# Searching for Smallies.



## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

The past week or two, I've been hitting Big Darby, Little Darby, Big Walnut, and Alum Creek blindly for smallmouth. This is the first time I've fished the creeks in Columbus and I've had some success on Big Darby & a little bit on Big Walnut, but I'm really trying to cover as much water as I can so I can figure each stream out.

I have the whole day to myself tomorrow, and I'm trying to decide where to go. I fished Little Darby & Big Darby near West Jefferson today and only found a couple of decent holes on each stream. Not to mention it was like fishing in chocolate milk... I'm assuming all of the other streams are like that as well after all that rain this morning.

So anyway...
Any suggestions on where to start tomorrow? Who's been doing well and where? Not asking for specific holes, just general area / legal access points.

Here's a few pictures of what I've pulled out of the Darbys in the past 2 days.

Thank ya!


----------



## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

those are some nice looking smallies, havn't really fished the darby too much myself but if you are looking for some places probably a little closer shoot me a message.


----------



## fishingfreak (Jul 24, 2008)

i did very well last week on the big darby..i have fished the westjeff area befor but with not much sucsess....i fish the darby alot farther south and i like to go late in the evening useing top water baits most of the time.....i got this pig last friday


----------



## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

beautiful smally, I think i just may have to hit up the darby this weekend havn't been there in a minute! Anyone know of any decent floats, only waded it before and just got my yak back from michigan.


----------



## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Would you guys like to be hand fed, or can we just cut up your food for ya?


----------



## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

Bubbagon said:


> Would you guys like to be hand fed, or can we just cut up your food for ya?


I thought I was pretty specific that I *do not* want to be hand fed. This is a site for fishing reports, right? That's all I asked for. "Who's doing well, and where"... meaning what creek, or river. I was asking for a suggestion for an ENTIRE body of water.

I'm not a good enough fisherman to catch all of your smallies out of your 85 mile long creek, so don't worry so much about it.


----------



## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

fishingfreak said:


> i did very well last week on the big darby..i have fished the westjeff area befor but with not much sucsess....i fish the darby alot farther south and i like to go late in the evening useing top water baits most of the time.....i got this pig last friday


Thank you, by the way. And that's a pig of a smallie. Congrats!


----------



## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

id say just get a map of the river, and drive along the road beside it...plenty of spots along the scioto and olentangy...


----------



## GARNERMAN357 (Jan 22, 2010)

bunch of the guys that post in cen ohio area like to complain when you ask a question about any body of water. its hilarious to me. dont sweat it thou just find the humor in the ignorance.


----------



## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

GARNERMAN357 said:


> bunch of the guys that post in cen ohio area like to complain when you ask a question about any body of water. its hilarious to me. dont sweat it thou just find the humor in the ignorance.


thats cuz rivers are pretty easy to find...


----------



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

GARNERMAN357 said:


> bunch of the guys that post in cen ohio area like to complain when you ask a question about any body of water. its hilarious to me. dont sweat it thou just find the humor in the ignorance.


Wait till you see what a little bit of extra info does to a honey hole (in short order) - Wait till you see the poaching, litter, arguments etc. There's good reason for keeping things censored. Outside of Columbus it's really not that big of a deal, but here in the city spots can literally go from 1 or 2 people a night to over 20 in literally a days time, all thanks to a liberal post. Our delicate rivers and streams can't tolerate that kind of pressure.


----------



## Priorityfishing (Aug 12, 2012)

Well said


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

acklac7 said:


> Wait till you see what a little bit of extra info does to a honey hole (in short order) - Wait till you see the poaching, litter, arguments etc. There's good reason for keeping things censored. Outside of Columbus it's really not that big of a deal, but here in the city spots can literally go from 1 or 2 people a night to over 20 in literally a days time, all thanks to a liberal post. Our delicate rivers and streams can't tolerate that kind of pressure.


I understand this. Thats why I said "Not asking for specific holes, just general area / legal access points"


----------



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

debard said:


> I understand this. Thats why I said "Not asking for specific holes, just general area / legal access points"


Even "general area" can be a curse during the fall....

Do some research on trespassing laws, then go from there. Don't be afraid to ask for permission (if the law states you have to).

Smallies tend to switch to bait-fish this time of year as invertebrates are beginning to disappear, not to mention oily-baitfish (shad) really help put on the winter lbs!

Protip: Shad and Invertebrates tend to inhabit to different areas of a stream, put in some hard, hard work to find those areas and you often come out successful. It took me years to find my fall shad-spots....


----------



## CATMAN447 (Jun 12, 2011)

Debard, sent you a PM.


