# Ohio River fishing in the Cincinnati area



## rockinmichigan

Hello all. I haven't been on here much lately but I've been busy. I have some questions concerning the Ohio River. As some of you know I live in Toledo, and I'm thinking about making some trips to Cincinnati this year. Thing is, there's a possibility that I may move down there. As far as the Ohio River goes, are there good shore fishing spots in and around Cincinnati along the river? If so, without exactly giving away your spot, roughly where would be good spots? Are there good calm water flow spots? What can I expect as far as water depths/snaggy areas? What can one expect from fishing from shore in such places and what would be good baits? I like using cutbaits when fishing for catfish, but if there's a good bait store in the area I like using nightcrawlers, minnows, and waxworms. Any help would be much appreciated.


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## Salmonid

a fair amount of public fishing areas around Cinci on the Ohio but mostly around Downtown area so catfish, gar, drum, etc would be the most accessible areas of what youll catch, if you had even a canoe/yak, you could easily get into some dandy bass, striper and crappie fishing within a mile of downtown. If your bottom fishing, know that the bottom is snag city, loaded with concrete and rip rap and rebar on the bottom all through Cinci as its semi channelized through there. Im a catfish guy so be sure to PM me when you get down this way, if schedules permit, I would certainly show you a boat tour of the best areas around cinci

Salmonid


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## nlcatfish

you can fish BOTH banks of the OHio River with a Ohio License! There are a fer spots right across from the baseball stadium at the mouth of the Licking river. The public landing is fishable BUT it cost $5 to park your car there. Here is a link to my web page with spot around down town.
http:/cincinnaticatfishing.com/DTBANKFISH.html 
hope this helps.


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## nlcatfish

you can fish on both banks of the Ohio River with a ohio license! there are sport on the Ky. side right across from the baseball park. The Public landing is a spot but it now cost at least $5 to park a car. Here is my web page with info on spots around down town Cincinnati
http://cincinnaticatfishing.com/DTBANKFISH.html 

Hope this helps.


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## Skip2myalou

I'm down a little bit from you in SE Indiana. Would be glad to show you around this area and help show you some river access spots. I always have an extra seat open in the boat too so you can hop in with me anytime.


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## nlcatfish

Are both turbines running ,if so how swift is the current? Do they have any plans to run all 3 at the same time?


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## rockinmichigan

Thanks for the information guys. The fish I target sometimes depends on my mood and what bites the best. For example, if I know I'm going to a spot where there's good catfishing and other bottom feeders, I'll target the cats. If gars are biting, I'll target them depending where I go. If there are good cat spots in the Downtown area, I'll be more then happy to give them a go. I'm planning on heading down there on Wednesday, the 20th, and drive along the river's edge and see if there's any promising spots, or what would be promising when the weather is warmer. Probably would be in the morning. If anybody wants to meet me at some spot let me know.


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## nlcatfish

rockinmichigan said:


> Thanks for the information guys. The fish I target sometimes depends on my mood and what bites the best. For example, if I know I'm going to a spot where there's good catfishing and other bottom feeders, I'll target the cats. If gars are biting, I'll target them depending where I go. If there are good cat spots in the Downtown area, I'll be more then happy to give them a go. I'm planning on heading down there on Wednesday, the 20th, and drive along the river's edge and see if there's any promising spots, or what would be promising when the weather is warmer. Probably would be in the morning. If anybody wants to meet me at some spot let me know.


You will find most of the river side along the Ohio side is own by various barge terminals and other private outfits. So getting access to the bank is very limited. schmidt field east of downtown Cincinnati is the first reasonable bank spot to wet a line. up river the bank area at New Richmond has a large area for bank fishing. Down rive from Cincinnati is the Fernbank dam area. The bank area at the Anderson ferry is a area that could be checked out. Hope this helps


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## rockinmichigan

Thanks again. Familiar with Ted Berry Park or fishing piers at Bicentennial Commons?


