# Chagrin and rocky rivers for brookies



## Flymaker (Jan 24, 2013)

any body ever fished these rivers for brookies......where should I go....and what flys.....


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## LilSiman/Medina (Nov 30, 2010)

I've asked the same, couldn't tell ya. I think it's illegal to actually pursue these little trout here in ohio. Try cold creek and mad creek for pellet heads, that's all I know of for sure. Going on an exploration for these little guys would be cool too if you can find them. The only place I would know to go for them would be in the hinckley area but that's it. 


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## Flymaker (Jan 24, 2013)

I dont believe it illegal.....But it is recommended that barbless hooks be used.....but hopfully someone in the know can chime in.....


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## fishmerf (Mar 28, 2008)

They are HIGHLY protected and fishing for them is discouraged. The DNR has no intention of creating a sport fishery for these fish. They want only to maintain a strain of indigenous fish. You would be better off going to WV or Pa to fish for brookies.
Here are a couple of links:
http://centralohioflyfishers.org/Ohiobrooktrout.htm
http://www.flyfishohio.com/NativeBrooktroutInterview.htm


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## Flymaker (Jan 24, 2013)

Ok , understood....some of the info Ive read is well misleading ...... I will make no attemp to fish those fish then...I have also received a private message concerning this matter .... I fully understand the scope of it now.....I apoligize....I wasnt aware of the standings of these fish ...I now know and understand....


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

Yes from what I understand, they are a protected fish in northern Ohio. I think they just found a naturally reproducing strain 20 or so years ago, and they must be protected. I remember hearing stories of them in 88-89 when I was taking my first fly tying classes at TMF when it was in downtown Ravenna. Great guys there. Thank you Frank. 

The streams they reside in you can jump across. I don't even think fishing the streams would be fun. If you want to catch some in the Mad, or Cold Creek, Clear Creek, go at it. But the naturals in Ohio are too fragil a fish and the last natural strain in Ohio. I don't even think the DNR would use them as a brood stock because they are in too fragil of an environment. That says something about them if DNR doesn't even trust themselves to keep them safe, how can fisherpeople keep them safe.

Rickerd


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

It isn't technically illegal(unless it's in some type of preserve, which most of them are) but it is highly discouraged to target them. Most of the streams where it would be legal are all on private property, and again it wouldn't be a good idea to fish for them.

Believe me, I have done a LOT of research about Ohio brookies. Catching one in my home state would be cool, but I have let that goal/dream fade. They are better off left alone. 



> I don't even think the DNR would use them as a brood stock because they are in too fragil of an environment. That says something about them if DNR doesn't even trust themselves to keep them safe, how can fisherpeople keep them safe.


Actually they are, and they will be stocked in another stream(or multiple streams?) to hopefully establish a wild population.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Be sure to ask the DNR what happened to the first batch of brookies they pulled from the stream to protect and grow as brooders.. you guessed it... a Intern at the hatchery open the wrong valve and immediately killed about 80 adult fish up to 14"... A good lesson was learned that day..after 2-3 years of hard work vanished in a matter of seconds... Im not sure they are still trying to breed brooders or not though, that was back about 15 years ago.

Salmonid


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

Salmonid, interesting. Never knew that happened.

I know they are raising some fish now(captured in the wild as fry I believe) and eventually they will be put into a stream(or a few) for reintroduction. I don't know if they will actually use these fish as brood stock to raise more in a hatchery setting, or just release the same batch of fish into the stream. I believe some of the fish are on display at the zoo.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

I don't remember how many years ago it was, but it was few, when I read that the ODNR had found a remnant population of native brookies in the Chagrin River. They made a point of not saying exactly where they were found and that they did not want them fished for or disturbed in any way! Odds are that the stretch of river they were found in is on private property anyway. I guess the hope is that the population will expand and some fish will migrate and establish populations in new stretches of the river. Or, if a brood stock is established, fry or fingerlings can be planted in sections of the river considered to be good habitat. I figure this would have to be well shaded, with maybe a spring either in or near the riverbed to keep the water cold enough. 

Brookies are just so cool! Whether or not they can ever be fished for, I like the idea that they are still out there.


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

That first population they found was in Spring Run, a trib to Bass Lake which is at the headwaters of the Chagrin River). That stream is protected, and I don't even think you can walk along it. There was another population found around the same time in a streamer in Ashtabula county but from what I know that population was lost.

They used the native strain from Spring Run to reintroduce them to some other streams, and currently there are now 10 or so streams in Ohio that have wild brook trout, with most of them being in the Chagrin River watershed, a one or two in the Rocky watershed.

I don't care about fishing for them here, it would just be cool to walk along a stream here in Ohio that has them and maybe be able to see/spook one! And I agree just the fact that there are still here is amazing.


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