# Praire Oaks Metro parks



## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)

The metro parks just opened up a new area that has 4 lakes in them. they used to be old quarries. decided to go and check it out and ended up catching 9 of the biggest bluegills ive ever caught. 3 weighed a pound each. talked to that ranger there and said that there was also a guy the day before that caught a 9lb largemouth.


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

Where is this place???


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

yeah where is this place


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## Guyy (May 30, 2006)

It's out Hillard way. 


http://www.metroparks.net/default.aspx?Page=xxDarbyBendLakesdirections


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## gman (Apr 4, 2006)

A guy told me that it is on 40West(Broad St) right before the alton exit.


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## HawgDawg (Apr 12, 2004)

It's off Amity Rd, north of Scioto-Darby, way south of 40.


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## luv2fishnhunt83 (Apr 26, 2006)

From I-270, take I-70 west to the West Jefferson / Plain City exit, turn right onto Plain City-Georgesville Road / State Route 142. Go about 2.25 miles to Lucas Road (passing the main park entrance) and turn right. Go across Big Darby Creek and turn right at the stop sign onto Amity Road. Entrance is about 0.5 miles on right.


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## fisherman (Jun 3, 2005)

a buddy and me fished there yesterday and caught a 5lb largemouth and a 3 lb largemouth then another buddy and i hit it again today and caught huge bluegill and my buddy caught a 3lb largemouth


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

I fished it last night before the storms ran me out. I caught about 12 LMs all about 12-15". I lost 2 that both went about 3 lbs., both threw my lures on the jump. The sad thing is all the dead fish around the bank. Almost everywhere I went I saw dead bluegill and bass. Here is a lesson, when the bobber goes down, set the hook!! I have gut hooked a fish or 2 in my day but the shear #'s I saw was rediculous and the ponds havent even been open a week yet. If the fish is going to die you might as well keep it. That place is a zoo and from the people I talked to the fish got a serious case of lock jaw in the past day or 2. One of the fish I caught looked like it had been caught 3 or 4 times already from all the marks on its mouth. Expect the worst and hope for the best if ya go out there this weekend. I have also heard multiple stories of people keeping way more than the limits and fishing w/ minnows. If you see this happening report it to one of the rangers.

Jake


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

Are the limits any different than the States? Also is live bait prohibited? All I can find on this park are the directions no park regulations. Just curious.


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

No minnows are allowed. Its says no live bait but people were using crawlers. They don't want minnows used because they dont want them introduced into the ponds. You are allowed 10 bluegill, 2 bass over 14", and there are limits for crappie, perch, and catfish also but I cant remember them off hand.

Jake


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

Unbelievable........sure didn't take long


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## luv2fishnhunt83 (Apr 26, 2006)

wat were you catching the bass on


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

Thats the thing about this area. Something nice and new opens up and its a circus. No respect for the fish, the outdoors, or other people. Dead fish and trash all over. Then i catch a bass and I get paylaked by 2 guys, all because a caught a 12" LM. I hate to be so negitive but by the end of summer these quarries will be nothing more than bluegill ponds, we already have Antrim. Rangers cant be there on watch all day long and people know this. They intentionally break the law because they know they wont get caught, and for what, a few 12" bass. If i ever see it happen I will have their ass busted on the spot. Its sad that I have to have the Metro Parks office # and 1-800-POACHER saved in my cell phone. I drive a white Ford Explorer, if you see me there don't break the rules! I often wonder if my kids will ever get to enjoy the good fishing I was fortunate enough to experience. On a good note I did see a few carp swimming near shore yesterday, big boys too. Maybe all the idiots will keep all the bass and crappie and carp will take the ponds over  

Jake


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## luv2fishnhunt83 (Apr 26, 2006)

wat wre the bass hitting on ?????????


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Probably lures. Dur.


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## timmyv (Apr 26, 2006)

I know I'm new here but I completely understand what you guys are saying, It breaks my heart to see people disrespect the outdoors. Everywhere I go in columbus I feel like all I do is pick up peoples trash (worm containers, wrappers, fishing string,ect.). It's really unfortunate that people have ruined this so quickly. I was planning on hitting there this weekend but now i'm just not sure?


