# AEP past weekend



## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

Got down to Campsite C around 6:30 on thursday night and got set up. There was no rain but it was muddy. The next morning we got up and got out the tubes and went fishing. Caught some small bass in some of the ponds around Campsite C and came back for some lunch. We put our waders back on drove up the road and went exploring. We found a small pond and on the first three casts I caught 1 1/2#, 2# and a 3 1/2#er  on a black top and red bottem Senko fished like a jerkbait. Threw a couple of more times and nothing so I put on a 7 inch black lizard with blue flakes with bullet weight and worked it pretty fast across bottem. Ended up catching about 12 bass out of this small pond and went to catching some huge gills and redears. On Saturday we took two other friend down there and caught a combined 50 including bass, gills and catfish. This pond was only 40 yards across and about 30 yards across the other way. My best friend that hasn't fished in 15years caught fish all day and can't wait to go back. It rained off and on but was a wonderful time. I'll be back soon. I think I saw Rooster with his kayak in a blue jeep but wasn't for sure. Was that you Rooster???


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## juniormintz (Apr 11, 2004)

Why do you have to tell me such good news! I don't get to go for another week and im going insane! Thats an awesome weekend junky glad to hear that those pesky bucketmouths are hungry. Nice work.


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## sgofish (Apr 12, 2004)

The weather should be breaking enough this week to make next week, all week, really good for the fish. Glad to hear that the bass are moving and the bull 'gills are around. If there is no more rain, the gates should be open to some of the bigger ponds. See you there!


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Yea, that was me, we ended up at Campsite C. I wish that you would have stopped byI would have like to fish that pond! LOL


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## basser33 (Apr 19, 2005)

was this little pond a beaver pond? I know of a pond around there that has some fish like that in there.


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

It could've been a beaver pond but did'nt see the beaver or his home. It's pretty close to campsite C.


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## got_a_buzz_on (Mar 17, 2005)

i hope you werent the guys carrying the stringer of 10" bass around. if you are your dam lucky that i was in a descent mood saturday and didnt decide to lecture and take your fish from you. but if it wasnt you good fishing. gils were kinda sickening saturday too werent they.

GABO


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Actually, removing 10 bass is a good idea in many of the AEP ponds. So, you may just have gotten a lecture back for NOT killing the small bass. Many of the ponds have signs indicating that all fish below the slot limit should be removed. I cannot bring myself to kill the small bass (or any bass), but it is probably the best approach to balance the fish population.


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## got_a_buzz_on (Mar 17, 2005)

and also illegal in the AEP ponds. maybe some of us should just learn to follow the rules. as far as i know most ppl here arent fishery bios so i dont think that we "know" as much as we think. use your head how can you tell the difference between a stunted bass and a young bass. put it on the stinger next time i wont be in a nice mood then we can play. 

not tryin to be an ahole rooster.......but i dont think you really know what is best for all the ponds down there. nor do i. but taking 6 10" bass out of there probably isnt the best thing in the world. how bout taking so of the big gils that are down there. its just sickening to see what some ppl do.

GABO


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Im not claiming to know what is best for the AEP ponds. There are ODNR signs at many of the ponds that indicate that all bass below the slot (usually 12-15) should be removed. The people that do NOT remove the bass (including myself) are doing much more harm than the people that are removing the fish below the slot limit.

There are many ponds that do not have the signs, but for the ponds that do.those are the rules.

My point is, Im 100% C&R, but in this case, it is probably NOT the best practice.


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## got_a_buzz_on (Mar 17, 2005)

points were taken, and i agree......but the pond i was at did NOT have a sign. and the guys wouldnt know conservation if i spelled it for them real slow.

GABO


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

I'll STRONGLY agree with Rooster that sometimes you have to take some of the smaller bass 10 inches and less out of a pond. If not the population gets too large and it will be hard for the larger bass to keep growing with lots of competition. I have personally done this on a few farm ponds and it works. I kept around ten small bass out of a local pond and found that I was able to catch bigger fish more often. Besides keeping a few 10 inch bass from the ponds that are marked at AEP would sure top off a good fishing day!


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

gils were kinda sickening saturday too werent they.

What do ya mean by that?


