# Downtown Dayton Ghetto Smallie...



## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

My wife caught this monster right across from the Job Center in Downtown Dayton where I work. Just a couple days before she caught it there was a gun fight in the parking lot there. Luckily no fish were hurt during the exchange of fire and baby mamma drama......lol

PS...I believe its the GMR.


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

Great fish! Did you get a length on it??


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## Judster (May 30, 2006)

Yep, thats the GMR. I would have never expected to see that fish come from there. I work downtown as well and I can tell everyone that the river looks slow, shallow and muddy bottom in this area. Pretty much everything I avoid when smallie hunting!


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

I'll have to measure my wife when I get home. Looks like its from her right booby to just below her waste...lol



fishingredhawk said:


> Great fish! Did you get a length on it??


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

I agree, but there is a stretch of river that is rocky, has plenty of weeds near the bank, and a few good holes that provide some great action on my lunch breaks. I catch them on spinners, spinnerbaits, tubes, lizards, and worms. Its all virgin water from here to UD I'm sure. If anybody does fish down there its either for catfish or malted beer...lol



Judster said:


> Yep, thats the GMR. I would have never expected to see that fish come from there. I work downtown as well and I can tell everyone that the river looks slow, shallow and muddy bottom in this area. Pretty much everything I avoid when smallie hunting!


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## Judster (May 30, 2006)

usamarshal said:


> I'll have to measure my wife when I get home. Looks like its from her right booby to just below her waste...lol


I hate to ask what your going to use for the tape measure.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Probably a ruler...lol



Judster said:


> I hate to ask what your going to use for the tape measure.


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## hornswaggled (Aug 20, 2006)

Nice fish, did you catch any others? 

I know exacty where the fish was caught: I drive by it everyday. I never see anyone fishing there. Just south of where the fish was caught there is some rip rap by the railroad tressel. I just might have to go out there. Sound like I'll have to go in the morning while the ghetto is sleeping.


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

That's one real nice smallie. I have been suprised by where smallies will and can hold. Sometimes the best looking water isn't the best. I think I would be spending some more time there!


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Yeah, in the mornings you have no worries at all. In the evenings if I go down there I bring my gun...lol...always nice to have a CCW when going into the element.......my wife and I catch the fish right across the street from the Job Center...all up and down from there to UD...there is also a park there...I think its veterans park...sometime you'll see people over there by the drainage, but the good fish are going towards UD from there...if anyone goes fishing down there all I ask is that you catch and relase because all those smallies are virgins...I want to keep catching them on my lunch breaks if you know what I mean......if anyone has any honey holes they want to tell me about just send me a message...lol...sharing is caring...



hornswaggled said:


> Nice fish, did you catch any others?
> 
> I know exacty where the fish was caught: I drive by it everyday. I never see anyone fishing there. Just south of where the fish was caught there is some rip rap by the railroad tressel. I just might have to go out there. Sound like I'll have to go in the morning while the ghetto is sleeping.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Yup, they did an electric shock deal down there last year. I sh*t you not, there was like a 5-7 lb largemouth taken from the river. I think that was done over by the museum. You have to remember that its all virgin water. I've never seen anyone bass fishing down in the element and the fishing shows this with great catches. 



oufisherman said:


> That's one real nice smallie. I have been suprised by where smallies will and can hold. Sometimes the best looking water isn't the best. I think I would be spending some more time there!


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## WINNER (Apr 7, 2004)

usamarshal said:


> ...if anyone goes fishing down there all I ask is that you catch and relase because all those smallies are virgins...)


Probably not a good idea to brodcast the location all over the internet then...just my $.02

Winner


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Shoot, I don't care...I don't think any ghetto trash use this forum......you should come down try it out...where abouts are you from weiner?



WINNER said:


> Probably not a good idea to brodcast the location all over the internet then...just my $.02
> 
> Winner


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

Yeah thats a great area to fish, but like you said have to watch out for the degenerates of the world. But I guess it makes fishing even more interesting when your wondering if your car is going to still be there when your done. lol That was one of the main reasons we started going over to the Stillwater. But that is one heck of a fish. Congrats! We never lucked into any that big down that way.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Yeah, its good to find a parking lot with cameras and lights if possible...its just to bad that 99% of downtown Dayton is just as bad as the outskirts of Dayton. The city could at least keep the area up to code...lol..yeah right......everyone likes tall grass, trash, and crack houses...  



