# MAD RIVER??? i've never been



## Bass Assasin Slaton (May 22, 2011)

Okay so im hearing alot of things about mad river lately, and seen videos..so can you really catch WILD trout in ohio??? i'm young but have been fishing my entire life, and never heard of this. I always went to tennesse for this experience...i'm a huge bass fisherman but love catching anything that is a challenge.I've learned in fishing "harder the task the sweeter the reward" i live near miamisburg ohio and just wanna know how good the fishing is, and how FAR would i have to go to get to this place..
I kind of feel embarrassed not having any knowledge of this place but i figured this would be the best place to ask. Im extremely patient and very persistent as most of us fisherman are, so if it is difficult to catch a trout there i would not mind. Im a huge fan of creek fishing,traveling and exploring the creek so i think this mad river would be real fun.
I would love to get more info on this place. i have looked it up online but would like to get some of your folks experiences/opinions.
Im off the next few days so would maybe like to go check it out.


----------



## Bass Assasin Slaton (May 22, 2011)

where does the mad river run into the GMR? i would like to go fish it tomorrow i live right by dayton and have no clue where it is?


----------



## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Bassass, the Mad River empties into the GMR right in Downtown, it runs behind Eastwood Metro park and then goes up through Fairborn, then Enon and then to Springfield where it turns north and runs towards Urbana and its headwaters not far from Bellfountaine. The brown trout are not "wild" they are put in as 6-7" Brown Trout and then allowed to grow up until they have been in the river about a year before they are at the 12" size limit to keep, its a "Put-Grow-Take" fishery. 

For the trout part of the river, youll need to access it north of Springfield, several good public acess places are where Rt 55 and rt 36 dross it near Urbana

Salmonid


----------



## steve113535 (Feb 7, 2012)

I wouldn't recommend going if you don't know what you're doing. Trout fishing can be tough some days for people that know how to do it. If your are going to go you should go with an experienced trout fisherman or someone who at least has the right idea of how to trout fish. You can read all you want on the internet but its not going to help nearly as much as if you were to go with someone. PM me if your interested in going.


----------



## Tin Guppy (Mar 20, 2007)

Most of the trout fishing is from county line rd. champaign-clark north. Some people get them below that, but your best bet is st. rt. 55 and above my best trout is 19" have had on bigger.


----------



## Bass Assasin Slaton (May 22, 2011)

steve ive been trout fishing...its just like creek fishing smallmouth..i actually see it as hunting..i wear all natural colors ..od greens and browns..and i creep around the banks..i was really succesful in streams in tennessee with my method..

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## jmpmstr1998 (Jun 19, 2009)

I aas at a customer in Urbana a few seeks ago. He gave me a good spot on the Mad. I just need to get the time. Maybe this weekend.


----------



## Aqua Man (Aug 8, 2011)

I agree that fishing from County road and above is probably your best bet for trout. The farther south they seem to get scarce.

I've not fly fished for them but have done pretty good on rooster tails. Lots of little ones but I've got my share of keepers. Handle them gently too, they dont deal with rough handling.Excessive rough handling and being out of the water can kill them, they dont recover as easily as most other fish do. I'd suggest flattening the barbs on your hooks for easier release too. 

I didn't fish the mad this past season (I typically fish it from about oct till april) so I don't know what the situation is now but in recent years there has been a bunch of cases where thieves are breaking into parked cars out there. I drive my beater truck, leave nothing of value in the cab and leave the doors unlocked. There have been many reports of people having their side window smashed out for the change in the ash tray. Dirt Bags!!!!!


----------



## chrsvic (Apr 20, 2005)

Years ago, i think they tried to approximate wild trout in the Mad by stocking brown trout eggs using a device called a "Vibert box." Basically, its a screen box in which they place fertilized eggs in, and sink it in the gravel.

http://www.riverreporter.com/issues/07-04-05/feature.html

I vaguely remember Dave Bowring (dayton outdoor writer) mentioning it back in the 70's, he wrote a couple of books about stream fishing. (im dating myself here.)

I think some groups also tried stocking browns as fry, wading in the rivers and putting them in new logpiles, etc - browns are more likely to stay where stocked, rainbows move around and probably don't survive where the water gets warmer downstream.


----------



## Bronzeback60 (May 20, 2009)

I too want to go to the Mad River to do some Trout Fishing

Please let me know when you want to go


----------



## fshnteachr (Jun 9, 2007)

steve113535 said:


> I wouldn't recommend going if you don't know what you're doing. Trout fishing can be tough some days for people that know how to do it. If your are going to go you should go with an experienced trout fisherman or someone who at least has the right idea of how to trout fish. You can read all you want on the internet but its not going to help nearly as much as if you were to go with someone. PM me if your interested in going.


Bull....you learn by doing. Go for it and have fun! I mean, of course you could learn from going with someone but to say don't go is silly.


----------



## GatorB (Jul 24, 2006)

fshnteachr said:


> Bull....you learn by doing. Go for it and have fun! I mean, of course you could learn from going with someone but to say don't go is silly.


Yeah but you learn faster by doing with someone who is showing you _how_ to.


----------



## Bass Assasin Slaton (May 22, 2011)

i mean i dont own a fly rod ..im an ulralight and rooster tail guy..and gurantee i could catch trout the same way i catch smallies..whats the closest place to produce near dayton or do you have to travel far north?

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

ODNR has a pretty nice map that you can find your own holes off county / country roads.


----------



## PoundTest (Apr 23, 2012)

sbreech said:


> ODNR has a pretty nice map that you can find your own holes off county / country roads.


Hey, thanks for that info. I just checked out the maps. Very helpful!


----------



## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

PoundTest said:


> Hey, thanks for that info. I just checked out the maps. Very helpful!


You're welcome. They have maps for most all of the rivers/streams/lakes in Ohio.


----------



## fshnteachr (Jun 9, 2007)

GatorB said:


> Yeah but you learn faster by doing with someone who is showing you _how_ to.


Agreed....it's always best (and more fun) to have a partner. But sometimes it is fun and rewarding to learn on your own (and it is possible, no need to "not go" just because you are a novice)


----------



## bwarkentine (Apr 25, 2012)

One of my favorite places to fish. I never fish above 55. Target deep holes. Especially if they have trees in the water. I have caught trout on jigs, rooster tails, crank baits, and drifting worms with my ultra-light. I usually average a 15" fish every 3rd time out. My largest went 24" and 6lbs.


----------



## ML1187 (Mar 13, 2012)

IMO the map below is much better than the ODNR map...

http://www4.wittenberg.edu/academics/hfs/tmartin/MadRiver/report.html

And don't count the Mad out as a great smallmouth river either... I've caught some dandies in there!

Good luck!


----------



## bwarkentine (Apr 25, 2012)

Where on the Mad do you catch smallies? I read in an old record book that at one time Ohio's Record Smallmouth was out of the Mad.


----------



## Bass Assasin Slaton (May 22, 2011)

im sure any part of the mad is able to produce smallies.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

actualy if you want smallies, youll have to fish south of Springfield, above there the water is too cold and never reaches 72 for spawning early in the year, likewise if your after trout, stay north of Springfield as once Buck Creek dumps in the water is too warm for trout, ( yes a few are caught below there but generaly speaking) 

The mad is not like any other waterway you have ever fished for smallies, LOL id say go on your own but if you struggle, dont give up, then go with someon who has experience fishing it for trout, its a big drainage ditch and can be very hard to fish for the person not familliar with how to fish it. 

Salmonid


----------

