# Big Darby



## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Just got back home from a couple hours on the Big D. The water is frigid and there's still ice on many of the pools. I worked the deep pools and slower water. Mostly I used tubes, big and small, Rapala x-raps, a couple of spinners weighted down. No fish.


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## bobbyblitzcreek (Aug 6, 2011)

Next time try weighted jugs head with a grub they seem to work year round for me. Good luck!


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

bobbyblitzcreek said:


> Next time try weighted jugs head with a grub they seem to work year round for me. Good luck!
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Thanks! What size and color? What type of water? Pools? Typical smallie spots?


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## bobbyblitzcreek (Aug 6, 2011)

I use 1/8oz jig heads with 3" or 5" grubs white or pumpkin seed do well I also forgot rebel craws work good too but you will prob have more luck with them as it gets warmer and I fish pools slooooowww and tops of riffle sections. Here in a month or two if the weather cooperates they should start going crazy! Or at least I hope 


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## scappy193 (May 11, 2009)

i tried today as well, to no avail. thought id try some minnies and the water is just too cold. i even had cold water in the bucket but it was too much of a shock for the little guys. they wouldn't last 2 mins. after trying 4 or 5 i switched to joshy's but still nothing. fished deep holes with moderate to zero current with some structure. i didn't fish a very long stretch, i just wanted to get out. it should be heating up shortly tho. the last few years i have noticed a decline in smallmouth from the big d. im very anxious to see what it's going to be like this year.


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## The Tator Tot (Feb 16, 2012)

I agree with you 100% about the "decline" of smallies in the Big Darby.....I went from consistantly getting 20-50 fish a day to under 10 a day in the last 2 years....and last year was the worst...
Even the Rock bass numbers have declined....usually a half dozen per hole and I NEVER caught one last year. The only thing I can come up with is the water quality has spiked greatly...I'm ASSUMING this has to do with all the development along it's banks and apparently their is NO ENFORCEMENT OF WHAT GOES INTO THE WATER...even the water "clarity" has decline....what a waste of TOP smally water...
Does anyone have a clue to what's going on with this creek???


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

I had a long resonse typed out. But instead I think I'll just agree.


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## USMC_Galloway (May 13, 2011)

If I had to throw a horse in the race it wouldnt have to do with water quality, more so bucket and stringer teams. If the larger flow in central Ohio, that flows directly through the city, is still loaded with smallies, you are going to have a hard time trying to convince me that its water quality. (Although after some of the winter post on it I'm sure you are going to see an increase in numbers there, unless it got buried and forgotten this long winter)

Now seeing people with buckets filled and stringers with 6-19 inch smallies out of a river you can spit across is going to have a huge impact. Not to mention it seems like anytime small mouth fishing is brought up in central Ohio the Darby is the first and most frequent flow to be named, it gets huge amount of pressure from people looking for easy fish.


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## bobbyblitzcreek (Aug 6, 2011)

I think USMC is correct people keep everything thing they catch especially the locals I've seen people with stringers full of fish or even have had people close to me ask if they can have the fish I've caught!!! And for law enforcement on the creek I may see them once or twice a year looking for alcohol. 


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## The Tator Tot (Feb 16, 2012)

Galloway, I see your point about the people who keep the fish...that is a very possibility to the decline. However, I mention the water "quality" because I have noticed that this creek, prior to the last 2 years, generally had a "clear" tone to it. However, in the last 2 years I have noticed that the water stays that greenish brown color and at no time did I notice it to be "clear" like I prior stated. I thought maybe some type of algae, but algae doesn't last the entire year...I firmly believe the water quality has taken a hit...because as I stated, even the Rock bass aren't there anymore...and any argument about people keeping them to the extent that they've all but disappeared is null. So that brings me back to water quality.


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## bobbyblitzcreek (Aug 6, 2011)

The water in the Darb tends to be clear in the spring and the fall. In the summer I've never seen it not get the green or brown tinted water. One reason for the water being green is due to fertilizer being runoff from the surrounding farm land. I still catch a lot of fish there but in the last 5 years the size of the fish have declined. I have a few honey holes that I hit that are guaranteed to have fish that I go to if I don't have time to float but I I do do a float trip I try to find different places where a lot of people won't be. The fish are there you just have to find em!


