WHAT COULD BE TOP 5 COLD WATER TROUT STREAMS IN OHIO

                                 

                            

                                                  SUITABLE HABITAT
 

                                                     

                                                              

                Yikes! We have came a long way since the 5 fires of the industrial revolution in the Cuyahoga river. Yet back then it seems they did not realize what a gold mine we had.
Still, we are so far embedded it will take years for mother nature to heal. The river above is of course our beloved Cuyahoga. This river is actually very unique for several reasons. I still can not believe this river holds northern pike as it does. Northern's  generally need very clean water as their gill plates can not tolerate heavy P.C.B.'S. Also silt and bad P.H. levels. And yes, they are reproducing at a fine level. as far north as Cuyahoga Heights have they been caught. That's almost downtown Cleveland. Another would be The sudden comeback of Sturgeon. Which IS a cold water fish for sure.Very vulnerable to much of the same. They require water not as, but near clean as Brookie's.  So what is going on? The cuyahoga is not even close to clean. Urban runoff is at a all time high? Well as I have heard it and interviewed with E.P.A. officials they are saying the Obama infrastructure bill that has passed was a huge help.  Everything from sewer , culverts and bridge building materials that are Eco friendly along with some grant money for dredging in Akron and sanitary upgrades have been a major factor. That's great news for everybody. Including employment.    

  I guess the fact that we have a great tributary system in the Cuyahoga watershed is a plus as well. Their is in fact as I have personally witnessed quit a few cold streams in the Cuyahoga watershed. A great start for your own observation would be throughout the Kent,Ohio area. Or of course the Cuyahoga Valley National Forest.                        






            Now, the good news for the cuyahoga river is their is plenty of caring groups out their in the working political process of restoring the river. If u feel interested in looking at one of these  groups u can by clicking the link............................... .... ... .... ...      CUYAHOGA REMEDIAL ACTION PLAN  












                 ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE, THIS IS WHAT HAS NOT BEEN DESTROYED. 

          So after many of trips through , their and back I have seen like many curious others some really great water. A lot of great places un-taped. And their only a short drive away. AS THE POST STATES, THESE ARE WHAT COULD BE TROUT WATERS. They also have been identified as "cold water habitats". Though, just because the OHIO E.P.A. has classified these as C.W.H., it does not mean that the conditions are suitable for proper reproduction. The velocity of water has to be at least 3 cubic ft of water per second over a rifle {example,but close.} for proper hatching of the eggs. But, in most cases a C.W.H. is suitable.  

        I want to also add that this summer I will finally add a post on the Rocky River headwaters. I am pretty excited about this one as this is my old stomping grounds. It's funny, I probably learned more on those small cool tribs than I did in twelve years of schooling. Maybe it's because that's all I wanted to learn.
       These places I am about to talk about are someone Else's sentimental stomping grounds.  A place of their youth and memories. But I guess on that post I'll get more involved with that as these "places" are more of a place to go to sometimes cope with everyday life and can be unknowingly a great outlet.   

    {CHAMPION CREEK: LEFT CAPTION }                                      





                                                            
                                #1    LITTLE        DARBY            CREEK
              
And nearly half of it's tributaries are E.P.A. approved cold water habitats . The Little Darby creek is a spring born swift stream through it's first few miles then becoming a prototypical freestone looking stream. But don't let that freestone label fool you as this stream is still a cold water habitat. Through all of it's course, it has the typical 2-5 inch cobble and loaded with aquatic grasses and almost of this stream has very little erosion. Most of this stream runs through prairie meadows, and shaded forest. It is beautiful and full of aquatic cold water invertebrates. much are still intact. In fact, both the Big and Little Darby are the most biologically diversed waters of it's size in the entire Midwest . Groups and study officials from around the united states have came to the "Darby brothers" to analyze this stream on multiple occasions.          

     




The Darby watershed as well was designated as a both State and National scenic rivers.



    Both times I have  fished the little Darby I have been completely amazed at how this water has just sat. It is Cold water Trout ready and another sitting product wasted. The Little Darby has all the makings I would believe from everything I have gathered for a trout reproducing stream. No doubt. Though only half of this stream is cold, the other is a E.W.H. which would still hold trout under that fine label.

 

The middle sections of the Little Darby somewhat resemble something you would see out of a stream in Ireland or England. Little Darby rolls through prairie and meadows and is lined with grass and sporadic trees. 

