JasonC wrote:
I’m sure Ohio has some good trout waters.
Well, you would be wrong on that. The only streams worth fishing are artificial fisheries (IMO).
There are a couple streams with brown trout (stocked as fingerlings) which may also have limited natural reproduction, but other than that, it sucks. This is ESPECIALLY true when it comes to Brook trout which was my point. Not long ago Ohio was officially down to 1 stream left with native brook trout, and it is VERY tiny. Possibly a second one nearby but it was also believed to be extirpated by development awhile back. Population in that one stream was probably in the hundreds for it's entire length. Stream was isolated and on private land, but in danger of development. Since then land was bought from developer and protected. I don't think you can even fish there because brook trout are endangered in OH. If one does catch one by accident, it must be released. These trout were propagated in a couple hatcheries and re-introduced to some other tiny streams with minimal success.
There was one other stream that had "wild" brook trout, not of native strain (Quebec strain). I found that one by accident over 20 years ago shortly after moving to Ohio. I drove by it and it reminded me of home. Big hemlocks and a tiny stream flowing through. I said to self... Self, that ought to have brook trout in it. Imagine my surprise when I stopped and discovered it did. Imagine my additional surprise that I found it was one of only two (or three) streams in the entire state that had brook trout, and it was my first attempt. I found it without the help of internet, or someone else's spoon.
Later I discovered it was supplemented with egg boxes by a private rich HS nearby. But the stream is mostly slate bottom so without the supplementing, it would probably fizzle to nothing in a few years. It was used as a comparison to determine that the previously mentioned population was indeed native.
Sorry, I'm not naming names.
Why does Oho suck? Because I say so.;-)
But as far as trout, the reason Ohio sucks has to do with the geology as well as poor farming practices for the past 150 years or so in NE, development, and mining further south. Silt is a major issue.
There are a few tiny streams around me that would likely support a small population of brook trout, but the all flow into a slow moving mud-hole where trout wouldn't survive.
I'm originally from PA, and a big fan of brook trout from way back. So when Sal (or anyone else) posts pictures of large brook trout, my first thought is, Ohio sucks. We do have good bluegill though. ;-)
