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Great Miami Riverway

The Great Miami River, Home of Ohio’s Best Smallmouth Bass Fishing

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When you think about having fun along Great Miami Riverway,  you might remember bicycling with friends on the bike trail, or eating a delicious strawberry donut at the Troy Strawberry festival. But there are a lot of people who only think about one thing: fishing.

Fishing is one of the most popular sports in the world, and the Great Miami River is one of the best rivers in Ohio to try and catch some fish – or at least have some fun trying.

According to data collected by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the Great Miami River:

  • Supports a very diverse fish population. In the Great Miami River, anbarry fishd its tributaries, you can fish for everything from bass, saugeye, crappie, northern pike, and catfish to rock bass. Especially abundant are smallmouth bass, but you might get lucky 
    and catch a unique species like hybrid striped bass or white bass.
  • Produces record-sized fish. ODNR’s Fish Ohio program recognizes anglers who catch fish of noteworthy size on Ohio’s rivers. Out of 30 of the different species caught, 22 were large enough to be recognized. That is more than other large rivers in the region.
  • Ranks as Ohio’s best river to catch large smallmouth bass. According to ODNR, the peak season for bigger fish begins in April and is steady through October each year.
  • Ranks as a top two riverin Ohio for Rock Bass and a top three for sauger.
  • Has produced noteworthy fish in every month of the year. But the best months are March through November.

On the Great Miami River, from 2014-2019, the largest noteworthy catches were:

“I’m passionate about fishing and fly fishing. ODNR’s data helps us understand  what kinds of fish live in the river, and the best time of year to catch them,” says  Barry Puskas, chief of technical and engineering services for the Miami Conservancy District. Barry’s day job helps our region’s flood protection system operate effectively, but his passion is also fishing.

Barry is an advocate for catch-and-release to encourage the conservation of fish species. “I believe the Great Miami is one of the best waterways to hunt for trophy-sized smallmouth bass in the region, and conservation helps those big fish get bigger”.

To find a great fishing spot on the Great Miami River, use our interactive map and trip planner. There are locations where you can fish from the riverbank, kayak, or motorboat. There is access for every age and ability.

So find your way to a fishing spot near you… on the Great Miami Riverway!

Great Miami Riverway Summer Challenge Starts June 1st!

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The Great Miami Riverway is more than just a river. This regional destination in southwest Ohio includes paved trails and connected communities where you can surf the river, cycle the bike trail, and find your way through charming downtowns. And they have just launched their free Summer Challenge. With dozens of activities perfect for the adventurer, the art lover, the aviation enthusiast, the foodie, the beer connoisseur, the paddler, and everyone else in between.

We challenge you to explore the Great Miami Riverway this summer, June 1 – August 31.The more you places you visit, the more chances you have to win prizes!

 

The challenge categories are:

Eat and Drink
Play Outside
Shop Local
Be Entertained
Explore

 

HOW TO PLAY
Download the Riverway App from the Apple App Store or Google Play, and create an account.
Choose an activity from the Summer Challenge and once completed, check that item off your list.
For extra chances to win, post a picture of your activities on social media with #riverwaychallenge.

PRIZES
Weekly prizes will be drawn from the participants who have completed activities that week. Weekly winners will be announced every Monday beginning June 7. Each weeks prize package worth $50-$100 in merchandise, certificates, and event tickets will be awarded. All winners will be notified by email.

To be eligible for the grand prizes, you must complete at least two activities in each category between June 1 and August 31. The grand prize winners will be chosen September 3, 2021.
Grand prizes include: A one-night stay in a floating tent on the Great Miami River at Float Troy and a meal at Smith’s Boathouse.

 

 

 

 

Four Parks with Plenty of Space.

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If you can, it is a good time to get outside, take a stroll, and clear your head. There is plenty of space for social distance in one of the many parks and the trails along the Great Miami Riverway. Here are four for you to visit next.

Search For The First Spring Wildflowers in Hamilton

About four miles northeast of the City of Hamilton’s pretty waterfront and historic downtown along SR 4, lies the MetroPark of Butler County’s Rentschler Forest MetroPark. The park includes over 400 acres of woodland where you can hunt for the first spring wildflowers of the year. The park also includes the Great Miami River, remnants of the old Miami-Erie Canal, a prehistoric Indian earthwork, a reconstructed wetland, and ample opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Motor Vehicle Permit Required. FREE to Butler County Residents. Non-Residents $5/daily or $10/annually.

Walk The Historic Dayton River Walk

Bird watching. People watching. Breath-taking skyline views. That is the Miami Conservancy District’s River Walk in the heart of downtown Dayton. The nearly 1.25-mile loop follows the levee tops on the south side of the river from Main Street to the Monument Avenue Bridge, across the bridge to Riverview Avenue, then back over the Main Street Bridge. River Walk users can begin their loop at several different points. They also can enjoy Five Rivers MetroParks’ River Run whitewater paddling feature from both river banks and from the Monument Avenue Bridge.

