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Angling Publications - Index
Angling Publications - Magazine - Index
9Northeast Ohio’s Chagrin River flows north, emptying into Lake
Erie at Chagrin Harbor. The river’s name is derived from the Erie Indian
name “Sha-ga-rin,” or “Clear Water,” and along with the Grand, is one
of the lake’s top steelhead tributaries.
Mad River Outfitters staff of six professional steelhead guides fish
all the major steelhead rivers of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in Ohio,
Pennsylvania and New York, but one of their “special” rivers is the
Chagrin. The Chagrin holds steelhead all winter, but the run peaks in
March and April, and for my money the best combination of fishing and
tolerable weather is the mid March to mid April window. Current daily
guiding rates are $295 for one angler, $350 for two, and $75 for each
additional angler. For more information, contact Mad River Outfitters
at (888) 451-0363; E-mail: admin@madriveroutfitters.com; Web: www.
madriveroutfitters.com —by Bill Battles
10
What makes a river legendary? Is it the famous anglers who fished the
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OHIO • Chagrin River
OREGON • North Umpqua River
river many decades ago? Is it the majestic scenery along its path? Or
maybe it’s the fish that swim its waters? If you’re talking about Oregon’s
North Umpqua River, it’s all of the above.
The legendary North Umpqua is famous for its native summer
steelhead. World-class anglers such as Zane Grey and Major Jordan
Mott first developed the sport fishery here in the 1920s and 30s, and
die-hard steelheaders have been plying the North Umpqua ever since.
Over the years, there has been a strong conservation effort to protect
the river, and aided by hatchery-spawned fish, the runs of summer
steelhead are now comparable to the numbers of fish found by the
first fly anglers.
But what about the winter-run fish? They’re not legendary at all.
In fact, they are probably the most underappreciated run of steelhead
on the West Coast. So you’d probably be surprised to know that more
than 10,000 fish returned to the North Umpqua last winter—the
largest run since 1946.
Utah’s Provo River sees daily midge hatches throughout the winter.
Many of the North Umpqua’s native steelhead spawn in Steamboat
Creek, which is closed to angling. They stage near its confluence with
the North Umpqua, midway up the 33 miles of fly-only water. The
concentration of fish here makes this section of the North Umpqua
one of the most productive areas on the river. In fact, Jack Hemingway
once referred to this section as “the greatest stretch of steelhead water
in the United States.”
Although the river is road-side for much of its course, it is not an easy
river to fish. If you’re a traveling angler, be sure to hire a good guide.
We recommend hooking up with Tony Wratney of Summer Run Guide
Service (541-496-3037; www.summerrun.net) Tony has been fishing the
river since he was a kid, and guides for its winter-run fish from January
1 to April 1. —by Crispin Battles
11
South-central Pennsylvania’s Yellow Breeches Creek is one of the
PENNSYLVANIA • Yellow Breeches Creek
fabled limestone streams that figured so prominently in America’s flyfishing
history. The Yellow Breeches is thirty miles of great trout fishing
in the Cumberland Valley, highlighted by the one-mile stretch of
catch-and-release water just below Yellow Breeches Outfitters fly shop
in Boiling Springs. Like most spring creeks, it maintains stable water
temperatures throughout the winter months, but fine tippets and dragfree
floats are of paramount importance, and good presentation trumps
fly selection every time.
The stream has a mixture of browns, brookies and rainbows; some
are wild, others are stocked, and carryovers occur from year to year. It’s
the carryover and wild fish that take a well-presented nymph, streamer,
or dry fly during warmer weather in winter. A good place to fish is the
catch-and-release section from Boiling Springs to the Allenberry Resort.
There is adequate, well-marked parking for anglers. This stretch of river is
fed by the Run, a short channel of cool, clear water that emanates from a
lake formed by one of the largest springs east of the Mississippi River.
On warmer days in winter, prospect with attractor dry flies, including
caddis patterns in sizes 14 to 18. For some reason, the fish in the Breeches
rise to dries when no hatch is on. Contact Yellow Breeches Outfitters
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