March OCBS Membership Meeting
Emerald Necklace Marina Cafe Lakewood, OH
Thursday March 23, 2023
Speaker: Roger Hinchcliff, Steelhead Manifesto, Lamiglas Pro Staff and Fishing Author
Topic: Locating Steelhead in the River system

Roger Hincliff 11-16-2017

Back by popular demand, Roger Hinchcliff will be the speaker at our March 23, 2023 membership meeting. As a way of sharing his knowledge, Roger is a featured speaker, a popular blogger, rod designer for Lamiglas and the successful author of many published magazine articles. Roger also has several instructional videos on his YouTube Channel, Steelhead Manifesto.

Considered an authority on steelhead fishing, Roger loves to share his expertise with other anglers. He speaks more than 20 times per year, to crowds of 60-400 people, at fishing clubs and retail events. He is also a pro staffer and consultant for many fishing companies.

Roger now spends every weekend-10 months each year-chasing and catching steelhead in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Alaska, the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, and Michigan

 

Roger will make a presentation focused on helping OCBS members improve their ability to locate steelhead in the river systems.

Roger will break down reading water and locating steelhead throughout the seasons. He will also explore some basic fundamentals to help you become a better and more proficient angler.

Be sure to put this meeting on your calendar. You do not want to miss it.

April OCBS Membership Meeting
Firehouse Grille and Pub, Willoughby Hills, OH
Thursday April 20, 2023
Speaker: Jerry Darkes, Fly Fishing author and instructor
Topic: Fishing Lake Superior tributaries for Steelhead and coaster brook trout

Jerry Darkes 2017

Jerry with a beautiful male coaster brook trout in bright spawning colors 

Jerry with a dime bright wild steelhead caught on a Lake Superior tributary.

OCBS member, Jerry Darkes, is a fly tackle sales rep, instructor/guide, and writer based in northern OH. He has over 4 decades of fly fishing experience in both fresh and saltwater and is recognized as an expert on Great Lakes steelhead and warmwater fly fishing. Jerry was the first “fly fishing only” guide on Ohio’s Lake Erie tributaries and helped to pioneer many of the fly patterns and techniques used today. Recently, he has been most active in promoting fly fishing on the waters of the Great Lakes.

Jerry has authored numerous articles in a variety of publications and has recently had two books published: Fly fishing the Inland Oceans-An Angler’s Guide to Finding and Catching Fish in the Great Lakes and Fly Tyer’s Guide to Tying Essential flies for Bass and Panfish.

Jerry Darkes takes an annual trip to Bowman Island located on the north shore of Lake Superior in Ontario Canada to fish for huge coaster brook trout and wild steelhead.  

The northern Lake Superior tributaries and Bowman Island is one of the most beautiful and remote fishing destinations in the Great Lakes. Jerry has explored these pristine Lake Superior tributaries, Nipigon River system and Bowman Island in search of trophy coasters and wild steelhead. Jerry would like to share his adventures with fellow OCBS members at our April 20 meeting.

This will be a great meeting that you will not want to miss.

2nd Annual Ashtabula River Cleanup
Saturday April 15, 2023
Meet at Cedarquest Park at 8 AM

20th Annual Conneaut Creek Cleanup
Saturday May 6, 2023
Meet at CLO Ball Park at 8 AM

OCBS raised $4,600 for the Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund running the Barbie Tournament Raffle on April 2, 2022. Thanks to OCBS members John Beedlow, Jr, Larry Singleton, Tom Blotzer, Joe Moravec, Jim Berryman and John Beedlow, III for your fund raising efforts

OCBS Member Photos

OCBS "Members Only" David K. Esner memorial
Steelhead Fishing Tournament

2022 to 2023 OCBS Tournament Standings
As of March 12, 2023

2022-2023 OCBS “Members Only”
David K. Esner Memorial Tournament

Matt Hainzey with a beautiful 32 inch alpha male steelhead caught in the March 13, 2022 OCBS Tournament. Well done Matt!

This season’s OCBS Steelhead Tournament is dedicated to the memory of David K. Esner, a long-time Ohio Steelheader who passed away on May 6, 2018.

FISHING DATES:

November 6, 2022
November 27, 2022
December 18, 2022
March 12, 2023
March 26, 2023

Dave Esner - Always Our Friend

Our annual OCBS Steelhead Fishing tournament is for OCBS members only. If not a member, you are welcome to join OCBS in order to register for the tournament.

Members can register for this year’s tournament via mail using the registration form provided below or in person at one of our fall membership meetings.

All participants are required to fish with another OCBS member who is in the tournament and is responsible for verifying the length of each fish checked in.

Check in has been modified to permit members to call or text their catch to the Tournament Director.

Entry fee is $20.00 per participant.

Click here to print the 2022 to 2023 OCBS tournament registration form.

Be certain to read the tournament rules.

2021-2022 OCBS Championship Tournament Series
Winners

Adam Hillman, the OCBS 2021 – 2022 Steelhead Tournament winner releasing a huge, colored up buck. Congratulations Adam!

John Beedlow, Jr., second place winner in the 2021 – 2022 OCBS Steelhead Championship Fishing Series with a nice fall run Ohio steelhead.

Casey Smith, third place winner in the 2021 – 2022 OCBS Steelhead Tournament Series releasing a nice Fall run hen caught on an Ohio Tributary.

THANKS to our OCBS Sponsors!

THANKS to our OCBS Sponsors!