Although this picture does no justice, but if u click on it u can see the banks all in tact and pools are pretty defined. {above}                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
           This stream is truly everything a fly fisherman could ask for. Every trib i saw was chalk stream like with fine sand and wavy aquatic grasses. To me it's really a shame something hasn't been done with this stream as far as a Trout guy goes. You have the resource and willing crowd that will put back the money ODNR would put into it. If not Trout, it least a Northern Pike fishery. Maybe walleye. Hell, anything.

                                                                              
                                                 #2 BIG DARBY CREEK               

                             

                           As you can see, this stream as well has the aquatic tint us fly fishers like to see. When you see that, you know your in business.  Yes, another Ohio stream that runs cold the lower you go this stream does warm. But that's QUIT a ways away. and even when it does warm, it isn't that warm .And still is an Exceptional Warm Water Habitat. Depending on who you talk to under that registered status rainbows could definitely still thrive with a little shade ,in a pool,resting on a spring. Or hug a cold trib. This stream as well has several of it's own cold springs and several chalk quality tribs. I won't cover much on the Big D, because it resembles it's little sibling. Although it holds more water.                         

                                                         

                                                    Some trib pics I was talking about.                                                        

                                    
                                                          

                                                                       

                                                  
                                     Spring Creek in Pa. might be 10' wider than this.   

                                  O.D.N.R. says the problem is the lack of public property                                      within the river itself. That's a damn shame.          


                                                    #2 THE CLEAR FORK  

                      
                                       Yes. This river has all you want. Just lack of attention from ODNR. I have been to the Battenkill , and this river resembles that. A lot. It least the upper section. As you probably know , the Clear Fork's upper section is on mostly private lands. But it has not stopped me from scouting and finding a place to cast the fly rod. 
  This river itself is kind of a mystery at times. Just like the Musky and reclusive Browns that inhabit it. At times, it looks dormit. Just a pretty picturesque spring fed freestone stream. Never to much action going on. That is until dusk. By march in evening, this river really turns on. Same holds true into late August. If u go during these times Smallmouth, Saugeye , Musky and Browns are ferocious with the streamer.Black being the color of choice. 
                                      The Upper section and it's many tribs are so clear it's almost sterile. In fact it was until farmers invaded and started using fertilizers. This alkaline fueled an awesome aquatic bio. and the Mayfly hatch is now one of the best in Ohio. I will add this river can be extremely dangerous. It is not like the northern Ohio shale freestone streams, these are true dugout pools that are extremely deep as most spring creeks are. I have had many of ups and downs on this river, but always find something exotic or a very unexpected catch. Which is always a plus. 
    Last week I contacted ODNR biologist Kurt Wagner and he had said they still have plans to keep stocking the clear fork. Roughly 3,ooo in the upper, and 3,000 in the lower. I also asked Kurt about switching the stocking count to a 60/40 instead of switching due to the lower sections warmer temps. As he agreed, the stocking numbers though were not going to change because of the prime location of public property in the park. I have of recent had a very good day in august about 1 mile west of the rt.3 bridge in the series of pools right next to the campground "c" I believe it was.{regardless, it was the last campground to help ya out}. So do not get upset. Browns are finicky as hell. They are without doubt a low light hunter unless you have colder temps. And fish deep. Browns over 18" are known not to be a finesse riser. they lurk the bottom as a catfish does. Not in that lazy manor, but aren't the most aggressive.

                                                                


                                         #4  Apple Creek and hopefully
                                  the Little Apple creek   


                           Someday. And hopefully soon. It is up and coming and ODNR is starting to investigate the Killbuck creek watershed. It has numerous spring fed streams that are not in use. 3 summers ago I took a drive down to see for myself and saw many cold water streams. A lot were sizeable. Most big enough to fish and make a productive Trout fishery. I have fished many of streams in PA ,New York and Vermont that made these look like the Mississippi. Most of this watershed is 100% spring fed due to the quartz and limestone in the ground.
     This river is oozing with potential and has been stocked by CLEAR FORK CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED on several occasions and if it had more enforcement from ODNR it would probably sustain.
              Also, it has had a number of studies by different groups and the results are pretty hopeful.
              The story behind how this came about is pretty awesome and what Skip Nault donated is unbelievable to say the least. I won't get into it. I don't feel it's my place to say, but if u ever run into a man with a beard,usually wearing his polarized glasses and T.U. gear He'll be glad to tell u all about it. The only draw back with this place is all the very informed people that frequent this great stream. Their is a lot of selfish rednecks to say the least that leave trash, and use hooks almost as long as some of the fish. They really do not and have no clue or business being their. I actually saw a supposedly world class angler hook a brookie and thinking  it was a Brown. He tossed the thing into the stream like a hillbilly bass show on ESPN. He had no clue on how delicate those fish are. And if he did, he didn't care which wouldn't of surprised me. By late fall, these a'holes go back to their shanty's and the river is back at ease., so do not fear. Their is fish their.
                                              

