# Maumee River



## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Went down to the river for about 4 hours last night to take advantage of the low clear water before all the rain moves in. Took a bunch of little cranks and some plastics, and a bag of shrimp to cover my bases. It was a perfect fall evening for wading. Mid 70's and the waters still warm. As long as you don't mind a little intermittent rain, it was perfect weather. Water was way down and really clear for the Maumee. Knee deep my boot tops were clearly visible. I didn't really check further, but I'm guessing 2 feet of visibility where I was. I've never tried shrimp under a bobber, but that was the ticket, drifting through a small pool. I must have caught 2 dozen channels, and actually caught 2 smallies on the shrimp. Got several fat 2 footers that I'm guessing went 5 lbs. Cats that is. Wouldn't that be nice. Towards the end of the night I hooked a real Tank. Seeing as I was in the middle of the river, I couldn't do much as far as Pictures or measurements. I tried for a pic but she was too big for me to handle one handed and shoot a pic with my phone. I wasn't about to drag a quality fish like that to the shore and lay her on the rocks just so I could get a pic, so off she swam. Dwarfed those 5 pounders. Was somewhere between 30 -36 inches and over 10 lbs. All grey like Channels get when they get big. Head like a Flathead.
All in all, a beautiful night. Had a couple Ospreys fishing with me most of the evening, which was worth the trip right there. A lot of ducks of all sizes, and hundreds of geese coming in at the end of the night. There's a diverse amount of Bird life up there.
Unfortunately this rain will make it unwadeable for awhile. Hopefully I can get back in there before it gets cold. October is when the really big Smallmouth come to play.
Had the same problem with the biggest Bass i ever caught in there. Standing in the middle of the river in fast water , Giant smallie in one hand, rod in the other, and my phone in a Geacko case in my vest. I thought about for a second, then came to my senses. Nope, recipe for disaster. Off she swam. I was guessing 22 inches. Oh well. Memories


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## kanu (Nov 22, 2015)

Thanks for the report. As you know, big smallmouth will be feeding heavily quite soon. Drifted my usual MI river last week and caught lots of small smallmouth. A few larger with the largest 17". Even with the warm water, small- medium sized pike have become active. Had two bite offs of a texas rigged yum worm.


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

I've been pounding the river like a drum this summer. The last couple weeks have been a much slower bite. The only thing that seems to be interested in biting with regularity are the freaking gar. I have been managing to pop some largemouth in the river. You know it's low when they come out to wander around. Last trip on Sunday was the best I've have in a few weeks. 10 fish, all bass, with the biggest 3 going between 18'-20". I didn't have a tape measure so they're all guesstimates. I'm looking forward to this rain to get the river refreshed.


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

By the time this rain is all said and done, refreshed may be the understatement of the year. LOL


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## Raylaser (Apr 8, 2015)

DeathFromAbove said:


> By the time this rain is all said and done, refreshed may be the understatement of the year. LOL


Yep, but the fishing in the western basin of Lake Erie will be hopping as all the fish in the Maumee are going to get washed out to the lake!!


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## bigbass201 (Oct 26, 2015)

Fishd the river yesterday morning for just a few hours. I was expecting a lot better bite with the water coming down and clearing up. Just catfish and small white bass for the effort. Prior to the rains the fishing had been really good for bass.


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

So far it's still on a downward slide after these latest rains. Let's hope it stays down


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

The only thing this water level is good for is kayak trips. I'm eyeing Friday as a day I might be able to slide into some of my spots, depending on how fast the water comes down.


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Still at 4050 cfs and 3.6 feet at the Waterville bridge gauge. I'd like to see it come down another foot and about 2700 cfs


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Well, we almost made it. One more day and we were wading. Probably done for the year now. Rivers over 8 feet at Waterville and still climbing. I never did much good with the smallies when it got real cold , or maybe I just never put the time in . LOL Can't remember which


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

The river finally crested last night at a little over 9 ft. Flood stage is 11 ft. Running a little over 34,000 cfs. Yikes !


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## bigbass201 (Oct 26, 2015)

DeathFromAbove said:


> Well, we almost made it. One more day and we were wading. Probably done for the year now. Rivers over 8 feet at Waterville and still climbing. I never did much good with the smallies when it got real cold , or maybe I just never put the time in . LOL Can't remember which


My buddy and I fished it yesterday in the rain. We managed some decent smallmouth in a different area of the Maumee. It was muddy for sure. He caught the biggest sheephead I've ever seen. It looked like a bluefin dolphin! He posted a pic with the report at this link if you want to see that massive thing.
Sheephead and Smallmouth Pics


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Those are nice looking fish ! I thought the sheephead was a giant carp when I first glanced at it. That thing is huge. They don't get enough respect IMO
Dang graph is on another rocket straight climb again after yesterday. That and the really high Lake level at this end, it's gonna be awhile before we can wade again.


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

You guys did better than me. I waded yesterday for a couple hours in 3K cfs. 2 bites and 3 lures lost. It's not gonna be wadeable until well into mid November with the volume of rain we got plus the expected rain later this week. Boat fishing definitely is the way to go. Might have to make my way up to the Det River and go for some late season perch action.


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## bigbass201 (Oct 26, 2015)

Bucket Mouth said:


> You guys did better than me. I waded yesterday for a couple hours in 3K cfs. 2 bites and 3 lures lost. It's not gonna be wadeable until well into mid November with the volume of rain we got plus the expected rain later this week. Boat fishing definitely is the way to go. Might have to make my way up to the Det River and go for some late season perch action.


Our tally was 4 lures lost for the day. That always stinks. I think it isn't going to be fishable for a while now.


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

It shot up almost 7 feet just today. It's a foot shy of flood stage and still climbing. I think Bucket Mouth's right about mid-November


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Went past the flood stage on the Waterville Bridge gauge. Flood stage is 11 feet there, and it hit 11.22, 56,000 cfs. It looks to be cresting though, unless some Ft. Wayne water is still coming , which there probably still is a big push coming. Sucks Sucks Sucks Bye Bye PrimeTime


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