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## luv2fishnhunt83 (Apr 26, 2006)

no crap smart ass


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## DarbyMan (Dec 11, 2005)

Don't waste your time timmyv. I live down the road and I'll never go back to that place again. I just get angry when I'm there. I went there the day after it opened, filled a bag with trash. The one thing I will say is that the gills in there are incredible. It gets crowded quick and the way these threads sound it going downhill in a hurry. I'll stick to my creek fishing.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

Man I hate being right. myself along with others on here predicted this kind of crap, and sure enough here it is. this is why I say make it catch and release ONLY! that way no fish kept. hard to say you didn't know the limit when its zero! So long Prarie Oaks, Hello Antrim 2. Maybe when its empty they will do us a favor and put trout in there.

I love fishing quarrys, and I have been looking forward to exploring those but, I guess im too late, I rather not see what is happening there. Knew as soon as someone posted that they were opening on here that they were toast.
I guess sometimes to keep out the yahoos you gotta keep out the real fishermen too. Redicuous and Sad! 

If you are reading this and you are one of the trash-leaving, fish killing, punks.
all I have to say is @#@!%#[email protected]$#$*&#@$###


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

they just need fishing pliers for dislodging hooks, that's all

oh yeah, and too pick up their trash. there are actually brown paper bags with handles for this purpose for people to use there. maybe people don't know they're there or just don't care?


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2006)

> I often wonder if my kids will ever get to enjoy the good fishing I was fortunate enough to experience


 If things stay like this, the answer is a definate NO. This place sounds like paint creek spillway. It could be an awsome place to fish with such potential, but people ( I can hardly call them fishermen) come and trash it out and Keep EVERY single thing they catch, including flatheads.


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## fisherman (Jun 3, 2005)

as far as live bait it is on the paper no minnows and it doesn't say you can't use nightcrawlers


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## jshbuckeye (Feb 27, 2005)

Follow the litterbugs home and dump the trash in there yard maybe they will see it and get the message but then maybe it will just nlend in. To those of you who want to say why pick it up and then litter again that is just as bad keep it to yourselves because i am sure you are perfect in everyway and cant wait to meet you. I personally dont litter or kill fish. litter out of my boat and were headed to the dock thanks
________
Lesbian Hardcore


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## MothAudio (May 13, 2006)

Fished there this morning with the fly rod. Caught some decent 'gills on a #10 Bitch Creek nymph. Saw more keep then catch-n-release.  The largest bass I saw caught was maybe 16". I'm afraid I did see more trash this trip than last. One of the rangers was picking up whatever junk he saw but he was doing more patroling, checking licences than sanitation duty.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

If there's a husband/wife tourney you two should enter! Though I don't see you as the tourney types for some reason?!?! lol...great catch Mr Basskisser. I never made it out but thanks for the invite.


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## grubman (May 13, 2006)

This place nice but for how long? I have been there all but two days since it opened a week ago.I have noticed more and more people each day that have no regard for anyone else.I'll admit I just found this site 2 weeks ago and that was the first i heard of these quarries.But something told me in my gut that it would be a matter of time before a bunch of idiots would screw it all up.Catch and release should be strictly enforced,but i doubt that will ever happen.If you catch a nice fish,take a pic and throw it back.If you're hungry come to my house and eat.Seriously though,there was a guy fishing 20 yards from keeping every darn thing he caught.I said something to him but he didn't speak english.Hmmm,go figure.I enjoyed me and my buddy catching some true lunkers and releasing them so others might enjoy hookin' em' at a later time.It's too bad that a good thing went down hill so fast.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

It was mentioned on here that the Rangers were checking license, caught a guy with minnows, cant recall for sure if any tickets were issued for bag limits?? but they cant cover all the quarries and the creek..people are going take there chances with the rules...some will win others will get busted...its just a shame people wont show any more respect than that...Im starting to understand why those landowners on the Darby and other waterways are so hardnose about letting people fish or even access the Darby from there land.


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## CanoeFisher (May 15, 2004)

Took my canoe and headed out to the quarry and yes it is nice but man it is exactly as everyone else has stated. I pulled up at 7:00 and the banks looked like it was a pay lake. Lots of people fishing and filling their buckets. There are some huge blue gills in there. I did see several dead gills around the heavily fished areas. The water is very clear and has lots of great structure all around. I was Disappointed to find that only one of the quarries allows boats. I hope people respect the place but I have a feeling it wont take long before it is over fished. What a shame because this is by far the cleanest looking water in the Columbus area.


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

How many of these "idiots" are a result of this location being posted on this website???? What gets me are the guys who don't think that posting info like this has a negative result.


