# Berlin Wiper 7-6-2019



## louisvillefisherman (Jun 9, 2012)

Trolled Berlin Saturday morning July 7th, 2019 from 5:30am until 11am. I was the first trailer in the lot which was nice considering it was a holiday weekend. Being there before sunrise is no guarantee that it wont be busy but I was pleasantly surprised.

Launched from Bonner and trolled south laying my standard track to the train trestle and back with a few swerves and curves to pass over some typical holding spots along the way.

The sun had just crested the horizon casting an orange glow upon the water as I gracefully creep under the 224 causeway pulling my two crankbaits behind me. When suddenly my drag (with clicker engaged) starts screaming! Ratatatatatatatat!

Now I have experienced this before under that bridge. Back in 2012 when the water was ultra low you could see the amount of debris that has been placed there. Wire spools with long bolts protruding and a mess of re-bar that would make any concrete finisher cringe. So it is not unusual for me to get snagged as I troll below the road deck. In fact I will often reel in so that my lure is in the higher portion of the water column avoiding the mess.

But this one was different. A snag will grab and hold. The rod will bend to the snag and stay that way until the pressure is released. This rod on the other hand was violently whipping so hard to a point where I had to quickly grab it from the holder or I would have lost my entire rig.

I troll with 8.5 foot Shakespeare Down-rigger rods which are fairly stout. I regularly pull boards with them and they only bend enough to cushion the tugs and pulls so they are tough poles. This fish had my rod DOUBLED OVER. Not just bent into a right angle, but literally folded in half with each pump of that fishes muscular torso.

There were a couple bass guys working the causeway rip-wrap and a feller who was wading under the bridge that witnessed what felt like an hour long fight (in reality is was closer to 5 minutes). I would get the fish close and then he would peel another 20-30 feet. We repeated this game over and over until the fish finally ran out of steam.

So many things run through your mind when you are battling a big fish. So many failure points. My knots (3 of them because I run a swivel 7 feet back from my baits), the hook, the rod (thought it would break in half), the line. Each one of these failure points has to hold or you are losing the fish. How heartbreaking that would have been.

I promise you this picture does not do ANY justice to the power of this wiper. Typically my fish pictures tend to portray the catch in a size flattering way. Not this time, the camera lies. (I say that with a comical chuckle mixed in).

But seriously, THANK YOU to the ODNR for providing us with such an amazing species. This fish made my entire year! (and earned me a Fish Ohio 2019 pin!)


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## Ddog0587 (Nov 28, 2006)

Congrats. One of my favorite fish and im very happy they are local. Beware though they get a lot larger in there.


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

louisvillefisherman said:


> Trolled Berlin Saturday morning July 7th, 2019 from 5:30am until 11am. I was the first trailer in the lot which was nice considering it was a holiday weekend. Being there before sunrise is no guarantee that it wont be busy but I was pleasantly surprised.
> 
> Launched from Bonner and trolled south laying my standard track to the train trestle and back with a few swerves and curves to pass over some typical holding spots along the way.
> 
> ...


Congratulations Louisville Fisherman!
I loved reading all of your details...the early morning of a dedicated walleye fisherman.....your trolling set up.
It certainly changes the attention to detail...line choices...knot choices one might have to adjust to. 
This fishery is fantastic.....from Walborn, Deer Creek, Berlin, to Milton they have spread and flourished. Yes, thank you ODNR, Division of Wildlife!!!
I hope they continue it......it adds a different dimension to the Mahoning River system.


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## louisvillefisherman (Jun 9, 2012)

Zanderis said:


> I loved reading all of your details...the early morning of a dedicated walleye fisherman.....your trolling set up.


Thank you!

I have been meaning to write in more detail about my trolling setup. It works for me. It is not the most expensive or sophisticated (to the contrary, I am on a budget) but it gets the job done and is reliable.

And let me add one little teaser for you. USACE has agreed (tentatively) to hold the water in Berlin for an additional 6 weeks. This little tidbit has changed the pattern at Berlin BIG TIME. I'll leave it to yall' to figure out how/why. A clue for you is in the live data found at mylakeinfo.com.


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

louisvillefisherman said:


> Thank you!
> 
> I have been meaning to write in more detail about my trolling setup. It works for me. It is not the most expensive or sophisticated (to the contrary, I am on a budget) but it gets the job done and is reliable.
> 
> And let me add one little teaser for you. USACE has agreed (tentatively) to hold the water in Berlin for an additional 6 weeks. This little tidbit has changed the pattern at Berlin BIG TIME. I'll leave it to yall' to figure out how/why. A clue for you is in the live data found at mylakeinfo.com.