                                                          #5  COLD CREEK 

                                                                         

                              This stream is quite a wonder. Their are very few of these in the  world and it just so happens we have a couple. If we were to drill for a spring and create our own stream, like the private fishing clubs in the Sandusky area, this is what we would get due to the geology under the ground. PA has a few of these as you probably know. Letort Spring Run, Spring Creek, exct.. If you wish to read on wikipedia the very definition of a chalk stream you can do so here by                                                        

              ENGLISH CHALK STREAM

    So the picture to the right is the river Ictchen in England. A well known chalk stream. Up top is Cold Creek in Ohio.  Cold Creek is 99% utilized by ODNR and EPA. u can not fish it from headwaters to cold creek trout camp property. And don't get caught, TRUST ME. They use this water for scientific data research as I was harshly told by a guy in a custom state S.U.V.  If this water was utilized it would be a miracle. U can actually pull of the road and see all the trout for about 3 miles on land owners property. But again, can't be fished.

                    I think it's pretty clear that ODNR is really just not interested in upgrading and expanding the use of our cold water streams. We do not have huge or mid sized CWH's, but we have enough to make it worth while. I am assuming their only interest is Lake Erie and the stocking of Saugeye it seems.Their is a calling to get with the times, but our history in Ohio is within Our great lake. Personally, I would enjoy the scenic ways of the rivers. I and a lot more others get a lot more out of the natural beauty. But by reading and looking at my heading picture of what was put into our lake, it's really hard to believe what they care about.

SO I LEARNED A LOT

SO A YEAR HAS GONE . AND I LEARNED A HELL OF A LOT ABOUT MYSELF. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I DID LEARN WAS IT SEEMS THAT FISHING SUITS MY PERSONALITY. I DON'T REALLY CONSIDER MYSELF A TALKER. (although i am defiantly a people person) I LIKE THE QUIETNESS. TRANQUIL AND FREE. MUCH LIKE THE ENVIRONMENT AN WHICH I SPEND A LOT OF MY DAYS AT . (outside of work) THE ONLY NOISE I HEAR ARE THE SOUNDS OF THE RIVER WHISPING ITS CURRENT NORTH TO THE LAKE. THE TREES CREAKING IN THE BREEZE, MY PISSING AND MOANING OF A FLY STUCK IN MY BACK AND THE SLIGHT SIGH OF HAPPINESS WHEN A PERFECTED CAST TURNS INTO A HOOK UP.

ALTHOUGH THEIR IS A LOT MORE....


1.} I LEARNED THAT TAIL WATERS ARE THE NEW WAVE, AND A GREAT INEXPENSIVE WAY TO TURN A BORING WARM-WATER FISHERY INTO A GREAT COLD WATER ADVENTURE. AND MORE STATES IN THIS COUNTRY WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FINANCIALLY.



I ALSO LEARNED THAT BROOKIES AND GET TO 20 LBS.

AND EVEN IN CLEVELAND, 34 DEGREES IN DECEMBER SOME PEOPLE THINK ITS NECESSARY TO PULL UP A LAWN CHAIR WITH THEIR COWBOY BOOTS AND TAKE A NAP. YIKES.

AND EVEN IN OHIO THEIR ARE SOME FISH BIGGER THAN PEOPLE...LOL.SORRY MO!

PINK STONE FLIES ARE KILLER IN WINTER!

AND IF I HAD TO START GOING BACK TO CHURCH,THIS WOULD BE MY SHRINE.

NO MATTER HOW MANY PLACES I HAVE BEEN, I KEEP FINDING HIDDEN GEMS THAT KEEP ME GUESSING .  WE HAVE A LOT MORE COLD WATER IN OHIO THAN SOME EXPERTS WANT TO ADMIT. OR DO THEY CARE? 

