"Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink, I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains. I would drink deeper; fish fill the sky, whose bottom is pebbly with stars. I cannot count one. I know not the first letter of the alphabet. I have always been regretting that I was not as wise as the day I was born."
                                                                                                     ─ Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

 

FLY FISH OHIO is exists to promote fly fishing in Ohio and the Midwest and to serve as a central clearing house of sorts.  In this virtual space we'll comment on current trends in fly fishing as well as any other forms of angling that offer good sport.  We all fish with a fly rod (sort of...) but are equally apt to pick up a spinning or casting rod as the need arises.  In that spirit you will find articles here ranging from  technical dry fly fishing for trout to bait-rigging for carp.  One thing we are not are snobs. What we share here is a love for the subtle beauty and always surprising richness of the flowing and still waters of the heartland.  We hope you enjoy that same sense of wonder as you explore your home waters.  Join us in thinking globally, but fishing locally.  Fly Fish Ohio is a collaborative effort.

Mark Blauvelt is a deeply disturbed but mostly harmless fishing fanatic.  Really.  This guy knows every rock on the Mad River (he's the former President of the Mad Men chapter of Trout Unlimited and a very active member today) and loves to fish for trout.  Lately, though, Mark has developed an obsession for catfish.  We're not sure if that's good or bad, but he has been observed sitting in the middle of high muddy flows - at night - mumbling to himself about skipjacks and sliders.  If you know what that means, please clue us in.  Mark is the proprietor of the Flatwater Guide Service.  If you want to fish in this region, Mark is the guy who will put you onto fish.  Mark is the Fly Fish Ohio Creek and Rivers Editor.  Email Mark

Joe Cornwall is a misplaced New Englander with an unhealthy obsession for the fly rod and all its accoutrements.  An instigator by nature, Joe is the accidental webmaster for Fly Fish Ohio.  In fact, this whole mess is his fault.  If you're looking for someone to blame, this is the guy.  That is, unless your a militant religious extremist who's pissed off about something you read here.  Then it's someone else's fault.  Probably Jim's.  Joe is a writer and professional communicator.  If you want to know more about Joe's qualifications you can click here - this page will also take you to all the stuff you need to know to book Joe as speaker for your next club meeting or event.  Joe is the Fly Fish Ohio Publisher.  Email Joe

Paul Feldman is an East Coast punk who moved to the Midwest 40 years ago for money - and to be close to Michigan! He and a few buddies started Buckeye United Fly Fishers in 1977 so they could be around other people who didn’t think fly fishing was so weird! His true love is fly fishing for trout, and by his definition, a “fly” is an artificial representation of an insect with wings that can actually fly. He considers streamers and nymphs to be “bait”! He has also been known to go to great lengths in pursuit of big bluegills which he acknowledges aren’t that smart, but any fish that will hit dries viciously deserves respect! When it comes to tackle, Paul likes most fly rods ever made, and in fact, he has most of them.  Paul is  Fly Fish Ohio Contributor.  Email Paul

Tom Gribble is a dangerous guy.  After spending a few hours with him you'll have this almost irresistible urge to find a big patch of stinging nettles and sit in it - in your birthday suit.  It's got something to do with him being a guy who can catch fish from right under your feet and make it look easy.  But Tom's not all about the catching, he's happy to share and teach, too.  If you want to know what it's really like to get serious about chrome, ask Tom.  If you're really lucky Tom might even let you hire him as a guide.  Trust us, it's worth every penny.  Read the disclaimer about revealing his "secrets" first, though. The penalty is stiff.  Don't head north without checking first with this fellow.  Tom is  Fly Fish Ohio Editor-At-Large.  Email Tom

Jeremy Kurtz is a life-long obsessed fisherman. Fourteen years ago he picked up the fly rod and never looked back. He's fished for just about everything that swims and cut his fishing teeth on the reservoirs, and streams of NE Ohio.  Jeremy's an avid steelheader, and he's also spent a lot of time chasing carp.  At the end of the day, Jeremy is overly obsessed with panfish, which his wife says it is a mental disorder. If you start talking about bluegill, pumpkinseeds, and green sunfish you'll see his eyes glaze over as he drifts off into sunfish nirvana. He also prefers to fish with ultralight fly tackle, and is the owner and founder of the Ultralight Fly Fishing Forums. Jeremy is a Fly Fish Ohio Contributor.  Email Jeremy
 

Greg Senyo is an Orvis endorsed fly fishing guide with a weakness for steelhead. A contract fly designer for Orvis, you can see Greg’s custom fly patterns in magazines and books such as John Nagy’s Lake Erie Steelhead Guide book 3^rd edition, Fly fisherman Magazine, and others. Greg’s recently constructed a new Amish style lodge on his property in the Allegany Forrest in Pennsylvania. We intend to fully exploit his ½ mile of private trout stream, full of feisty brook trout.  We told him that’s the cost of being associated with this website!!!  Greg is a police officer in the Village of Wayne, located east of the city of Bowling Green.  Don’t do unsavory things on Greg’s beat or he’ll make sure you don't see good water for a while!  Greg is Fly Fish Ohio Contributor.  Email Greg

Jim Stuard is the FF Ohio resident techno-geek.  Jim does all the videography and editing of video files and what not.  He does this more than he fishes, but he fishes a bit too.  Jim is crazed with big fish and small creeks.  Exposure to steelheading (by Mark & Tom, see above) precipitated permanent damage, so he fits right in with the rest of the FF Ohio team.  Jim is a serious woodworking artisan and one day we'll convince him to build a beautiful split cane rod from scratch.  Then we'll dare him to catch a steelhead on it.  Jim is the Fly Fish Ohio Senior Editor.  Email Jim

Dave Votaw learned to fish on the creeks and streams of Indiana, both north and south. In those pre-spinning rod days, his Dad taught him how to seine that day’s bait and fish it under a float on a fly rod. Those Indiana flows yielded mostly rock bass, sunfish, chubs, shiners, suckers, channel cats, and just often enough a smallmouth bass - an occasion for great praise from Dad. Thus began a life-long pursuit of anything that swims, but especially stream smallmouth bass! The smallmouth hunt has taken Dave to Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan, Ontario, and Quebec.  Dave's ready to discuss these adventures anytime.  Dave also knows the Latin names of way too many animals, wildflowers and plants.  We think he's a scientist of some sort, but we're afraid to ask. Dave is the Fly Fish Ohio Science Editor.  Email Dave