----------



## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

Bubbagon could you please chew my food and regurgitate it for me? cause as you must already know i am helpless like a baby bird... god forbid anyone give put in/ take out spots within a hundred miles of central ohio to help a fellow fisherman enjoy a nice day on the water, or the smallmouth just might go extinct! I prefer driving around aimlessly like a senior citizen with dementia for an hour trying to figure out where to park the cars in a unfamiliar area to get a decent float anyways, especially with how cheap gas is these days.


----------



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

OnTheFly said:


> or the smallmouth just might go extinct!


Get a few meat-hunters who find the right hole/stretch during the fall run and you can kiss-goodbye entire brood-stocks of Smallmouth's. Come Spring those Brood-Smallies aren't there to spawn.....You get the picture.


----------



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

OnTheFly said:


> Bubbagon could you please chew my food and regurgitate it for me? cause as you must already know i am helpless like a baby bird... god forbid anyone give put in/ take out spots within a hundred miles of central ohio to help a fellow fisherman enjoy a nice day on the water, or the smallmouth just might go extinct! I prefer driving around aimlessly like a senior citizen with dementia for an hour trying to figure out where to park the cars in a unfamiliar area to get a decent float anyways, especially with how cheap gas is these days.


Or use google and see where to park. Snot that hard. It's how you start to understand the rivers. Don't just drive up to a spot that you're brah told you about and start casting. Not saying you do, but in general. Plus, I wouldn't trust many people's "parking spots". Good spots to get broken into or a parking ticket/tow. I've read a few parking suggestions on this site that would result in a ticket 25% of the time. Just sayin


----------



## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

Trust me I put in lots of miles on the rivers every week mainly without ever seeing another soul and have no problem understanding the flows. I don't have any fishing "brahs" to point me in the right direction anyways as my buddies like to chase tail on the weekend and not smallies. When looking for some general info on floating a river that I live 30 minutes and rarely venture to, a little good old fashioned word of mouth can go a long way and save some headaches and time than just purely using google (which I still use all the time). I swear the townies I trout fish with in the UP are more helpful, at least when you get em drunk! Probably have better luck asking to sleep with your guy's wives than for any info in this section of the forum, wouldn't doubt I would get chastised less anyways. Will be driving around this weekend like a chimpanzee with a thumb up its you know where to find a decent float. Hope to see you out there!


----------



## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

OK...if you puts "lots of miles on the rivers every week mainly without ever seeing another soul and have no problem understanding the flows"....than what exactly do you need from a bunch of cyber hacks?

Here's the deal. I'll help anyone. Ask around. I do.
I just won't do it on a PUBLIC website. I'll PM you, email you, or take you along.

There's been almost 500 people read this thread so far. Exactly how many more do you think the Little Darb can handle? A stream, that you can piss across, and is in the middle of farm run-off country. Next time you're out there, forget about the 500 and try to imagine just another 20 guys fishing your 1/2 stretch....stringing 'em up.
It's the 500 "views" that'll show up and flat out ruin your deal on something as small as the Lil'. 

And yeah, I'm sure you can buy a Yooper a pastie and a beer and he might give up a trout spot....because he's telling YOU, not 500 people who are ease dropping. 
Get it?

BTW, my advice would be to think about what river smallies are doing RIGHT now....where they are going...or in some cases, where the schools of baitfish are heading.
Then go there.


----------



## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

I'm done on this thread after this post, but I just wanted to point out for the _third_ time that I never asked for anyone's spot. My question was (again, for the third time) "Should I fish Big Walnut, Big Darby, Little Darby, The Scioto, or the Olentangy today?"

Anyway, I'm headed out to *BIG DARBY CREEK* today. See all you 500 viewers out there on the water!


----------



## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

After being on the site for a while I don't expect anything at least from the central Ohio forum cyber hacks. Hell didn't expect anything when I posted asking for a float I just get irritated at the condescending tone when trying to glean the smallest amount of help and thought I would troll a little. I think you guys just might over exaggerate the impact saying hey try this general stretch to float or access has on the fish pop. Most the views are repeats and in my experience a lot of people still c and r esp for smallmouth in central ohio Thanks again for the help


----------



## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

OnTheFly said:


> I think you guys just might over exaggerate the impact saying hey try this general stretch to float or access has on the fish pop. Most the views are repeats and in my experience a lot of people still c and r esp for smallmouth in central ohio Thanks again for the help


You think....I know. 
I live near the Dublin stretch of the Scioto...which is obviously much larger than either of the Darbs put together.
Fished that stretch for 20 years....for good reason. 
Then about 5-6 years ago, EVERYONE on here starts talking about the Dublin stretch. 
Now the pulloff has 10-12 vehicles, instead of 1 or 2. Three sets of guys in those little Bass raider pontoons came and fished that stretch 4-5 times a week....with soft craws and a stringer. They took hundreds of pounds of mature smallies out of there. I watched them do it.
When I say the fishing, the solitude, and the trash has never been the same since, I'm not thinking that, I know that. 

