# Chagrin River (N & S Reservations)



## TheUkrainian (Oct 16, 2012)

So this will be my first summer living on the east side (before I was in Parma) and almost the first summer I'll be trying to use my fly rod. I was wondering if anyone knew any good access points to the Chagrin, mainly for the southern part of it. I live in Mayfield so most of the time I get in by Rogers Rd or a little north of there by the sledding hill. I work in Beachwood right near 71, and I'd like to hit up the river down there (really anywhere between Gates Mills and Chagrin Falls/Bentleyville). So far the last few weeks I've just been throwing dry flies for smallmouth, haven't caught any, but lost one 2 days ago. I'm guessing I'll have to start switching to wet flies/streamers eventually, but any tips/locations would be appreciated. This whole river/fly fishing deal is still fairly new to me. I lived in Michigan for most of my life and I was surrounded by lakes. I'm not specifically fishing for bass, catching some carp or cats on a fly rod would be fun too.


----------



## toobnoob (Jun 1, 2010)

The Rogers road area is a good place to fish as well as the polo fields in the south chagrin reservation. Lots of good runs and holes in both areas. There are trails almost all the way through both areas so it's easy to scout out the good holes.

Fishing rivers you want to look for current breaks, places where fish can sit without using much energy and ambush things floating by. Generally behind rocks or logs or where a riffle section empties into a pool. Often fish will sit in the eddy on the edge of the fast flow.

Slack water can be good also and is a great place to sight fish for carp rooting around for bugs or use top watter flies for small mouth and sunfish.


----------



## TheUkrainian (Oct 16, 2012)

I've been to the Polo Fields a few times when I was shooting the Grand Prix this past summer. The water was super low at that point, I could walk across the entire river without getting my ankles wet. I'll have to try it out, possibly even today/tomorrow after work. Any advice on flies? I work 5 min away from the Orvis store and occasionally go there to browse around.. I've got a decent collection of flies, mainly nymphs, a couple of different colored woolly buggers, and some really small streamers, along with a couple of different dry flies.


----------



## toobnoob (Jun 1, 2010)

For flies the basics do pretty well, woolybuggers in olive, black, white and brown, clousers in various colors. Dragon fly nymphs, hellgramites, stone fly nymphs work well also. I like to fish poppers and divers in the slack water early morning or evening, most color combos work, I like black or yellow mostly.


----------



## TheUkrainian (Oct 16, 2012)

I was gonna ask about poppers haha. I've been thinking about picking up 1 or 2. Would you fish them similarly to a topwater bait on a spinning rod? I've seen the hard ones, and the deer hair ones. Any advantages/disadvantages to either?


----------



## musclebeach22 (Feb 15, 2012)

@ theUkr.... let me know if you'd like to hit the river soon. We can throw some flies in the south reservation

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## TheUkrainian (Oct 16, 2012)

Will do. It might be a week or two before I go out there again. Planning on hitting the Rock tomorrow morning, and Sunday I'm shooting the marathon downtown. I was going to go today after work, but I'm meeting up with a friend in Strongsville later tonight, and I'll probably hit the Rock down there (I hear they stocked some trout near Rt82 late last month. How often do you go out? I might try and see if I can make some time after work one day if you're free after 5:30 or so.


----------



## musclebeach22 (Feb 15, 2012)

I got out as much as I can. Normally a couple times a week. I work at chagrin schools so I'm off work at 230pm. Let me know when you'd like to head out. I sent a pm with my cell.

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------