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

got a buzz on, It was'nt me you saw with those bass. I have never taken a bass out of it's home water. Maybe next time instead of excusing and saying that you where in a decent mood, you should know who your talking to first. Please don't disrespect me untill you've met me. I don't keep bass. Maybe the occasional bluegill to have for dinner but not bass. Now to answer your question I did see a father and son in a full size pickup with a stinger full of what looked like bass and bluegill and he was trying to hide them from me and my buddie when we pulled up to ask him if they caught anything. Maybe sometime when I'm down there Buzz we can get together, have a adult beverage and talk and maybe do some fishing. I should be back down there May 20, 21,22. Let me know and well get together.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

A 10" bass would have as much meat to them as a 10" crappie or gill. I am not advocating that keeping the small fish is always best either but if the ODNR recognizes the need for it then it is probably warranted because as you said they are fish biologists. I would imagine that this practice of allowing these fish to be kept is only a short term situation to reduce the number of small fish. In a small body of water such as those ponds they will have to keep a close eye on the condition over time because you could overdo it in a small pond in a hurry. But I imagine they do monitor the lakes closely. But as Rooster said, if you want to catch some hawgs then removal of those small ones will be a very good means of doing so.

I have a friend who has a farm pond that has a ton of bass in it and I have been trying to convince him for a few years to take some of the smaller ones out to lessen the stunting that is occurring. He has not bought in to the theory yet either.


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## got_a_buzz_on (Mar 17, 2005)

big and plentiful(the kind that you see me catching and it would make you sick that you werent.....  )

GABO


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

You can fillet 10" bass and eat them, I fillet bluegills all the time that are smaller than that. A friend of mine had a pond and wanted to get rid of a bunch of small bass so over a weekend we probably kept and ate 20 or so while camping there. I dont really eat bass very much cause I like bluegill better, come to think of it I have not ate a bass for years.


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## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

yep GABO, that make me sick. I love catching them big gills over there with my ultralight.


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

Sorry GABO. I agree with everything your saying. To be honest I did only read half way through and I apologize for that.


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## got_a_buzz_on (Mar 17, 2005)

no need to apologize to me. i knew what happend. and sometimes i dont agree with me on everything!!!!  

GABO


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## gonefishin' (Apr 14, 2004)

got_a_buzz_on said:


> i hope you werent the guys carrying the stringer of 10" bass around. if you are your dam lucky that i was in a descent mood saturday and didnt decide to lecture and take your fish from you. but if it wasnt you good fishing. gils were kinda sickening saturday too werent they.
> 
> GABO


I'm sorry, but, I missed the death that put you in charge. Is there a size limit down there? Do we all have to be like you? Please ,tell me no!


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

There is a 15 inch size limit but got a buzz does have a anger managment problem like most of us when we see someone carrying around a stinger full a bass that arn't 15inchs. I even get mad if there carrying around 15inchers but thats just me.


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## jeffgummy (Dec 13, 2004)

I don't keep any bass period, but I was under the impression that only certain lakes had the slot limits. Am I totally wrong about that? I know some of the old timers down there keep bass all sizes.

Gummy


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## got_a_buzz_on (Mar 17, 2005)

gonefishin you need to read the paper more and you need to read some of your local rules and regs. i love it when ppl tell you you dont know what your doing...................and then they are wrong. 

im just saying if Joe Blow takes out fish you take out fish i take out fish.......hmmmmm........i understand that it is a renewable resource, but it can only renew so much. yes there are some lakes down there with too many fish. but there are also lakes that seem to be doing well. follks that fish down there dont care (for the most part) about the next generation of ppl fishing. they just want to catch fish and have a good time. if they keep up half of what they are doing then there might not be too many fish for them to catch. 

besides how many private lakes do you know of that have many fish game fish in them that allow you to take out 10" bass.

GABO


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Only certain lakes have a slot limit (they are posted with ODNR signs).

The Daily limit is 5, and there is NO size limit for largemouth in the sate of Ohio. However, certain bodies of water do have special regulations. Im not sure about the daily limit from lakes with a slot limit. That is, if the ODNR wants us to keep all bass under the slot, I presume that there is no daily limit? If anyone knows the regulation on this please post!

I used to get angry when I saw someone with a stringer of small bass. After some research, I now realize that they are actually more beneficial to the fishing than my practice of 100% C&R (in the slot limit lakes).

