# Salt Fork - 5/7, 5/8, 5/9



## starcraft36 (Feb 16, 2005)

Any information regarding the crappie, saugeye, or muskie? I plan to fish all 3 days that weekend and wondered if anyone had any reports to help me out. Would like to fish for some crappie, cast for some skis if I feel like I need a workout, and jig for some saugeye. Any information would be appreciated.


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## stekzus (Mar 26, 2008)

Was there sunday morning from 6:30 to 8:30 caught 15 keeper crappie biggest being 12 inches..quite a few small ones..also caught 2 saugeyes 15& 16 inches ....all were taken 3 feet below a bobber with minnow


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## SouthernPro (Oct 8, 2009)

Fished Friday and the tournament Sat. Friday we caught over 200 crappie but only two were over 11 inches. The males were on the rocks all black and you literally caught them on every cast. Sat. in the tournament we weighed a 6.55# bag with a 1.3, 1.2 and a 1.1. Could not get rid of the two 8 ouncers we had so we ended up 5th. First place was 7.3# with a 1.75 big fish, which was caught on my starting spot...lol. 
Fished ice bobbers and 1/48 oz. heads with Southern Pro Pro Stingers in yellow/white/chart. and black/red/chart. Really though you could have thrown anything and caught small fish all day. One thing I did find is the females we caught were already spawned out with no eggs. We fished the river all day like everyone else. The females were on laydowns and you had to sort through the small ones to get one. Depth was 18" in the back of the river and 20" to 6' in the mouth. Water temp was 64.


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## starcraft36 (Feb 16, 2005)

When you say "river" what exactly do you mean, sorry I do not fish Salt Fork a ton.


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## starcraft36 (Feb 16, 2005)

stekzus said:


> Was there sunday morning from 6:30 to 8:30 caught 15 keeper crappie biggest being 12 inches..quite a few small ones..also caught 2 saugeyes 15& 16 inches ....all were taken 3 feet below a bobber with minnow


So on shore and structure, or off the shoreline? Any idea of depth of water to be looking for?


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## BrianSipe17 (Aug 5, 2006)

Hit the wood in the bays and you should be OK. Salt Fork outdoors sells maps that show where the DNR sunk pine trees. Wherever there are sunken piles, look for an orange dot painted on a tree along shore. The piles are generally straight out from them.


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## SouthernPro (Oct 8, 2009)

starcraft36 said:


> When you say "river" what exactly do you mean, sorry I do not fish Salt Fork a ton.


The river is located on the North side of the lake. You can put in at the ramp North of the dam and run up to the no wake zone. The marker buoys have not beenn moved yet and are in the wrong spot as of now. Stay to the right and look for the bridge. Go under the bridge and there will be a marker buoy stating "Warning Stump Field" If you don't know where to go, I suggest using your trolling motor from the buoy on. Stay near the middle but watch out for the clumped stump fields barely visible. There is an old foundation on the right where you will take out your lower unit, about 150 yards past the bridge on the right. 
Fish any of the stumps in about 6 feet of water in the mouth. If you go further up the river it is only 2 feet deep there or less and muddy but that's where the females were. You will catch more fish in the mouth and bigger fish the further back you go. 
As for the map at the bait store, it is a good map BUT he shows that to everyone and always says there are big fish in those spots...lol. Go online and print a free PDF Fishing map, it's all you need. When you get up the river locate the lay downs for the better fish. 
Let us know how you do and good luck!!!


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## starcraft36 (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks guys for all the help. I appreciate it and will let you know how I do after!


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## starcraft36 (Feb 16, 2005)

SouthernPro said:


> The river is located on the North side of the lake. You can put in at the ramp North of the dam and run up to the no wake zone. The marker buoys have not beenn moved yet and are in the wrong spot as of now. Stay to the right and look for the bridge. Go under the bridge and there will be a marker buoy stating "Warning Stump Field" If you don't know where to go, I suggest using your trolling motor from the buoy on. Stay near the middle but watch out for the clumped stump fields barely visible. There is an old foundation on the right where you will take out your lower unit, about 150 yards past the bridge on the right.
> Fish any of the stumps in about 6 feet of water in the mouth. If you go further up the river it is only 2 feet deep there or less and muddy but that's where the females were. You will catch more fish in the mouth and bigger fish the further back you go.
> As for the map at the bait store, it is a good map BUT he shows that to everyone and always says there are big fish in those spots...lol. Go online and print a free PDF Fishing map, it's all you need. When you get up the river locate the lay downs for the better fish.
> Let us know how you do and good luck!!!


Just to check, you mean the North fork as in sugartree marina side, not the west fork with the Salt Fork marina correct?


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## SouthernPro (Oct 8, 2009)

Really not sure of the names but if go past the last boat ramp on the left, the no wake zone starts at the second point on the left. Take the arm to the right and it winds left, right then left again. You will see the bridge ahead. The river is not near any marinas.


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## Tiny Tim (Sep 19, 2006)

He is talking the Sugartree arm of the lake. The bridge he is talking about is the main road that runs thru the park. When you go under the bridge you are in what is known as the covered bridge area. The foundation he spoke of if where the old covered bridge stood until if fell apart several years ago.


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## SouthernPro (Oct 8, 2009)

Here is a picture of the big fish from last weeks BCC tournament caught by TJ Harper and his partner Louie Fry. This was caught in the covered bridge area. Good job guys!!! It weighed 1.75#


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## BrianSipe17 (Aug 5, 2006)

Caught this 14 incher this weekend in a bay (on Southern Pro stinger in white/chartreuse).


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## SouthernPro (Oct 8, 2009)

Way to go Brian!!! I see you threw some Stingers...lol. Nice fish!!!


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## BrianSipe17 (Aug 5, 2006)

SouthernPro said:


> Way to go Brian!!! I see you threw some Stingers...lol. Nice fish!!!


I use a lot of homemade jigs and spoons. However, when flipping into a laydown, those stingers on a light tube jig are great (the tube jig was home poured by Jigtwins, though!). I nailed like 5 or 6 in a row on that tube. Pink/white is my favorite!


Nice work on the sitnger SouthernPro!


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## starcraft36 (Feb 16, 2005)

Any advice on where to try for some saugeyes this weekend?

Never caught 1 down there before!


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## BrianSipe17 (Aug 5, 2006)

I would say cabin bay or troll by the dam.


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## starcraft36 (Feb 16, 2005)

I was able to catch a lot of crappie they were just all around 6-10. I did not manage to catch any back in the stumps and shallow water. 

Cause of the weather I opted out of fishing today. I am headed back tomorrow. Think I might just spend the day casting for musky/bass.


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