# Big Darby Trapper John Run



## sashimigrade (Jun 25, 2011)

I've been kayak fishing for a few months but have yet to hit the Darby. A friend of mine wants to rent a kayak and do a run through Trapper Johns. My friend doesn't fish but I'm thinking about bringing a rod and a pocket size amount of tackle. I don't want to bring all my gear and fully rig the yak since we'll be using the shuttle service. I might even just rent a yak to save the extra steps even though I have one.

My question is what kind of lures should I pack for Darby? I usually fish the scioto with texas rig 3" tubes, 5 inch plastic worms, and rebel wee craws for smallies. I might go ultralight if I'm getting skunked. Will this work on Big Darby? Anyone have any suggestions. Thanks.


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## USMC_Galloway (May 13, 2011)

For gear just bring your few go to lures you know how to work. 

If I had to pick 5 , Jointed Rapala, Rooster Tail, Mepps , Rebel Crawl, Buzz Bait if im getting out early enough.


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## sashimigrade (Jun 25, 2011)

USMC_Galloway said:


> For gear just bring your few go to lures you know how to work.
> 
> If I had to pick 5 , Jointed Rapala, Rooster Tail, Mepps , Rebel Crawl, Buzz Bait if im getting out early enough.


Thanks, good suggestions. Interesting that you mentioned the buzzbait for early morning. I've heard of others having good luck with a black buzzbait for smallies but I haven't caught anything on those this year. Maybe it's the time of day or my fishing skills. I usually throw it on when I see/hear them top-feeding but I've had no luck. I'll have to try it first thing in the morning. Thanks.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

I throw buzzbait's any time of the day, your missing out just fishing them in the morning and evening, and just when you see surface activity, if you limit yourself to those times you miss catching several fish. Same deal with guys thinking smaller lures for smallmouth. Sure a rebel craw gets fish, but not the bigger ones as large lures will. Full sized zara spooks the smallmouth will destroy, think big, not small....
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

All the lures you mentioned will work.

And shuttle or not, why you wouldn't take your own yak and complete fishing gear to the Darby, I have no idea.
Leave the ultralight at home. Take your gear and catch fish!


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## sashimigrade (Jun 25, 2011)

Bubbagon said:


> All the lures you mentioned will work.
> 
> And shuttle or not, why you wouldn't take your own yak and complete fishing gear to the Darby, I have no idea.
> Leave the ultralight at home. Take your gear and catch fish!


I'm guessing if they have to load my kayak on their trailer they won't load it with a milk crate containing my gear etc. So this means I have to carry a milk crate containing an anchor, two large tackle boxes, and two fishing poles onto the shuttle. I guess there's no reason I couldn't do it, I was just thinking it would be quicker and easier to rent one.


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## sashimigrade (Jun 25, 2011)

StuckAtHome said:


> I throw buzzbait's any time of the day, your missing out just fishing them in the morning and evening, and just when you see surface activity, if you limit yourself to those times you miss catching several fish. Same deal with guys thinking smaller lures for smallmouth. Sure a rebel craw gets fish, but not the bigger ones as large lures will. Full sized zara spooks the smallmouth will destroy, think big, not small....
> Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk


Funny, I go through this in my head all the time. I want to catch big fish as much as the next guy and have started collecting some larger lures. It still makes me nervous though because I feel like I'm limiting myself on size. I don't mind catching 10 medium size smallies instead of missing those in search of one or two lunkers.

I don't disagree with what you're saying though.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

I'm just saying that if you're going to be paddling, why rent one when you've already purchased one?
And if you're going to be on the Darby, why not give it a 100% go at the fishing?

A milk crate and a couple fishing rods seems like reasonable shuttling gear.


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

StuckAtHome said:


> I throw buzzbait's any time of the day, your missing out just fishing them in the morning and evening, and just when you see surface activity, if you limit yourself to those times you miss catching several fish. Same deal with guys thinking smaller lures for smallmouth. Sure a rebel craw gets fish, but not the bigger ones as large lures will. Full sized zara spooks the smallmouth will destroy, think big, not small....
> Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk


You should've seen all the smallmouth I caught in canada on a homemade musky/northern in line spinner that was about 8 or 9 inches long. Smallies as small as 13 inches hit that thing. They definitely will go after big stuff.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

Big lures catch small fish, smallmouth hit anything, plus they'd rather chase down one big meal instead of 4 smaller ones...

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk


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## landarcjedi (Mar 20, 2011)

Bubbagon said:


> I'm just saying that if you're going to be paddling, why rent one when you've already purchased one?
> And if you're going to be on the Darby, why not give it a 100% go at the fishing?
> 
> A milk crate and a couple fishing rods seems like reasonable shuttling gear.


