Great Miami River is a River located in Hamilton County, OH. Starting in Russells Point, OH the Great Miami River flows 160 miles through Dayton, OH before ending in Petersburg, KY. The Great Miami River rises to an elevation of 456 feet and has a surface area of 1,138,518 square miles. Find maps, fishing guides, weather and recreation information at Guidesly.

About Great Miami River, OH

The Great Miami River is a 160-mile long tributary of the Ohio River, meandering across the state lines of Ohio and Lawrenceburg in Indiana. It flows through Dayton, Piqua, Troy, Hamilton, Huber Heights, Vandalia, and Sidney. Sourcing from the outflow of Logan County’s Indian Lake, an artificial reservoir, the river flows south and southwest joined by Loramie Creek in northern Miami County. The river is joined as well by the Stillwater River, Mad River, Wolf Creek, and Whitewater River from Dayton to Hamilton County as it reaches its mouth at the Ohio River.

The French have dubbed the river as Riviere à la Roche meaning ‘River of the Rocks’ during the 1700s. The Great Miami watershed has taken part in the building of the Miami and Erie Canal, which connected the Ohio River with Lake Erie. Water from the Great Miami fed into the canal, which later was extended with the Sidney Feeder. At the beginning of the 19th century, the river served as a source of water and an area of waste disposal for different major industrial firms. Heightened attention to the water pollution in the late ’50s and ’60s has led to massive improvements in the waste disposal and water quality.

The Miami Conservancy District, established in 1915 after the river’s severe flooding in 1913 mainly in Dayton and Cincinnati, now describes the Great Miami River as a fun and adventurous place, offering recreational opportunities such as kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and wildlife watching. The Great Miami Riverway also connects bike trails and the river with vibrant communities. Parks and museums can also be found nearby.

All About Fishing in Great Miami River, OH

The Great Miami River has suffered from severe floods, extreme physical alterations and pollution, impacting the fish species able to live in it. Most of the area lies among flat to gently rolling terrain underlain by glacial till and rich soils while the southern part lies within rugged terrain, woodlands, and a mixture of glaciated and unglaciated areas. The river and its tributaries now support a diverse fish population including a variety of bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, striped, white, and rock), sunfish, catfish (channel, blue and flathead), sauger, crappie, northern pike, bluegill, muskie, perch, trout, and walleye. The river is also claimed as the best place for smallmouth bass fishing in the state. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Fish Ohio program recognizes anglers who catch fish of noteworthy size in the state’s rivers, with the Great Miami having 22 out of 30 species large enough to be recognized. 

Bait fishing is the preferred method of catching fish along with fly fishing and spinning. Anglers can use paddle boats or wade in the river’s low depth areas though there are warnings for swift currents and cold water immersion during cooler periods. Anywhere from Sidney to Hamilton is a good spot to set up a base. It is recommended to look up safety precautions before planning a fishing trip as the river also hosts multiple dams and is prone to freezing and icy temperatures during cooler months. During the entirety of June, people can take part in the catch-and-release tournament called Great Smallmouth Bass Fishing Challenge on a 99-mile stretch of the Great Miami River from Sidney to Hamilton.

Fishing Seasonality

Peak seasons for largemouth bass in the Great Miami River are from March to May and from mid-September to November. For smallmouth bass, peak activity is from March through October. Peak times for bigger species like catfish are from April to October. Catfish tend to stay in deep water during the day, then emerge at night to hunt during the summer months.  Spring and fall offer the best sauger fishing along with similar species like walleye as they are often found in shallow water during these seasons. During the summer months, saugers are most likely to be found in cooler, deeper waters. Species such as crappie, bass, bluegill, perch, catfish, walleye, and sauger can be caught during winter in Ohio as they experience high activity in cold temperatures.

Fishing Seasonality

Peak seasons for largemouth bass in the Great Miami River are from March to May and from mid-September to November. For smallmouth bass, peak activity is from March through October. Peak times for bigger species like catfish are from April to October. Catfish tend to stay in deep water during the day, then emerge at night to hunt during the summer months.  Spring and fall offer the best sauger fishing along with similar species like walleye as they are often found in shallow water during these seasons. During the summer months, saugers are most likely to be found in cooler, deeper waters. Species such as crappie, bass, bluegill, perch, catfish, walleye, and sauger can be caught during winter in Ohio as they experience high activity in cold temperatures.

All About Fishing in Great Miami River, OH

The Great Miami River has suffered from severe floods, extreme physical alterations and pollution, impacting the fish species able to live in it. Most of the area lies among flat to gently rolling terrain underlain by glacial till and rich soils while the southern part lies within rugged terrain, woodlands, and a mixture of glaciated and unglaciated areas. The river and its tributaries now support a diverse fish population including a variety of bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, striped, white, and rock), sunfish, catfish (channel, blue and flathead), sauger, crappie, northern pike, bluegill, muskie, perch, trout, and walleye. The river is also claimed as the best place for smallmouth bass fishing in the state. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Fish Ohio program recognizes anglers who catch fish of noteworthy size in the state’s rivers, with the Great Miami having 22 out of 30 species large enough to be recognized. 

Bait fishing is the preferred method of catching fish along with fly fishing and spinning. Anglers can use paddle boats or wade in the river’s low depth areas though there are warnings for swift currents and cold water immersion during cooler periods. Anywhere from Sidney to Hamilton is a good spot to set up a base. It is recommended to look up safety precautions before planning a fishing trip as the river also hosts multiple dams and is prone to freezing and icy temperatures during cooler months. During the entirety of June, people can take part in the catch-and-release tournament called Great Smallmouth Bass Fishing Challenge on a 99-mile stretch of the Great Miami River from Sidney to Hamilton.