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## nlcatfish

rockinmichigan said:


> Thanks again. Familiar with Ted Berry Park or fishing piers at Bicentennial Commons?



NOW it Cost at least $5 to park a car at the PUBLIC LANDING!! Not sure theY're Berry park can be FISHED from the bank, just too steep! Schmidt ramp is about 1 1/2 mile up river from the Berry Park.


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## rockinmichigan

The director of parks emailed me saying there's no rule against fishing at Berry Park, but suggested the piers at Bicentennial Commons. When you say too steep, are you high up above the water on a pier?


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## nlcatfish

As best I can tell looking across the river from My. The walk way sits back from the bank and it sit very high from the water. The bank there drop almost straight down. Of you are thinking of fishing fight down town you can fish the Ky. Bank with an Ohio license!! Y have good access to the bank at the mouth of the Licking River .


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## rockinmichigan

From what you've seen, what would your best guess-timate on the height above the water at that park? I've seen that fishing on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River is good if you have an Ohio fishing license. The Licking River is on the Kentucky side of the river, right?


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## nlcatfish

Yes the Licking is on the Ky. side I would say the Berry park walk way is 70-80 above the river. Schmidt ramp area is just up the raod about 1 1/2 mies from that park plenty of ree parking and bank ara to fish easy access to the bank.


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## rockinmichigan

Well I went down there on the Ohio side of the river Wednesday. I walked from where there was a red boat museum parked in the river downtown (I don't recall the name of the boat museum but I'm sure you know what I mean) along this walkway into Bicentennial Commons. The pier was pretty high up off the water, higher then I'm used to fishing and higher then I'd care to fish. Near where that boat museum was on the other side of that bridge there was a deeper pocket of water from what I could tell as you walk further away from that boat launch. There's what looks like ampitheatre like seating and steps, and spots you can rope your boat up to. Happen to know the area I'm talking about? I don't know if that's Berry Park or not, but I don't think that part is Bicentennial Commons. As I kept walking I eventually did get to B.C. I was surprised that the river wasn't frozen over.


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## nlcatfish

rockinmichigan said:


> Well I went down there on the Ohio side of the river Wednesday. I walked from where there was a red boat museum parked in the river downtown (I don't recall the name of the boat museum but I'm sure you know what I mean) along this walkway into Bicentennial Commons. The pier was pretty high up off the water, higher then I'm used to fishing and higher then I'd care to fish. Near where that boat museum was on the other side of that bridge there was a deeper pocket of water from what I could tell as you walk further away from that boat launch. There's what looks like ampitheatre like seating and steps, and spots you can rope your boat up to. Happen to know the area I'm talking about? I don't know if that's Berry Park or not, but I don't think that part is Bicentennial Commons. As I kept walking I eventually did get to B.C. I was surprised that the river wasn't frozen over.


The area by the boat is called. THE PULIC LANDING,unroll 2years ago it was always FREE access
. now the city is squeezing every place to get money! The Serpentine wall is a good spot if is 14 ft deep right off the walk way.. you need to tie down your ROD so it is NOT hurled into the river. The river has current so it is hard for it to freeze over. Do you look across the river and see the mouth of the Licking?


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## rockinmichigan

Yes I did see the mouth of the Licking River. Isn't there a park or parking lot on the east side of where the mouth of the Licking meets the Ohio?


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## nlcatfish

Yes there is s park in Newport, it has FREE parking! You going to back to Cincinnati soon, if so let me know . Might be able to answer more questions about catfishing around here on the riverr


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## rockinmichigan

I don't have an exact day in mind but I would like to go back there sometime in the next month or so. Will give you a head's up when and wouldn't mind meeting up with ya down that way.


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## nlcatfish

rockinmichigan said:


> I don't have an exact day in mind but I would like to go back there sometime in the next month or so. Will give you a head's up when and wouldn't mind meeting up with ya down that way.


Sounds good .


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