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

I was going to take my girlfriend out there but I doubt I will. She is starting to get into fishing and I don't want her to see the ugly side of it, meathunters destroying a nice quarry. They have a bulletin up looking for a PT ranger out there. I was seriously thinking about applying for it. I would have all the idiots run out in a matter of weeks. Laws are being broken every day out there. If it isn't poaching by keep more than the limit, its littering or fishing w/o a license. As more and more of the outdoors is being stripped for new housing developments and business opportunities you would think that people would appreciate when something like this opens up. That is not the case, most of these people just see another fillet in their freezer and a body of water to destroy. This is the future of fishing folks. The days of having a nice pond or a honey hole on a creek or river are over. Darby Bend is just a small cross section of this. It should of been C&R from the beginning, just another example of the Metro Parks dropping the ball and letting the idiots get the upper hand. Our tax dollers and our fishing licenses provide the funds to purchase such land and maintain upkeep, yet we go unheard. Its a slippery slope Ohio outdoors is on, and I dont think anything is going to change anytime soon.

Jake


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## jsalkas (Feb 18, 2005)

I've seen catch and release fisheries become very productive in some of the lakes by me, but word is they actually attract more pressure sometimes because they are advertised as such. That's the frequent complaint about catch and release only trout streams.

I sometimes wonder if part of the deal of buying an Annual License is that you are mandated to spend one hour cleaning some local shoreline. Some level of responsibility has to be introduced to the sport.

Of course, if the DNR got appropriate funding so our resources had an adequate number of stewards, we might not be having this conversation at all.


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

Its not the ODNR's fault, its society as a whole. When I was a child I was taught to appreciate the outdoors, respect the wildlife, and leave the area better than I found it. These principals must have been lost on many people. When I was a kid, if I gut hooked a fish I was taught to cut the line as close to the hook as possible and let the fish go. If the fish was going to die, we kept it unless it was outside the regs. A hook costs pennys, should a fish die because you weren't fast enough on the hookset just to save a hook? If i would of left trash behind as a kid, my old man would of smacked me upside the head. We always had a trash bag or grocery bag in our tackle box to clean up after ourselves and others. I selective harvest, but what goes on out there isn't selective harvesting. Its keep everything up to your limit and even beyond. If a guy wants to keep some bluegill, crappie, bass, etc. for a fish fry, thats totally acceptable. Fishing it everyday, taking your limit everyday just to fill a frezzer is unacceptable. Fish at the store isn't that expensive, at what point are you just being a glutton? Its not about today or tomorrow, its about 3,4,5 years down the line. Hell by next year this place will be a pond with small bluegill and below limit bass because everything of size was kept.

I clean up other peoples trash all the time when I fish, but I have a job, I am not a trash collector in my spare time. Its sad that we are expected to clean up after strangers who dont give a damn. At what point is it enough? Do we spend more time cleaning up our spots than fishing them? Maybe I am the only one who feels this way. People wonder why we travel so far out of the way to find spots, if its easy access its already been destroyed!

Jake


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## crappielooker (Apr 5, 2004)

sad to hear its already goin down the drain after just opened..


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

This is why i travel 3 hours back up north to fish.People have no respect for things if it isn't their's


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I just got back from there...and this is just a observation..I can be totally wrong but it seemed to me that the Ranger that I seen cruising around didnt want to get out of his truck or walk very far(few steps) to check anybody out??? he cruised the quarry we were on talked to people who were close to the road...but if you were a couple hundred yards away he didnt pay you any mind...like I said I could very well be wrong...but I also noticed trash bags hanging in at least 1 spot as you first pull in..so thats a step in the right direction...now to teach people how to use them.


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## cllmsl1 (Apr 14, 2004)

I stopped by to check it out last night, I couldn't believe the amount of people out there, the more I thought about it, I really think there are many many people who got on this site to read what's hot, etc. I can bet a good number of those people if you took a survey at Prairie Oaks had found out about the park from this site. I'm sure it would only be a matter of time before they found it anyway, but oh well. I've seen the same thing happen in so many good river spots, people think they are helping someone out by posting a nice hole, not realizing many more idiots READ these posts than there are guys who actually care. oh well.....


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## Leo (Apr 24, 2006)

Well, seeing how I have a low-tolerance for ignorance, I'll probably veer clear of the place for quite awhile... shame too... I live "real" close to this place. Sorry to hear the place is going downhill so quickly.


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## esoxhunter (Apr 7, 2004)

the first page of this thread should be deleted IMO. I probably wouldn't make a good moderator


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## MLAROSA (May 20, 2004)

Lots of places get posted on this site. Thats what makes it such a great place.

No matter how you twist it, the "downfall" of this "fishing hole" should not, and can not be blamed on this web site. 

