The Madmen monitor the Mad River four times a year at six different locations:

We work with students from local schools, Boy Scout Troups and members of local fishing clubs, such as Central Ohio Fly Fishers (COFF), Buckeye United Fly Fishers (BUFF) and Miami Valley Fly Fishers (MVFF). The picture above shows a class of students from West Liberty/Salem, their Science teacher, Carrie Smith (left) and Madmen, COFF and BUFF members behind. October 20, 2013.

The Mad River always scores in the "Excellent" range by the Level 1 criteria for aquatic macroinvertebrates at all locations. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Mad has the best cold water habitat for trout in Ohio.

We find a number of interesting aquatic macroinvertebrates in the Mad. The following pictures show a few of these with their common and scientific names. All of these are larval forms found in the Mad River. All of these are shown here at about 10-times their real size, unless otherwise indicated.

OTHER MACROINVERTIBRATES AND FISH

See if you can identify the creatures in these monitoring photos:
photo #1.
photo #2.
photo #3.

A complete Ohio EPA list of aquatic macroinvertebrates found in the Mad River, with a few that we have found can be viewed here.

Check out a sample identification sheet.  [pdf format]

As well as a sample of the monitoring scoring sheet.

Check out a website dedicated to Ohio stoneflies created by our own Don Dean - http://www.ohiostoneflies.org

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.