# Hocking River - Logan & Questions



## JLeephoto (Apr 12, 2008)

Fished the Hocking Hills canoe livery short trip this afternoon. 2 small smallmouth (@11in.) and a number of small rock bass. Water was fairly fast and very clear.
I fished primarily with a 1/4oz. Strike King spinnerbait in chart., on a baitcaster but another canoeist I met was catching much higher numbers with small beetle spins and grubs on a spinning outfit.
I tried a 3in green tube texas rigged briefly but couldn't get a feel for them in the fast moving water. Also tried a rogue with no luck on that either.
Are you all fishing smaller baits this time of year than you would fish for LM?
How are you fishing the tubes? Trying to figure out this smallmouth thing. All advice appreciated. Any of you in the Athens area that want to show me the ropes?


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## gonefishin' (Apr 14, 2004)

I fish small spinners, Mepps, sizes 0 & 1. Smallies love crawdads.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Ive always used Black Bitsy Bugs, with a Zoom super chunk on it , The Smallies seem to love those things


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## fishslime (Jul 28, 2006)

Try using a small tubes 2in or so (like you would for crappie) in a color like a crawdad, not hard to have 20+ smallie days, most will be in the samller size 8-12in range but i have caught a couple up to 17 on these types of baits, you'll also get alot of other stuff, rockbass. sunfish ect. Take the ultralight and have a blast


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## squeek (Apr 1, 2008)

if you were going to canoe the hocking< whats the best stretch? I'd be looking for an all day trip! I live in pickerington.


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## JLeephoto (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks guys. Tried 3 in. tubes (pearl color) from the bank for about an hour 1/2 in the Nelsonville area with a new spinning rig and picked up two smallies @14 in. and a 15 in. LM. Good to break in the new rod and it seems I'm learning from you guys. Thanks for the help so far.


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## JLeephoto (Apr 12, 2008)

Squeek - That first Canoe trip was from the Hocking Hills Canoe Livery. They will ferry you to put-in and you float down to their shop for $10. That way you don't have to worry about any low-head dams or portages. Think it was a good way to get started. You could make a full day out of their longer trip if you took it slow fishing. If you have a partner, there seem to be some good stretches further down river towards Nelsonville or Athens but I don't know all the hazards yet. It's fairly slow water through Logan though.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

If your looking for a allday canoe trip I would sat start somewhere in Logan and canoe down to the Chauncey/Athens area . Your arm will be tired from Reeling in fish.. In the Nelsonville are theres 2 good dams I alway catch some nice Smallies from.


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## squeek (Apr 1, 2008)

hows the fishin from the hocking canoe livery? If i were to go from logan to chauncey, are there any damns i need to worry about?


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## tombo131 (Apr 23, 2008)

Squeak - yes - you need to be very careful IN Logan around the Falls Mill Bridge. You'll need to port around it - especially if in a canoe. However, anywhere between Logan and Nelsonville is full of smallies. I catch tons off silver/black shad raps and live soft craws.


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## JLeephoto (Apr 12, 2008)

From the Hocking Hills Livery, they take you up stream in Logan and you canoe down to them. If you want to go further down stream towards Nelsonville, you'll need to arrange transport - and yes, as others have said, be careful of the dams. I don't have my book here (I'm traveling) that lists the hazards but if you'll PM me, I'll give them to you next week.
Tight Lines - JLee


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## squeek (Apr 1, 2008)

is there any where to camp over night along the way if we were wanting to make a weekend trip out of it?


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## squeek (Apr 1, 2008)

where is the falls mill bridge at in logan ? is it hard to get around? how is the fishing sugar grove to logan?


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## NEEDABOAT (May 8, 2008)

I lived in Nelsonville about 10 years ago. We used to catch helgramites under the rocks on the bank. Hook them with no bobber or weight, throw them out and let the current take them. I don't know how it is now, but you used to get nice smallies every other cast. Also did very well with very small rapalas pulled back up against the current. The rainbow trout colored ones always seemed to be the best producers.


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## NEEDABOAT (May 8, 2008)

actually, that was about 16 years ago-sorry


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## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

Berkley use to make a plastic hellgramite called a Power Sandworm that was killer in that stretch of river. I bought everyone I could when they quit making them. I believe they still make a saltwater version of this bait. We rigged Texas style with a small split shot and just let the current take 'em. That was my best bait for numbers. For size, I prefer a crawfish colored, small crankbait.

Also, when we would take the shortest canoe trip in Logan, we would start by paddling about a mile upstream from where they drop you off at. That is a real nice stretch of river.


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## tombo131 (Apr 23, 2008)

I fish the Hocking around Logan 2-3 times a week for smallies. We've been catching 80% of our fish on Rapala Mini Shad Raps in Silver/Black, 2" Shad Raps in Silver/Black, and Jointed Shad Raps once again in Silver/Black. The stretch from Rockbridge to Logan produces well and the stretch from St. Rt. 328 to St. Rt. 595 holds some really nice smallies (12-18")


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## musikman43155 (May 14, 2008)

Does anyone know how much it costs to rent a canoe from the livery? Do most of you try to anchor somehow or just cast as you float down? 

A few buddies and myself are considering trying the Logan-Athens stretch this Memorial day rather than fish from the shore of Lake Logan (as I'm sure many will). We were thinking of having 2 guys in a canoe, do you think that would be too overbearing to fish 2 in a canoe?

Sorry, I'm an amateur, and my friends more so, and I've never tried to fish from a canoe.

Any help is appreciated!!


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## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

I forget how much the livery is I only rented a canoe there once. Look them up online it might tell the prices. 2 in a canoe works great.


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## musikman43155 (May 14, 2008)

I looked up the website, but, there's no mention of a trip as far south as Athens. I read that some of the best fishing is between Logan and Athens.

Is there another canoe livery that offers such a trip?


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## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

There is no livery that I know of that does any trips past Nelsonville.


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## musikman43155 (May 14, 2008)

How's the fishing between say Sugar Grove and Logan?


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## tombo131 (Apr 23, 2008)

I've never done very well from Sugar Grove to just above Rockbridge. But from Rockbridge to Logan is great for smallies, rock bass, and catfish. I think the "6 Hour Trip" from Hocking Valley Canoe Livery starts just above Rockbridge.


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## musikman43155 (May 14, 2008)

Well, I didn't get to schedule a trip ahead of time, so now it's first come, first serve, so i really hope we get a chance to go out. 

I'll let you know how it works out. I intend on using jigs with a one or two inch crawfish or pearl colored grub.


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