# GMR advice needed



## dholth01 (Jan 21, 2008)

In the month I have been using this website I am very impressed at how generous people are about giving valuable advise. I have been fishing all my life but have never have owned a boat until this year. From what I have been reading it sounds like the GMR is a great local resource to catch fish. My main interest is Smallmouth and Largemouth, but I really like to catch anything. I live close to West Carrollton and cross the GMR everyday to go to work. I have fished many lakes in my day but never a river. So what my questions are is there good fishing in the West Carrollton area? And any tips or advice would be appreciated. I am very excited about the opportunity to fish this river now and am ready for the weather to break!

Thank you for the help


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## chrsvic (Apr 20, 2005)

I used to fish with a friend of mine down near Middletown, there was a little park with a boat ramp above a low level dam. He said the dam has sinced washed out, but it was very good area for smallmouth bass. (I think it was near Rte 4?, but its been 15 years since i fished there, i think.) I think the river down south gets fished more for catfish than bass, but they are in there. Rubber crawdad jigs, spinners, rapalas, all work good.


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## flathead10 (Dec 23, 2007)

If you live in WC you have an excellent smallmouth fishery at your doorstep. largemouth are there as well but the smallmouth fishing is superb. And lets not forget the bonus saugeyes to be had too. Multiple species to be caught in the section your speaking of.


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## MadRad (May 8, 2005)

This is an interesting fishery that doesn't get a lot of attention, which is good. You will see a bunch of people below the lo-head dams in the spring but a lot of the river is left untouched.

The hog carp are a blast in the warm months. You will find the shallow banks over by UD arena an easy access place.  

A friend uses a small john boat to fish downtown dayton. Says the best action on smallies is with a tube jig working the structure. There is a lot of structures since they started reworking the bridges there.  

For saugeye in the spring and fall, use minnow cranks or jig head twister tails. The preferred colors seem to be pearl white or chart. Check the USGS stream flow website first though. Water flow needs to be around 3000 cfs or less. Much higher than this and you are wasting your time looking for pockets on a blown out river. Right now, I'm waiting for the water to come down after this melt so I can try for some saugeyes.

I've had a lot of good times here. Good luck and tight lines.
Rick


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

MadRad said:


> A friend uses a small john boat to fish downtown dayton. Says the best action on smallies is with a tube jig working the structure. There is a lot of structures since they started reworking the bridges there.


think i talked to your friend once while taking a break riding the bike trails. small jon with a trolling motor on the front?


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## dholth01 (Jan 21, 2008)

Thank you for the help


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## dholth01 (Jan 21, 2008)

Now where I cross the GMR is farmersville-west carrollton rd. That looks like good fishing there but I have never seen a boats down there. Is there not access to that part of the river?


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## flathead10 (Dec 23, 2007)

They closed the boat ramp in Miamisburg and that was the only boat ramp. You can however drag a boat there and drop it in. I have had a hard time making it past some areas. Maybe put in up river some and float down? May be a wild ride though in a small boat! pretty fast and rocky flow thru there. Have caught flatheads on the upriver side of bridge and have always wanted to fish that rip rap on the downriver side of the bridge for smallies. looks awesome. I have tried several times to make it up through there. My destination is the gravel pit on the backside of the pit you see from the bridge. It flows into the river from erosion on the very backside and if i'm able to float into it, well..., i'm fishin' it! Want to mention these were not the greatest of fishing trips, but man they are some of the most memorable exciting ones mostly cause we were the only fools on that stretch of river boating or fishing it, lots of prime spots and riffles, but it is very unfished as well.  And I continue on, Looking for my next secret spot.


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## dholth01 (Jan 21, 2008)

Like I said I dont have any experience on a river with a boat. I have a bass tracker with a 60 HP motor. It does not have a prop guard on it. Should I have one before even thinking about putting it in the GMR or is it no big deal.


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## HOTTFINGER (Apr 14, 2004)

There are 2 good ramps in the WC are. One is just above a dam and the other is about 1.5 miles up river off East River Road. From the dam in WC you can run at top speed for nearly 3 miles or to just a couple hundred yards below the Sunwatch Village. There are some shallow water areas that could cause a problem if you don't know where they are. But if you take it easy for a few trips, you should have no problem. It's a good fishery--good numbers of SM, LM, some Spots,White Bass,Saugeye, Catfish, Blue Gill, Carppie, Carp,Suckers and a Pike or two. If you want to bank fish the WC area, try the dam and the washed out dam and the area immediately below them both. They're within a quarter mile of each other.

No prop guard needed in this area.


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## dholth01 (Jan 21, 2008)

Thank you. I have another question. It seems as though the river has not been at an acceptable level to put a boat on for a while. What is a good indicator when it is safe to put a boat on the river? And is this rain ever gonna stop.


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