I take my tank down there all the time. They don't care. I take my anchor, three poles, tons of tackle, and a cooler. They have no problem helping me put in. i throw the guy a five spot now and again, when I have it. They are real cool down there and appreciate the business.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

StuckAtHome said:


> I throw buzzbait's any time of the day, your missing out just fishing them in the morning and evening, and just when you see surface activity, if you limit yourself to those times you miss catching several fish. Same deal with guys thinking smaller lures for smallmouth. Sure a rebel craw gets fish, but not the bigger ones as large lures will. Full sized zara spooks the smallmouth will destroy, think big, not small....
> Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk


Booyah Pond Magic Buzz, white color, white #3 berkley power grub, thrown with the current into turbid water works just about anytime of day. Plus it catches me more +15" SM then any other type of lure I use. As well as the occasional LM.

Only issue with it is I don't catch any other species (i.e. Catfish, Saugeye, large pan-fish) like when I use plastic's or crankbaits.


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

I wont give trapper johns my buisness mine will go to the scioto canoe.......Beter fishing beter river, beter poeple......= alot more fun less traffic.......I dont like the gostapo at trapperjohns plus the short trip sux due to having to get out of your canoe every 20 feet :[


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## landarcjedi (Mar 20, 2011)

I'll have to check it out thanks for the info


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## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

white spinner bait, single colorado, single willow blades are my go to lure for the darby smallies. Weight dependant on flow


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## Dandaman (Apr 29, 2006)

I like to throw a shakey head finesse worm, yum crawbugs, and crawfish colored crankbaits. I do also love black buzzbaits.


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## sashimigrade (Jun 25, 2011)

Thanks for the tips guys. I didn't know about the Scioto livery.


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## cpr_mike1 (Feb 25, 2009)

Trapper Johns have always been good to me. I even called him really early in the spring one time to ask if I could set up a trip at 6:30 am. The owner came out, met me, then picked me up later that day in his personal truck. Decent water, some good fish and always a good scenery. It is worth the time. 

Now my only bad thing about the livery, is is it is very busy during the summer months. Take a longer trip. It will be worth it.


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## Rybo (Jul 23, 2009)

sashimigrade, I just did a trapper john float a few weeks ago, and took a tackle bag, small cooler, two rods, and paddles. They loaded my kayak onto the trailer and I had plenty of room for my gear in the van/bus. Not many people take gear on those trips, you'll be good.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

BigDub007 said:


> I wont give trapper johns my buisness mine will go to the scioto canoe.......Beter fishing beter river, beter poeple......= alot more fun less traffic.......I dont like the gostapo at trapperjohns plus the short trip sux due to having to get out of your canoe every 20 feet :[


Ummmmm, OK.


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## USMC_Galloway (May 13, 2011)

Bubbagon said:


> Ummmmm, OK.


My thoughts excatly. I have a feeling he was someone that they stopped from cabrewing or something. Havent seen too many people say darby has bad fishing though .


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## sashimigrade (Jun 25, 2011)

Thanks again guys. What about wading. Another friend of mine loves to wade so I occasionally leave the yak at home when I fish with him. Yea, it's hard sometimes but wading can be fun too.

Anyway, is it good wading at Darby or is it too deep in a lot of spots? Obviously it depends on rain and water level but I mean on average.

Also can anyone recommend a good stretch for wading. I'm not asking for exact spots, just a general area. I went out there once around the Alkire road bridge earlier in the year and it was too deep to wade but I assumed it was due to all the rain we had in the spring. Not sure though.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

It all depends on water level. Three days ago no stretch on the Darby was wadable. Today, most of them are...well, some of them.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/oh/nwis/uv/?site_no=03230500&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00010

Plenty of good wading off almost any bridge. There will always be some deeper pools mixed in, but plenty of wadable stretches around them.

Or you could wade, while draging your yak behind you on a tow rope. AWESOME way to fish. Wade upstream, float back to the truck when you're done.


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

USMC_Galloway said:


> My thoughts excatly. I have a feeling he was someone that they stopped from cabrewing or something. Havent seen too many people say darby has bad fishing though .