Look For Birds Returning From Their Winter Getaway in Miami County

Head north along the Great Miami River to the Miami County Park District’s Farrington Reserve Park near the City of Piqua. Farrington is 27 acres and plenty of wooded sections along the river for crucial habitat for wildlife and migrating birds.  There is a scenic waterfall! You can also hop on the Great Miami River Recreation Trail from their convenient parking lot.

Discover A Great Place To Relax Or Play – and a REALLY Big Rock in Sidney

Visit the City of Sidney’s Tawawa Park, which includes 220 acres of walking trails through beautiful woodland. Take your kids to the playgrounds to burn off some energy, or fish at Tawawa and Amos lakes. Make sure you take a selfie at the covered bridge or Big Rock!

From all of us here at the Great Miami Riverway: Please stay well, and Find Your Way….to a park or trail near you! For more places to get outdoors, visit our interactive Riverway Map.

Great Miami Riverway Smallmouth Bass Fishing Challenge

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The Great Miami Riverway and the National Association of Professional River Anglers (NAPRA) announce the first GREAT Smallmouth Bass Fishing Challenge to be held on the Great Miami River from June 1-30. This fishing event is a family-friendly, catch-and-release virtual tournament where anglers will utilize the I-Angler app to register and send in their catches.

The tournament is open to all ages. Registration is $25. Prizes will be awarded in three categories:

• Top Slam—the total length of your five largest smallmouth bass.
• Biggest smallmouth bass (in length).
• Biggest smallmouth bass (in length) for kids 12 and under (angler’s age on or before June 30).

The “top slam” winner will receive a $100 gift card while the other two winners will receive $50 gift cards.

The Great Miami River is Ohio’s best river for catching smallmouth bass, according to the number of smallmouth trophy fish registered on Ohio’s Fish Ohio database, the Ohio Department of Natural Resource program for recognizing significant catches for all species caught in Ohio waters.

For a complete list of rules, visit their website.

Tour de Way Launches Today!

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Tour de Way
Free passport program with 100+ locations

If you are looking for a One Tank Adventure, the Great Miami Riverway is making it even easier this summer through a free passport program offering over $3,000 in prizes.

 

Tour de Way, a #RiverwayGiveaway, is a new passport program from the Great Miami Riverway. Starting on May 4th and running through March 2020, Tour de Way lets you explore our region all year long with 100 locations perfect for the adventurer, the art lover, the aviation enthusiast, the beer connoisseur, and everyone else in between.

How it works:

  • Visit one of our tour locations and follow the instructions to find the QR code
  • Scan the QR code with your smartphone – for most smartphone users, QR code readers are now embedded into your native phone camera. Simply open your camera app and point it at the QR code to be directed to the website.
  • The first time you scan, you’ll need to create a Great Miami Riverway account so that your locations are saved
  • Every QR code you scan will be automatically saved in your account

That’s it!

Launch event: May 4, 2019; River Center in Middletown

Join us today at RiverCon or at Derby Day in The Oregon District  to scan your first code. 300 of you have already signed up – we look forward to following your adventures!

Miami University Regionals, Great Miami Riverway, and Metroparks of Butler County have joined Forces to showcase all the wonderful opportunities available near the Great Miami River Recreational Trail and to launch Tour de Way.

 

Keep an eye out on social media – temporary and pop up locations will be happening throughout the year and help you win amazing prizes like a SmithFly Shoal Tent or a bicycle from Spoken Bicycles!

More info: https://www.greatmiamiriverway.com/tour-de-way.php

 

Great Miami Riverway Coordinator Begins Job Today

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Elizabeth Connor begins today in the newly created position of Great Miami Riverway coordinator.

 

A partnership of 18 cities and agencies is working to promote the Great Miami Riverway from Sidney to Hamilton as a single destination. The Great Miami Riverway is more than just the river or the bike trail, it includes a rich diversity of unique river towns, abundant land and water recreation, arts, culture, historic destinations, programs, fun events and festivals.

This new position will focus on marketing, communication and placemaking to attract visitors to the Great Miami Riverway while actively pursuing diverse funding opportunities and additional partners. The partners believe these efforts will support economic development and strengthen river corridor neighborhoods.

Connor will be responsible for:

  • Developing a marketing and communication plan to attract visitors to the Riverway.
  • Promoting the cities, parks, events, places and attractions along the Riverway.
  • Facilitating a regional partnership to support placemaking in the Riverway.

 

Previously, Connor was owner and president of EWC Media, LLC. She also served as executive director of Lake County (Ohio) Historical Society and worked with the Lake County (Ohio) Visitors Bureau.

 

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in history from Northern Michigan University and a Master of Arts management degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

“We are excited by the experience and expertise that Elizabeth brings to MCD and are looking forward to promoting the Riverway with her guidance and enthusiasm,” says Janet Bly, MCD general manager.

 

As Riverway coordinator, Connor is an employee of the Miami Conservancy District (MCD). MCD is facilitating the Riverway effort on behalf of the partners.