# friday on clear fork lower then upper



## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

Had a great afternoon and evening on this river. Never fished the lower for trout and fished with my BF who has been absent from fishing for the virus. We each caught a couple remaining distanced. Had a great time and did best swinging a triple threat streamer.

For the evening went to the upper when my friend left for home. Thought I would parlay the good mojo into a brown or two. Saw almost a dozen people flyfishing. Didn't get into a good slot until last 40 mins. of day. Had 3 swipes on my dries, but no hook ups with trout. I did land an 11 inch chub though. 

Had the pleasure of meeting Justin while he was waiting for his family to pick him up. He was helpful to share the BH nymph that worked for him that evening. Also so a variety of flies taking flight. Three different flies got a swipe and never the same fly. Beautiful night to be out.

Does anyone have an idea why there is not natural reproduction on the upper CF? That stretch is just beautiful and keeps cool enough during the summer.

Fish on,
Rickerd


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## cz_scotty (May 8, 2020)

rickerd said:


> Had a great afternoon and evening on this river. Never fished the lower for trout and fished with my BF who has been absent from fishing for the virus. We each caught a couple remaining distanced. Had a great time and did best swinging a triple threat streamer.
> 
> For the evening went to the upper when my friend left for home. Thought I would parlay the good mojo into a brown or two. Saw almost a dozen people flyfishing. Didn't get into a good slot until last 40 mins. of day. Had 3 swipes on my dries, but no hook ups with trout. I did land an 11 inch chub though.
> 
> ...


I read an article on that. The author claims that the water temp gets too warm in summer. Not sure if that correct though. I've been in that river mid-summer and it seems cold enough to me.


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## noahdoak (Nov 26, 2019)

Hey, hope you, your bf, and your friend had a great time fishing the CF. It’s a real treasure of a stream. There’s natural reproduction in the upper CF, that’s one of the few things in fly fishing that i’m sure of. Most, if not all, of it happens in coldwater tribs of it. I’ve talked to guides who have said the same. When i fish near the mouths of small tribs in the upper, i commonly catch dinky parrs that are too small, have too intact of fins, and are too colorful to come from the hatchery, and every now and then i’ll get a bigger fish cut from the same mold. Most of those tribs are on (very posted) private property, so it’s not worth the gamble to fish them. But yeah, there’s more wild fish in that system, and many others in OH, than most folks think.


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## Sonder (May 9, 2020)

The amount of the plant life thats gorwing in the upper section of river is awful. In the last 20 years the shear numbers of fish in the upper have taken a hard nose dive. I have floated several sections of that river and every year it was less and less fish. It breaks my heart to see the fishery turn into what it has. Yes there are places where the natural reproduction happens, but those well the majority are on private lands. That creeks habitat is in trouble due partially to the weed growth.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

I have never noticed outragious weed growth on that river. I know bugs grow well in weeds also. I'm only in the public areas, but my opinion is the fish have been harvested more in the last 5 years than the 5 years prior to it when I started fishing there. I used to be able to spot at least one 3 pounder from the blue bridge 3 out of 4 times. Now the last 5 times there, I barely make out a single trout or two.

Two years ago in september I was hunting a few big fish from prior weeks. I witnessed a guy across the stream from me walk in, fish the same water I was with a bobber and wax worm. he hooked one of the monsters I was hunting. He lost the battle but now he knew they were there. I haven't seen a fish over 16 inches since. I hope I'm wrong, but doubt it. 

That stream is a gem, I wish ODNR would post it for no harvest. go harvest the rainbows in the lower which are put there each fall.
Rickerd


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## Sonder (May 9, 2020)

If I go down there this weekend I take some photos of what I am referring too. Yes the old holdovers are definately far and few between.


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## ejsell (May 3, 2012)

I grew up in Bellville, moved away for college in the 90's and just moved back to the area. Our parents still lived there so still fished it somewhat regularly. Used to see some monster small mouth before the trout were ever stocked. I haven't caught or seen any large bass in a long time, still see the occasional large trout but not as many as I used to . Plan on fishing and floating it more now that we are back and our house is somewhat in order.

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