AND OUR STEELHEAD REPRODUCTION RATES ARE REALLY CLIMBING. OHIO E.P.A. HAS REALLY STEPPED IT UP.

 

AND THE BATTENKILL IS TRULY THE BEST TROUT STREAM I BELEIVE IN THE EAST. IT HAS LIVED UP TO IT'S NAME. THE UPPER DELAWARE MIGHT BE A CLOSE SECOND. BUT THE BATTENKILL HAS A TREASURED HISTORY. THE LOCALS INCLUDING ORVIS HEADQUARTERS JUST GET IT. AND THEY DON'T TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.

 

SOME OF THE BEST PLACES, ARE NOT THAT FAR FROM HOME..........................................

ARE RAINBOWS THREATENING TO BECOMING PURELY SYNTHETIC? HAVE THEIR D.N.A. LOST A STEP? READ THIS BOOK AND FIND OUT:   RAINBOW TROUT,A TRULY SYNTHETIC  FISH.

P   L   E   A   S    E       R    E    S   P   E   C   T

DECEMBER TROUTING WITH ZANE GREY

                                                     

                                              JUST TO LET YA KNOW   

                                           
                                OK, SO THEIRS SOME REALLY
   NEGATIVE  PEOPLE  OUT  THEIR  WHO'S SAYING  THEIRS  VERY  FEW  FISH  IN  THE ROCKY  RIGHT  NOW. Is it that or is their more , newbies than ever before fishing. I'm going to have to agree with the second reason. They're is some green lines that really just do not have the know how to learn about the STEELHEAD. Or a hard head., that is to want to learn. Then theirs the guy with brand new orvis wear and rod who thinks he has a clue throwing 3 inch streamers ten feet away from the fish. It's funny. I can tell these guys a mile away.  Usually, standing in water that would hold fish. Cocky, for no reason. I don't brag about the fish i catch. Really, I fish for myself and have nothing to prove. You would never know about the one that got away. Because we all have that story.(I REMEMBER MY FIRST BEER). 
                    The patient angler is the one that's always caught my attention. Confidence. Its huge in this sport. U know their is fish their. Like my Grandpa told me..."if it looks fishy, it probably is". If you just wait it out and change direction of your cast. Mend your line. Even if your egg chucking with an open face.Mend your line. Its crazy how huge a little change in what your presenting can do to catch fish. It's also ironic how all the household legends in the fly fishing world have been skunked numerous times.(You should read about it sometime) Noing they would. Days of it. Stepping back, not being so hard headed and observing. Trial and error. Zane Grey, the most fabled Steelheader of all time (arguably) has numerous books he wrote on his days on the vise, and experimenting. And if your from Ohio reading this and don't know about Zane Grey and his stories about his fishing camp on the North Umpqua, your missing out.       

                     Zane Grey , "The Grey Ghost" as they call him was very instrumental in trying to originally get ODNR to stock these fish. But fell short. That's how far back Ohio roots go to the Steelhead. And for the record he died in 1938. Imagine what we could of had .                             
  SO YA, IT WASN'T JUST AN ODNR EPIPHANY.

     Zane Grey has many books and 112 of them had been later turned into movies . His passion was fly fishing. and he did it all over the world. And left a huge imprint on the fly fishing community and is in the fly fishing hall of fame. His cabin is a landmark -park on the banks of the North Umpqua , but he would probably say his heart was on  the Rogue river. Although a Steelhead legend, he also made ocean fly fishing a commercial passion, set 3 world records on various species caught, started the Florida keys fly fishing club , helped settle treaties with the U.S. government and Indian tribes to allow fishing on their lands through tribe permit and if that's not enough, its documented he would fish nearly 300 days a year. His wrap sheet is almost 10 paragraphs in wikepedia.
                                                                                    
The bottom line..Their is fish their. These fish are not smallmouth. Its like playing chess .   They are reclusive as hell. Maybe it's just lazy people that make me sick. Complaining is pretty much the standard for most people. But if you actually stand back and look at what the hell your doing , you might notice something. They did. It's called hard work. And it pays off. Especially with these fish. Theirs still guys that are 75 plus fishing for Steelhead that are trying to solve the riddle. 
Just ask Lefty Kreh...