SuperD said:


> Yeah thats a great area to fish, but like you said have to watch out for the degenerates of the world. But I guess it makes fishing even more interesting when your wondering if your car is going to still be there when your done. lol That was one of the main reasons we started going over to the Stillwater. But that is one heck of a fish. Congrats! We never lucked into any that big down that way.


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

LOL I hear ya. Havent been down there in a long time but we used to see quite a few homeless people down in that area. And to think they were not the ones you really had to worry about. Perhaps we will give it a try again sometime and I will remember to bring the car that I dont want anymore. lol


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Yeah, there like the sand people in Star Wars...gotta watch your back...lol...forget your car...just go RTA...lol...



SuperD said:


> LOL I hear ya. Havent been down there in a long time but we used to see quite a few homeless people down in that area. And to think they were not the ones you really had to worry about. Perhaps we will give it a try again sometime and I will remember to bring the car that I dont want anymore. lol


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

Yeah I could see me riding the RTA all the way from Vandalia to UD with my fishing gear. lol That might be worth it just for the looks you would get.  Plus like you I always go there prepared. So if you ever need some backup let me know.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Sounds good man. I think I may head over to the stillwater today. I've had pretty good success there recently.



SuperD said:


> Yeah I could see me riding the RTA all the way from Vandalia to UD with my fishing gear. lol That might be worth it just for the looks you would get.  Plus like you I always go there prepared. So if you ever need some backup let me know.


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

The Stillwater is nice, it will be even nicer when I find some better holes. lol But its quiet, senic, and just plain relaxing to get out there and wade a couple miles and not see another soul. Maybe we could hook up and hit the Stillwater one day if you make it up this way. Have been looking forward to trying more north up past Englewood. Just let me know.


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

I hit that area up to the Mad split a few times a month. I have never seen anyone even down on the river except at the low water dam south of there. I have a few places that I park that are on fenced in property or watched real close so I do not worry about my truck or car. I do worry when I am not parking in those spots. As for the fishing it is just like most of Ohio. THERE ARE NO BASS IN THOSE WATERS.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

LOL...I hear that brother...I need to try fishing down south one of these days.



Walter Adkins said:


> I hit that area up to the Mad split a few times a month. I have never seen anyone even down on the river except at the low water dam south of there. I have a few places that I park that are on fenced in property or watched real close so I do not worry about my truck or car. I do worry when I am not parking in those spots. As for the fishing it is just like most of Ohio. THERE ARE NO BASS IN THOSE WATERS.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Hey Marshal, thats a real trophy for that area of the GMR and you would be suprised how many of us on this board fish ALL that water but dont post about it, ( I can think of a dozen or so guys I personally have fished that very bank with who are on this board so I am suprised you never see anyone but your post will bring them out, thats for sure...  )
its truly combat fishing down there, gotta watch where you park, your back and worse yet, dont let MCD or local police find you carrying down there, you WILL get cited, its happened to a couple of guys I fly fish with! Most guys are on the water before sunup and off by about 9:00 am before the degenerates wake up. 
Good deal and watch your back!! the bike way is full of crime the press/city doesnt want you to hear about for obvious reasons.

Salmonid


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

For us local guys the area is no secret, just not talked about much. I havent fishe dit for years, but there is a certain spot where trophy Pike, Smallies & Largemouths used to be caught at. There have even been some faily decent Mus..... . I cant say the word, or the Mus.... guys would kill me!


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

WINNER said:


> Probably not a good idea to brodcast the location all over the internet then...just my $.02
> 
> Winner


just what i was thinking. i live less than a mile from there and the reason nobody fishes downtown much anymore is because it has been beaten down and raped for so many years. the fishing is recovering slowly though. SHHHH!


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Sounds like the city and river have something in common then...lol



dinkbuster1 said:


> just what i was thinking. i live less than a mile from there and the reason nobody fishes downtown much anymore is because it has been beaten down and raped for so many years. the fishing is recovering slowly though. SHHHH!


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

That sounds cool...I've never really waded that river, but I think it wouldn't be a problem...its fairly shallow, but there is some nice holes here and there...I really need to get a canoe.



