# Question about fishing the Ohio River?



## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

I live south of Indianapolis and looking at fishing for walleye, saugeye, and/or sauger on the Ohio river. Any suggestions on where to go? I'm willing to travel as far east as Portsmouth Ohio and on down stream from there.

I also just bought 2 hand lining reels and would like to try them out. Anybody here tried that on the Ohio?


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## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

Check some of the recent reports. Looks good most places.


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## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

Daveo76, I guess I should have mentioned I've never been on the Ohio. I don't know "most places". I have a 21' boat with alot of goodies on it though.


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## Mosey (Oct 31, 2010)

Meldahl dam would be a good place to start. You can put in at the little town on Neville on st.rt. 52 and motor about a mile upstream to the dam. It's been a little slow for me lately for sauger.


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## burt (Aug 22, 2010)

chflnghair said:


> I live south of Indianapolis and looking at fishing for walleye, saugeye, and/or sauger on the Ohio river. Any suggestions on where to go? I'm willing to travel as far east as Portsmouth Ohio and on down stream from there.
> 
> I also just bought 2 hand lining reels and would like to try them out. Anybody here tried that on the Ohio?[/QUOTE. Try this map on some locations to look at http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ohrfc/ also go to the ky game and fish website in the fishing and go to where to fish and then click on boating and fishing access and you will get a list of things in key and click on the three Ohio river portions and look for a list of ramps in Ohio ky and Indy.


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## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

chflnghair said:


> Daveo76, I guess I should have mentioned I've never been on the Ohio. I don't know "most places". I have a 21' boat with alot of goodies on it though.


Yeah, sorry about that. Doesn't help much to look at the posts and not know where anything is. I fish Greenup dam and it's about 15 miles east of Portsmouth and would say that's a good starting point to work yourself back to the west. Marked well and on State Rte 52. PM me if you need more details.


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## jastew (Nov 18, 2011)

I don't know the Louisville area but from things I've read they have great sauger fishing. That's much closer to you. You could try the Ky board on Fishin.com. 
I don't think you're gonna find a good shot at walleye unless you go a lot further up the river


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## Doctor (Apr 5, 2004)

if your south of Indy you have several choices, you can go to Madison, In. which is 90 miles or Lawrenceburg, In which is 98 miles or Louisville Ky which is 115 miles plenty of creek mouths in all those areas, All three areas have active powerplants on the river which makes it better for you, I know of plenty of guys that fish below the dam area in Louisville launching out of New Albany In. they can go up river towards the dam or down river to two powerplants, we have caught a ton of those things below Louisville fishing for Blues and Flatheads.

My buddy Steve Douglas put out a video about fishing below Louisville check it out.





 
Doc


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## jastew (Nov 18, 2011)

Nice video, thanks. I would add spoons and blade baits are also good early in the winter.

Seems to me as the winter goes on, slower presentations work better. Especially when the water gets to 40 and below. Jigs with a curly tail or a minnow replica work well, with a sloooow retrieve. Sometimes a minnow on or near the bottom is the only way to go.

If they're hitting good, forget the minnow.


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## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

I really like the info I'm getting here! Thanks to all of you. That video was awesome as well. Still one question is still left out there and that is the hand lining question. Has anybody tried this on the Ohio? If not I will when I get a chance. I know it's a hot way to go on the Detriot and Illinois Rivers. I also know of a guy who uses this method on the TVA system down south with pretty good results. He says he gets alot of weird looks from the locals when he's hand lining there. He claims he usually limits out when he uses that method. His last time there was just after New Years.

Thanks again to all here.


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

chflnghair said:


> Thanks again to all here.
> 
> Welcome! Your in good hands down there,,, ditto on the info.
> 
> ...


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## larryfish (Apr 26, 2004)

Handlining works excellent on the Ohio River. Just as it does on the Detroit and IL Rivers. I "wired up" several good ones last weekend. A little tune up for Sping Valley :


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## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

Doboy, my list ain't long but it's got quality. I'll tell you the first item is no controlling wife! Maybe we can get together some day. I plan to stay in closer contact with this site. I seem to get good info on fishing reports and results for lake Erie that were mostly spot on. I'll bet this info is just as good. People here seem to be willing to help others with their fishing locations and methods. That is special. Again thanks to all.

Larryfish, thanks for the encouragement. By the way I'll be at Spring Valley myself on Wednesday and Thursday to learn hand lining along with helping a couple of guys prefish it. I heard there are a ton of boats there this year, possibly record setting? Good luck to ya!


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## larryfish (Apr 26, 2004)

I look forward to going to Spring Valley every year for the MWC season opener. We have had pretty good luck there in past years. Last year we had 154 boats. It's typically a pretty good bite and you have a real possibility to handle 100+ fish in a day. 

As long as the IL River is not raging and out of its banks, you will have a good time.


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## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

I can hardly wait to get in my truck to head that way myself! I thought I saw somewhere someone said they were boat 193 at Spring Valley. OMG! MWC's website also claims tournament entry numbers are way up this year not for this tournament but for most others as well. Did the FLW drop their walleye touraments and could that be the reason why? The guys I'm hooking up with seem to think there could 200 boats. Is that parking lot that big?


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## larryfish (Apr 26, 2004)

The FLW sold their walleye tournament side of the business. It has been purchased by a new group and is now the National Walleye Tour. The MWC was also sold by the North American Membership Group (North American Fishing/Hunting Club). The new owner is The Walleye Federation. 

It will be an interesting year. The Walleye Federation is now closely tied to both the NWT and MWC as well as many of the local walleye clubs and grassroots organizations.

I had planned on fishing the NWT too this year, but I have a little one due the same time as their Green Bay event. Family first, so that will have to wait until next year.

I look forward to see what develops with walleye tournament fishing this season....


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## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

Great info there Larryfish. I've been to the MWC website and noticed it looked different. I did notice the addition of the NWT. I didn't notice though the new owners. Thanks for the info and good luck to ya!


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## Minus 1 (Sep 5, 2011)

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Markland Dam ..Could be a reason they keeping it quiet..


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## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

Good point. I might try that as well. To me just searching for good spots is half the fun!


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## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

Hey! I just now noticed after watching "Doctor's" YouTube video called "How to Catch Sauger on the Ohio River" again there are some tall buildings in the background. Anybody here recognize them? It might be a tip where this hot spot is!


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## hoosiercanadian (Dec 31, 2012)

That is Louisville, below the falls of ihe Ohio.


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## driftfish101 (Jun 25, 2011)

Markland dam down by Madison Indiana is great this time of year. There is a good size feeder creek on the Kentucky side thaqt is full of fish right now. I have a friend that live in Rising Sun IN> and he hammered a crapload in that creek 2 days ago. Goodluck.


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## chflnghair (Jan 8, 2013)

Man, you all are awesome here! What info! I'm almost to the point where there's too much water to fish with too little time. Thanks everyone!


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