# Clear Fork of the Mohican: at what level is it fishable?



## LearningtoFly (Apr 2, 2011)

I was thinking about starting my weekend early by taking tomorrow off and testing out my new 5 weight. The rivers near me are running high and are pretty much unfishable. One river that I've not fished before but would like to get familiar with is the Clear Fork of the Mohican.
Generally, I use the info on the USGS website to figure out if a river is fishable or not but they don't have a lot of info available for the Clear Fork, just gage height. The river is currently running at 2.5 feet. Is that fishable? Without knowing the discharge numbers, is there a range of gage heights that define when the Clear Fork is fishable?

Thanks in advance!


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## pipes530 (Apr 17, 2009)

Well.....I'm waiting to see if its fishable as well...........any advisors?


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

That sounds fishable to me, but I fish everything.  

There's at least one member who can fill you in if he's reading this. I suspect he is.


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

Stage of 1.5 and below bro! But you need to find your own comfort zone kinda like landing a steelhead on a 3wt ..lol.. No but seriously thats the numbers I use but I'm sure there are more lurking pro's on here than would be happy to help! Have fun wade safe and if you can see the bottom dont step!


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## RonT (May 4, 2008)

I suggest not going to the park. The upper is running ~6" high, but clarity is as great. Stones (~#14) were ovipositing a week ago, White flies (Sulphers and look-a-likes, #16) were on sporadically. 
Fish the bumpy water....
R
btw, Seth, I'll be elsewhere...chuckle...


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

RonT said:


> I suggest not going to the park. The upper is running ~6" high, but clarity is as great. Stones (~#14) were ovipositing a week ago, White flies (Sulphers and look-a-likes, #16) were on sporadically.
> Fish the bumpy water....
> R
> btw, Seth, I'll be elsewhere...chuckle...


Hehe, I knew you would be.  I wish I was closer because I'd be chasin' those trout!


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## LearningtoFly (Apr 2, 2011)

RonT said:


> I suggest not going to the park. The upper is running ~6" high, but clarity is as great. Stones (~#14) were ovipositing a week ago, White flies (Sulphers and look-a-likes, #16) were on sporadically.
> Fish the bumpy water....
> R
> btw, Seth, I'll be elsewhere...chuckle...


Thanks! Is the park generally over-crowded even on a weekday? It looks like the upper stretch can be accessed at Pleasant Hill Rd and is public from there up to the lake? I'll gladly trade fewer fish for fewer people.

I won't be making the trip down today but I will make it a point to fish down there a few times. One last question: does the stream stay cool enough all summer to support trout or is it a 9 or 10 month fishery

Thanks again.


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

LearningtoFly said:


> Thanks! Is the park generally over-crowded even on a weekday? It looks like the upper stretch can be accessed at Pleasant Hill Rd and is public from there up to the lake? I'll gladly trade fewer fish for fewer people.
> 
> I won't be making the trip down today but I will make it a point to fish down there a few times. One last question: does the stream stay cool enough all summer to support trout or is it a 9 or 10 month fishery
> 
> Thanks again.


Some parts yes! I will be out looking for FAT chicks tommorow morning!


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

the park section fished pretty good today, until the opened up the spillway and brought the water up 2 feet, it got dangerous in a matter of about 15 minutes, my fishing buddy and i brought a few nice smallies, and a few trout to the net. The guage was at about 2ft when we got there, walked from the class b camping, all the way down to the cabins. Fish were holding in the current breaks near the banks.


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## rolldowndave (Apr 13, 2009)

Hi,

I was thinking about heading that way tomorrow and was wondering what shape the river was in?

Thanks,

Dave


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## Fly-fish (Jul 11, 2009)

rolldowndave said:


> Hi,
> 
> I was thinking about heading that way tomorrow and was wondering what shape the river was in?
> 
> ...


The water level as of 03 June was 1.5' at the gauge so the level is in the range of fishable and not too muddy from runoff. There is a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon so be careful of sudden river changes if they open the spillway.

Being tomorrow will be a summer weekend the rubber hatches between the dam and the covered bridge might be annoying but the river should be decent. 