Keep your drag clean and lubed!!!
Stable water....less flow....less mixing...gradients.....he he


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## Ddog0587 (Nov 28, 2006)

[QUOTE="
And let me add one little teaser for you. USACE has agreed (tentatively) to hold the water in Berlin for an additional 6 weeks. This little tidbit has changed the pattern at Berlin BIG TIME. I'll leave it to yall' to figure out how/why. A clue for you is in the live data found at mylakeinfo.com.[/QUOTE]

I wish they wouldve kept it at 4 foot above normal. There has been some good fishing to be had


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## louisvillefisherman (Jun 9, 2012)

Zanderis said:


> Stable water....less flow....less mixing...gradients.....he he


Where should I send your chicken dinner?


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

louisvillefisherman said:


> Where should I send your chicken dinner?


Winner Winner Sheen Dinner!
I love chicken! He he
The USACE years back had a yearly profile color chart of said statistics....I printed them out for Atwood/Pleasnt Hill
I can no longer find that on their website.
Now, imagine in the fall when the shad bait balls are on surface....>>>>>EXPLOSION!!!
I have a Penn 109 reel with the green handles...5 1/2 foot fiberglass rod for trolling.....the fiberglass is for the abuse...snags...unbreakable. long time ago I read Buck Perry's book on Spoonplugging....the father of structure fishing. I use his no-stretch metered monofilament line...12 pound test
..comes in 17 pound test as well. With no stretch the sensitivity is there...and no forgiveness. Drag and clicker set. Love trolling Arbogast Mud-Bugs along riprap.

So does your rod have what sort of tip action?
I had those Yellow Bird boards at one time....never used them...thought to use them from shore below Ohio River dams.

I read before that white perch...i.e. in Sippo Lake, LaDue are related to the striped bass family....
Ever see in salt water
...they quench the reels to cool them down?
They get so hot from drag...runs


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

New Fishing Requirement for Berlin Reservoir


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## louisvillefisherman (Jun 9, 2012)

The tips on these rods are Medium Action. I use 10lb Berkley Trilene XT Mono in low vis green. 

I use a swivel 7 feet back and it makes all the difference in the world. I wouldn't risk the extra hardware and knots if I didn't feel if it was worth it. I no longer have issues with line twist. Some of my lures get dragged for miles before being checked and reset. One ill-placed leaf on your crankbait and after a mile of trolling a twisting bait your line will never be the same. The swivel stops that from ever happening. I also think it helps the wobble, but that is just a guess.

I love my yellow bird boards. Small enough to stow away but strong enough to pull a 7cm crank.

I use them in certain conditions where I need to troll super shallow but still need to be away from the boat. I am talking depths of 5 feet or less where you would have to almost be in the prop wash to run that shallow with a 7cm. I could just as easily pull around a top water or jerk bait but when trolled they tend to just flop around where a diving crank has the wobble and tick that I like.


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## slipsinker (May 21, 2012)

they are in there! was fishing n.e. side of causeway next to the 224 bridge in may on a size 4 hook,minnow,3ft. under a float. caught the first 2 one after another. medium light spinning rod and reel,6lb.test mono.glad i checked the drag before starting!


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## louisvillefisherman (Jun 9, 2012)

In July 2017 the water was well mixed. Fish would have to dive to 58 feet (fifty eight!) just to get 5 degrees of temperature relief. By the time August came there was only a 1.8 degree difference from the surface to the bottom. 

Compare that to July 2019. That same 5 degree difference is within an easy 16 foot reach. Now there is a difference of 13 degrees from the top to the bottom, potentially thermoclining in the morning and evening and as well as setting the stage for a nice turnover this fall. When the water is mixed by stronger currents due to increased outflow, these events are less pronounced thus spreading the fish out more sparsely.


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

louisvillefisherman said:


> View attachment 313639
> 
> 
> In July 2017 the water was well mixed. Fish would have to dive to 58 feet (fifty eight!) just to get 5 degrees of temperature relief. By the time August came there was only a 1.8 degree difference from the surface to the bottom.
> ...


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

In the fall...during the turnover...foul hooking a leaf is a good possibility....they are throughout the water column.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Excellent report. Wiper addiction is REAL. Congrats


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

That's one handsome wiper................Of course anything would be, next to that grinning mug.--Tim


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## zook (Feb 23, 2015)

No wipers but caught these Thursday morning.


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

Nice mixed bag!


