Ohio Outdoors in Miami County
June 4, 2026
In honor of America’s 250th birthday, America 250 Ohio has set monthly themes to help celebrate the many accomplishments of Ohioans and everything Ohio has contributed to the country. March’s theme is Ohio Outdoors: Exploring Ohio’s Natural Resources, and Miami County is very fortunate to have many beautiful natural resources, especially the Great Miami River and Stillwater River.
Did you know that Ohio is ranked number ten in the United States for fishing? Access to a large variety of lakes and rivers makes Ohio a great place to fish and Miami County’s rivers are perfect for fishing. The Great Miami River is known for small mouth bass fishing, being number one in the Ohio River System for trophy sized small mouth bass. It’s not just small mouth bass in the Great Miami, the river is home to over 100 different species of fish. The Stillwater River runs through the west side of Miami County and was designated as Ohio’s 8th scenic river in 1975. Like the Great Miami, the Stillwater River is great for smallmouth bass fishing and is also home to over 59 fish species and a variety of waterfowl and songbirds like the great blue heron and wood ducks.
Try your hand at fly fishing, drop your kayak in, or just fish off the shore. Remember to get your Ohio fishing license before your river fishing adventure. Don’t have a license? The Miami County Park District does not require a license when fishing in ponds at parks such as Garbry Big Woods, Maple Ridge Reserve, Twin Arch Reserve, and Stillwater Prairie Reserve.
A great way to explore the reivers is to take a kayak or canoe! You can drop your own in at one of the many kayak put ins along the river, or rent one. To explore the Great Miami River, visit Adventures on The Great Miami . To explore the Stillwater, check out Barefoot Canoe! Both will supply you with everything you need for a great trip down the river, they’ll even transport the canoes for you. Check both of their websites and facebook pages for updated hours and information.
Click HERE for more ideas to explore Miami County’s great outdoor recreation and activities!