# Poll: How has the River/Stream bite been for you lately?



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

What's up guys,

So the River bite has been slow for me all year, but ever since that big flood it has been _alarmingly_ slow. Like me and a buddy hit a spot the other night from 11-2am, perfect conditions, perfect everything: One 14" Saugeye. I'm getting similar reports from other anglers. A buddy of mine suggested I create a poll on here, great idea!

Feedback is much appreciated!


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## Craw-dad (Aug 29, 2019)

Prominently fish smallies for me was descent in cold months and been slowing down sense. Havent been able to get to serious with work and kids bored out there mind.


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## Morrowtucky Mike (May 2, 2018)

Yep I’m a river/creek smallie kinda guy. February and March were great but since April it has been garbage. Couple dink’s and a few decent ones here and there but I’m talkin 1-2 mile stretches. It’s been crazy this year for sure. And it’s few and far between when the creeks are even fishable.


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## BetterMetalFish (Aug 8, 2012)

Hmm I haven't fished enough since the floods to say. I do think those 2 small wipers came after those foods though.

That being said I haven't been able to get into any catfish or carp in the few trips I've been out, which is not completely unusual, but also not usual.

What is unusual is that when I've been fishing for carp, I've been catching Smallmouth Buffalo. I've caught them in this spot before, but not during this time of the year, and not with any consistency.

I'm going out again Tuesday, if I don't get anything this time, I'll begin to suspect something.


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## FrankTheGrimes (May 22, 2020)

Did a float down a river yesterday in a kayak and came up with about 7 smallies. All of them small. Best one was maybe 10” and the rest were 6” or less. Went out on wednesday morning and got skunked on a 3 hr trip. I will also say I haven’t seen a carp since the flooding either. Much less bait running from my lures as well.


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

Safe to say with all that high water that 2020 was another ruinous year for the smallmouth spawn?


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## soulsurvivor79 (Jul 10, 2013)

alarmingly slow in my spots that usually produce after the flooding


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## n-strut (Apr 14, 2010)

Definitely been a tough bite since “the flood” 

Fished yesterday and finally got into a steady Topwater bite on the Walnut,nothing big but definitely a little better quality than previous outings. Hopefully it’s starting to turn around. 


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## n-strut (Apr 14, 2010)

RiparianRanger said:


> Safe to say with all that high water that 2020 was another ruinous year for the smallmouth spawn?


Definitely..I have seen absolutely zero fry anywhere. 


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## Cats1967 (May 25, 2017)

I’ve only been out twice and have caught smallmouth both trips. Both trips were on new stretches of the same creek and this is a smaller creek than Big Walnut. It seems to still be a lite bite they’re not hammering the bait like they should be this time of year.


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## Snookhunter52 (Apr 1, 2019)

I haven't fished the scioto since I moved but a friend of mine has caught some saugeye and largemouth since the flood. He has been trying off and on for smallmouth and wipers but he doesn't have much experience fishing for them. I've seen on fishbrain one guy having luck catching wipers at one of the spillways. I miss fishing the scioto but I'll make up for it later this fall fishing for walleye and steelhead.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

I've done excellent on crappie and white bass all spring and even some nice smallies and saugeyes while crappies fishing. I hit the creek Monday evening targeting smallies for the first time and got 4, 2 on topwaters. Also worked some small brush piles for crappie and bluegills, ended up catching about 25 fish in all so I was happy.


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## n-strut (Apr 14, 2010)

Hopefully the smallies post flood,post spawn funk is over. 
Finally got into the better quality fish last night,all on a Yozuri 3DR Pencil. 

Lost an absolute tank








19.5”








18”


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## Morrowtucky Mike (May 2, 2018)

n-strut said:


> Hopefully the smallies post flood,post spawn funk is over.
> Finally got into the better quality fish last night,all on a Yozuri 3DR Pencil.
> 
> Lost an absolute tank
> ...


Your holding an absolute tank!!


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## n-strut (Apr 14, 2010)

Morrowtucky Mike said:


> Your holding an absolute tank!!


Thanks man...but you know how it is when you lose a good one they’re always 22” and 6 pounds


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

With the recent heat wave, what types of conditions are you guys finding them? Looks like flow rates are down which should translate into clearer water. Have to imagine water temperatures are way up too. Are they up in fast riffles or laying back in pools near cover?

Been an odd year, so while I know where they _should_ be this time of year, 2020 has been a bit of a guessing game.


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## guppie (Mar 12, 2018)

I usually fly fish Raccoon Creek near Alexandria, Ohio where I live. Fly fishing was no good this year so I switched to live night crawlers and started catching a different species of fish each time, so much more fun than catching nothing. I will go back to fly fishing as soon as it cools down. When you fish the creeks and rivers you never know what you might catch. I grew up fishing Big Walnut near Whitehall and caught hundreds of fish on worms, dough balls, craw dads and spinners. What a great creek Big Walnut is.


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## n-strut (Apr 14, 2010)

RiparianRanger said:


> With the recent heat wave, what types of conditions are you guys finding them? Looks like flow rates are down which should translate into clearer water. Have to imagine water temperatures are way up too. Are they up in fast riffles or laying back in pools near cover?
> 
> Been an odd year, so while I know where they _should_ be this time of year, 2020 has been a bit of a guessing game.


Fished a new creek Saturday and caught close to 40 fish between two of us. All fish were in the fast water and the tail ends of pools. Buzzbaits and flukes once the sun got up. Nothing big but decent size all together,also got a surprise flattie!!










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## Cats1967 (May 25, 2017)

After that post I’ll humiliate myself by saying after two wade trips this past week I have one 8 in saugeye to show for my efforts. As always nice fish and report n-strut


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## Baloogala (Jul 29, 2016)

I've actually done better than expected. Due to restrictions on parking, water entry, I have had to get creative. I'm learning how to better pattern. I've also started to learn that the parts of BWC that I fish are better at certain times than others. For example, one newer spot does well if the water is up a foot. 

In other words, I've had to get out of the box and have done pretty well. I'm going to be poking around a new section of a local flow later this week, perhaps even tonight, to see what sort of trouble I can get in. One constant I have found for me is in watching for minnows hopping in a quieter section. I usually have success there.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

I have only fished a flow twice. One I did okay on, but the other was a new flow and I didn't really scout it out appropriately. Now, it looks like none of the flows have any water in them and no rain in sight??


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

Smallie bite has been pretty good to me on the last 3 trips. Water level has been low and clear in the small creek I've fished. Fish are holding tight to cover in deeper pools below runs. Cast in close and hang on.


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## GC_Angler (Jun 22, 2020)

Hey guys, new here, but my creek/stream bite, even post flooding was doing great early on. However, once this insane heat started up, it has slowed to almost nothing. I've been hitting a couple of smaller creeks in southeastern Franklin county, had really good success early on, but I've been getting shut out more here lately. Catching some occasional chucks on ZMan TRD finesse Ned Rig setups with coppertreuse bodies. Had some nice strikes lately at a Heddon Bullfrog color baby torpedo, and another on a Zara Puppy.


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