd bet they do reproduce naturally below the dams. The river under the bridge on 59 towards Warren doesn't look too bad-usually muddy. I'd also think there has to be musky, northerns and SM in the Mahoning also though I never fished there(except below WB where I've had no luck.)


the mahoning i loaded with natural reproduction of walleyes northerns and even muskies. i fish the mahoning like its my job from youngstown down to the pa line 
and hammer eyes along the whole way the past year i caught five northerns and lost quite a few others and quite a few fallow right up to my canoe all on spinner baits and spoons the mahoning is a quite underrated fishery to say the least the smallie fishing is top notch walleye is up their as well and i know their is a good number of northerns you just have to put your time in. 
ive seen a 2 muskies in person come out of their and between me and my buddys have hooked up with a couple as well just never landed them. the river is dirty but its slowly cleaning up its in regression


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## CatchNrelease (Mar 20, 2011)

I have waded down the mahoning many times and have see way to much trash in that river to ever feel comfortable eating anything out of it past Leavittsburg. Up towards Berlin and Westbranch I'd feel alot more comfortable. Seeing car batteries in the river ruin's my appetite.


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## colonel594 (Aug 31, 2012)

It sucks but Is true... From Berlin through newton falls most areas I've been in are BEAUTIFUL!!! Through warren and Youngstown I'm pretty sure people use it as a dump....  I still fish it on a regular and am excited to learn new spots... And try to pick up garbage when and where I can. 

With the amount of people that say they fish the Mahoning on here we should help spread awareness... Try to clean up when we fish and maybe even try to set up some days this spring to get together, share some spots and meet up at them to do some serious over hauls picking up... I know I have a few places I hit on a weekly basis that I would have no problem putting a garbage bag up and hauling away if ppl would. Actually USE IT.


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## rangerjulie (Apr 12, 2011)

CatchNrelease said:


> I have waded down the mahoning many times and have see way to much trash in that river to ever feel comfortable eating anything out of it past Leavittsburg. Up towards Berlin and Westbranch I'd feel alot more comfortable. Seeing car batteries in the river ruin's my appetite.


Ohio EPA has a list of what Sportfish you can eat from where and how often. Check out the link. It's the 2013 list and I'm not sure when they'll come out with the 14 list but this should give you an idea of what's safe and where.

RangerJulie

http://epa.ohio.gov/dsw/fishadvisory/LimitYourMeals.aspx


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

How depressing-scary too!


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

c. j. stone said:


> How depressing-scary too!


Ohio isn't that bad, Trust me. I've been to a number of states that have entire rivers designated as "All Species - DO NOT EAT"


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## teamcrappie (Jan 5, 2013)

Thinking of going to the spillway today. Anyone have any luck?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## CatfishWilly (Dec 30, 2007)

Went out yesterday and had zero luck at the spillway. I'm not real experienced with fishing there as I've only hit it up about 10 times, but there were clumps of ice on the walls that indicated they may have let a lot of water out within the last couple days. Seemed like the fish had been flushed down river, so I went back towards the bridge and sure enough there were a few fish down there. Not a bite at the spillway though.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

c. j. stone said:


> I probably knew most of that just looking for affirmation but that really explains where all the walleye come from in the Mahoning. Not sure I'd want to eat any of them since I have heard of lots of pollution in the Mahoning flowages.


A lot of walleye got into the river when the Lake Milton dam was breached quite a few years ago. Back in the day the really heavy pollution would start about Leavittsburg. Once industries started closing down and moving out the river sort of started cleaning itself up. Now there's fish all up and down the river. Even heard tell of a 7lb walleye caught within the city limits of Youngstown! Lowellville is another hot spot as is down by the Ohio/PA state line. Always guys fishing for walleye and muskie down there. 

Now we need something like what FOSR posted that they're doing in Columbus, getting rid of the low head dams.


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## Dirty Mudskipper (Mar 2, 2011)

Stopped down for little over an hour. Did my usual, filled pockets with an assortment of jigs and twisters... And left tackle box at home. Proved to be bad idea (tackle box). Water level was low and didn't get a bite. Happy to be out either way. Ran into fellow OGF'er TeamCrappie... Very nice to meet you.


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## teamcrappie (Jan 5, 2013)

This is a picture of a 24" , 5 pound walleye my 10 year old son pulled in at the wb spillway this afternoon. Used a 3/16 vibe, no live bait. Slow jig was the key.

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## Dirty Mudskipper (Mar 2, 2011)

Nice catch!


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## teamcrappie (Jan 5, 2013)

Thanks. How did you do? 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Dirty Mudskipper (Mar 2, 2011)

Skunked... Should've grabbed more than just jigs and twisters. Lol. Nice to be out, haven't been since OCT.


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