# mary jane thurston state park



## mike9smit (Feb 23, 2009)

anyone ever camp here? i reserved a site for a few days in mid april just wondering if the fishing is good right there or if i will have to drive to somewhere else to fish.


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## toledoeyebanger (Jan 4, 2008)

drive to fish and don't get caught with an open container....


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

What kind of fishing are you looking to do? I am assuming walleye because of the date you listed. If it is walleye, you are most likely going to need to go downstream a good 10 or 15 miles to some other access points.


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## mike9smit (Feb 23, 2009)

Yea walleye I was thinking that would be good cause its right there by the grand rapids. Have heard that alot of walleye are caught right there.


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## nwfish (Jan 16, 2008)

I know that you are not allowed to fish a certain amount of feet from a dam, for instance in front of Grand Rapids. However, are you still allowed to fish there if you don't keep any of the fish and only practice catch and release? Thanks for the help.


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

I've fished ON the dam during the summer months when the water is super low. I've never heard that rule before.

As far as catching walleye there, you can get some but the better fishing is downstream because of how the river channels run. The walleye will stack up in the channels right on top of each other. If you are fishing the dam, the channels are not nearly as defined and there are also some big and unsuspecting drop offs. When the water temps are low and you are walking around in unknown waters, you are taking a big risk that you can avoid by fishing other areas. I have never fished the run there before, so if you have other opinions or information, put it to use as well. I have fished it 100 times in warm, low water conditions though.


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## CMFish51 (Apr 14, 2004)

you can also catch crappie in the marina itself using shiners under a float....

but if walleye if your specie, gotta go downstream


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## olderfer (Feb 2, 2009)

The vast majority of walleyes that spawn in the river do so in the Maumee-Perrysburg area, then return to the lake. They never go anywhere near the Grand Rapids dam.

As to staying a certain distance from the dam -- I never heard of that rule either. People use it as a walkway and fish all along it in the summer.
Jim


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## WATER FOX (May 7, 2008)

I have seen them at the dam,but your not gonna be like Maumee-Perrysburg.If it was me go north.


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## nwfish (Jan 16, 2008)

I thought I had read that rule that was specifically for the Walleye Run and then you could go ahead and fish it after a certain date. I guess I would have to read the regulations again. I do fish there several times in the summer so I know that the rule doesn't apply then.


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## grdhandyman (Oct 1, 2007)

The only rule that I am aware of pertains to the dam on the Sandusky river at Ballville just south of Fremont. The rules that pertain to the Maumee limit fishing time from sunrise to sunset in the dam area from March 1st to May1st. Also, no fishing with a line with more than a single hook within the same time period.


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

I have seen a few small jacks pulled around the dam in late april and may when people are white Bass fishing. If you are seriously targeting Walleye, change your reservations to Buttonwood (Betty Black Park).


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## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

Fishing / Maumee, Portage, Mahoning and Sandusky Rivers
The following regulation is in effect from March 1 to May 1: Fishing is allowed from sunrise to sunset only in the following areas

the ]Maumee Riverfrom the Ohio Turnpike bridge to the Old Waterville interurban bridge at the end of Forst Road in Wood County and from the St. Rt. 578 bridge to the Grand Rapids Providence dam; 
the Portage Riverfrom St. Rt. 19 to the dam at Elmore; 
the Mahoning Riverfrom the dam at Berlin Lake to Lake Milton; and 
the Sandusky Riverfrom where the Toledo Edison power line, Old Ballville and Fifth St. Line, crosses the Sandusky River at the southeast corner of Rodger Young Park in Fremont to the northern tip of Bradys Island. All fishing is prohibited in the Sandusky River from the Ballville dam to the Toledo Edison power line, Old Ballville and Fifth St. Line, at the southeast corner of Rodger Young Park in Fremont when posted with signs. 
The following regulations are in effect from March 1 to May 1:

No fishing with a line with more than a single hook. The line may not have a hook larger than one-half inch from shank to point, or lure having more than a single hook larger than one-half inch from shank to point 
Treble hooks are prohibited. 
The above regulations are in effect in the following areas: 

In the Maumee River from the Grand Rapids Providence dam to a line in the Maumee Bay from Little Cedar Point to Turtle Island
In the Sandusky River from where the power line, "Toledo Edison", Old Ballville and Fifth Street line crosses the Sandusky River at the southwest corner of Rodger Young Park, City of Fremont, Sandusky County to a line running a quarter mile east of and parallel to the Conrail railroad bridge in Sandusky Bay. 
In the Portage River from State Route 19 to the dam at Elmore. 
In the Mahoning River from the dam at Berlin Reservoir to Lake Milton. 
Click Here to view a map showing the Lake Erie bays and rivers where the treble hooks are prohibited from March 1-May 1.

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## ao203 (Mar 29, 2006)

people camp there every year, its used for a place to sleep and thats about it. i think youll be wasting your time fishing it for the warreyes when you could just drive 10 minutes up the road to the fish.


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## mike9smit (Feb 23, 2009)

thanks for the info. Think I will just camp MJT and drive to a fishing spot. Will have my GF with me so we will be doing other things besides fishing too. Will be good just to get out for awhile.


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## Drum_magnet (Mar 26, 2006)

I've fished with AO203 at the dam a couple times. I don't think they have any electric at the campsites so be prepared.


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## revpilot (Feb 10, 2009)

I think there is a primitive campground by buttonwood on the perrysburg side of the river, that is right in the center of all the walleye action


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