# Big Walnut Creek - East Side



## gpb1111 (Feb 19, 2005)

Anyone fish the Big Walnut for smallies? Is it deep enough for canoeing long distance? What tackle should be used if there are some to catch?

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## edlovereze (Mar 7, 2012)

I fish it very often. I fish from main to about broad along noe-Bixby. I use white rooster tails most of the time. Any rooster tail works. I go for smallies and anything that can eat a rooster tail haha my friend got a bullhead catfish and a gar last time we were there. I haven't been there this winter. If you go let me know. Idk about canoeing. Some places are very shallow but couldn't tell you from experience. If you ever want someone to go with I could use a fishing partner haha. Fish on! 

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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

gpb1111 - I didn't this past summer but I wade Little Walnut that runs through Canal Winchester a lot. There are a lot of small smallies in this stream. I usually use a small white twister or catch a few crawdads in the stream and use them. Nothing like cathing these guys on ultralight tackle.


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## gpb1111 (Feb 19, 2005)

Thanks for the input. I was thinking about fishing it this spring with my 4 year old. I'm going to use the twister tails. Does white seem to be the only color that works? What about imitation crawfish presentations? Also, I'd like to do some fly-fishing for carp. Any good sized carp in the Big Walnut? Thanks again.

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## The Tator Tot (Feb 16, 2012)

I live in Gahanna...Big Walnut is 1.5 miles from me...I fish from Morse road down. You can use a canoe or a kayak...but you will have to get out and walk it over the shallow runs. I surprisingly catch more largemouth than I do smallies in the section.
As for what to use...there is no one right answer all the time. You HAVE to be versatile...bring some cranks, spinnerbaits, in-line spinners, plastics...AND the twister tail grub....white works, but so does your pumpkin greens, browns etc...1/8 oz jig head with a long shank (I use the Gamakatsu's)...the long shank is a must or you won't get as many hooked.
I've fished the Noe-Bixby area all the way down to the confluence of Three Creeks Park where they all become Big Walnut...for the next 200-300 yards at that point the Smallies get considerably bigger and there's big Largemouth in there as well as a slew of sauger/saugeye's.
Spring time is prime time for the sauger/saugeyes. You can fish from Hoover dam down to Morse rd...to the dam there. And shallow Rapala's and twisters are dynomite...but again you HAVE to be versatile EVERY time you go. 
Alot of guys tell me they ain't bitn' and then you find out they've thrown one lure the whole time...a waste of time. Most day's I have to fish 3,4,5 or more different baits until I figure them out...my "motto" is THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS THE FISH NOT BITING....I JUST DIDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WANTED. Versatility WILL put waaaaaaaaaaay more fish in the boat every time.
Hope this helps...John.


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

Heads up, the city is moving ahead with running a "raw water" line from Hoover to the water plant. The good part is, the major water supply for the city will be protected from something like a chemical spill on 270. The bad part is, that robs flow from the stream.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

FOSR said:


> Heads up, the city is moving ahead with running a "raw water" line from Hoover to the water plant. The good part is, the major water supply for the city will be protected from something like a chemical spill on 270. The bad part is, that robs flow from the stream.


Opens up the opportunity for the Morse/Cherry Bottom dam to be removed....


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Mushijobah said:


> Opens up the opportunity for the Morse/Cherry Bottom dam to be removed....


Nice! Hope that happens.


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## The Tator Tot (Feb 16, 2012)

And about the carp...(I didn't see that when I first read it)...there a monster carp in the Big Walnut...and monster carp in all body's...I've caught really, really, big carp out of walnut AND the Darby...along with the Scioto river.
If you REALLY want to have fun with your fly rod...fish the Gar...they can get to 4ft long and they will hit ANY type of top water.
Just be ready when you hook into one because they will fly out of the water all the time...and be careful of those teeth when you get one. I've had waaaaay more than my fair share of Gar on.

Take you canoe below Green Lawn dam and float down maybe 1/4 mile...I call that are "Gar Alley" because there's hundreds and hundreds of them at the surface and you will be shocked how big they are.

Wish I could still fly fish like I did in Alaska for 5 yrs...but my back just can't handle the standing up for any length of time...good luck...I really hope you get your boy on some fish. John.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Gar alley has some monsters too....it's where the old state record bowfish gar was shot.


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## gpb1111 (Feb 19, 2005)

Wow thanks for all the info. I went to school down in Athens and have missed fishing the Hocking badly. Im going to try your suggestions John, you seem quite knowledgable. I used to love catching sauger on the Hocking. I would tend to catch them on twister tails. Do you usually use lures or ever use live bait?

Is the current usually slow or pretty fast in most places? It looks relatively slow between Broad and Main. I have waded the section in Gahanna under the 62 bridge area. If i recall, the current is slow through that area. I was unsuccessful but I was pretty young and unskilled at the time. I would really like to fish a section that is relatively shallow with deep holes when I go with my young son. He can't swim very well yet, but I do have life preservers.

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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

You might want to check out the Friends of Big Walnut Creek:

http://www.friendsofbigwalnutcreek.com/

MORPC has been developing watershed growth plans, here's the page for the Big Walnut plan:

http://balancedgrowthplanning.morpc.org/BigWalnutCreek.aspx

And if that isn't dweeb enough, here's a mosaic image of the Big Walnut watershed from Hoover to Three Creeks, from GIS files - this names a lot of tributaries:

http://sciotoriverfriends.org/materials/walnut_hydrological.png


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## The Tator Tot (Feb 16, 2012)

How big is that record Gar anyway??? 'Cuz I've seen some monsters in there...I've also seen 4 plus footers in Big Walnut with a 10" plus diameter to them...Can't imagine what that would be like. When I do hook into one I have to paddle to shore and fight them from there because they leap so far and high outta the water...often shooting right at me...that I prefer the shore to land them. Good stuff.