Good luck.


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## thistubesforu (Mar 30, 2009)

i hope i wont annoy any one but i am actually heading to mohican for the weekend. first time ever gonna try some fishing beginner fly rodder so if any tips are available let me know.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

thistubesforu said:


> i hope i wont annoy any one but i am actually heading to mohican for the weekend. first time ever gonna try some fishing beginner fly rodder so if any tips are available let me know.


I think a good way to get into fish quickly is to use tiny flies.


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## RonT (May 4, 2008)

the upper is fishable.... #16 Borchers.
R


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

That's a beauty Ron!


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## thistubesforu (Mar 30, 2009)

this might be a stupid question, but since there are browns in there im assuming the water is fairly cold year round. my question is do i need to bring my waders or can i get by with shoes and shorts. no waders would just be one less thing to pack.


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## BASSINaDL (Aug 24, 2010)

does anybody catch them with spinning tackle? ... if so would small rooster tails or mabey small tubes work?


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

thistubesforu said:


> this might be a stupid question, but since there are browns in there im assuming the water is fairly cold year round. my question is do i need to bring my waders or can i get by with shoes and shorts. no waders would just be one less thing to pack.


It barely stays cold enough in the park, slightly cooler above the lake, but either way i wet wade it after late may. chilly, but refreshing


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## thistubesforu (Mar 30, 2009)

well thats what i did was wet wade sunday morning for about 2 hrs. ended up catching 2 smallies biggest was about 10". not what i had in mind but a fish is a fish. i was so amped up on the first hit the poor little 6" came flying out of the water when i set the hook. probably would of had better luck if i had more time to explore but was limited on time with so much other stuff around there to do.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

BASSINaDL said:


> does anybody catch them with spinning tackle? ... if so would small rooster tails or mabey small tubes work?


Small stream trout are so selective, they won't even touch spinning tackle.


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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

fallen513 said:


> Small stream trout are so selective, they won't even touch spinning tackle.


does that include pawr' bate


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## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

1.5 to 2.5 is probably the best level to fish - at least in my experience, although the gauge site : 

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/oh/nwis/uv?cb_00065=on&format=gif_stats&period=7&site_no=03133500

Doesn't tell you the level _above_ the lake.

The upper reaches, which include the Gatton Rock nursery area and the GMA campground area, 
(you have to be a member of the GMA to access this area - I happen to be a member) can be fine for fishing when the height below the damn is high, but other times it's not. You just kind of have to go with the idea that the level may be too high, and chalk it up to chance.

Most of my luck on both ends of the river - depending on time of year and time of day - have been using elk hair caddis, midges or BWO's on top, and dropping prince nymphs (14's, 16's), copperjohns (16's) and smaller stone fly patterns ( size 14 -12) below riffles where the water deepens out and slows down.
Wooly buggers ripped through deeper cuts can also produce. I've had the best luck on off-white buggers, size 14.

In the falll I've had luck with coachmen's and drakes (14, 16), and in the early summer I've hit them on mayfly patterns (12, 14, 16) as well.

Getting into summer can be tough, the water stays cold enough - barely - but below the dam you end up competing with recreational tubers and yakkers who seem to have no guilt about floating right thru the hole you are fishing. Best times are early mornings and early evenings.

Although, don't rule out the warmer months; july and august can bring success upstream from the bridge in some of the deeper holes for smallies - and for this I use various streamers; clousers, mickies, pretty much anything that resembles a minnow, as large as a size 6.

If the gauge height is between 1.5 and 2.5, or thereabouts, the level of the water below the dam is good for fishing, although it won't tell you how the water is when it comes to _clarity_, but generally, if you are fishing in the range mentioned, you can count on water clarity being decent - exceptions happen, of course.

hope this was helpful.


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## RonT (May 4, 2008)

Fished the upper, managed to tag a few before the rain (barely) tonite. this one on a #14 Borchers... cell phone pic..
R


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## flytyer (Jan 3, 2005)

DAng Ron, those are a couple of nice browns you've gotten latley.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Nice work. Excellent gear.


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## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

There ya go!


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