And it just comes off a little rude, asking for spots and put ins. 
You admit that you're a good fisherman, that you understand rivers, habitat, etc...You obviously own a computer....and a car.
Between Google maps and USGS gauges, what else could you need? Look at flows (pick your river), find a bridge (put in), maybe check out some terrain for riffles etc...and then just go. How hard can it be? I don't understand.

Instead, you advertise local flows with pics of good fish for 500+ people to make up their own minds how they are going to treat that resource....Resources that many of us enjoy. And despite your experience that "most people C & R" in Central Ohio....I would disagree. I see WAY more bait containers, trot lines, and stringers than I do gloves and cameras.

So no. I'm not inclined to "help" you cut corners.
Sorry.


----------



## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

You mad bro?


----------



## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Not even a little bit.

Maybe mildly frustrated. Such a simple concept to grasp. 
Advertising small streams in Ohio with pics of big fish is not good. Take a look at the "reports":
Caught 19 fish on the Darby. Here's a pic.
Here's my pic. Darby's on fire.

Those aren't reports. I learned nothing...it's just bragging AND advertising. 

Save the stream names for PMs, emails, and phone calls. That's it.
I'll gladly PM ya satellite pics of put ins, I just won't do it on the public portion of this website. 
Fool me once....


----------



## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Some guys on this forum suck. I started a thread asking "Where can I catch river smallies?" http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=209312 It got 47 replies and no one told me where.

This site can really suck when it comes to help. I have had to use Google and drive all over the place, sometimes wasting hours of time and gallons of gas crisscrossing all over trying to find a place to put in. I just don't know why people don't tell me where those are in the first place. I have actually had to meet up with people like Bubbagon on this site and fish with them before they shared their spots with me. That really sucks. 

It's gotten so bad that I generally don't mention what creek I'm fishing on either when I make a report. Actually, I think that most guys here are lying about their reports anyway because I go there the next day and the fish aren't biting at all like that. It seems I do better just building my knowledge based on reports that describe conditions and tactics and going out and exploring new water.

Anyway, most of the guys on this thread seem pretty cool, so if you want to get together to fish and talk about it, send me a PM.


----------



## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

look at the fact this thread has 696 views. You dont think those lurkers are trying to poach spots.


----------



## P-NUT (May 17, 2009)

imalt said:


> look at the fact this thread has 696 views. You don't think those lurkers are trying to poach spots.


Not everyone that views this is trying to poach spots. I will probably never fish any of these areas. The only reason I even opened this to read it was because of the title. I thought that this ought to be interesting. Someone is asking for help on deciding where he should spend the day chasing smallmouth! I wonder how many posts' it will take for someone to raise a bitch or try to make this guy feel like crap for asking for a little help on deciding where to spend a day fishing. Well, once again, OGF members did not disappoint! I will say it can be entertaining though (if not a little sad).


----------



## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

P-NUT said:


> Not everyone that views this is trying to poach spots.


Nope. But what if just 10% are? That's roughly 70 people for the mathematicians.
70 extra people on the Little Darb...hmmmm


----------



## dirty sea (Oct 23, 2011)

Plus Google maps is implementing birds eye view. Not all of Columbus is covered yet, but zoom in on the Horseshoe for example and you'll get a taste. 



Mushijobah said:


> Or use google and see where to park. Snot that hard. It's how you start to understand the rivers. Don't just drive up to a spot that you're brah told you about and start casting. Not saying you do, but in general. Plus, I wouldn't trust many people's "parking spots". Good spots to get broken into or a parking ticket/tow. I've read a few parking suggestions on this site that would result in a ticket 25% of the time. Just sayin



Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Bubbagon said:


> Nope. But what if just 10% are? That's roughly 70 people for the mathematicians.
> 70 extra people on the Little Darb...hmmmm


Heck, even 10 extra people can make a significant dent in a tiny slow like Lil Darby.



dirty sea said:


> Plus Google maps is implementing birds eye view. Not all of Columbus is covered yet, but zoom in on the Horseshoe for example and you'll get a taste.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Awesome. Didn't know this. I use Bing Birds Eye a lot.



streamstalker said:


> Some guys on this forum suck. I started a thread asking "Where can I catch river smallies?" http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=209312 It got 47 replies and no one told me where.
> 
> This site can really suck when it comes to help. I have had to use Google and drive all over the place, sometimes wasting hours of time and gallons of gas crisscrossing all over trying to find a place to put in. I just don't know why people don't tell me where those are in the first place. I have actually had to meet up with people like Bubbagon on this site and fish with them before they shared their spots with me. That really sucks.
> 
> ...


LOL


----------



## TDFleischer (Apr 5, 2010)

Can someone tell me where to catch smallies?

