# Little Miami River - Jon Boat



## SteelheadDan (Nov 24, 2010)

Hi,

I live in Cincinnati and just bought a 1648 grizzly Jon boat with a 9.8hp outboard, oars, and a trolling motor. I'm a novice boater and haven't done much lake or river fishing from a boat. 

I got the boat for trout and steelhead fishing but I thought I could get some practice and do some local fishing on the LMR. I want to put in probably near the Ohio river (Maybe Harbor Town Yacht club?), motor upstream, then float/drift back down. 

Are there any motor restrictions on the LMR? Anyone else do this? Tips for a novice? Good boat launches besides the one I mentioned?

Thanks in advance and pleased to be a part of this forum and community. 

Thanks,
Daniel


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## mbelperio (Apr 4, 2008)

You better not go too far upstream. Most of the Little Miami is too Shallow for a john boat. I think The riffle in Newtown is probably as far as you can go.


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## SteelheadDan (Nov 24, 2010)

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback and good to know! 

I was told that the boat drafts in less than 6" of water, which is less than my canoe when fully loaded. The motor prop is a concern but I do have the oars that I bought (9.5' cataracts). I've paddled the LMR many times and have never seen any (motorized) boats. I was concerned that there were regulations prohibiting boats with motors. I couldn't find anything online but wanted to make sure. As long as it's not illegal I can try to get upstream as far as I can. The Newtown bridge is a few miles upstream so that would be great if I can make it that far. Worth a shot!

Can't wait for Spring to try out the boat!


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## GarrettMyers (May 16, 2011)

Once you get above the Rt 52 bridge, it starts getting really shallow. You might be able to make it a half mile above that or so, but after that it can be a foot or less in spots. There's no way you'll be able to get anywhere near newtown. Sorry to be a bummer.


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## SteelheadDan (Nov 24, 2010)

Haha, 

I just checked on the map where the rt 52 bridge is. That wouldn't be much of a trip if I can't make it past the first bridge. Thanks for the heads up. Probably need to figure out a different river to get some practice and some fishing in. 

Many thanks:G
Daniel


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Agreed that the 52 bridge has a nice hile under it but above it turns into 12"


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

This is true... I run a jet boat up there and it gets shallow... If you do try it take some extra shear pins and an extra prop and don't lock your motor down there are a ton of tree's and gravel/rock bars just under the surface once you get not too far up. You could always try it out on some of the bigger creeks on the ohio... Tanners, laughery creeks in Indana, or Bullskin, WhiteOak, Straight creeks in Ohio.

Or you always have East Fork, Hueston Woods, Ceasers Creek lakes around here if they don't have ice on them.


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## SteelheadDan (Nov 24, 2010)

Thanks guys for the advice. Seeing as I am a novice boater I won't be trying to boat the LMR anytime soon. No reason to ruin my new outboard

I'll stick to lakes to get the feel for everything and then try some deeper/larger rivers. I really want to get some river experience before I drive my boat all the way to the Cumberland river or up to Michigan. 

I'll google those creeks you are talking about Bazzin05. Any other suggestions for small rivers close to Cincinnati with some good fishin and access? I won't be taking out the boat until it warms up for safety reasons - but I'm excited and I'm already trying to plan some trips to test everything out!

I'll post some pics of the boat when I take the cover off and put on the oarblocks this weekend.


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## SteelheadDan (Nov 24, 2010)

Anyone know if 'Big South Fork' in Kentucky that splits into Gunpowder, Mudlick, and Big Bone creeks is navigable by boat?

I wade and fly fish in the upper stretches of those creeks, I see that they dump into a pretty wide river before it spills into the Ohio. I work in Florence so that would be awesome if it's possible and good!

Thanks,
Daniel


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

SteelheadDan said:


> Anyone know if 'Big South Fork' in Kentucky that splits into Gunpowder, Mudlick, and Big Bone creeks is navigable by boat?
> 
> I wade and fly fish in the upper stretches of those creeks, I see that they dump into a pretty wide river before it spills into the Ohio. I work in Florence so that would be awesome if it's possible and good!
> 
> ...


Daniel,isn't The Big South Fork River in southern Ky? There is good Musky fishing out of a kayak down there.Big Ones.Good Luck with your boat.



