# Fishing John Bryan State Park?



## fshnteachr

Anyone ever fish for smallmouth in the LMR out at John Bryan? I took my kids out walking the trails today and couldn't keep my eyes off that river!! Sure looked fishy in spots. I know you can't go up into the Clifton Gorge area and fish (not that I'd want to up there) but John Bryan looked good. Just wondering if it's worth it.


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## Walter Adkins

You can fish the river through the park but it is posted no wading. There are smallmouth, carp, chubs, just about any type of fish you would find south of there in the LMR.


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## Red The Fisherman

You can fish between the two bridges. And yes I have fished it. The waters clear and the fish are timid. I saw alot of nice fish and couldn't get a stike to save my life. I'm pretty sure Walter is right about wading.


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## Fish-N-Fool

As stated you can fish it. I've fished it many, many times in my youth and still fish there occasionally. I've caught a couple varieties of sunfish, carp, chubs and yes smallies. I've never caught any smallmouth with size - typically 12 inchers (not saying they don't exist, but don't expect nize sized SMB).

I have permission on private property with a ton of river frontage and there is better fishing for larger fish both above and below JB Park.


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## fshnteachr

Took the pole out and hit the LMR at John Bryan. It would be a lot nicer if we could do some wading out there. Seemed like I just couldn't get to those fishy looking holes. I did manage to catch one smallie about 13-14 inches. It had a really weird looking growth on it's lip, not the best looking fish I have ever caught. I will say this, JB is the prettiest place to fish around here for sure!


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## Nitro750

What is the water looking like up that way?


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## fshnteachr

Nitro750 said:


> What is the water looking like up that way?


It was pretty murky....not real bad by any means, but still light brownish.


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## iam20fan

once i was hiking at john bryan state park and we hike for hours i was carrying my fishing pole. and came across a sign the says" you are now leaving john bryan state park now entering glen helen nature preserve. i had my pole broke down and strapped to my backpack. i had NO intent to fish in glen helen at all but the park ranger thought otherwise and gave a ticket. i hiked back to the ranger station and pleaded my case with a supervisor and the ticket was torn up.maybe i was in the wrong,maybe the ranger was wrong for giving me a ticket so those signs are there for a reason no wading means no wading and no fishing means no fishing


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## Walter Adkins

If you guys take a look in the lodge forums you will see where I have been doing research on wade fishing in rivers. But I have found from the law office of ODNR that all parks, unless clearly marked, are open to wade fishing. The signs at John Bryant say you are not allowed to wade or swim. It does not say you can not wade fish. So I put a call into the park rangers office today to find out if wade fishing is off limits. When I get a call back I will post up the results.


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## fshnteachr

Walter Adkins said:


> If you guys take a look in the lodge forums you will see where I have been doing research on wade fishing in rivers. But I have found from the law office of ODNR that all parks, unless clearly marked, are open to wade fishing. The signs at John Bryant say you are not allowed to wade or swim. It does not say you can not wade fish. So I put a call into the park rangers office today to find out if wade fishing is off limits. When I get a call back I will post up the results.


Great! Thanks for putting in that call, let us know for sure what they tell you. If we can wade out there, I have a new fishing spot.


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## Tall cool one

That place has some of the best flyrod carpin' available in the area as the water is very clear and they feed up in the shallows a lot.A small craw fly is murder on them and some of them run big,over 15 lbs.Smallmouth and game fish tend to be on the small side but there's an occaisional nice crappie or rock bass.
I wade it whenever I fish it and never seen a ranger down there in 40+yrs of fishing it other'n at the dam/grinnell gate area where they have break in problems.I don't condone breaking the law but I guess I been fishing/swimming/wading that river for so long I never thought of it.I used to go to camps in both JB and GH when I was a kid and they always took us to swim in the river or creeks there.TC1


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## Fish-N-Fool

Also - be careful if you get down by Grinnel RD. The area above the Girl Scout is private property on the Clifton Rd. side for a portion and the owner will get ya If on the state ground side and caught the ranger will get ya - he'll tell you Glen Helen is off limits.

I can access the river from the Clifton Rd. side via private property and I can assure you the park rangers, hikers, campers, etc. are NEVER on this stretch.
The private property line runs from Dave Chappel's compound off Grinnel which borders the river, but veers towards Clifton Rd above the ridge into the wood line - then it becomes state land. It isn't worth the walk to me for fishing other than the natural beauty with the rolling hills and cliffs/bluffs. It sure ain't bad deer hunting though:!


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## fshnteachr

I am so tired of worrying about this and that private land and this and that park ranger etc., etc.... Maybe it's just the sun has got to me after floating/putting in/taking out/ floating some more since 6:00am this morning. I just want to enjoy the water, catch some fish and release them all unharmed back into the water. Such a hassle finding a good place to float....

Don't even get me started about trying to find hunting land!!!

Sorry, just had to vent a little......


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## Walter Adkins

Wade fishing ability was not lost with the Indians. Most states considered a wade fisherman as legal as long as he/she is in what is called a navigable river. Ohio is one of the few states that considers one trespassing while wade fishing or dropping an anchor. But that is how it is here so we must either live with it or do something about it. I do not disagree with land owners in their rites either. I can understand both sides. 

I wonder what would happen if some one came in and leased large sections of the Mad River, some of the walleye run rivers or steel head rivers. Then this same person started charging for each person to fish on these rivers.


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## Fish-N-Fool

I agree it is a hassel, but this is the world we live in. That is a subject for another thread as you could discuss this subject forever. 

fishteach - I was just warning you and anybody else reading the thread as that particular area/land owner watches that border and will press charges on everybody. Think how it would ruin your day to get walked out with a ticket - that changes your mood fast 

And as I said - other than the view the fishing isn't that great anyway - much better spots on down the river.


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## Tall cool one

Walter,Donny Beaver doe sjust that on that old campground water on Conneaut. Used to be(probbably still is too) a prime holding area on that creek for steelhead. He tried it in Pa which has stream rights laws and got it thrown out of court when he tried to post it. Not so in our great state.It's his to sell out to high paying individuals by the day.TC1


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## Walter Adkins

During my research on Scenic River Wading I came across where someone was trying to do that for steelhead. The ODNR officer interviewed said that they would make it real tough on him. I thought what are they going to do. He is fully in the law doing it and he could make them ticket someone who was there without his permission. I will try to find the place I came across the story. But as Fish-n-fool said that is a topic for another post. 

I have not received an email or call back from John Bryant park rangers yet. I will put in another call.


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## Walter Adkins

I have an answer about wade fishing in the park. We can wade fish in John Bryant, one can not just go wading or swimming. Here is the contact information for the park. 

John Bryan State Park

3790 State Route 370 

Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387

Phone: (937) 767 - 1274

Email: [email protected]


Now I can take my kids hiking and fishing in a nice area.


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## fshnteachr

Fish-N-Fool said:


> fishteach - I was just warning you and anybody else reading the thread as that particular area/land owner watches that border and will press charges on everybody. Think how it would ruin your day to get walked out with a ticket - that changes your mood fast
> 
> .


I understood what you were saying, no harm done. Ny rant was from my long day trying to fish....not because of your post.  

Walter A. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I am going to get out there and fish some more now knowing we can wade a little out there. If nothing else, it is a pretty spot to go.


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## Walter Adkins

No thank you necassary, just glad I am able to help you and others.


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