I am not trying to smash trapper johns ...... I just dont like my cooler checked ......They are not the police.... I just got a bad vibe, If cabrewing is a six pack between two poeple I am guilty ......I am just not a fan of the short trip. I think the scioto has a better opertunity for a fishing adventure....Ohhh yea it kinda sux when you have groups of 20 + kyaks and canoes floating by you in a small stream when you are trying to fish...... Also making me sound like a drunk cabrewing junkie .....Put a sock it in ....You dont know me .....p.s I also dont like having to get out of my canoe after every bend in the river.... @ scioto You get to fish where the Big Walnut flows in ...Also get a treatment plant with an awsome rock shoreline that you catch saugeye, catfish,smallies,largemouth and crappies.....I think I will stick with the one that is suited for my fishing needs.....Ohh yea forgot to mention if you get in good with John he will sell you a key to his gate for fall saugeye and Duck hunting....Thats where my money will go.....


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

This story may help you understand it from their point of view:
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2007/05/22/drown.html



> *Canoeist drowns in Big Darby Creek
> 
> Columbus man, 30, had been drinking, investigators say*
> 
> ...Fister and another man in his canoe had brought beer and other alcohol in their canoe, which is against the rules of the livery, Mann said. And though Trapper John's provided each of them with a life vest, neither was wearing one when the boat flipped, he said....


My brother and I have used them many times to shuttle his over-size canoe and way more gear than two people need to fish. The only thing I have against Trapper Johns is that they put way too many people on that creek.


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## mevers (Sep 26, 2009)

Some decent lure advice has already been given. Personally I've had more success with a white or white/chartreuse spinnerbait than anything else but if I were going to carry 2 things I'd bring a spinner and a pack of dingers with some sort of darker green pumpkin color. I've caught a ton of fish in the Darby on both. 

As to the Trapper Johns question, they will haul your yak, your gear and your beer typically with no questions asked. I've been there many times and have only been asked once to open my cooler.. In light of how many people are getting completely wasted on that stream, while it annoyed me I understood it from their perspective. Feel free to take what you think you'll want to fish with.

Someone else mentioned another livery on the Scioto, can anyone provide some more details about that? Trapper Johns is the only one in the area I'm familiar with.


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

get off @ stringtown rd. take to 104 make right take it till 665 make right turn go about 1/2 mile down and you will see the livery Google scioto Canoe and you will get all details....p.s. floating rapalas are king in shallow rappids for saugeye its funny you will catch them in 3-4 ft of water.....Jitterbugs for smallies also rubber frogs in logjams rock largmouths .....jiggin vibees in 10 ft + water will catch nice cats crappie and saugeye senko worms around water treatment is beast as well.....Ohh yea best float is from 665 to 762 ohhh yea your arms will be sore if you chose to bring live bait :] good luck p.s. sorry to get this thread off track


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

To each his own.
I will say that neither outfitter puts you on the best fishing stretches of either river....that's not what they are there for. You can have those Scioto stretches around 665 all to yourself. But I have no doubt that live bait produces some cats, carp and saugeye. Just not my thing.
And you don't have to be a buddy of John's for the key, just have to give him the $$. In his words, "I always got one more key for sale."
I do get a kick out of that guy.


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## Rybo (Jul 23, 2009)

Key for sale.... hmmmm. I think I have a few bills here with John written on them.

I understand BigDub's point, it's nice to take a few beers and if you get shaken down for a 6er that sucks. It is public water. However, I also understand the livery's concerns. Although, it's fairly clear when assessing someone what their intentions are. 6 dudes all renting, no poles, and a huge cooler is much different than 2 dudes, loaded yaks, rods galore and a 6 pack. 

For me, it should come down to each person's individual choice. Then again, I'm a horrible human being. And, my personal livelihood isn't threatened when someone irresponsible tarnishes the livery with an accident. I'll gladly just fish if YOU FORCE ME TO. Haha.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions as well! I'll have to try a few new lures next time I'm out there. For tomorrow, HOCKING.


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## bobbyblitzcreek (Aug 6, 2011)

I fish trapper johns every week and used to work and live there good baits to use if u have to use 5 is 1/8oz jig head with white or chartruce twister grub, rebel teeny craw brown or black and red, tubes, lately any kind of minnow immitation silver or green, or a topwater popper. good luck! Big smallies are always by the first island after going downstream from trappers i suggest that you hit that spot for awhile casting all around it. Also Gar have been hitting well at least last week i caught about a 2 and a half footer last week not a easy fish to put or get out of a boat but one heck of a fight.


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## cpr_mike1 (Feb 25, 2009)

BTW guys, there is no real John so the keys thing may be a myth lol. TRUST ME on that one. 

Also, the rangers checking coolers are doing their job. I have seen way too many people down in that area in the past too drunk to handle themselves if they were to fall in the water. I understand wanting one on the water but the risk of being caught and getting a fine outweighs the reward of having a couple.


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