# Maumee River Update



## HOCKEY

was at the maumme sat. afternoon, at ft. miegs to jermore rd. water wide
open some sllush ice nice current, a little muddy, she ready to go, have 
caught walleyes and soon as third week of feb. before, need to get in quite 
mud bottom were water is warmer, maumee bait tackle was loaded yesterday
being fishing river last 40 years, belive me she ready, were start next week.


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## fishingfoolBG

It looks like a pretty nice day, clear skies and low wind. I was think about giving the maumme a shot today. You see anyone out there fishing?? Has anyone tried in the past week?


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## Walleye_man

Me and a few buddys are going to go out on friday and or sunday. I have not been down to the river since the start of fall. Just wondering were I should be heading on friday to try my luck.


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## Redhunter1012

Usually around Orleans park or anywhere near the bridge is a good start. If I wasn't going to Vegas next Monday, I'd be down there.


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## Walleye_man

IM Pumped to start fishing the river. I have been Itching to go fishing all winter, I will prolly go down everyday after school, just cuz I wanna fish Im going trough withdrawl lol.

See you all on the river!


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## HOCKEY

down to maumee again sunday, six fisherman wading, no fish caught, water
and ice dropping nicely, great day by river


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## fishingfoolBG

Has anyone tried the maumee for pike yet? I was think about giving it a try next weekend by the GR dam. IF anyone wants to join shoot me a PM.


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## Walleye_man

Hey hockey I just want to know where you tryed to fish on sunday thanks!


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## BFG

This has to be the earliest I've seen a thread like this...

There is ice jammed up all through downtown. The lake is frozen for the most part. Water temps are just above freezing. 

I'd have one eye on the water and one eye upstream watching for logs, ice flows, and God knows whatever else is going to be coming down...

Good gracious boys...please be careful.


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## swantucky

And I thought I was excited to fish the river!!


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## fishingfoolBG

Well the weather isn't looking to good this week. They are calling for 5-8 in of snow on tuesday and the rest of the week looks cold high 20s low 30s with rain/snow. I was getting excited to get a line wet.


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## Buckeye Mike

Water temp. on the Maumee is 33.1 degrees, with slush and ice floating down stream. Maumeetackle.net has a daily river update.


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## swantucky

The weather so far this winter is pretty close to what we had last year. I did not pull a limit from the Maumee last year until March 22. But if you are down there fishing this early you do have a chance to catch the stray steelhead. There are a few caught early every year.


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## Walleye_man

Yea the weather this week just kills all my hopes. ALL I want is one fish lol looks like it will prolly be another week or two with the snow and rain coming up.


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## martino9

yea I knew all that talk of warm winter and possible early run was all a big tease. Everyone in here who has lived in Ohio their whole life should have known better than to let a little 2 or 3 week warm spell in late december/early january get them excited, all it meant was that Feb and March would make up for it. I guess it means more time to buy more tackle to lose!


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## craig

It would be nice to hear that some one was catching some thing at Maumee but it seems a little early. Swantucky, I read your post about an early, LUCKY steelhead in there, had know idea they were in there. Have you ever caught one in there? All I know about them is the other northeren rivers, cant wait too hear a post about when it turns on , good luck to you all, fish on


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## swantucky

craig said:


> It would be nice to hear that some one was catching some thing at Maumee but it seems a little early. Swantucky, I read your post about an early, LUCKY steelhead in there, had know idea they were in there. Have you ever caught one in there? All I know about them is the other northeren rivers, cant wait too hear a post about when it turns on , good luck to you all, fish on


I have never caught one but have seen 1 caught and a few guys I know have caught them They are not planted in there or anything, just confused I imagine. Not really worth the time to try and target them, you would be better off trying for pike upriver.


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## KaGee

Lived here all my life and mid-March has always been the target date. Ya, they get a few here and there before then. Most anglers have more luck catching cold in early March. 

Bottom line, mother nature will determine, as she always does.


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## fishingfoolBG

swantucky said:


> I have never caught one but have seen 1 caught and a few guys I know have caught them They are not planted in there or anything, just confused I imagine. Not really worth the time to try and target them, you would be better off trying for pike upriver.


The last time I made it out to the maumee river which was was in late Oct and i did manage to land a steelie at the GR dam. It was the only fish i caught but boy was i suprised when i pulled it up. I was throwing a silver spoon the fish hit on me 4th or 5th cast. They are in there but like sawtucky said not worth the time to try to target them. I just happened to get lucky.