SuperD said:


> The Stillwater is nice, it will be even nicer when I find some better holes. lol But its quiet, senic, and just plain relaxing to get out there and wade a couple miles and not see another soul. Maybe we could hook up and hit the Stillwater one day if you make it up this way. Have been looking forward to trying more north up past Englewood. Just let me know.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Lol...I have yet to catch a mus..shesh...or a largemouth from the river...I have caught everything else though...are the largemouth's usually in deeper calmer water or are they spread throughout?



H2O Mellon said:


> For us local guys the area is no secret, just not talked about much. I havent fishe dit for years, but there is a certain spot where trophy Pike, Smallies & Largemouths used to be caught at. There have even been some faily decent Mus..... . I cant say the word, or the Mus.... guys would kill me!


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Yeah, its good fishing....you might get hung up a little, but its worth it...so why can't a person carry down there? I didn't see anything posted saying you can't carry by the river...wonder whats up with that? But yeah...I try to keep it safe the best way I can.



Salmonid said:


> Hey Marshal, thats a real trophy for that area of the GMR and you would be suprised how many of us on this board fish ALL that water but dont post about it, ( I can think of a dozen or so guys I personally have fished that very bank with who are on this board so I am suprised you never see anyone but your post will bring them out, thats for sure...  )
> its truly combat fishing down there, gotta watch where you park, your back and worse yet, dont let MCD or local police find you carrying down there, you WILL get cited, its happened to a couple of guys I fly fish with! Most guys are on the water before sunup and off by about 9:00 am before the degenerates wake up.
> Good deal and watch your back!! the bike way is full of crime the press/city doesnt want you to hear about for obvious reasons.
> 
> Salmonid


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## Tall cool one (Jul 13, 2006)

Hey ! Get outta there! That's my water! LOL! Just kidding.I fish that stretch all the time,heck,I've probably hooked that very fish! That water is not,as judster would believe,slow and muddy and bereft of fish. It's all gravel from the low dam to UD(even all that slow stuff has gravel bottom) and loaded w/ nice fish that never see much pressure...although certain nts Ive seen the banks w/ 3-4 other guys out most are fishing the dams for cats.
I don't know what all this paranoid talk about going to the river w/ a gun or otherwise is about. I've fished there for more'n 20 yrs and never had a probelem except when I park over by the projects @ kettering field and that' s still just kids. The low-lifes and derelicts have no use for the river and are actually scared to go down there...mother nature is a bad and scary thing for them,can't get too close to her.TC1


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

LOL...thats cool...you ever catch any largemouth out of there? Glad to hear that the low lifes are scared of nature though...



Tall cool one said:


> Hey ! Get outta there! That's my water! LOL! Just kidding.I fish that stretch all the time,heck,I've probably hooked that very fish! That water is not,as judster would believe,slow and muddy and bereft of fish. It's all gravel from the low dam to UD(even all that slow stuff has gravel bottom) and loaded w/ nice fish that never see much pressure...although certain nts Ive seen the banks w/ 3-4 other guys out most are fishing the dams for cats.
> I don't know what all this paranoid talk about going to the river w/ a gun or otherwise is about. I've fished there for more'n 20 yrs and never had a probelem except when I park over by the projects @ kettering field and that' s still just kids. The low-lifes and derelicts have no use for the river and are actually scared to go down there...mother nature is a bad and scary thing for them,can't get too close to her.TC1


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

USAMarshal - Yeah you can wade the Stillwater with ease. Most of the time doesnt get past your waist, and you can always find a shallow route if it starts to get deep. Just let me know when you want to give it a try.


Tall cool one - Well once you have one bad experience down in that area, it pretty much puts that big red sign in your head to always watch your back. Especially when you have friends that are on the MCS and the DPD that look at you strange when you say your going fishing down there. lol Glad you have never have had a problem down that way. But it is better to be safe than sorry.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Yeah, they give you the one eye...lol



SuperD said:


> USAMarshal - Yeah you can wade the Stillwater with ease. Most of the time doesnt get past your waist, and you can always find a shallow route if it starts to get deep. Just let me know when you want to give it a try.
> 
> 
> Tall cool one - Well once you have one bad experience down in that area, it pretty much puts that big red sign in your head to always watch your back. Especially when you have friends that are on the MCS and the DPD that look at you strange when you say your going fishing down there. lol Glad you have never have had a problem down that way. But it is better to be safe than sorry.