I personally think the thinking in these last few pages is the "downfall" of society as a whole. There is no more "personal responsibility".


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

MLAROSA said:


> Lots of places get posted on this site. Thats what makes it such a great place.
> 
> No matter how you twist it, the "downfall" of this "fishing hole" should not, and can not be blamed on this web site.
> 
> I personally think the thinking in these last few pages is the "downfall" of society as a whole. There is no more "personal responsibility".


Like I've responded to other guys with this same idea, why don't you post all your favorite honey holes? I'm not saying this website is at fault. This site has been a great resource for many people for many different things from hooking up with a new fishing buddy to locating a hard to find lure. 

This is not the first place that I have personally seen go down hill as a result of people posting info on the net. Sure is ironic that one year a spot has unmatched fishing and the next, after much talk of the location and fishing on the net, it is full of beer bottles and empty of fish.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

What other places have you seen take a turn for the worse after being posted here?

Also, I will give out my honey hole - Olentangy River between king and 3rd. Huge smallies down there.

I'm still wondering about AEP - it seems everything I read about that area suggests that it would be a meathunters paradise. That is, except that some ponds require some hiking/work to get to. 

So, before I go out there, can anyone tell me if AEP is already trashed? If not, why not? What is the difference between AEP and Prairie Oaks from a "trash the area/meat hunters" point of view?

I think it has something to do with lazy people tending to fish lazy places...


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

I believe your statement about lazy people is correct. The thing about AEP is that it is fairly remote. You have to spend alot of money because going for a couple of hours isn't worth it. That alone probally keeps alot of people away. Easy access ponds are fished hard but you can still catch fish. The remote ponds require walking considerable distances that keeps even more away. When you walk to some of the good ponds the last thing you really want to do after a hot day fishing is carry a cooler full of fish out, that keeps those ponds productive.  Then you have the people like most of us on here that will pick trash up and carry out. Wouldn't a biodegradable bait container be a great idea? I ought to get a patent. One last thing...most of the people that go to AEP go there to get away from all the things that people are talking about at Praire Oaks. Long live the AEP faithfull!


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## Hoss5355 (Apr 9, 2004)

I totally agree with why aep isn't like these other places. Number one, it takes money to get there. You have to drive atleast an hour from most places, and that takes money. Then once you get there, you are overwhelmed by the vast amount of ponds that you can see from the road. Who walks past 10 good looking ponds to find one to fish in. It's convenient to fish the ones from the road, and they do get hit harder. Most hogs from AEP don't come out of the ponds right next to the road. And like someone else said, who wants to carry a cooler of fish out of the deep woods in 85 degree weather. You gotta be pretty dang hungry to do that. 

I learned the hard way about posting a hotspot back on an old website, and the next day I went and couldn't find a place for myself to fish. You would be amazed at the amount of people that just read to find a place to go catch fish...think I'm joking...post something sometime about a particular spot and what you are catching them on, and there will be people there....trust me. 

It's not the people that are posting their reports 9 times out of 10 either. It's the people looking for a free meal. Leave that kind of info to private message, and you will be a lot better off. And only send it to people that you can trust, so it doesn't get spread all over the place. If someone sends me a pm that has 3 posts, asking where I'm catching the fish, you can bet your bottom dollar he won't be getting info from me.

If I say I have been catching saugeye at Buckeye lake on Husky Jerks in 6 ft of water, that should be enough for most fisherman to make something out of it. they don't need the particular spot. Leave it brief, let them do some work on their own.


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

I totally agree about AEP also. Go fish around campsite C and check out all the people fishing the campsite pond and all the ponds that are along the road. Then go walk a mile on the Buckeye trail and tell me how many people you see. It does cost alot of money to head to AEP too. Just not gas, but its like camping everywhere, you got to bring everything imaginable. Unless your like 15 mins away you are not going to go down just to fish for a few hours. I go down there from Columbus and its over an hour each way. I set up camp and fish all weekend usually. Now if AEP was in Grove City or Delaware it would be total trash. Too close to a big city, to convenient to hit everyday, etc. AEP is great because it is out of the way and too much of a hassle for most meathunters to rape. 

