Licking river=good luck.

 

Licking River=A Cooler Full of Fish Every Time I go.

 

There are some really great sections of the Licking but I wouldnt look for them until water conditions stablize around mid spring. Like any small river I believe alot of fish either get relocated during winter/spring high water and wont migrate back until moderate conditions and water temps. occur.
Until then study your maps and search for oxbows and deep water areas that are going to attract them when the time is right. Studies show that smallies can travel rivers at a fast rate. Also look for a mixed bag...spotted bass and largemouth.

Go get em and consider releasing those river smallmouth :B

 

lunkerhunter, it really depends on what part of the licking you are interested in.The northfork from Utica to Newark has alot of small mouth.It requires alot of walking to get to the honeyholes and you have to know where.The south fork from newark to dillion has trophy class in early summer,you'd have to have a canoe or jonboat there. Alot of deep holes and you really can't fish it good in one day.Away from the beaten path produces the best bass.Alot of people will say the contrary but the few of us that truely put the time in and and know the river can attest to the small mouth possibility.I have caught a basket fulls of small 12 to 18 inchers to have a 5 lb nail my offering the next cast.I never keep any of them and they go right back in quick.It's worth the time and effort to try it good just don't go to a couple spots and call it a bust,put the time in and you can be surprised and amazed at what does swim in those waters.Bear in mind that the dam from Buckeye Lake eventually runs into the stretch from Newark to Dillion so whats in Buckeye is in there as well,saugeye,hybrid bass,cats,the bigger crappie & yellow perch and an occasional Muskie.Give it a earnest trip & try.You'll be glad you did.

 

The Black Hand Gorge stretch is "the beaten path", but it has lots of rock cover and depth options. Many canoers simply drift by and make random casts but don't saturate an area to find fish. Sometimes even the active fish are tight to the rocks, especially the undercut rock ledge banks.

Below the Gorge (Toboso area), the river begins to widen and the substrate turns largely to sand and muck as the river approaches Dillon. I haven't done as well in that stretch, but there are a few isolated areas that hold fish.

 

i've caught them as early as march(on tubes), when i had cabin fever so bad i couldn't stand it any longer. the water is higher(swifter) and much colder(dangerous if you go in)than in the summer. i good pair of waders is a must, be very careful if you go this early.

 

The North Fork is interesting, although I think it has tailed off some. It actually ran dry in spots a few years back and never seemed the same. Most of it also runs through private property.

My brother and I canoed a long stretch all the way from just below Newark down through Taboso last summer. We only got a couple of taps from chubs along the way. We fished it hard too! It was a beautiful canoe ride though!

Be careful if you try canoeing above Black Hand Gorge. There are some overhead snags. We just barely snuck under one and avoided a portage of several hundred yards with our heavy canoe and gear. The Newark Advocate reported the next week that a family canoeing though there was caught on that and capsized. (The water had come up.) They had their handicapped daughter with them and had to call the rescue squad.

 

I fished it early this spring before it got flooded for catfish and sleyed them. Now for smallies I'm not certain yet but I do intend to do it very soon so I'll let you know. I recently picked up fly fishing and I have alot of bass flys I plan on trying. However me and my buddies have been floating it fishing for catfish for years and we absolutely sley them in the log jams 4lbs on average. One of the best catfish streams in Ohio.

 

I've been yak fishing the licking for years mostly for cats but this season you can call me the multi-species Angler cause I'm after the fish ohio fishes lol

 

I have fished it for smallies a bunch of times since my post 2007 along with several other very experienced smallie fishermen. I never saw a single decent sized smallie pulled out. I'm not sure I have ever seen one hit 14 inches. Everything that flows into the Licking seems to have better smallies.

Talking smack is never a good way to introduce yourself to a group.

 

I’ve been fishing it for years the biggest smaller I’ve ever hooked was 13.5 inches. But I’ve got some very nice Saugeyes out of it

 

Maybe it's because the guy is bringing home a cooler full of fish each time he goes. It takes a long time to grow a 14" smallie lol.