# AEP Rec Land Info needed



## hornswaggled (Aug 20, 2006)

I was thinking about making a trip to AEP Rec land to fish for LM in mid September but have some questions. 
How accessable are the lakes and ponds? 
Can it be fished without a boat or float tube? 
Which areas offer the best fishing? 
Would I be better off going to Avondale or Conesville? 
Anything that you can tell me would be greatly apreciated.


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## Bherrick (Mar 15, 2006)

I'll send you a PM


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## DrCavin (Aug 24, 2006)

Bherrick said:


> I'll send you a PM


Could you send me the info as well, thinking of taking my kids here. Thanks in advance.


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

Here ya go, everything you want to know about it. 

http://www.aep.com/environmental/recreation/recland/default.htm


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## Minor (Dec 24, 2004)

FYI . . . have spent the last month exploring the different aep lands due to poor fishing at salt fork . . ..  . . . have found out a few things . . . 1. there are many ponds accessible right from the road or a mining road . . . 2. there are a ton of ponds that are only accessible by walking to or by 4 wheel drive . . . 3. curiosity kills the paint on a new truck (got a lot of waxing and buffing to do on my chevy, brush and trees suck on paint) . . . . 4. fishing has been good to us, numbers wise - alot of dinks, have only gotten one good sized fish (over 15") . . . but did catch 40+ last monday between five guys . . . all between 8 and 13" . . .all released to grow a bit bigger . .. . . . 5. wet weather = alot of mudding fun . . . 6. mudding fun leads to more paint and cleaning issues . . . 7. cleaning issues cut into fishing time . . . 8. so much to explore that it can be highly addictive, be warned . . .. 9. 1/2 day fishing trips, turn into full day trips. . . (these tend to make the wife irritated if you signed up for the half day event, trust me, and my partner in crime for that matter!!!) . . .10. If available to you, take a boat or float tube to get around the bigger ponds . . . and finally . . . 11. Think of excuses for going in advance because you'll be planning your next trip before you return home . .. . . . . edit post . . . Get a map better than what you can find on aep's webpage . . . it is terrible and will just irritate you . . . (if you find a good one, please pm me)


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Minor, not sure where you were 4 wheeling but if you are on AEP property and I see you, I will take your license number and turn it in. Also alot of trails and roads are posted no vehicles beyond this point. AEP closes roads due to people 4 wheeling on them. If you weren't on AEP property then please disregard my post.


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## bronzebackyac (Apr 19, 2005)

Watch out for Chop,I mean the AEPolice. Alot of the roads that are leading back to some of the ponds or just parallel to the main gravel roads are pretty muddy and do require fourwheel drive, mostly after a rain. I understand that you are wanting to protect an AWESOME resource like AEP, but you need to relax a little bit. Of course he was on AEP property, that is what his whole post was about.


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## squid_1 (Jun 2, 2005)

Was down there myself this past weekend. Was surprised when my kids said they saw some jeeps down at a pond we normally fish. Its well off any normal road and there are several no motor vehicle signs post at the normal walk in routes. I agree that this is going to ruin it for all. I also know for a fact that some of the newer gates are a result of muddin and trash. Also have seen quad trials in some of the wooded areas but that is probally from locals. Basically there is a lack of offical policing of Aep land and it is up to each and everyone of us (the people that use it on a regular basis) to patrol. If people could drive to all the ponds it wouldn't make the experience what is today.


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Bronzebackyac, I wouldn't call myself the AEPolice, good one by the way, but I do work for AEP. The biggest 2 complaints we have is trash and people mudding off the roads. I know after rains there are someplaces that you can get to legally and its muddy, but where I'm talking about is off the roads and on trails, either 4 wheelers or quads,which by the way are off limits everywhere off the main roads. I wish the place would be patrolled more, a lot of poaching goes on there.


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## Minor (Dec 24, 2004)

Didn't mean to cause anyone to get upset with my post . . . . but here are the facts . . . . was down after a rain and it was really muddy . . . all of the places we went, there were already trails and didn't blaze any new ones . . . nor did i tear up any trail worse than i found it . . . yes i did need the four wheel drive in multiple spots . . . . did not take a quad or ignore any posted signs . . . i live and work close to canton ohio . . . so four wheeling to me is getting off of paved road and going somewhere in my four wheel drive that i don't normally go . . . . be noted that the guys and myself that i went with, returned with more trash then we left with . . . . i absolutely hate people who leave their trash behind . . . . finally . . . if your going to trash my name online please pm me and get the facts first . . . when you assume . . .well you know the line . . . . i don't post online here all that often for this exact reason . . . . too many critics who are quick to jump on someone who doesn't have the same beliefs as them or those who are quick to judge before getting all of the facts. . .


