The Mad River Chapter is an active group with a main focus to study, protect and restore the Mad River, the principal trout stream of Ohio. The group also has an interest in all of Ohio’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. We are not into having a lot of meetings, we fish and we work on the Mad.

The main themes of Trout Unlimited are - Protect, Reconnect, Restore and Sustain. Our Chapter projects act upon these themes.

We had a very productive year with our projects. In 2013 we more than doubled the number of schools involved in Trout in the Classroom, reconnecting students to their watershed. We have developed an active Project Healing Waters group with Ohio Veterans. We continue to Monitor the Mad and learn about the aquatic insects that form the base of the food chain for trout.

Over the years we have conducted in-stream habitat improvement projects to restore the Mad River to a more natural state. In 2014, we completed section 1 of our work restoring two sites below Pimtown Road.

For further deatils please the 2014 Accomplishments.

Take a look. Check our calendar for the upcoming activities in 2014. If you like what you see, join us! and become a member of TU group 477 (Madmen). We will welcome your friendship and help. Do something good for trout and the environment!

Protect

- Continued our supported watershed protection in coordination with the Mad River Watershed Joint Board and Advisory Group as well as the Scenic Mad River Committee (SMRC).

- Also continued supported for ODNR’s 4 year Ohio Brown Trout Study.

- Conducted 4 stream monitoring events at 6 locations within the Mad River Watershed, with some of the best scores to date!

- Stream clean-ups / Adopt-a-Bridge programs.

- Continued involvement with national TU workgroups in an effort to protect cold water fisheries.

Reconnect

- Continue to work on establishing ground water monitoring in the Mad River watershed.

- Continue to evaluate opportunities to protect Mad River headwaters and potential spawning areas.

Restore

- Removed log jam upstream of the Pimtown Road Bridge; logs are being used to create in-stream habitat downstream.

- Received plan approval and began "In-stream Habitat Improvement Project" on over 400 feet of river below Pimtown Road Bridge.

- Planted willow cuttings at State Route 36

Sustain

- Assisted in establishing the "Trout in the Classroom" program in the Benjamin Logan School District as well as adding Graham and West Liberty-Salem School Districts for 2012-2013.

- Helped sponsor screening of CONNECT in Columbus with all proceeds going to Casting For Recovery (CFR).

- Helped sponsor the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) in Columbus with all proceeds going to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF).

- Currently working to establish PHWFF with the Columbus VA.

- Assisted in the PHWFF event at ODNR’s Castalia Hatchery. (Watch the Video Clip)

- Held a Stream Team Workshop in Urbana in cooperation with The Miami Conservancy District.

- Worked with Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and students in both Champaign and Logan Counties.

- Supported and coordinated with other Ohio TU Chapters, fly fishing clubs and conservation groups and organizations.

We are always looking for new members. If you interested, you can find additional information and sign up on the
Trout Unlimited website. Be sure to use chapter #477 - Mad River Chapter when you join.

Teen/Youth - Read about the TU Teen membership levels. If you're interested, youth can join or renew at special price levels.
There's even a level for kids 12 and under to join or renew.