Roscoe


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

SteelheadDan said:


> Anyone know if 'Big South Fork' in Kentucky that splits into Gunpowder, Mudlick, and Big Bone creeks is navigable by boat?
> 
> I wade and fly fish in the upper stretches of those creeks, I see that they dump into a pretty wide river before it spills into the Ohio. I work in Florence so that would be awesome if it's possible and good!
> 
> ...


I have fished all of those creeks at one time or another for bass. Bass fishing on the Ohio river trips around Cincy can be really tough... But if you are looking to use live bait and go after cats, sheephead, gar, saugfish, carppie, or warmouth there seems to be a lot more of them.


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## SteelheadDan (Nov 24, 2010)

Roscoe said:


> Daniel,isn't The Big South Fork River in southern Ky? There is good Musky fishing out of a kayak down there.Big Ones.Good Luck with your boat.
> 
> 
> 
> Roscoe


Haha, yes I tried to say that it was the one in NKY because I know the one in TN-that flows into Southern Kentucky. That BSF is an amazing river - we paddle it every year in late spring. Never caught a Musky but plenty of Smallies out of that river. 

I was looking on google maps and it says the mouth of the creek that turns into big bone and mudlick in Northern Kentucky is called 'Big South Fork'. If you google Big Bone Lick State Park and follow the creek to the mouth you will that it is labeled BSF.

Thanks


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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

Bazzin05 said:


> I have fished all of those creeks at one time or another for bass. Bass fishing on the Ohio river trips around Cincy can be really tough... But if you are looking to use live bait and go after cats, sheephead, gar, saugfish, carppie, or warmouth there seems to be a lot more of them.


 How is the Crappie and Smallies on Gunpowder and Big S F? They are on My must fish list for 2015'.


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## afishinfool (Feb 1, 2014)

In the spring when the white bass run, head up Laughery Creek in Indiana. If you go upstream maybe 5 or 6 miles you come to a spot where a road crosses the creek. Its not a bridge but large culvert pipes under the road, stacks up the whites and every local around will be there fishing them. Catch them by the hundreds.


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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

afishinfool said:


> In the spring when the white bass run, head up Laughery Creek in Indiana. If you go upstream maybe 5 or 6 miles you come to a spot where a road crosses the creek. Its not a bridge but large culvert pipes under the road, stacks up the whites and every local around will be there fishing them. Catch them by the hundreds.


They call that a Ford, guys with smaller trailers launch there boats on the downstream side of it, Ive had good luck with Crappie and Lmb there too


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## afishinfool (Feb 1, 2014)

Tom 513 said:


> They call that a Ford, guys with smaller trailers launch there boats on the downstream side of it, Ive had good luck with Crappie and Lmb there too


Laughery has produced some good fish for me. Alot of crappie in the spring. Watched my wife (ex now) hook, fight and almost land (lost at boat) a very nice muskey.


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

afishinfool said:


> Laughery has produced some good fish for me. Alot of crappie in the spring. Watched my wife (ex now) hook, fight and almost land (lost at boat) a very nice muskey.



Funny you say that I have seen a musky up there too... Never landed it but two weeks in a row fought it for a while. This was many, many moons ago though.


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## Bazzin05 (Feb 2, 2011)

Tom 513 said:


> How is the Crappie and Smallies on Gunpowder and Big S F? They are on My must fish list for 2015'.


I have only bass fished these as far as a bass boat can get... Most smallies I have ever caught out of a boat on the Ohio have been on the main river not up the creeks. I'm not sure if you are wading gunpower further up I would say you would run into some smallies, but not from a boat. 

I have talked to guys that are crappie fishing while we bass fish and they said they were doing pretty good (but pretty good differs person to person) so I really have not first hand crappie experience sorry...


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## mkl (Apr 17, 2011)

I've had success with Crappie at Big Bone, close to the river. Caught a few bass while doing so but nothing too big. I have heard the crappie fishing is better on Gunpowder but have yet to really explore it by boat. Both have marinas, as you are probably aware.

Upstream, I have fished Gunpowder a lot. (I also live in Florence). There are a lot of nice smallmouth in that creek, upstream. Places you could never get to by boat. It's a shame there aren't more places to access the creek by foot. 
This year, I was going to try and pull up my 9.9 and troll up Gunpowder as far as I can in my boat to see what the bass action is like up there. I'd like to try the Indiana creeks but have yet to do so.


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