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

LOL yes they do. The "Are you crazy" look. Not saying all the people down there are bad, its the few degenerates that mess it up.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Yup, but hey....I can't let a good thing go to waste...but yeah...those few bad apples sure make it a bitch at times...I went down there during the evening one time and will never do it again...lol...I think I was in drug alley..



SuperD said:


> LOL yes they do. The "Are you crazy" look. Not saying all the people down there are bad, its the few degenerates that mess it up.


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## hornswaggled (Aug 20, 2006)

If the fishing is good there, it should be good farther south towards West Carrollton (by the airport) and further North, where the GMR and Stillwater (I believe its the still water) join. It appears that a lot of it can be fished from the bank. It appears that there is plenty of room for everyone.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Oh yeah, you can walk all the way down past UD...its really cool because you don't have to deal with walking in the water to get to anther spot...lol



hornswaggled said:


> If the fishing is good there, it should be good farther south towards West Carrollton (by the airport) and further North, where the GMR and Stillwater (I believe its the still water) join. It appears that a lot of it can be fished from the bank. It appears that there is plenty of room for everyone.


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Whats the biggest smallie anyone here has caught in the GMR?


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Alright, just got the measurements from my wife on the smallie...from her right booby to her crotch it runs about 18 inches...I'm guessing thats a pretty good size smallie...I know the belly on that fish was huge too...lol...gave her a good fight on the ultralight...took about 10 minutes to get her to the bank...still don't know how it didn't break the line...so much crap in the river, along with only 6 lb test...Trilene makes a great line guys...



fishingredhawk said:


> Great fish! Did you get a length on it??


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## Tall cool one (Jul 13, 2006)

during the 'late 80's and early to mid 90's the fishing was unreal.2 doz fish/ nt and avg was 16" w/ 18's and 19's almost every nt.But, as someone else observed, it's been hit hard and is slowly recovering. I've hooked smallies that topped 24" outta there but never could land them w/ all that concrete and rubble. I've gotten 22"s outta there and those 24+'s I lost made the 22's look thin!
I rarely fish less'n 10-12lb test since there's so much junk in there. The rebar stickin out of the concrete is worst and can put a serious hurtin on ya as well as cost ya a fish or lure.I always wear 5mm neo gaiters to protect my ankles and shins whne I wade.
As for largemouths,I was wading just above the monument st bridge on the stillwater side some yrs ago when a brace of HUGE LM's came busting outta the depths chasing 10-12" shad...never seen baitfish that big jumping outta the water like that! I'd say the two were between 4-6 lbs.The largest was bigger'n any smallie I've ever seen...not typical though for river LM's. Most I catch outta there are less'n 16".You know as soon as they start to fight that thy're not a smallie as the fight is not near as good. They always give me the impression of being confused about whats going on ,whereas the smallies just rip right out the startinggate.TC1


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

I hear ya on the rebar and crap in the bottom. Used to be nice, you could walk across the street and get a tetnus shot and stiches right there at St. E's. lol


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

nice picture, she looks excited! Congrats on a beauty. Wife ain't bad either


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

I have not caught one small mouth over 15" out there yet. I also have not caught a LM out of there yet either. The thing is I first started to fish that area because I thought there would be some good spots and large mouth in there. After reading these posts I know that I was correct about the bass. Now I just need to get back out there and catch a few more.


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## Fishing Flyer (May 31, 2006)

First, nice fish!

On the other hand, I am a little disappointed to read all the posts about "degenerates" and the homeless. I am a 5th year UD student, and since I co-op I have lived in Dayton for over three years straight. I ride the bikepaths from UD to Riverscape downtown and also in the opposite direction away from the city, and I have never had a problem. Quite a few people use the bikepaths, and they are an asset to the city for promoting outdoor activity. Riverscape itself is well developed and safe, which I think is where the electroshock survey was performed last year with the help of UD students. 

If you do not live on the edge of the city, and use or know about its resources, you might find that it is much different than you are portraying it to be in this post. There are thousands of homeless in Dayton, but "degenerate" is not the way to describe them. I would lean more towards terms such as unfortunate, forgotten, neglected... because it is a social problem which means society is responsible to a more considerable extent than many might believe. As much as we like to believe that we got ourselves to our positions in life, it is important to understand that we are all products of the environments that we grew up in. Some lucky children who grow up in Dayton schools will defy the expectations of society and succeed in education and life, but many will not. Society will wrongly blame it on things like attitude, work ethic, values, and morals, rather than lack of an equal chance to sucess, which is the real problem. 

