# Rainbow Trout Fishing - Not Antrim



## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

I was looking for places to catch bass when I first moved to Cbus, and happened to stumble upon Antrim Lake last year when the ODNR had apparently stocked Rainbow Trout... Despite the crowd, I decided to fish anyway and ended up catching trout on my bass lures. I'd never eaten trout before, so I kept some and I've been craving more. 

My question: are there any bodies of water near Cbus that have rainbows in them? I'd like to catch a few once in a while and that's nearly impossible at Antrim for many reason that you're probably all well aware of  

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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

No public places. They used to stock remnant trout in small City park ponds across Columbus. There are a few quarries with some trout, but they are private. There's a pond in Delaware and Lancaster that stocks them like Antrim.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

there is usually a fall trout release in antrim and other places. Its usually in october and the ODNR will release a list of places that will receive trout on their site later as the fall gets closer and they know how many fish they expect to have. If you dont mind driving there is some pretty good fishing to be had in certain places that they stock that don't have the crowds that antrim does.


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## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

I don't mind driving a out of town a bit. Found the Delaware and Lancaster lakes on the ODNR site. Thanks, Mushi! 

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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

Blue Limestone in Delaware is one of the lakes that regularly gets stocked in the Fall and Spring. Right now it's a mess with weed growth and tiny gills.


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## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

Is it fairly easy to catch trout year round in these lakes, or do they all pretty much get pulled out right after they're put in?

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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

there is some Conflicting opinions on this but most people agree that the spring trout that are stocked usually die in the heat of summer in most places. The fall stocking fish will last through the winter though in many places if they aren't caught. Ive heard of people catching trout through the ice at some places that do a fall stocking. Alot of it depends on the water conditions where they are stocked. In the deeper places like antrim Im sure a few might make it through but they would be hard to reach from the shore would be my guess.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

If you don't mind traveling 2 or more hours go up to North East Ohio and catch the lake run rainbows (a.k.a. Steelhead). Depending on the temp conditions they generally start to run in late September. 

Plus they are much bigger then the trout you would catch in Antrim. And if you are really lucky you might hook a salmon , or brown trout.


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## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

Govbarney said:


> If you don't mind traveling 2 or more hours go up to North East Ohio and catch the lake run rainbows (a.k.a. Steelhead). Depending on the temp conditions they generally start to run in late September.
> 
> Plus they are much bigger then the trout you would catch in Antrim. And if you are really lucky you might hook a salmon , or brown trout.


I might have to give that a shot. It'd definitely be a change of pace for me.

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## eatinbass (Aug 6, 2012)

Mad River is one of the few places here that is cold year round. I haven't been fishing there is 3 years but did get a couple last time.


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## Matt Hougan (Aug 19, 2008)

Head west to the mad river and try some fly fishing for rainbows and browns


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## eatinbass (Aug 6, 2012)

The intersection of 29 and 296, north of Urbana has a small parking area. If you have a kayak or canoe it will make it easier to fin a good hole.


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## eatinbass (Aug 6, 2012)

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/streams/mad/tabid/2440/Default.aspx


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## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

Awesome. Thanks for the info, guys. I'm going to try hitting the Mad River.. if I can't find trout Ill just fish for smallies. But I'll start looking into taking a trip up north to the Erie tributaries as well.

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## eatinbass (Aug 6, 2012)

Watch the fishing reports for when the fish start moving into the tributaries. 
I was in Silvercreek NY, 2 years ago watching the fish from a bridge, some of them were huge!


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Under the Flyfishing forum I posted about a private trout club that is going to be open on Sept 22 complete with fly fishing lessons. You will have to pay $4.50 a pound live weight for each trout that you catch and keep plus $80 for the lessons from a fly fishing instructor with 22 yrs of teaching.


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## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

when i was a kid, i used to get em all the time when i fished Spring Lakes (when they stocked it)...not sure whats up with those lakes now. they're still there, but i dont know who owns it. some of my best childhood years spent there. doesnt mad river hold trout?


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

Sping lakes is where I learned to fish when I was a kid. My dad would take me there all the time. I remeber some days just catching so many trout it was stupid.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

gerb said:


> when i was a kid, i used to get em all the time when i fished Spring Lakes (when they stocked it)...not sure whats up with those lakes now. they're still there, but i dont know who owns it. some of my best childhood years spent there. doesnt mad river hold trout?


