# Stillwater River



## Hellgramite (Feb 18, 2005)

The Stillwater River has a reputation for being "the finest smallmouth stream in SW Ohio". My wife and I fished it extensively a couple years ago and we were disappointed in both the size and numbers we caught. Anyone else having much success with it?


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## getinjiggy (May 24, 2004)

Yeah there are some real nice smallies in this river. You just need to find the deep holding pools. In the northern part of the river here in Darke and Miami countys, you have got to hunt them down. I normally throw a twister tail or a crawdaddy around on leadhead. It works for me. Alot of nice rock bass can be had as well.Glenn


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## SWFishman (Feb 27, 2005)

I grew up on greenville st marys rd off 127 in darke county in a little town called beamsville. We catfished and carped this river as a child...over the years it got awful! You can barely find chubs in there now!. The reason being there are more chicken farms in that area than anywhere else in the country. And also, I know for a fact that to this day the people who live on the north bank of the stillwater in beamsville have their sewage flowing directly into the stillwater! Any one else from Darke area fish the stillwater?


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## big_b16 (Oct 17, 2004)

How many violations would that mean? If that's the case, someone should inform the EPA.


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## skipjack11 (Apr 12, 2004)

I fished that area over 40 years ago with my Dad. We fished the area near Route 185. It was great !  Beautiful pools surrounded by weedbeds full of Bass and panfish. I went back about 8 years ago and was disappointed to say the least. One area North of 185 was now owned by a large corporate chicken farm and denied me access.  I did fish a stretch South of there with some success but it was nothing like it used to be.


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## Skooky (Apr 21, 2004)

I live about a 1/2 mile from the Stillwater in Miami county. It's not nearly as productive as it use to be say...15 years ago. Overall, it seems that numbers are lower and size is smaller. Size the last couple of years seems to average in the 8-12" range. I can remember my Dad pulling out numerous 3 lbers in a couple hours of fishing 20 years ago. Rock Bass are fairly numerous and easily caught. Greenville Falls near Covigton use to be pretty decent years ago but I haven't fished that stretch for a very long time..


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## getinjiggy (May 24, 2004)

The falls can be good as long as the kids arent swimming in there. I know they party down there in the summer.The last time I was in the area it was closed to everyone,I guess there doing some type of restoration there!


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## Darwin (Apr 12, 2004)

I used to fish that area a bunch, I grew up in the Gettysburg area. The Greenville Creek NW of the city was good for smallmouth and rockbass. We also did real good on the Stillwater between Fredrick Garland Rd and Martindale Rd. Now this was back in the early to late 80's so I can imagine it has changed a bunch.
Not to change the subject on you but I can remember tubing down the Greenville Falls alot as a kid. Well a few years had passed so as teenagers we thought we would go back and give it a try. First time down I get to the bottom and when I stand up I cut my leg on (something) in the water. Didn't think much about it at the time. Well that night I woke up with a high fever, and my leg around the cut was red and swollen. Mom rushed me to the ER and they ended up pumping me full of antibiotics and a WICK  . Now a wick if you don't know and I didn't at the time is a "soft rope" of antiseptic gauze that the Doc packed into my wound  to help soak up the infection. That was maybe the most uncomfortable thing I have had done at the Dr's office!


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## crickwader (Feb 25, 2005)

We ALL live downstream.

Old cliche but so true. From some of the posts on this thread, it sounds as if the fishing on the Stillwater River isn't as good as it was in year's past. You are probably right. But what gets my goat is that if you know of a problem, be it sewage draining into the river or anything else, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Cause what gets dumped up in Darke Co. will end up hitting all the catfish holes and smallmouth habitat from Webster to Hamilton. Here's what you can do to help.

Up in Darke, contact the Darke Soil and Water Conservancy. Or better yet, The Stillwater Wateshed Project. These folks will help landowners with sewage control problems. Give them a call at 937-548-1715 and explain the situation.

Another good one is the Ohio Environmental Council, a non profit watchdog organization for better water quality and clean air. 
http://www.theoec.org/ 

If you are on the river and suspect a real water problem (funny smell, odd water color etc.) call the EPA Hotline immediately. They will dispatch a team right away. Don't wait till the next day to call or its too late. Their hotline number is 1-800-282-9378.

Hope this helps everyone in keeping our area rivers and lakes as good a fishery as they should be.


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## newbreed (May 4, 2004)

I just wade the Great Miami now. I don't waste my time with the Stillwater any longer. From Sidney to Troy the smallies are thick. Big ones, little ones, healthy ones, mutated ones ..... they are all in there. Just put on your waders or get your feet wet.


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## Skooky (Apr 21, 2004)

I do my part whwn wade-ing along the stillwater and such. I almost always have a trashbag or use an extra bucket to clean up trash. My opinion is that what were once good stretches of the stillwater is getting full of sediment and silt. I also believe that run off from all the farmland around isn't none too healthy for the wildlife along it. And, compared to say 20 years ago, alot of people that own land along the river no longer alow access.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I think most would agree that fishing today isnt what it used to be on the Stillwater ( or anywhere else for that matter) now I agree that siltation is another problem that only a lot of hard work upstream will fix but groups like the Stillwater Watershed group are battling those issues every day so if you have an opportunity to support these and other watershed groups, please do so!

Lastly, an aquaintance of mine owns about 1 mile of the river and has talked to the local sherrif, the game officers, the DNR, the local police and finally asked me about how he could best protect his land from the bridge vandels, poachers of fish on his pond ( next to the river) the spraypainting of his eqiuipment, the littering and the constant worm containers and beer cans found at his personal dock and his own picnic grounds. All replied with the same answer ( me included) "Heavily Post No Trespassing" and enforce the law there, so because of many before you, this spring, another river mile has been lost and will likely never become available again in the near future. Its a shame but his openness to allow fishing for many years has him so bitter about it I doubt he will ever allow access onto his property again as long as he owns it. Its a sad ending, but he has been left with no other options. I know people will gripe, but if it was your property and all your own work into keeping this place clean, you would do the same.

Salmonid


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Treat others & their property as you would want yours to be treated.


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

H2oMellon said it all!


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