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## edlovereze (Mar 7, 2012)

I've seen some pretty darn good gar in there too! Every time I go I see one. I've never hooked one but my buddy did and that thing went crazy! It was tons of fun! Like I said, I've always had my best success with white but I'm sure other colors work. It's always a good time. You can't fish it in the cold can you? I'm a rookie fisher when it comes to creek and river fishing. I'm itching to fish so bad right now! 

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## blozier (Sep 28, 2008)

I have big Walnut literally behind my house 500 yards away. I hate the stretch here. i prefer to fish Walnut Creek down around 752 and Walnut Creek Pike. I hit it a couple days a week if I can. I have made plenty of good catches on the red and green dollar spinnerbaits Wal-Mart sells. If you don't want to use those or they aren't biting on them i usually take a Watermelon Candy, Watermelon Red, or Green Pumpkin Dinger with a Pumpkin Ed shakey head, or i will take a Rage Tail Craw or Lobster and used a skirted jig head in 3/16 ounce. If those aren't available to you a YUM Craw Papi or Craw Bug works just as good. If the color of Big Walnut behind the house is any indicator of the color where you want to fish it, Green Pumpkin Watermelon and other natural colors (white, shad, etc.) should produce well.


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

I'm curious, has anyone ever tried to fish Rocky Fork creek? It flows into the Big Walnut just south of the Rt. 62 bridge in Gahanna. Always wondered if there was anything up in that creek but figured it was too shallow. Any info?


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

> I have big Walnut literally behind my house 500 yards away. I hate the stretch here.


What don't you like about it?

There is a Friends of Rocky Fork, too; in fact there are a lot of people active in that watershed. We helped install a rain garden at the New Albany elementary school, which is off of Rose Run.

http://jeffersontownship.org/Organizations/RockyForkCreek.aspx


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

gpb1111 - You can use other twisters it just seems to be the most effective in the area I fish. I take my son as well who is now 7. The only bad thing is kids will be kids and he loves to stomp in the water and throw rocks every now and then. I keep telling him that the fish can hear us but to him he is just glad he is out of the house and fishing with dad.


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## blozier (Sep 28, 2008)

What don't you like about it?

It's a stretch where they have 5-6 quarry pumps are and the one feeder creek was ( and still is as far as I know) a run off from landfill leachate. All mud bottom no sand or gravel and extremely limited cover. Now 2 miles down the confluence into the Scioto is there. It's wonderful 




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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

dre said:


> I'm curious, has anyone ever tried to fish Rocky Fork creek?


Not THAT one. But if you don't make it down to Rocky Fork (The one by Paint Creek) at least once, you're missing out.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

dre said:


> I'm curious, has anyone ever tried to fish Rocky Fork creek? It flows into the Big Walnut just south of the Rt. 62 bridge in Gahanna. Always wondered if there was anything up in that creek but figured it was too shallow. Any info?


Yes I've fished it through Gahanna and also up towards New Albany. Caught smallies and rockbass. Anything swimming in Big Nut can be found in Rocky Fork. One problem is it's SO clear. Long casts with finesse baits was the ticket.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

blozier said:


> What don't you like about it?
> 
> It's a stretch where they have 5-6 quarry pumps are and the one feeder creek was ( and still is as far as I know) a run off from landfill leachate. All mud bottom no sand or gravel and extremely limited cover. Now 2 miles down the confluence into the Scioto is there. It's wonderful
> 
> ...


That's a tough stretch but I still have caught bass in log jams or any other cover throughout the wide and relatively shallow stretch. Lots of variety when you find some current. Do you know of any good access or do you just wade from a bridge?


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

The spots love that stretch. Not many smallies.


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## blozier (Sep 28, 2008)

Mushijobah said:


> That's a tough stretch but I still have caught bass in log jams or any other cover throughout the wide and relatively shallow stretch. Lots of variety when you find some current. Do you know of any good access or do you just wade from a bridge?


I just wade from the bridge. The best access spot was closed down after a police shoot out. But I know a place you could access it. Never really tried to though. Might be tough to get in. Pm me if you want the spot. Ill take the 2 minute drive down and check it out for you


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## Buckeyefisher7 (Mar 1, 2011)

dre said:


> I'm curious, has anyone ever tried to fish Rocky Fork creek? It flows into the Big Walnut just south of the Rt. 62 bridge in Gahanna. Always wondered if there was anything up in that creek but figured it was too shallow. Any info?


I have not, but some of my friends have... mostly smallmouths 8-12 inches...also a lotof rock bass


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## westrud (Aug 23, 2012)

The Tator Tot said:


> How big is that record Gar anyway??? 'Cuz I've seen some monsters in there...I've also seen 4 plus footers in Big Walnut with a 10" plus diameter to them...Can't imagine what that would be like. When I do hook into one I have to paddle to shore and fight them from there because they leap so far and high outta the water...often shooting right at me...that I prefer the shore to land them. Good stuff.


I caught a 44 inch gar at greenlawn fly fishing


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## gilk (May 7, 2013)

I'm new to area and I'm looking for a place to catch some smallies on the fly, the guides at the local fly shop (mad river outfitters) tell me Big Walnut Creek is great place. Where is exactly are some good shallow spots to wade Walnut Creek on the east side of Columbus in the Reynoldsburg area?

I'm not very familiar with the area so a link to a map with some saved locations or pins would be greatly appreciated, you dont have to give away your best spots I just need a good place to start.

Thanks,
Jeff


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