                                            

                                    I was fishing the rocky when the water was around 60 c.f.s.  Low as hell. I probably swung that pink woolly bugger 8 times past that fish. Forgetting that salmonoids have monocular vision {as ours is binocular} I next dropped the line to the left of the fish. Around 3 feet away. Theirs a blind cone of vision for these fish at 3 feet in front of them because of the way their eyes are set. I choose pink and oranges after i know the water has gone  stale and low . As these fish now have adapted to their 3-5 week color shift change that was once in blue and greens, to now in reds . That wasn't me just waking up in the morning and having God let me in on a little secret. I wasn't cocky. I shut up and observed others, study and read over 21 years . Going to orvis and buying a Helios doesn't make you fit in.  your 600$ waders doesn't tell me shit. Your lack of reading the water and river etiquette  does however. All decent to good anglers I know right now are catching fish . Trial and error....................................................................................   

                                      SPEAKING OF ERROR..    

The ODNR has finally after over 100 years decided to conduct a new study if you didn't hear that has been ongoing  now for over a year on the growth rates and biology of the Brown Trout. After around 24 streams were sampled and only 2 were supposedly  good enough for them this new study is going to tell us exactly what trout bums already know. so , thanks again for nothing. If you want to view the link you can.    

                                                                    mvff.tripod.com/Reference/ODNR_Brown_Trout_Summit.pdf        

                                           NOVEMBER EVENING ON THE ROCKY
                                                           thanks Adam for the picture.
                                                         
                                                      

HURRICANES,BEST OF THE WORST

                                       

             
                                 THE STORM THAT  
                            BROUGHT          STEEL     

    

                   Our little bundle of misery that leveled trees,roofs , and worst of all left my family and I with no power for a week made me really appreciate some things that I normally wouldn't. Don't get me wrong, people got it a lot worse . But for the first time The Great Lakes experienced  an inland hurricane. 25' waves are no joke. The waves were crashing on shore so hard the spray was whisped in the wind and carried about 400 ft. south to Lake rd. Like a squirt gun in the wind. what I didn't mention was their is a cliff that's close to 60 ft. high above the beach.    

                                                                                

           Where the water is, was a beach.... 

   I have some other pics i thought about putting on this post, but its not really something most want to remember. I did go through hurricane Isabella while living in Raleigh , North Carolina . But with cold temps and a shallow lake this was a lot worse.  

           ON A BETTER NOTE.... The 15,400 mark was hit on our USGS gage. The Rocky isn't the Dean or Skeena. The mean is about 250 cfs.  That's not a lot of water. An average to medium sized river. And the rise of the river has changed its path from the little I saw today. The first bridge now has a ton of deep pocket water and  almost like deep rapids, then the pool. Which also changed its shape somewhat. Tomorrow I'll be down their again and hopefully more and better photos I will post with probably little write up.
        It seemed even the smaller creeks with flood plains very near even took a change. But needed. And the fishing did as well...  

 

                  
       With water still high, i used Palmer Chenille wrapped like a bugger in orange. It has brown mixed with a slate grey,so it also matched the stream bottom.  

                      

        

              To the east, the streams were fishing 2 days ahead. As my Friend had the steel itch. Adam and known as "Mr. Mepps " Jeff Abbott made the executive decision to go to western Pa's Elk creek. And it paid off  in dividends with their center pinning . Good call...... 

 

                        
           With water that high, I'm assuming the fish are in heavily and throughout... 

                                   
                                                                       HELL YES.

EARLY START

                                             

                                                   

                                                   

                                                 SCATTERED ABOUT

                                           
                                     The fishing has been pretty good on the fly.  But the fish
are really scattered as anyone will tell ya. Surprisingly, the fish most and I have caught have not been in the faster current. Such as tailouts and deeper rapids. I'm assuming the low water has a lot to do with that. Another suprise I have found is how many fish have reached central Medina county. The bigger dam most don't see  next to the condos is pretty sizable. With water being that low, and only 4 pushes of fish I am really suprised they have got over that.  Throwing small streamers at the black wall has been working well.     

                                                               

With the rains coming down and everything blown,this should be the best run to date. With fish spread out even further. And I can't wait!    