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## 93stratosfishnski (Aug 25, 2011)

streamstalker said:


> Actually, I think that most guys here are lying about their reports anyway because I go there the next day and the fish aren't biting at all like that.


as a newb i learned that if you waited to here from a friend" the saugeyes are biting at buckeye" you were probably a day too late.. gotta keep that line wet all the time!


----------



## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

so i gathered that the guy is looking for a good river to fish, and if bubbagon says that he's willing to help people out via pm, why didnt you just shoot him a p.m.? why was this turned into a bash fest about questions and internet lurkers? he named almost every major smallie stream/river in central ohio in the original post. hes not giving anything away, he wasnt even asking for a handout on specific locations. if you have a problem with unwanted attention on a flow, thats what the p.m. is for. just use it, instead of complaining and saying thats why you use it.


----------



## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

streamstalker said:


> Some guys on this forum suck. I started a thread asking "Where can I catch river smallies?" http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=209312 It got 47 replies and no one told me where.
> 
> This site can really suck when it comes to help. I have had to use Google and drive all over the place, sometimes wasting hours of time and gallons of gas crisscrossing all over trying to find a place to put in. I just don't know why people don't tell me where those are in the first place. I have actually had to meet up with people like Bubbagon on this site and fish with them before they shared their spots with me. That really sucks.
> 
> ...


i p.m.ed you my favorite stretch before i even read the article.


----------



## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

gerb said:


> i p.m.ed you my favorite stretch before i even read the article.


Yeah, and it was a nice tip too! I still need to get down and wade that little flow. I have heard great things about it from a few people. It's one of the few ones that I have heard about that people did not blab about on an open forum.

I have also sent some access points to people who were very appreciative. I have to say that I have yet to be burned by anyone putting it out for public view.


----------



## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

Lol I can't believe this thread is still going...


----------



## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

@streamstalker: you definitely should. i havent ran into another angler on that stretch ever. very secluded, very productive. you wont be disappointed.


----------



## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

I've been burned a few times. I have fished with a bunch of people on this Site, shared many spots, IN PRIVATE, naming small flows not a great idea. 

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## StumpHawg (May 17, 2011)

StuckAtHome said:


> I've been burned a few times. I have fished with a bunch of people on this Site, shared many spots, IN PRIVATE, naming small flows not a great idea.
> 
> Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2


100% agree!!!


----------



## Wishiniwasfishing (Apr 1, 2012)

Just go fishing all I ever see on this forum anymore is complaining we are forgetting why we all come together! To talk about our obsession with fish! Stop crying and go catch fish... If someone needs a general direction and some help point them out if you want but if not just leave it alone...


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## dirty sea (Oct 23, 2011)

This has been probably discussed before, but after reading so many posts regarding this subject, I feel that the ODNR could do a little more to protect the smallmouth resources in Ohio. I know of other states where certain stretches of streams have catch and release only regulations imposed. Minnesota's regulation for smallmouth is catch and release only after September 10th. A stream in Indiana has a special regulation of a 1 smallie bag limit, and that fish must be at least 20". The list goes on, and I am surprised Ohio hasn't followed suit by implementing stricter regulations to improve the overall fishery. 

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

not sure that odnr has the staff to monitor all the stretches of small streams and rivers. my guess is that if they did, they would find much more going on around the river. ive found some funky items on the shorelines while wading.


----------



## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

dirty sea said:


> This has been probably discussed before, but after reading so many posts regarding this subject, I feel that the ODNR could do a little more to protect the smallmouth resources in Ohio. I know of other states where certain stretches of streams have catch and release only regulations imposed. Minnesota's regulation for smallmouth is catch and release only after September 10th. A stream in Indiana has a special regulation of a 1 smallie bag limit, and that fish must be at least 20". The list goes on, and I am surprised Ohio hasn't followed suit by implementing stricter regulations to improve the overall fishery.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


We do have SOME, but IMO not enough.

I do know that the ones that are in place didn't happen by accident. They came because organizations pushed for them.


----------



## debard (Nov 9, 2011)

dirty sea said:


> This has been probably discussed before, but after reading so many posts regarding this subject, I feel that the ODNR could do a little more to protect the smallmouth resources in Ohio. I know of other states where certain stretches of streams have catch and release only regulations imposed. Minnesota's regulation for smallmouth is catch and release only after September 10th. A stream in Indiana has a special regulation of a 1 smallie bag limit, and that fish must be at least 20". The list goes on, and I am surprised Ohio hasn't followed suit by implementing stricter regulations to improve the overall fishery.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Are you talking about Sugar Creek in Indiana? That's where I used to fish when I lived there, and there's a reason that place is a "smallmouth fisherman's paradise". That 1 smallie over 20" limit has turned that creek into one of my favorite places I've ever fished. On top of that, the DNR stops me every other time I'm out there, no matter what stretch I'm wading. So they are enforcing it, too.

It would be nice if ODNR could follow the same kind of regulations.


----------