Please live life with open minds and hearts. Be thankful for what you have, and help those who do not have. UD's moto is Learn, Lead, Serve, and I hope I never forget that. 

Hopefully I'll see some of you down on the river one of these days!


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

24" smallies?

Where can I put-in/take-out a kayak?


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

I will assume your referring to me.
For starters the degenerate comment was regarding criminal element that likes to take your car, your money, your valuables and in some instances your life while using the bike path and the area surrounding it. I have lived here my entire life. I was also unlucky enough to be on the other end of someones lack of moral upbringing and have the scars to show for it. I also have plenty of friends on the force who lost count of how many times they have responded to assults, robberies, etc. I said not ALL the people down there are bad. Just the few who decide to prey on innocent people. Consider yourself lucky if you havent seen that side, I have, and I hope you never do.


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## SuperD (Jun 28, 2006)

And sorry for the rant. Lets go fishing!


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## fishinjim (Aug 9, 2006)

depending on time of day and location and if I am fishing by myself, I usually carry extra protection. Better safe then sorry, I tell myself.

Kind of sad, if you think about it, that there's that 2-4% of the population that forces the other 96% to be a bit more cautious.

Where and when I grew up, that thought never crossed my thought patterns. Matter of fact, I either rode my bike or walked to school ever since kindergarden.

That 4% may have been unfortunate at some time in their life but there is still no excuse to not live the 'golden rule'.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

I dont care if I need to wear a flack jacket and mount a M2 .50 Cal on the blackwater. I just want some put-in/take-out spots for a chance at a 24" smallie! LOL


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

i agree about folks being paranoid about their safety, the parks/river areas of the Dayton area are VERY safe now. heck, back when i was a young teen (early-mid 80's) until the early-mid 90's you HAD to carry a knife and go in a group or you were getting jumped and beat down, wheather kid or adult. ive had my share of encounters!  and about the carrying of firearms being illegal? if it receives state funding wheather it be the metro-parks or miami conservancy land YOU CAN CARRY! only stipulation is you cannot take a concealed firearm into any buidling, porta potties are considered a building too. they will try to convince you otherwise so get it in writing to show those metro-nazi's when they start harrasing you. remember this too if you dont see eye to eye, (it will tick them off too!) if you ever have an issue with a dayton police officer or a Metro-ranger request a Sheriff to come out. he is the true authority and its your right to request him.


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## 1badmthrfisher (Apr 4, 2005)

24 inch +...??!? are you kidding me?? A fish over 24 inches out of the river would exceed 8 lbs.....Come one now..... I doubt there is a person on this forum that believes a fisherman at any combined point in his life has lost multiple fish over 24" from the river...


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

the fish wasn't landed (and thus not measured). It is EASY to overestimate the length of a smallie, I do it all the time. About 10 days ago I had one that I SWORE was 19", when I measured it went 17 (a fat 17 though). The difference in wt and overall appearance of a fish gets significant when you get to 16, 17, 18, 19" fish. My biggest is a fat 19". Gotten 3-5 this year bw 18 and 19. Less than 18" but bigger than 13" probably over a hundred(less than a foot probably 500). Tonite my biggest was about 11". If I got a 20" smallie on and it broke lose right before I landed it I too would probably think it was closer to 2 feet. Heck I bet the state record smallie wasn't 24".


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

My PB from the GMR is 19 1/2 & let me tell you, I was EXCITED & I will admit that I will prob never do it again. It was in Oct (I think it was Oct) on a white Mr Twister right at the edge of a bridge pillar off of ________ rd, in the city of _________. Come on guys.... You really think I'd say where?  

Good luck everyone. I havent fished for smallies in a while, but I know its a blast!