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## USMC_Galloway (May 13, 2011)

There hasn't been much water in the creek besides early spring. 2 years ago went from a really wet blown out spring straight into a drought. Same went for last year with even less rain in the spring. There hasn't been water to keep the slower pools moving which allows for the algae to set up and bloom. If the water hit over 70 cfs last year i was on it, no matter how many times i told myself i would put myself through that misery again, because 90%of the float was one big pond.

So.i guess that could be water quality but those factors aren't in anyone's control. Educating people destroying an awesome resource through over harvesting is something that can be controlled.


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## The Tator Tot (Feb 16, 2012)

I agree about the education part...I guess this is still a culture shock to me, being from Minnesota...where's there's actually season's in place to protect the spawning fish...and also strict guidlines in the amount and sizes of fish on alot of the waters. It still blows me away that I can fish year round here in Ohio and you have the option of 2 rods (that option is only for ice fishing in Minnesota), however, you can't bass fish properly with 2 rods unless you're one of the live bait fishers out there. I fish mainly from Broad on down the creek and I've never once seen another person on the banks or in a boat who were keeping the fish...maybe further down from where the 2 creeks join and continue down stream...I know there are alot of people who fish live soft craws and such, I just can't do that 'cuz it feels like I'm cheating...anybody can catch fish on live bait..and I have no problem with kids doing it until they get a grip on what they're doing. It's just baffling to me as to where the fish went and I can't understand how 20-50 fish each time out can drop to 10 or less in the last 2 years. What a bummer.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

This will be my fourth year in the Darby, but I will take your word for it that the bite is off. I've heard the same thing from other folks, too. I did speak with a guy last year who claimed to catch 20-30 while floating the stretch between Darbydale and Harrisburg. I think that regardless of what any scientific study would tell us about the current health of the river, the Big Darby and its main tribs should be catch and release only for smallmouth and any other game fish that isn't a gill.


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## The Tator Tot (Feb 16, 2012)

I'm with ya on that Deazl....I just don't think the fisheries department in this state places a huge emphasis on the care of "quality" fish being present...if they did, there would be seasons and strict enforcement, and there isn't any of that for the most part...I've actually run into people who come down from Canada JUST for the smallies...I haven't seen them recently. Catch and Release is a must for this creek, I just don't know how that can get accomplished...I'm clueless as to what they look for to consider water's catch and release....what a shame because this creek is or has been capable of consistently producing pigs.
As for those who "keep" the fish (bass), I consider this blaspheme in the fishing world...I always careful to ask questions of those who want me to take them with...and as soon as I find their talking and responses to be one of "I love the taste of bass"....our conversation is over with.


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## scappy193 (May 11, 2009)

im only saying this because its what i've noticed and not trying to say anyone is wrong because everyone sees different things. and i've only been fishing big darby for the last 5 yrs. i really have no idea what the reason is for the decline. but i can say that i'm glad it's because my skill hasn't been getting worse instead of better . honestly i'd rather have that be the case because i wish it was me instead of people taking, water quality or whaterver it is killing or hindering the reproduction of any fish. i have noticed that, last year especially, the creek was different from years past as far as flow and clarity. it seemed to be muddy a lot more of the year than normal. i fish from amity pike to orient. prior to last year i fished the d avg of 3 days a week and barely ever see anyone (accept for the trapper john's floaters, sheesh!) and have never seen anyone keep any fish at all. not to say it doesn't happen but i've never seen it. maybe because it's mostly the mornings because i work nights. i guess i'm lucky to never have witnessed it because imo i don't agree with it. whatever the reason, i hope it changes for the better because i absolutely love the big darby. maybe because i don't have as much experience with other flows and i learned to fish creeks and rivers in darby, but theres just something that makes me feel more connected with the big darby. one thing i know for sure is that i'm not going to stop fishing it. my goal is a 20"er. it seems to be in agreement that there is a decline and that it's a horrible thing. that means that my chances of reaching that goal are greatly reduced. if i ever reach that goal it will be an even sweeter victory to catch such a rare fish of that size that has taken 10 plus years to grow and has survived through god knows what to get that old and big. to pull it out of the water, snap a pic and watch it swim away will be a memory im sure to never forget.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Deep breath...
The Darby's still in good shape, fellas. The level of concern for water quality is good. The interpretations however are misplaced.
Good news is there are many who keep on eye on the Darby. Which is good as they are always big corporate CAFO's trying to buy property within the watershed...which I see as the greatest threat. A couple have been shot down over the years as a result of some good, ground root efforts from a handful of people.

