# Hocking River!



## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Against all odds of potentially catching fish in the rising river we managed to catch quite a good bit. It rained all day on us, but that didn't deter us after all we were wading. The water is just about warm enough to go waderless, but I still threw on the neopranes today.

The first spot we hit, I hadn't fished for quite a while. Previous floods had scoured out deep holes in areas that I generally used for crossing the river and so forth. I decided it wasn't worth taking a swim over and hit another spot that is much shallower, but typically doesn't hold as many fish.

We used 1/16oz tube jigs tipped with a tiny peice of night crawler. We probably caught about 40 bluegills, about 10 hybrid variants of bluegills (green/blues mainly), 3 redears, 2 rock bass, 1 smallie, 1 spotted bass, and 1 creek chub. I've never caught a chub in the Hocking, always figured the smallies and largemouths, and spots kept them thinned out, but it looks like there is a few in there. The largest gill was a solid 9 inch fish, my first fish ohio for the year, first fish ohio that I've actually measured I guess . What makes that even weirder is I never even catch bluegills in the hocking, but we got into a spot that was holding them very thick. The smallie went about a lb. He was a nice solid fish with a HUGE gut on him.

We got REALLY wet and a little cold, but it was well worth it. To bad the river will be blown in a few days if the weather continues the way its going, but at least I got a chance to fish it before the spring rains muddy it up.


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

You guys are killing me. That's my type of fishin. Sounds like you all had a great time. Very nice gills !!! CATKING


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Fishman,

Im going to be down there for a week, for some fishing & hunting starting 2morrow. Send me a PM if you know any decent areas on the Hokcing that is close to shore, I'll have my dad & he cant walk very far. The last time I fished the hkcing we wadded the area just outside of Logan, near where the old drive in used to be.

Good fishing, that river holds some great smallies if you can find them.

We've had real good luck w/ Rockbass in the very narrow area of Hocking, just inside of Logan, sort of near the lumber store on 33.

Have you tried Salt Creek for smallies? If interrested PM me & I'll tell ya about a spot or two.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Ohhh ya I've fished Salt Creek. Infact, I prefer Salt Creek over the Hocking, but as far as driving distance goes the Hocking River is right acrost the street from me here. I live in the country, right outside of Nelsonville.

I really don't know of many spots that are fishable from the bank on the Hocking, not to mention I think that by this weekend it may be unfishable from all the rain we've had. The only spot that I ever see people fishing from the bank is the bridge on 278 South, right next to the police station.

You heading out to Wayne National for some Turkey Hunting?


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Actually we have a hunting cabing off of State Rt 374, just outside of Laurelville.


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

Hey Fishman, glad to see that the fish are starting to turn on in the Hocking. I'm going to have to give it a shot for smallies next weekend if the river isn't blown out. I'll be looking for the first smallies of the year! 
I have heard about Salt Creek but never fished it. Is it a good smallie river? Is it smaller or a little bigger in the Hocking? I would love to try it sometime if the drive would be worth it.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Salt creek > Hocking River. The area I fish is about the same size, but its composed more of riffle, run, pool in shorter distances. If you'de like to hit it with me oufisherman give me a shout. Its about the size of the Hocking, buts it a lot shallower. I C&R everything and would ask you to do the same, other than that you more than welcome to tag along to the spot I have on Salt Creek. The best part about Salt Creek in my opinion is the scenery is a lot nicer and the structure you fish is geneally 100% natural, unlike fishing old couches and brick piles like in the hocking 

I was fishing the spot I found a few years back, and a few guys waded past me. First time that had ever happened to me there and they had 3 smallies on a stringer all of them about 15 inches, oh well. I havn't fished my spot there in about 2 years, I'll have to find my way back there!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Oh by the way, the Hocking is blown


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## jfout (Apr 26, 2004)

I remember that, them friggin bums, I would have given them 5 bucks to go to the store and buy a pound of fish.