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

Cmon now folks.....lets not get carried away here! You need to make sure your tape measure is reading INCHES not Centimeters when measuring fish. I can guarantee you with absolute certainty that you have never hooked, seen, or heard of a REAL 24" smallie in any river in OHIO. Heck, search the internet for pics of 24" fish and you will be looking for hours. A trophy smallie is 20 inches. 22 in Lake eerie, and you wont see many pics of them either. Personally I would like to see a pic of a fish out of a RIVER here by ANYONE on this site over 22 inches. All these stories out there yet noone ever produces fish pics to back up the nonsense. I am not fisher-hating....lets just be real here. We have all seen what my REAL 21" fish looks like, I would venture to say NO fish in the river over 6lbs...my PB was 4lb 10oz, and in the spring it would have been around 5lb easy. LMR/GMR whatever.

Now I am going out to try for a legit 20+...I know 24" is unreal


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Last year, I caught a 20 and an 18 within the span of 5 minutes from a small creek in the SW. I caught the 20 below in the same creek a little later in the year. I was skeptical about the existence of 20 smallies in the SW, until I caught a few. LOL I actually think that there are 24 smallies out there, and Im determined to catch one.


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## Lucky (Jun 2, 2004)

Fishermen are born honest,but they get over it.When a fisherman is going to tell you about the big fish he caught,he knows you will subtract pounds or inches to allow for his untruthfulness.So he adds pounds and inches to allow for your subtraction.The other pounds and inches he adds on account of being such a liar.Then he adds a little more pounds and inches for good measure because what is a few more on such a big fish?He probably caught it on a Hokum's DeLuxe Weedless Streamlined Hollow-ground Galvanized Non-skid Semi-automatic Smallmouth lure....Lucky


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

Rooster said:


> I dont care if I need to wear a flack jacket and mount a M2 .50 Cal on the blackwater. I just want some put-in/take-out spots for a chance at a 24" smallie! LOL


Now that is what I am talking about. A man on a mission. You can put your yak in just about any where along that stretch if you can carry it a few hundred yards.


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

Now the post is starting to get interesting. Those that believe and those that do not.


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

Lord knows there are lots of 18-22" fish in these rivers, but come on folks....big..no HUGE difference between 22 and 24 inches.....like 3-4 lb difference...lol Now rooster has a very nice fish there...I have seen quite a few like that, but even that pales in comparison to a 24" fish. Start searching around the web folks......The New River guides do not even have a pic of a 24 incher on any of their websites....and that is the best river in the country for Big Smallies. If you catch one over 22" here in OHIO (besides eerie) you better mount it as you will most likely never catch one bigger.


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## HOTTFINGER (Apr 14, 2004)

I have fished the GMR since 92. My PB SM is 19 with several 18s and more 17s. Most were measurred and several photographed(including the 19). A 19 would typically weigh app 4 lbs maybe a little more. I haven't fished the down town area in several years but I used to do pretty will from the frontage near Carrillon down past Dryden Rd. You can encounter some pretty shady characters down there--so be alert. These days I fish more from my boat in the Moraine area. Fishing is not what is used to be --say 7 years ago but does seem to be coming back--SM and LM.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=5648&sort=1&cat=all&page=4

Thats 23.5", 24" would probally be a state record.


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

I believe that there are 24" smallies out there in Ohio rivers. At the same time I do not believe that a 24" small mouth in a small river with decent current would weigh as much as a lake small mouth. Then again I have never seen a 24" small mouth come out of any river. But I do dream of the day that it is on the end of my line.


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

the old state record smallie that held from 1942 (?) to i think 1990 was actually caught in the Mad river in Dayton between harshman rd and findlay st, it was 8lb. i seriously doubt that there is anything in there now of that size but you never know. that river was much larger then too, the well feilds suck about half of the water out of it nowdays.


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## Tall cool one (Jul 13, 2006)

I see there are some skeptics here. I'll give some background. As I mentioned,the fishing was MUCH better up till the mid 90's. I'd catch a half dozen fish between 17-20"/wk in a spot that ole Walter knows well and if he's been there as long as I have he's probably lost a monster or two in there on all them rocks and concrete. That same spot would nightly yield 16-18 or more fish from 12-20". Then came Bill and son,two good ole boys who kept everything they caught and they did well w/ minnies under a bobber. Put a serious hurtin' on that poor section o' river and it aint been the same since. Those dang tax-wasting water towers there now don't and did'nt do it no good either.
I still land smallies over 20" every year outta the GMR(AJ lip-locked a fat 21"+ for me last spring from gmr) and stillwater but it's been since the early 90's since I've hooked any of the 2' monsters...but I have no doubt they are an option on that river. Big fish don't get big being stupid and letting thenselves get caught all the time.
BTW,I agree w/ Rooster that you don't need big water for big fish as I been a crik walker from the git-go! 20" fish from criks where you could jump across in spots during the summer when it's low.
I got no need to lie or exaggerate. I don't know any of you guys(except fishonaj) and I got no size issues I feel any need to overcompensate for otherwise. Ask AJ,I'm just one of those guys who spends some serious time fishing and it pays off. I fish 6-7 nt/wk and I live w/in 5 min of our 3 biggest rivers and I've been fishing them for more'n 40 yrs. Get to know your water well and it'll pay off.
There is a lot of seasonal movement in rivers and it's not always about fiihing the deepest or biggest hole,it's a matter of knowing where to find fish at diffrent times of year.TC1