So, water quality: Plenty to read, and PLENTY of ways to get involved if interested. But at the nd of the day, the water quality in the both Darby's are excellent:
http://dnr.state.oh.us/watercraft/sqm/tabid/2550/Default.aspx









Regulations: There's a 1 fish, 15" minimum on some stretches of the Darby. The Ohio Smallmouth Alliance (TOSA) had alot to do with that happening back in the day. If you'd like to see tighter restrictions (me too), TOSA would be a great place to start. Get in touch with Crittergitter on here.

Urban sprawl/development: Good news here too is that this is VERY tightly monitored. A group called the Big Darby Accord has a fairly large hammer. Enough to organize refusal of extending water and sewer lines to new developments until they sign the Accord. 
Results are projects like like Hilliard Bradley High School being built with pervious pavements, bioretention basins, parking lot filter strips, rain gardens, underground storage, etc...

It aint all bad...at all.

Fishing has been a litte off last year though. Just not due to water quality issues.
Now if you want to blow you mind, and you can get your hands on some stream electroshocking sampling reports....


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

The only thing that protects a "public good" like the BD is an active, aggressive citizens' group that lobbies local, state, and federal officials. We need folks who are fanatical about quality smallmouth fishing and the BD to raise awareness. (I work in the public policy and I can attest to this.) Without that, things can (and usually do) turn to crap. Columbus' westward sprawl (of which I am part, I admit) is the greatest threat to the watershed, and unless we take active steps to protect it, the quality of the fishery will continue to drop. The Darby Creek Association no longer seems to be active, by the looks of their website, darbycreeks.org.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Bubbagon said:


> Deep breath...
> The Darby's still in good shape, fellas. The level of concern for water quality is good. The interpretations however are misplaced.
> Good news is there are many who keep on eye on the Darby. Which is good as they are always big corporate CAFO's trying to buy property within the watershed...which I see as the greatest threat. A couple have been shot down over the years as a result of some good, ground root efforts from a handful of people.
> 
> ...


Jinx you owe me a coke.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

There is law and zoning measures in place to protect Darby from the sprawl of West Columbus. I really think this has to do with increased fishing pressure (yes, catch and release too) and wacky weather. IBIs (Index of Biotic Integrity) are still steady holding at exceptional levels as far as I know, and as Bubbagon posted, QHEIs (habitat assessments) are all in excellent standing.

More and more of Big Darby is protected every year by Metro Parks and The Nature Conservancy. Things are getting better IMO...I think the smallie fishing is just off. It's cyclical.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Mushi,
I've been searching for the electroshocking reports on fish density and fish size.
Why can't I find it? Arrrrg...


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Actually, maybe I'll not draw any attention to those results...


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

I think it's mostly due to flow, we haven't had any the last few years. The water gets warmer,sm don't like that, low in oxygen, and algae blooms. Normally we'd get a few major floods in the summer that will wash out the crap all over the river, never seen the river with that much algae and scum. I also think that's why the spotted bass has exploded in our rivers, they like the warmer water and decreased flow.

I'd bet the water table is extremely low the past two summer's, some of the feeder creeks dump colder water into the bigger creeks, many I saw were completely dry.

I'd bet the spawn hasn't gone well the last few years either, the spring was good but wonder what the summer did to the fry, and also I'm willing to bet the older fish suffered badly, it might be a few years maybe longer to recover,I hope I'm wrong.

When people get mad most of us NEVER mention the flow we fished it's because we care about the fishery, not being snobs.

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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

August the flow was terrible. The LD was basically a series of puddles that were barely connected by anything other than a trickle. Every year it gets hotter; this problem will not go away...


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Bubbagon said:


> Mushi,
> I've been searching for the electroshocking reports on fish density and fish size.
> Why can't I find it? Arrrrg...


For some reason the appendix containing that data is not online.


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