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## FishThis (Sep 2, 2005)

Did you catch any fish??


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## 2talltim (May 27, 2004)

here is a spot i found my self in....we were exploring new areas...came up on several gates that were closed and many no veh. beyond this point signs...did not pass any signs or go around any gates but did find myself behind one of the gates after going down another path...after back tracing we took another look and there were NO signs...were we aloud anyone know?.....another quick question dose anyone know why the area around old camp ground Q is closed to vehicle traffic you are aloud to go back on foot but not car there are many nice roads back there... its the only area between rualdale and camp d you cant drive to i dont get it...also any updates on camp N as to what is going on?


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## pitdweller (Sep 16, 2004)

you must of come off the big hill off of coal hill road, by the old pan and end loader (gas line crossing)and ended up behind the gate above renrock,if so I wouldnt caught back there


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## 2talltim (May 27, 2004)

i know where you are talking about but thats not where i was...i got behind this gate and didnt even know i was till i come up on it from the other side and took a couple min. to figure out where the heck i was


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## 2talltim (May 27, 2004)

gettin back to the four wheeling iv found in recent trips that its worth walking a ways rather than spend $10 and a hour at the car wash


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## Bherrick (Mar 15, 2006)

It's really a gray area. Roads that are marked no vehicle access are just part of the equation. You have to go by the most current maps. Most blocked roads are simply gates into restricted areas. If you look at the most recent map, the area formally of Q is still a restricted zone. If your caught "walking" in restricted areas you can get into trouble, however not very likely since the areas are no longer "active", but driving into old mine areas is a no no for many safety reasons. The area formally know as Q is still under a contract with CONSOL. Reclaimed mines have to a have period of time to settle before they can be declared safe. The Q area has a few years under contract with the mine company, then who knows what will happen. I believe they will reopen it since it is a large camp and they are running out of good camp sites with a lake. The big problem is that maps are not produced fast enough to be really accurate about which areas are still restricted and which ones are not.

Sites N & D are not going to be opened until the lakes are drained and then who knows what they will have left for camping or even how long it will take to reopen them. The lakes will be GONE. N looks like this year only but we'll see, its suppose the become a "marshland" site. I have no idea what is in store for the former lake D, it was such a nice lake and one of the biggest in the area. When they are done with D & N, sites C & K might also be on the block since they are also built on earthen dams.(This is completely unconfirmed, please do not panic, just a possibility). They are taking out the lakes with earthen dams, because they no longer have the heavy equipment available to fix the dams since the mining is over, and they are afraid of the liability factor of a ruptured dam(blame katrina) The good news is that site L will be opening up either next year or the following year.

If you get a chance when your down there stop by Old Man's Money(aka quick exchage) on rt 78 north of Reinersville the AEP reps stop by there from time to time to give them maps and updates. The folks there are really nice and willing to share anything new. Plus they usually have a good bait. I was just down there this past weekend so these are the current updates.



2talltim said:


> here is a spot i found my self in....we were exploring new areas...came up on several gates that were closed and many no veh. beyond this point signs...did not pass any signs or go around any gates but did find myself behind one of the gates after going down another path...after back tracing we took another look and there were NO signs...were we aloud anyone know?.....another quick question dose anyone know why the area around old camp ground Q is closed to vehicle traffic you are aloud to go back on foot but not car there are many nice roads back there... its the only area between rualdale and camp d you cant drive to i dont get it...also any updates on camp N as to what is going on?


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## 2talltim (May 27, 2004)

last time i stoped by there the map a got was the same as the one i got 4 years ago witch has even the rualdale area restricted but ill try again next time im in the area...yea i was kind thinking the same thing about running out of camp areas where is the L area i am unfimiliar


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## pitdweller (Sep 16, 2004)

L or horse run as it was known is off of St Rt 83 about 3/4 mile north of 284. My wife caught a 5# largemouth on a rapala trolled behind the canoe in the middle of the lake in mid-afternoon, that was the last year it was open (1993).
Talking to an AEP official he said the CONSOL lease for Q (beaver run) is until 2010,mark your calendars now.
I will be there 10/6-10/12 to haras local largemouth population hopefully feeding for winter, may even slip over and catch a trout or two at Bluerock on the 11th.
GO BUCKS!


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## shroomhunter (Aug 6, 2004)

That Blue Rock is supposed to be a secret  I'll see ya there.


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## jeffgummy (Dec 13, 2004)

I think by all the discussion you can tell how important these lakes are to everyone. Whenever I am down there I here a lot of the old timers, and alot of them are worried by some of the changes down there. Oh well I'll keep going down there until they turn all the lakes into condos. I'll be down there the 6, 7 and 8th doing a mini float tube tourney with some of my buddies, maybe I'll see you down there. Jeff


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