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## DZimmer_1 (Jul 3, 2005)

To bad you didn't weigh any of those 2 foot smallies, i think you should have easilly made the record books especially if it was the early 90's


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

image was taken from riversmallies.com (rivernut).










where I fish in the scioto, I think there are 22"ers. Like 1 per every 1-3 miles is my guess.


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## chrisoneal (May 13, 2006)

Thats HOG!!!


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## creekwalker (May 23, 2004)

That fat one has to be some kind of abnormal...or if it is normal, I want to fish that water  That is freaky looking....or maybe mine are just really skinny 


CW


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## LittleMiamiJeff (Oct 1, 2005)

creekwalker said:


> That fat one has to be some kind of abnormal...or if it is normal, I want to fish that water  That is freaky looking....or maybe mine are just really skinny CW


That's a cross between a smallie and a Wiper, I've never seen a bass shaped like that except BIG wipers! (now don't quote me, I know it's not a cross)
LMJeff


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

LittleMiamiJeff said:


> That's a cross between a smallie and a Wiper, I've never seen a bass shaped like that except BIG wipers! (now don't quote me, I know it's not a cross)
> LMJeff


i have seen smallies and other "scale'ed" fish shaped like that before, catch them all the time where sewage treatment plants dump treated water. think that they are getting "super nutrients" from the water or something. here is a gill that i was using for bait that i got below a discharge, had about 2 doz of them. man you talk about a fiesty and hard to kill bait!


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Dang Dink, thats nice. YOU NEVER MENTIONED WHERE YOU GOT IT. Go ahead & post that for me.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

i thought about what I wrote. and don't think there is a 22" smallie every 1-3 miles. But probably a 21". And most definately at least one 20".


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

Hey, I told you my secret spot...lol...now you have to tell me yours...



H2O Mellon said:


> My PB from the GMR is 19 1/2 & let me tell you, I was EXCITED & I will admit that I will prob never do it again. It was in Oct (I think it was Oct) on a white Mr Twister right at the edge of a bridge pillar off of ________ rd, in the city of _________. Come on guys.... You really think I'd say where?
> 
> Good luck everyone. I havent fished for smallies in a while, but I know its a blast!


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## FISHONAJ (Oct 25, 2005)

Hi all, late report cause i was outa town for the weekend. After work on Friday hooked up with TC1 and hit the GMR in DD (downtown Dayton).

He had the hot rod as he hooked a 14 incher before i had even made my first cast. He also caught the biggest of the night, a 15 incher and i think he caught the most  .

Still i had fun as we talked about " the good old days ". I've known TC1 for over 20 years and can't see any reason he would have to lie about the fish he catches.

As a matter of fact he knows the cricks better than anyone i know and is gracious enough to literely say AJ cast here and i would get a hook up.

While i cant say i've seen any 2 foot long smallies with him, last spring i did land a 21" for him and this summer a 20". He puts them up to the side of his pole and we were able to measure how long they were when we got back home.

Well smallie season is slowing down, but my favorite season is right around the corner...STEELHEAD...

Wait until TC1 posts that he landed 20+ fish a day and you will see all the doubters out in full force again. I'm 99% sure his personal best day is over 40 fish, but that was when he was younger 

Come on cool weather and some rain and fill those Erie tribs up with some fresh chrome for us to chase   

tight lines to all, AJ Johnson III


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## usamarshal (Aug 28, 2006)

I just noticed how many views I've received on this thread...I wonder what the record is...lol...

PS. Probably cause my wife is in it.


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