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## hollandbass

You guys are nuts, i drive up and down the Maumee a few times a week, the upper sections are good but lower sections are fully locked up with ice. Water is at 33F, you wont see any action until we get to 38F at least. Another 2 weeks or so and maybe... pike hangouts are frozen as well as of 2/25


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## Bling

Last year I was in as of this past weekend as well. I wasn't expecting any bites though. It was my first year and I basically went to get the feel of it before the crowd. I am going to try to get there more this year during the Walleye run. But all those people around are intimidating. I just go for fun C&R. 
2 questions:
#1)Can you day park for free at Buttonwood during the run (providing you can find a spot)?
#2) If you do and you walk east past the soccer fields, you come to a trail through the woods. A few yards in there is a sign that says something like, Private land beyond this sign. But then a few more yards is a boat ramp that leads out in to what looks like a primitive camp spot on a stone road. Can you walk this trail or not. I like to bank fish on the other side of the channel on hot summer afternoons when I get tired because it offers a little shade. But I usually wade through the channel to avoid any questions.


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## JimmyZ

KaGee said:


> Lived here all my life and mid-March has always been the target date. Ya, they get a few here and there before then. Most anglers have more luck catching cold in early March.
> 
> Bottom line, mother nature will determine, as she always does.


I agree with that. The way it's lookin, late march for me this year.


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## BFG

> #1)Can you day park for free at Buttonwood during the run (providing you can find a spot)?
> #2) If you do and you walk east past the soccer fields, you come to a trail through the woods. A few yards in there is a sign that says something like, Private land beyond this sign. But then a few more yards is a boat ramp that leads out in to what looks like a primitive camp spot on a stone road. Can you walk this trail or not. I like to bank fish on the other side of the channel on hot summer afternoons when I get tired because it offers a little shade. But I usually wade through the channel to avoid any questions.


Answer to #1....yes.

Answer to #2...

That would be the Schroeder farm campground that you are seeing...and yes..it is private (unless you have paid to camp there or paid to launch your boat there)...so no...you cannot legally access that stretch of the river from that side unless you have permission to be on that property from the owner. 

Now...during the run...I'm sure you could drive down the stone road and pay to park...but I betcha it'll cost ya' $5-10.00, as I recall it's $7.00 to launch a boat there...

Not really necessary in my mind (paying to park that is..). Go on the Maumee side of the river and park at any of the public parking areas along river road and then follow the paths through the woods to the river. 

Hope that helps..


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## Bling

Thanks. I usually see people walking ALL along the backyards of the houses in that area during the run, so I figured it was legal. I ventured there once with a cop buddy. There is a sign at the corner of the fields and the first yard that says. Please respect property. Something to that effect, but doesn't say stay out. I usually come ashore long enough to rest my feet then head back out. guess I will stay on the bluegrass side.


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## BFG

The guys you see walking down that path towards Ft. Meigs are trespassing...but nobody ever says a word to them (as far as I know). I think they get it in their head that they can walk all the way down there based on the fact that they are camping at Schroeders..but I've been told that the property lines stop very close to East end of the campground. 

I know for sure that if you try to walk from Ft. Meigs to the West, way down there and then cross back out to the peninsula...you'll get an earful from the guys that DO have permission to cross there...as they fish really close to that spot and keep an eye on such things...

It can be a tricky situation all around...which explains why fishing the Maumee side of the river is SOOOO much less of a hassle...


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## hollandbass

Once it gets underway i cant wait for all the river BS to start going, last year one guy hooked another guy with a jig on the head, fight broke out, both took dip in 40F water  Another time i saw a guy try to steal some fish. Good times.


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## Redhunter1012

hollandbass said:


> Once it gets underway i cant wait for all the river BS to start going, last year one guy hooked another guy with a jig on the head, fight broke out, both took dip in 40F water  Another time i saw a guy try to steal some fish. Good times.


I seen that same fish thief several times. He was coming back from Bluegrass with a stringer full of Warreye and about 10 people giving chase. He had on a crusty old blue jacket that smelled as if it hadn't been washed in a few years. He took off in an old work van throwing out Busch lite cans as he went:T


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## Brian.Smith

I was thinking of coming up March 24 or th 25 are the crowds still bad during the week.


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## jojopro

Brian.Smith said:


> I was thinking of coming up March 24 or th 25 are the crowds still bad during the week.


You still won't be fishing in solitude, but you will have a lot more elbow room than you would on the weekends. It is least crowded on weekdays in the middle of the day. I strongly suggest you check river conditions http://www.maumeetackle.net/ http://www.walleyerun.com/ before making a long trip to fish the run.