Spring lakes in pickerington? I also learned how to fish. There and hickory lakes, both were good trout lakes. I believe springlakes is owned by a church. and last time I went to hickory lakes to get some bait they were getting ready to re-open. Been about 5 yrs though, so dont know if there still in business. she said they were changing it to a farmraised channel cats only. and wasnt sure if they were gonna do the trout in the spring/falll


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Just remember if your gonna fish the Mad river that there are very few rainbows, about 98% brown Trout and the limit is 2 over 12" so if your looking to feed a family, go to Krogers for your rainbow trout or wait until the steelhead are running where you could keep 2 but they would be 3-6 lbs each on the ave.

Salmonid


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## scallop (Apr 1, 2007)

Spring Lakes in Pickerington is closed. It is now a church and private property.

Hickory Lakes is still open, been there a couple times as it is about 3 mins from my house. Caught some nice cats, some slab bluegill and a few largemouth. Bass are all catch and release. Not too bad for a pay pond, it is what it is.


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## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

yeah,i hit up hickory lakes a couple times in my youth, but i made kind of friends with all the locals in the trailers at spring lakes and my parents went ahead and bought me the yearly pass. i remember showing up there when all the lakes were froze over and i would just fish that little runoff in the one pond that was still open water. i did, however, get my brand spankin new spidercast baitcaster and all my tackle stolen while i was working the shorelines there.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Big trout can be caught at antrim year round. Cast far and fish deep...


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## FishingAddict (Nov 15, 2011)

Is anyone sad that they will no longer have fall trout release in ohio. boooo ODNR

The releasing of the rainbow trout, which are 10 to 13 inches long, will occur between March 8 and mid-May. Anglers are reminded the daily catch limit for inland lakes is five trout. Anglers should also know there will no longer be fall catchable trout releases. Beginning in 2012, all catchable trout releases have been shifted to the spring season. 

The 2012-13 fishing license were made vailable March 1. The license will be valid March 1 through Feb. 28, 2013. An annual resident fishing license costs $19. A one-day fishing license is available and may be purchased for $11 by residents and non-residents. The one-day license may also be redeemed for credit toward purchase of an annual fishing license. 

Additional information about spring trout releases is available by calling toll-free at 800-WILDLIFE. Information is also available from Division of Wildlife district offices in Akron, Athens, Columbus, Findlay and Xenia.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Bummer man, Theres a couple small ponds here in groveport that they would put some of the trout in. They were always catchable all winter long as long as there was no ice on the water. LOL I remember a few yrs ago the truck got stuck back in the field near the pond and they had to release some weight. LOTS of trout that year.


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

They actually stock fingerling rainbows in Antrim, and those trout stay around the shore all year, you can tell those apart from the put and take trout, because they will be much more stockier, like football shape. Anyways Yes you can catch trout in there all year round, In the morning in the summer you will see a huge school of them jumping in the middle, I've caught some monsters wading out and casting as far as I could with a fly rod or Spoon. They will come from afar to smash your bait. There actually some huge perch in Antrim too.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Pm me dude, ill help ya out with the mad river trout, Salmonid is correct though, pretty much every fish you get will be a brown, In my opinion, they dont taste as good as a rainbow


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## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

Just FYI, if you make it up north for steelhead, they do not taste like the stocked rainbows, IMO, I would rather chew on a piece of boot leather than eat a steelhead


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

I_Shock_Em said:


> Just FYI, if you make it up north for steelhead, they do not taste like the stocked rainbows, IMO, I would rather chew on a piece of boot leather than eat a steelhead


They are not bad smoked, but I agree its a big difference between a regular rainbow and a steelhead in taste. I think its because Steelheads primary forage is other fish , while a rainbow which spends its days in a creek eats nothing but insects.


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## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

ChromeBone said:


> They actually stock fingerling rainbows in Antrim, and those trout stay around the shore all year, you can tell those apart from the put and take trout, because they will be much more stockier, like football shape. Anyways Yes you can catch trout in there all year round, In the morning in the summer you will see a huge school of them jumping in the middle, I've caught some monsters wading out and casting as far as I could with a fly rod or Spoon. They will come from afar to smash your bait. There actually some huge perch in Antrim too.


What kind of spoon are you talking about? 

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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

A lot of spoons works, Castmaster or Cleo's work best for Antrim, or fly rod Big Chart Wooly buggers on the fly rod work great too if you can fling them way out. Use almost as big as what you would for Steelhead off the beaches. I let them sink and give them a few pops before I real them in, All the flutter and flash I think will grab there attention. I used to fish there a lot when I was younger. Now I usually go north for Chrome or Fish the Mad, I have only caught a few rainbows in the mad, but I got 2 browns in there early summer over 20. One on beetle on top. other on dropper Cadis, You will catch more fish in the mad with spinners but they will usually be smaller then what you get on the fly.


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