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

Hey Fishman, sounds good. Maybe in a few weeks if this weather ever gets straightened out. If Salt Creek has some wood cover, I'll be slinging the tubes. Found that drifting a tube next to wood cover on Hocking is one of best presentations for me. 
I have no problem with catch and release for smallies. I have no desire to keep them. I'm guessing you wade if it's shallow than the Hocking. I'll keep an eye on the weather and give you a shout!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I only fish the Hocking Wading - bewarned a few of the spots I fish require short swims  I figure the Hocking will be back to normal by the middle or end of the work week. Its came down considerably since it got high and its already starting to get some good color to it. I drive over it on a daily basis so I'll keep you updated on whats going on.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Whoa just noticed Jfout is posting on the boards, glad to see ya found the place. He was with me the day that those guys out at Salt Creek we're taking those big smallies. Wasn't that the same day we found a stringer laying in the water with a bunch of gills and suckers tied to it and no one was around to claim it? Needless to say I cut the stringer up and let the fish go.


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## juniormintz (Apr 11, 2004)

Which salt creek you boys talking about?? I live in circleville when im home from college and have family that live In Laurelville, but i didnt think that the salt creek around there is that big?


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## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

i was thinking the same thing mintz


not the same creek/part around us here


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm thinking of the area somewhere south of Zaleski state forrest. I honestly don't know exactly where it is. Its not giant, but its decent sized.


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## jfout (Apr 26, 2004)

I wondered myself so I checked my Ohio Gazetteer And Atlas it actually starts by 22 N.E. of Circleville and runs all the way down to Richmond Dale into the Scioto. So its the same one you are all talking about. The further south you go the larger it gets. Hope this helps.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

The best part is there are no blocks between the place I fish and the Ohio River. Any fish in the Ohio could concievably swim all the way up there. Makes for some interesting fishing.


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## juniormintz (Apr 11, 2004)

Any time this summer if you need company let me know ive been looking for a good creek back home to wade but have been unsuccessful so far. everything is a bit of a drive from me, so if you need someone to go let me know i love fishin for the smallies!!!

PS- im also strictly a C&R fisherman so your place is safe from me.  

thanx, jr.


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

Hey Juniormints, were are you located? I'll be making some trips on the Hocking this year between Nelsonville and Logan. Could always use some company.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

same here


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## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

mintz


Darby Creek, I fish around the darby/fox area


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## juniormintz (Apr 11, 2004)

Thanks guys, I live in circleville so just shoot me a PM whenever you go. Ill be home from college next friday, and the week after that im just going to be lazy or fishing, not neccissarily in that order.

jr.


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## LaDobasser (Apr 13, 2004)

I was just down visiting OU this weekend, and noticed the Hocking flows right behind it. Is the fishing in that stretch of the river any good? How about the river close to the campus?
Thanks!
LaDo


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

Hey LaDoBasser, glad to see you made it into Athens county for awhile. The stretch of the Hocking you saw behind OU is the redirected route around the campus. It is a fairly slow moving stretch in summer with very little cover, just a few pools behind small sandbars. The area below White's Mill at the intersection of SR 682 and Union St. is most popular spot near OU.
Personally the best fishing on the Hocking for me is between Nelsonville and Logan. I've fished a few spots between Nelsonville and Athens and only found a few smallies. Could be timing but the area I fish has alot of wood cover, which the smallies love. I catch them on a tube or even a lizard moving with current beside wood cover.
The part of the river right out of Athens towards Nelsonville might be okay. The bike path goes right beside it so I'll probably check it out this summer. Hope this helps. 

Doug


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## LaDobasser (Apr 13, 2004)

Yea, that helped ou, thanks!
LaDo


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I've fished the Bike Trail area, still never done as good as I do near Logan. Don't discredit it though, the biggest smallie I've ever saw in the Hocking ( I would estimate it to have been about 3 lbs ) was directly behind Burger King. I took a friend fishing with me there, who isn't much of a fisherman, and the smallie was to much for him to handle. It jumped 2 foot out of the water about 10 feet in front of us and threw the hook. It was quite the sight to see, and kind of marked the day I fell in love with the Hocking River.