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## swantucky

Redhunter1012 said:


> I seen that same fish thief several times. He was coming back from Bluegrass with a stringer full of Warreye and about 10 people giving chase. He had on a crusty old blue jacket that smelled as if it hadn't been washed in a few years. He took off in an old work van throwing out Busch lite cans as he went:T


I think I have seen that guy. He is a very handsome, well built, warreye slayer who is a big hit with the ladies. Looks alot like this guy:B 


3 years and counting on the lucky jacket being washed. From what I hear there is so much walleye spunk in that jacket when that guy falls in the river the female walleye all but attack him.


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## BFG

> 3 years and counting on the lucky jacket being washed. From what I hear there is so much walleye spunk in that jacket when that guy falls in the river the female walleye all but attack him.


Combine that with the fact that this guy drives a van that looks like the one from Silence of the Lambs....and NOW we know why Swanny gets to fish alone so much....

If you hear him whispering...."It rubs the lotion on it's skin or else it gets the hose again....." BACK THE HELL OUTTA THERE....


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## ERIE REBEL

Hey Swannie you been noticing all of these new junior members?I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Man that dude in those above pics is really one bad looking dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do remember one year when I fished the river in the last couple days of Feb.The temps were in the upper sixties and guys were down there fishing in waders without shirts on.Three days later it snowed like mad.I think about three more weeks till fish on!!


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## swantucky

Three weeks and we wil be catching fish!! Going to be a downer in the in between time when the ice is gone and the river is not ready.


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## BFG

I vote that we just hook up every weekend for the next three weeks and drink our brains away and talk about all the fishing we'll be doing in three weeks...


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## KaGee

Drove over the Maumee bridge last evening. Shoreline still iced up good. River open in the middle... water looked slushy though.

I don't have enough brain cells left to waste.


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## martino9

I am will BFG on that one! Although I will be in Vegas for week, better buy some fishing gear before I go


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## Net

This should get your juices flowing. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080229/COLUMNIST22/802290337

_"The runs this year should be good ones if the weather cooperates and the river levels are moderate, the experts say."

"Goedde said most fish this spring will be 20 to 24 inches long, coming from the 2003 megaclass. Some larger walleyes also are expected in the mix, including 28-to-30-inch fish from 1999 and 2001."_


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## roger23

check this out ..saw one small pike caught today.

http://www.maumeetackle.net/id23.htm


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## hiddenlake

REDHUNTER, you talking about Swantucky?


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## dippin' my worm

Not to be an ass, just wanted to remind everyone to get a new license.


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## swantucky

dippin' my worm said:


> Not to be an ass, just wanted to remind everyone to get a new license.


Good call!! I'll probably still forget. Every year I see guys get tickets early on that forgot.


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## KaGee

I know there are a lot of veterans here, but for those not familiar with the river, word of caution for any who may try venturing out in the next few days. There is a thaw forecast in the next few days which will bring an extreme amount of run off. The river can suddenly rise as a result. Hate to see someone wade over to Bluegrass and get stuck out there... or worse.

Have fun, but be safe. The river seems to claim a casualty or two every year. Please don't be one.


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## hiddenlake

river temp 37.5 degrees, wont be long now


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## yonderfishin

When the walleye run is in progress, where would be a good place for a beginner start out, having not fished it before ?


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## hiddenlake

depends on the river conditions, best bet is to just go where all the people are, becareful wading out to bluegrass island as the water can rise very quickly. I would recommend using floating jig heads, they generate alot more bites. Alot of good people here will be willing to help you out


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## HOCKEY

Maumee Early Fishing, For The Fisherman Who Don't Know About 
The Early Spot, If We Get This Warm Rain Monday As They Say, Even
With Ice Downtown, And Up River, The Early Birds, Will Have Walleye On The Stringers As Others Are Just Driving By, You Have To Fish The Quite Warm Mud Bottoms Not The Regular Places, Behined Fort Meigs, Behined The Island, Back Side Of White Street,
Back Side Of Orleans, And They Will Not Only Be Males, A Quite A Few Will Be Females, A Few Of Us Have Been Doing This For Years,
When Every One Else Are Just Walking The Path Looking, We Have Our Freezer Full Before Warm Weather Fishermen Start.


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## midoh39

I'll hopefully be up there around Easter. Hopefully there will be enough fish so that my friend doesnt have a hard time catching one.


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## HOCKEY

Sunday March 2 Maumee River Update 4.30 Pm. 16 Fisherman Wading
Into Middle Of River, Water Very Low, Clear Green Tint, Saw One
Very Large Catfish Caught At White Street.