I now only get angry when I see people keep the larger fish! I returned the 5.1lber below to one of the larger lakes, and hope to catch her again next year! I would love to see regulations in place that would protect the larger bass!


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## got_a_buzz_on (Mar 17, 2005)

Rooster.....might i say one helluva fish there. 

ill go along with what your saying too.

GABO


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## shroomhunter (Aug 6, 2004)

Filet of 10" Bass
1/4 Cup Breadcrumbs
1/2 Cup Flour
Dash of Lowrys seasoned salt
Hot oil in a cast iron skillet
Side order of butter fried morels!
Ice cold Lager
MMMMMM!!!!  

I'd much rather see a guy with a stringer of legal 10" bass than a guy with a stringer of 5 pound or larger females headed for the hot oil!!!

If a guy/gal spends $20 on a license and follows the limits set forth by the ODNR, they are within their legal rights to keep what they catch! Period!!
Everything else is a matter of personal opinion.
Most of the time I C&R, sometimes I catch and keep to eat.


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

Well said Mushroomman. Sorry I could'nt get your boat back for ya. I think I'm going back down May 20th and if it's still there I'll try to pack lighter. I agree hole heartly with what rooster said also.


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## Hatchetman (Apr 13, 2004)

Rooster, the size limit for bass is 12" on all PUBLIC lakes that the DNR has control over unless posted otherwise, such as Salt Fork 15", Highlandtown kas a slot limit etc. These are listed in the regs. The limit stays the same wether they are small or big. 
I also agree with Mushroom man that most of the time I release my bass but once in a while I will keep a couple for supper. I'm 61 and have tourny fished for 30yrs and fun fished all my life and not bragging, but I have released more bass than a lot of people will ever catch. So if Buz should see me walking out with a few bass and chooses to "chew me out" and then TRY take my fish, it could as Elmer Fudd says, get vawy vawy interesting....H/M


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Hatchetman said:


> Rooster, the size limit for bass is 12" on all PUBLIC lakes that the DNR has control over unless posted otherwise, such as Salt Fork 15",


 Are you sure about that? Here is what the fishing regulations say about all waters not listed with specific regulations.

REMAINDER OF THE STATE Regulations for the Remainder of the State These regulations apply to all water areas NOT included in the Lake Erie and its Tributaries, Site-Specific, Ohio River, or Pymatuning Lake regulation sections.









​ 

As you can see it does not list a minimum size for any of those species. I recognize that most of those species carry size limits on many of the waters that they are in but I did not see the AEP listed as site specific other than the slot limit.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Do you have a link to the regulation that states that there is a 12 size limit on bass? I looked through the state regulations, and was not able to find any (state wide) minimum size limit. Thanks!

oops....I was too slow again!


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

Largemouth Bass - Largemouth bass are present in nearly every impoundment. The abundance of quality is extremely variable among the numerous ponds. Several 20" and larger largemouth bass were caught during the 1998 angler survey. Bass anglers were most successful in 2003 using small spinners and various spinnerbaits that would include purple Bass-Stoppers and Mepp's. Fish up to 6.5 lb. were reported. Spring electrofishing surveys conducted in 1999 confirmed the presence of quality largemouth bass in some ponds. A 12-15-inch slot length limit was imposed for the 2002-angling season on selected ponds . Refer to the Fishing Digest for site specific information concerning regulations. OUTLOOK - EXCELLENT 


This was on the dnr web site talking about AEP. As it says, there was a 12-15-inch slot length limit was inposed for the 2002 angling season on selected ponds. So it does'nt look like there is any slot limit now because of how well the bass are reproducing. I'm not saying I'm going to take bass out of any lake now and I would'nt say anything to anyone that does. Its your own choice and is a free country. More power to you. I don't have anything againist the people that do i guess. But as for me I'll stick to eating gills and crappie.


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## Hatchetman (Apr 13, 2004)

I forgot to say if the impoundment is 500 or more acres, the size limit is 12" unless there is a slot limit. The daily limit is the same wether you keep small or large fish. I believe Knox Lake up by Mt. Vernon has a 16" or 18" limit, at least I know it's longer than 15"....