JUST A START

                  

                                                                FILL IT UP

                                             

                                           

    This is been the norm lately and I am more than welcoming it. Just like Mike Durkelac (our Cleve. metro parks aquatic biologist) had said. "This is the same deal as last year, and it brought a mega fall run of our silver streaked friends. Well, he was damn right as usual.  
      With colder temps early, the farmers almanac is hitting accurate again if u follow. Which is not bad either. To me anyway. I would have to admit I have had a lot of luck with white bead headed buggers, loaded with  Palmer chenille in Grey/white. As well as Metallic Blue bead headed buggers with Black/Red Palmer Chenille. The Palmer wraps just like hackle, and is a great way to substitute for a hackle first, then a chenille over. I also wrap two hackles. One being a different color then the other,right over the other. And it looks just fine .Two-tone buggers I guess is a better way to put it for loss of words types like me.  

         The waves of fish others and I have noticed have been small. Or I'm just a shitty fly bum. But it seemed the first 2 waves were really good. It heated up a little, and the run slowed even with the rains. But with the cold front hitting and the leaves falling with the cold rain, my mind has switched from "possibly", to "now." Like a December Lake effect squall.

                A transmitted message from our Great Lake Erie. 

                                  

                                             

                                                                                                                                  

A COLD WATER PLAYGROUND

                                    PA ALLEGHENY      
                                        TROUTING
        
            The birth of the dry fly was just a start of the technical fly fishing era. Vince Marinaro, Charlie Fox were some of these famous dry fliers . And with Pennsylvania's streams of tail waters to chalk streams, their is no doubt the dry was worked into commission. Cool spring fed streams on just about every mountain turn , has every cold water Trout bum keep coming back. I would still have to say Vermont or Maine being on top of that list. But this is a close second. And historically  right their with the best of them.                                          

  As a child , i remember reading books and magazines of these streams not far from home. And as close to home as it is, I cant believe it took this long to get their. A good portion of my family resides in Pittsburgh, and they have a few, but majority of these fabled streams are of the State College area.  

South west PA has a number of Brook Trout streams of limestone. They also have a good number of tail water and freestone streams that are tailor-made for hulking Browns because of the springs and pocket water these alkaline enriched streams have.   

My first stop was to the newly transformed, and revived West Branch of the Susquehanna and to several of it's tribs. 

These boulders were just some of the bomb shelters these huge Browns had for cover.  The west branch of the  Susquehanna has been transformed into a once again amazing fishery thanks to TU, and PA.Boat and Fish  Comm.  {If only we had that}.   

I have to add one of those tribs is Big Run. It was a beautiful, deep spring creek that as you can see ran through a meadow. The picture does not do the size of the stream  justice, and the town looks even smaller. But right next door is Punxsatwaney. As in "Phil". That bastard that tells me its going to snow for another 6 weeks.
          The west branch of the Susquehanna is clear as glass. As usual the closer to the headwaters you get, the better the clarity and life of the stream. I started in Cherry Tree and fished all the way to Lumber city. All of this area held trout and the temps were around the low 90's.  Up and down rt.219 is really good water. Deep pools, and the pocket water is of great . I would have to say being a steelheader by craft that this water would be ideal for working a nymph of it least a 12 . It seemed no problem as well that every fly I threw had some high flash . Which really surprised me. But I guess with pocket water being around 4 feet deep, your good. And through this whole area, Its like this. The headwaters, up to the Curwensville Dam area.  
                                                                                     As I talked to PA Boat and Fish Commission area fisheries mngr. Al Womer, he says theirs a lot more work to be done. But with the good groups out their such as Trout unlimited and others alike, he says theirs hope. But I guess when your heart is in it theirs always hope.

                                                                                            

                                                                                               

                                                          The second place I traveled to was well worth the trip. Another PA project that, now has been rejuvenated and water as clear as glass as well. The youghiogheny starts its journey of fishable water at the dam release and empties out after spewing underground. It's waters are no more than 45* on a good day,thus giving it a breeding ground for huge Browns. 

                                                                         

                       I cant remember seeing water that clear. but if you take the drive down 40 to rt 381, you will be in prime water. As from here, down to Ohio Pyle is just that. The 8 hours I had their on a saturday gave me what I came for. Cold water, Big fish and a little solitude. I would also like to add that most of this water for the first 4 miles is mostly swift and shallow,yet tricky as I fell twice in the freezing riffles and pocket water. Oh well, I'll admit it. But dont think I didnt get up and look around to see if anybody noticed. Cause I did.........         

                                                          

         

I would highly recommend this river to anyone. And the middle sections are just as good down to Ohio Pyle.