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

slipsinker said:


> they are in there! was fishing n.e. side of causeway next to the 224 bridge in may on a size 4 hook,minnow,3ft. under a float. caught the first 2 one after another. medium light spinning rod and reel,6lb.test mono.glad i checked the drag before starting!
> View attachment 313643


That's mama on the bottom.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Great write up and awesome fish! Thanks for sharing this.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Louisville....love what you bring to the table my man. Great reports / awesome posts my man. One post that I think of immediately is I think 2 years ago? You posted about a trip out on Berlin and catching a good eater walleye...but the fish wasn't what got me...it was the bacon and eggs out on the water.

...here is what I'm getting at...love this great site with you all at OGF! The posts with fishing / hunting or whatever. For me I take it allllllllll in and use as fuel to get by. What I think is so dam awesome is reading all forums but mostly northeast / lake erie/down south and the species forums. I troll and all but would like to think that I give just as much as I take.

...love it.

Tight lines and good times !

Louisville...I got to look it up about a post I had about finding peace / reflect while fishing...where I do believe you said along the lines that when in your boat everything has a purpose and is a place where it all comes together.

Anyway...thank you for what you post/experiences...and all who provide.

...respect the waters/fields.

Later,
The teaman.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Back in the late 90's I was dragging crankbaits at Berlin with the better half and kids when something grabbed my Shad Rap in that same area underneath the causeway bridge. Thought I was snagged up and stopped the boat when this thing peeled drag and made a few runs like nobody's business. It snapped my line and we all just stared at each other in silence for a second. I still have it captured on a VHS tape. My guess was muskie. I've caught my share of big powerful fish over the years, but this one stood out. the runs it made were unreal. It was almost like I snagged a jet ski for a minute.


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

All Eyes said:


> Back in the late 90's I was dragging crankbaits at Berlin with the better half and kids when something grabbed my Shad Rap in that same area underneath the causeway bridge. Thought I was snagged up and stopped the boat when this thing peeled drag and made a few runs like nobody's business. It snapped my line and we all just stared at each other in silence for a second. I still have it captured on a VHS tape. My guess was muskie. I've caught my share of big powerful fish over the years, but this one stood out. the runs it made were unreal. It was almost like I snagged a jet ski for a minute.


I have caught two musky at Berlin....first one ever was back in Mill Creek....in autumn....casting crawdads color crankbait.....portions of the Creek bed have high rock walls where the water changes course.....I was fishing for bass as they migrate with cooling water temps and lake water drawdown. The shad migrate back in the bays this time of year.
Second time way up in the electric only zone....Jigging blade baits for walleye....I foul hooked a musky on a sloping deep drop off....quite a fight because of size and foul hooked.


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## louisvillefisherman (Jun 9, 2012)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> Louisville....love what you bring to the table my man. [...] You posted about a trip out on Berlin and catching a good eater walleye...but the fish wasn't what got me...it was the bacon and eggs out on the water.
> [....]
> Louisville...I got to look it up about a post I had about finding peace / reflect while fishing...where I do believe you said along the lines that when in your boat everything has a purpose and is a place where it all comes together.


Dude, you made my day right there. Thank you!

The phrase you are referring to was for a poster I created for my garage. I don't have a picture of it at work so I will quote it from the post you referenced from back in June of 2016.

-- My boat is the one and only "orderly" part of my life where I am at complete peace. When I am in my boat I am instantly transported into a virtual utopia of harmony and zen.

The effect is not only mental but physical. My life is generally an unorganized mess of bad habits and mundane routines. But on my boat, every item has its place and every movement is deliberate. It really is an alternative universe between my gunnels. --

And that picture? Breakfast is served...










Thanks again Teaman!


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## snapper (Aug 18, 2011)

I also enjoy reading your posts, and all the information you have provided. I posted in the northeast forums for awhile a few years back until Lake Erie spoiled me, and this spring was the first time in a few years I had fished Berlin with decent success. I have seen numerous pictures of the nice size wipers in Berlin and hope to be lucky enough to catch one sometime. 
Anyway I also liked your “breakfast in the boat” post, and I think it was you that had another post that you was launching your boat in oct-nov and you slipped and fell in the water, and I couldn’t believe you still went out fishing. Dedication.


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## louisvillefisherman (Jun 9, 2012)

snapper said:


> I think it was you that had another post that you was launching your boat in oct-nov and you slipped and fell in the water, and I couldn’t believe you still went out fishing. Dedication.


And because of that I have a small container in my tow vehicle that has a complete change of clothes in it that goes with me on every trip now. LOL live and learn!


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

Dont get jinxed!


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## Chewbacca (Jul 19, 2012)

Zanderis said:


> View attachment 314011
> Dont get jinxed!


One of my favorite episodes...


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

Wow said:


> That's one handsome wiper................Of course anything would be, next to that grinning mug.--Tim
> 
> 
> View attachment 313707


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