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## JimmyZ

extended forcast not looking so good. Cold after monday again. highs in the upper 20's to 30. Lows in the teens. That's ok by me. I have 2 weeks of vacation the last week of april, first week of May. Should be a ton of fish in the river. Of course it all depends on weather no matter what month it is.


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## sickle

I drove down by the river today to take a look. There were people at Orleans, Buttonwood, the Fort, Bluegrass, and Jerome Road. Didn't see anybody catch anything and I didn't see any fish on stringers. The water is LOW and ice free. All we need now is some warm weather and rain to bring em' up! I'm ready. We also went to Maumee Bay State Park and walked around the nature trail. I snapped a few pictures of both. FISH ON!!!! FISH OFF!!!!! :mrgreen: 












Orleans Park by the boat ramp










Upstream from Buttonwood & Bluegrass Island


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## firelands

These guys are true die-hards!


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## jigger69

have any of you guys ever tried a berkely blade dancer for walleye in the river since its a single hook lure


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## hollandbass

Talked to a few guys wading, no fish all weekend. River is raging.


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## roger23

From Maumee Tackle

RIVER CONDITIONS: 03/04/08 

THE RIVER LEVEL THIS MORNING AT 7:30 AM WAS 586. UP SIX FEET FROM SUNDAY MORNING DUE TO MELT OFF. THE WATER CLARITY IS ABOUT SIX INCHES. THE WATER TEMP. IS DOWN .4 DEGREE FROM SUNDAY AT 37.4 DEGREES.


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## BFG

> have any of you guys ever tried a berkely blade dancer for walleye in the river since its a single hook lure


Might work, but what do they cost? You would surely lose a bunch...


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## yonderfishin

Isnt there some steelhead in the river also this time of year ?


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## hiddenlake

Not sure about the steelies, usually get a few strays of them in the fall, just aint enough room for them when the walleye hit the river


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## roger23

yonderfishin said:


> Isnt there some steelhead in the river also this time of year ?


I catch one or two every spring usually 16 to 18 inches,,nothing bigger for me


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## jojopro

jigger69 said:


> have any of you guys ever tried a berkely blade dancer for walleye in the river since its a single hook lure


I'm sure that they would work, but I wouldn't waste any extra money on them considering the amount of tackle that you lose in that river. IMO, durring the run the walleye will strike anything that is properly presented in their face. You see everyone nowadays using floating jigs with twister tail grubs because they are a cheap and highly effective lure that can easily be presented right into the faces of these walleye.


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## midoh39

Do you guys think that they'll be in the river by Easter week? I dont want to make the long drive and get shut out.


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## WalIkng

I sure hope they are because ill be in town that week


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## fishingfoolBG

Check in with the Maumee Tackle website (http://www.maumeetackle.net). He is pretty good at keeping up to date reports and information on the river conditions. Also around Easter i would Post some threads oh here to see how the run is going. Wouldn't be fun if you drove 2-3 hours from Dayton and get skunked.


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## hollandbass

Its going to be at least 5 days until the river is down enough to try anything, but then we are expecting 40F+ temps again=snowmelt=river blown again. I would say she wont be ready for a few weeks. The maumee tackle guy is a somewhat "positive" with his reports as i am sure a "good" report brings people into the store to go fishing.


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## KaGee

Crossed over this evening at Ft. Meigs in Maumee. River is over the banks, muddy and strong current. We also have more precipitation expected in the next 36 hours.


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## fishingfoolBG

hollandbass said:


> Its going to be at least 5 days until the river is down enough to try anything, but then we are expecting 40F+ temps again=snowmelt=river blown again. I would say she wont be ready for a few weeks. The maumee tackle guy is a somewhat "positive" with his reports as i am sure a "good" report brings people into the store to go fishing.


I was refering more towards how he post the water level, clarity and temp. I understand that "good" reports will bring people into the store. Im just saying it's nice to have if you want to know the conditions of the river. Its never fun to take a trip to the river and have it blown out.


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## Bucket Mouth

fishingfoolBG said:


> I was refering more towards how he post the water level, clarity and temp. I understand that "good" reports will bring people into the store. Im just saying it's nice to have if you want to know the conditions of the river. Its never fun to take a trip to the river and have it blown out.


Maumee Tackle's website is fairly honest. He quotes the water level, water clarity, and temperature. Its pretty much a daily update too (at least during the run). From those three things you can decipher if they will be in there or not. You can easily cross check his info for height @ thenaturalresource.com. Temps are bit different because he takes them directly from the river but I don't think he tells tall tales. Anyway, it wont matter much until the river comes down after the next melt blowout. By then the water will be into the 40's and it will be all good.


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