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Hatchetman, where do the regulations stipulate that the size limit for largemouth bass is 12 in impoundments over 500 acres? Not that I doubt your statement, I just cannot verify it. Thanks!

Fishjunky, I read the regulations to mean that the slot limit was started in 2002, and is still in effect. Now, Im not too sure. I emailed the ODNR, and hopefully they can clarify the regulations.

None of the regulations will ever effect me directly (100% C&R), but others may need to know the rules.


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## Alter (Apr 8, 2004)

Rooster the slot limit is still in effect for several ponds at AEP. The DNR can tell you which ones (NB 40 and NB 41 are the ones I'm sure of). On the AEP ponds with a slot limit (as well as the other slot limit lakes in Ohio) there is still a 5 fish bag limit. I know that seems a bit strange since the idea is to cull the little ones and improve the population structure but I think the bag limit is to control the rate of culling so that too many of the smaller fish aren't removed before the DNR can react and change the limit.

There is technically no all-encompasing size limit on bass in Ohio. No 12" limit for bass in lakes over 500 acres actually exists. *But * I can't think of a lake in Ohio that isn't covered by a slot, 12", 14", 15" or 18" limit. The only place I've fished in Ohio without a size limit on bass is parts of the Ohio River (obviously not a lake  )

Steve


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Stonelick Lake & East Fork Lake down here in the SW section has no slot or size limits on bass.... CATKING....


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

I'm with you Rooster. Let us know what DNR says.


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## Alter (Apr 8, 2004)

> Stonelick Lake & East Fork Lake down here in the SW section has no slot or size limits on bass.... CATKING....


Hmmm, I'm pretty sure East Fork's got a 12" limit on LM, SM and even spotted bass. I'm actually almost positive about this one. I don't have a copy of this year fishing regs around though.

Edit: I thought of a couple of lakes other than Stonelick that don't have limits that I know of. Lake Logan down in SE Ohio doesn't have a limit I don't think, nor does Lake White. I'm not sure about Lake White but I'm sure Logan had no limit last time I checked. All of these lakes are under the "500 acre limit" the guy was talking about earlier though.

Of course many/most of the river systems in Ohio don't have a size limit on bass.

Steve


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## Tee (Apr 5, 2004)

These are the site specific regs....


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

You beat me to it Tee. I just found the same thing. At least that question is answered and to think it was in something we all should have the 2005-2006 Fishing Regulations panphet.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

So I believe we agreed that there was no minimum size limit in the AEP Recreation Lands? That is for anything below the 12"-15" slot. However, I am not advocating keeping those small ones in amy lakes other than ones that the DNR promotes small fish harvest.

Alter hit on most of hte areas that would fall outside of the specific regulations and thus carry no minimum size. As he said many of the Ohio streams and non-specific in the regulation. There are also many city impoundments and reservoirs that would fall into that category although even some of those are listed in site-specific. Like Fish Junky said it is in the fishing regulations pamphlet. It is a good idea to carry a copy of this in your tackle box.


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## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

If you look a little closer ponds MD40, MB41,MB42,MM29,MM34 and NB43 have a slot limit. You cannot take a LM mouth out of those lakes and ponds between 12 and 15inchs. But other than those it's free game.


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## Hatchetman (Apr 13, 2004)

Again, the regulations listed are for waters that the ODNR has enforcement over through ownership or agreement with the owners of the water, such as the MWCD. The ODNR just signed a new agreement with them last year. For almost a year there was no agreement due to some sort of squabble and the ODNR legally could not take any enforcemnt action on the MWCD properties. I found this out due to a run in with a home owner above Piedmont Lake in 2003 who felt that since he could hear me squirrel hunting on land that was posted as public hunting, he tried to run me off. I contacted a game warden and that's when I found out they legally couldn't do anything about the guy harassing me. Shortly after that the new agreement was signed. 
I think Rooster, that we agree that we should all go by what we think is right, but what I don't like is for someone to try and force their views on someone else and I know you aren't trying to do that. I've seen people post on here that you could just tell they were so proud of the fish they caught and posted a picture and here come the negative post like the guy's an ax murderer or something
As someone out in Los Angeles said a few years back..."Can't we all just get along?"
That's it from me guy's, I'm heading for Kentucky Lake in the morning for a week of Crappie and Bass fishing....Later....H/M


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