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## crappielooker (Apr 5, 2004)

what was he using for that smallie?? the fries or the burger??


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

actually he was using a chartruse twister tail


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Salt Creek actually starts in Laurellville area, I perfer the area in Vinton county around Narrows Road. Out of all the times I've fished it I've never hit the area where it runs into the Scioto. Some spots are only 20 feet (yes 20 feet) wide others larger. I think it gets pretty wide around Londenderry (I think thats the name of the town) Some nice fish in that area, someone once told me that most locals call that area "Racoon Creek" but from all maps I've seen its still Salt Creek.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Ya Racoon Creed is a little further West of that, thats the river that runs through Zaleski and is actually the longest Creek in the world, coming in at 99.7 miles longm ,3 more and it would be a river... anyhow there are some awsome smallies in salt creek. I've stood on a bridge before and watched several 3 pound fish just swimming around, casted at them and never got a response. I've done this several times at the same place but I can never get them to budge.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Fishman, I sent ya a PM.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

i got it, thanks


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

Is Raccoon Creek a decent smallie creek? I was just wondering if it deserved a Saturday fishing trip or not.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Not really, at leats the area near Zaleski is almost deviod of fish. There is a lot of acid mine drainage in our neck of the woods and A LOT of it goes into Raccoon creek. The further down stream you go, the more buffered out the acid becomes and fish start showing up. I'm sure once you get down near the Ohio or the Scioto - it goes into one of those - I'm sure you could catch plenty of fish.


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

THanks for the info!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Yup, it should save you a lot of time. The river is very nice looking though, great for hiking around. You can't honestly tell me you've been in Athens this long and never been to the Moonville Tunnel??? The river the runs right by it, is Raccoon Creek.


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## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

juniormintz said:


> Thanks guys, I live in circleville so just shoot me a PM whenever you go. Ill be home from college next friday, and the week after that im just going to be lazy or fishing, not neccissarily in that order.
> 
> jr.



shoot me a PM when you get home, I belive I am off the 10-13 or atleast 2 of them days.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

Ok, we have to get this all straightened out here.(lol)First Salt Creek starts around Laurelville maybe a little farther north and runs south pretty much along rt.327 from laurelville thru londonderry to richmondale and dumps in the scioto.

Racoon creek is East of salt creek not west.So Fishman Whats got me wondering is are you sure the stream your talking about is Salt creek.
Cause raccon creek and little racoon creek are the ones that I know run thru that area.

As for small mouth in Salt creek Ive been confronting this claim for a few years.I live in Londonderry and fish salt creek about once a week all summer just to get out of the house.I fish from rt.50 south thru richmondale.I have never in about 7 years of fishing salt creek caught a small mouth.Ive talked to people who claimed they caught 20-30 smallmouth per trip.All i ever catch are small largemouth bass(9-12")Someone told me they were reffered to as kentucky bass?

One thing is Ive never fished the northern part of the river up by laurelville so my only guess would be that is were all the small mouth are.I would love for someone to prove me wrong on this(somone should have some pics or something)


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I'de be more than happy to prove you wrong anyday  I honestly can't say where I'm fishing because I don't know exactly on the map where it is that I go fishing, but it is near Lauralville....... i think  

There are large mouths in the river in this area as well as Spotted Bass (Kentucky Bass AKA Kentucky Spotted Bass) but there are more small mouth than anything. As soon as you have some free time let me know, and we'll go on a wading trip. A large majority of the fish are small, but ultra light tackle evens the odds and there is the chance of big smallies outta there.

You've got me wondering now, I'm gonna go get a map to find out exactly where it is I fish on Salt Creek.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

We'll salt creek ain't even on the map its so tiny, guess ya gotta be a river to get any recognition on a road map.

Okay I'm pretty sure its up by Laurelville, which would put it well above 50. The river might be a tad smaller up that way, but don't discredit it


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