# SW OH Muskies



## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

Left work early Friday and spent 4 hours on Caesar Creek. Water temps were down on the south end, 72-74 degs, from all the rain. Fished a couple of coves, had 2 follows and caught one nice bass.

Saturday spent 9 hours on Caesar with a friend's son. Had 2 more follows but no fish. Fished both the south end and all the way up the river (60 deg), around the small island north and under the bridge. It appears they are already dropping the lake.

Went further south to Cave Run Lake Sunday for about 4 hours (5 hour drive time). Word is that the Muskies are finally turning on but still somewhat sluggish. Again, water temps are down to the low-mid 70's (from the upper 80's). Water in the main lake is gin clear. The coves a bit more stained to muddy. No fish, no follows although I did have a short strike on a deep running bass crankbait.


----------



## TopRaider15 (Mar 10, 2015)

MuskyFan you ever have any luck throwing rubber on Ceasar, magnum dawgs or bondy's. Last fall I hit it hard and threw exclusively rubber on the main lake points and channel breaks...nothing to show for it. Staring to think I should be using blades over timber or phantoms over timber. Just looking to find the pattern


----------



## LEADOFFMAN (Aug 9, 2004)

I fished Alum for 5 hours today, 8am-1pm, cast for 1.5 trolled the rest and didn't see a musky! Water temp. was 67 in the am 70 when called it quits. Marked tons of fish at 20' to 25'. They just haven't moved up yet. 
Finished the day a Hoover and caught some nice white bass, 1 perch and a nice LM bass.


----------



## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

TopRaider15 said:


> MuskyFan you ever have any luck throwing rubber on Ceasar, magnum dawgs or bondy's. Last fall I hit it hard and threw exclusively rubber on the main lake points and channel breaks...nothing to show for it. Staring to think I should be using blades over timber or phantoms over timber. Just looking to find the pattern


Just starting this game. Threw a Bull Dawg in the back of coves a few times but didn't get anything up hung up. I have watched two other guys hook 'em on jerk baits. One got it in the boat, nice fish, the other lost it after it ran under the boat. Been throwing jerk baits a lot lately. All my follows have been on medium sized, deep running bass crank baits, shad colored. 3 of the 4 follows I missed were due to lack of attention and not 8'ing them. The 4th was a big fish that I saw coming but turned away before I could change the lure's path.


----------



## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

I've been out a few times the past couple weeks. Where the fish are one day seems to change a few later, at least for me. I normally fish pretty hard until I establish a pattern of some type and then put that on replay. Example, Monday fished first 5 hours nothing, last 3 hours of the day encountered 7 fish (mix of caught/lost/raised). One could say feeding window but that's a long window and has happened similar times until dialed in.

Rubber works at the right time but can be hard with all the timber unless you are open water or get used to fishing around the wood.


----------



## TopRaider15 (Mar 10, 2015)

Thanks for the info guys. I'll probably head there on Sunday morning and start with storm giant flatsticks near timber and see what happens. probably mix in some blade action too...they always seem to get a follow and as always 8 every cast. 

I would like to find an open water bite, bigger fish usually but not confident in finding bait pods worth casting. No ciscoes so I am at a loss when it comes to chasing open water bite down here.


----------



## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

If you are looking for the BIG fish wait until the water temp. drops to 50 degrees, usually after turnover. Sand or rock. Use Big baits!! They will be there.


Roscoe


----------



## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

River Muskies have been on up here in Columbus. 4 around/over 40" in the past few days.


----------



## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

From what I've read elsewhere, one of the better open water/trolling areas now has a marina sitting on top of it. Deep points and turns. Once I'm done with all the weddings, hurricane watching and schools for work I plan on hitting Caesars harder. Along with a couple of more trips to Cave Run. But my luck will have both lakes iced up by mid-Nov.


----------



## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

With the way the weather has been lately and the last few years you can probably get on there all year. I caught fish last January if I remember correctly. Never know though just have to wait and see.


----------



## Troy Dave (Jan 26, 2007)

Hit Caesars today from 9:30 to 3:30. Put in at Wellman and trolled the north or west shore from the visitors center ramp to the top of the island. Cast all around the island and then went back and cast to all the timber in the big cove west of the Furnas ramp. Then trolled from Furnas ramp up to the bridge. Moved to the east side and cast from the bridge, around inside and out the south end of the 73 cove. Went back down the lake and trolled from the point east of the pioneer village to Wellman ramp. Fished in water from 2ft to 40 ft and used solid cranks, jointed cranks, spinners and a bucktail. Water temp was around 62. Great weather, great day but no fish. I only try for musky a couple times in spring and a couple in the fall but this is getting old, a follow would at least keep it interesting. Going to wait a week or two and try one more time.


----------



## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Got to stay positive when pursuing musky. It's a tough fish to get anyway, but if you're not chasing them on a somewhat regular basis they can be really tough. When the water temps cool they develop shorter feeding windows and if you're aren't keyed into their location for that day it can be really tough to get into a good bite. The best guys get skunked on occasion.


----------



## TopRaider15 (Mar 10, 2015)

Troy Dave: If I were you I would focus on 3-4 spots the whole time. Casting the structure from many different angles and sometimes throwing out into open water off of the structure (works more often in pressured waters). Most importantly make sure youre figure 8ing every cast and make sure the 8's are wide. 

Trolling may help you cover water but you dont get to see follows, I catch most of mine on the 8. Furthermore focusing on 3-4 spots allows you to spend more time with your bait in prime musky area, as opposed to trolling over many areas that dont hold musky. Keep trying man, I've had plenty of droughts and even more misses while trying to break the drought.....but once you get that first one, well youll be hooked.


----------



## Troy Dave (Jan 26, 2007)

The 3 spots I was casting, spent close to an hour in each spot. I figure eight on almost every cast and I do cast out away from shore about every 10 casts. Was trolling to get to the casting spots. I caught 5 musky up in Wisconsin a couple years ago on a week trip. I'm just snake bit for Caesars Creek and Alum Creek.


----------



## TopRaider15 (Mar 10, 2015)

Troy Dave said:


> The 3 spots I was casting, spent close to an hour in each spot. I figure eight on almost every cast and I do cast out away from shore about every 10 casts. Was trolling to get to the casting spots. I caught 5 musky up in Wisconsin a couple years ago on a week trip. I'm just snake bit for Caesars Creek and Alum Creek.


Haha yea this ain't Wisconsin. Also pay attention to moon phases and time of day when you're in those spots. If it feels fishy set an alarm for moon rise/set/underfoot/overhead whichever is fishable while you're on the water. Windows can be short, again that's why I prefer to motor to a new spot instead of spending 15-10 minutes trolling because the windows can be that short! Keep at it!


----------



## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

I cast until the winds are too strong or it's just too dam cold to cast. Good idea though to troll a bait in the no wake zones or until you get to your spot. Next week should be real good if the weather is OK. Good Luck.


Roscoe


----------



## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

Two of us spent all day Friday (7:30-5:00) fishing for Muskie at CC. Only one follow but it was a huge fish. My friend missed it at the boat as it turned to grab the bait on a figure 8. Fished multiple locations and structure. Wind was far higher than predicted but too bad. Air temp made it to the low 70's and water temp was 56-57 degs just about everywhere. Hope to get back out the coming Friday.


----------