Darby Bend on the other hand is only 3 quarries that you can access almost 100% of the shore area. They havent been fished regularly for years and the fish are stupid for lack of a better word. Why do you think people were catching 40 and 50 bass a day when it first opened? Then you have boards like this and word of mouth about it and it creates a zoo out there. I will post reports like "caught 10 smallies today on Big Darby throwing small cranks." Enough info that I told them where I was catching but not the exact spot or exact bait. Fishing is supposed to be a learning experience, give someone the tools and let them figure it out, but you don't give them all the answers. Check out how many "guests" are on the board each day. They are trolling for hot spots not just visiting, hell its free to join!! I am sure at one point in time Antrim was a nice pond, but now its only worth fishing it when they release trout and even then its a stretch. Darby Bend is on that same path, except you will have 3 quarries w/ poor fishing.

Jake


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## Leo (Apr 24, 2006)

BuckeyeFishinNut said:


> ...Check out how many "guests" are on the board each day. They are trolling for hot spots not just visiting, hell its free to join!!



Heck, if they are all reading and looking for some hotspots, I'd like to recommend chicken livers on a jig to catch lunker walleye on Madison Lake! There's some whoppers out there!


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I am an outdoorsman and it suck's to see trash in your honey hole or going to a deerstand.I take a trash bag with me and pick it up ,it sucks but i enjoy the outdoors.If people are to lazy took take it with them well spend 10 min's on you way and pick it up.It'll only help


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## jdhill (Dec 11, 2005)

Leo said:


> Heck, if they are all reading and looking for some hotspots, I'd like to recommend chicken livers on a jig to catch lunker walleye on Madison Lake! There's some whoppers out there!


If that were only true.


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## leckig (May 11, 2005)

BuckeyeFishinNut said:


> Darby Bend on the other hand is only 3 quarries that you can access almost 100% of the shore area. They havent been fished regularly for years and the fish are stupid for lack of a better word.


how is it they were not fished? Were they closed for fishing?


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## Mr. Basskisser (Oct 18, 2005)

leckig said:


> how is it they were not fished? Were they closed for fishing?



They were owned by the Olin Corp. Only those wiley enough to sneak in were able to fish there, unless maybe you had a connection. The Metro Parks bought them a few years ago.
All you guys make some real good points, that I agree with. People just can't imagine fishing without keeping as much as they can. I talk to people I work with and they say," Why would you go fishing and not keep what you catch?"  I try to explain the kick I get out of catch and release but they don't get it. A lot of your casual fisherman are the same way. A place like Darby Bend with the good access certainly attracts a lot the casual fisherman.

lekig, it was good meeting you, although we didn't really recognize you at first your accent gave you away!


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## DarbyMan (Dec 11, 2005)

This post is spectacular! Some really good points have been made by everyone. I hope the people that surf this site looking for info on Darby Bends are reading these. If I ever go back to that place you can bet I'll be watching. I also hope that they are offended by such words as lazy, ignorant and irresponsable because that's what they are. Hopefully the Metro Parks will take note and make it C/R only, that will help. I am glad to hear that I am not the only frustrated by the situation there.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I took a bag of trash out of there today...which included a dog frissbee that I found floating close to the shore...some of the littering is done by kids(witnessed that yesterday) thought they had picked up after themselves after they left found out they had not..they do need garbage cans there..most people will use them..some will not...but at least it would make it easier on the people who pick up the trash they see to dispose of it there...the bass that I have caught the last couple days there mouths have looked like 3 miles of bad road.


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

have not been there yet but looking to go friday or sunday.
i will bring a trash bag and do my part and if i see a park offcial i will bring up the ideas of cans.
also I practice catch and release. all you need is the fight from the fish.so send it back to fight another day who knows it might be the first big one a young kid catches.


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## shroomhunter (Aug 6, 2004)

Fresh caught fish. I hope you don't mind but those ones from the store just aren't as good tasting as the ones I clean. BUT!, I'd never leave trash, not even a cigarette butt. I had to field dress them while in the USMC and never liked picking up some LAZY Azzes trash


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## leckig (May 11, 2005)

hahaha, finally I found a use for my accent


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## gonefishin' (Apr 14, 2004)

Big Joshy said:


> Man I hate being right. Hello Antrim 2. Maybe when its empty they will do us a favor and put trout in there.
> 
> If you are reading this and you are one of the trash-leaving, fish killing, punks.
> all I have to say is @#@!%#[email protected]$#$*&#@$###


All I have to say is that this is the sleeper bass/ blue gill record place. Relax guys, let these morons burn themselves out and we are golden. 

Oh by the way..."WOW!!!!" :G :F


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## leckig (May 11, 2005)

Mr. Basskisser said:


> lekig, it was good meeting you, although we didn't really recognize you at first your accent gave you away!


at last my accent was actually useful!


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