# East Fork fishing report 3/19/2011



## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

My friend and I dropped in on the north campground boat ramp off Park Road #4 and found the lake flooded and muddy. I believe the DNR report showed it up 7 feet with 3000+ cfw flowing through the dam. The ramp said it was closed but people were still using it so we plopped in.

We fished the Slade rip rap area where water temperatures were reading 47 degrees. There was plenty of submerged habitat along the shore to fish but we didn't have any luck on rattle traps or double Colorado blade chartreuse spinners. We were fishing them pretty slowly off the shore and over the surrounding flats.

We moved down to the Tate boat ramp area and got into some crappie on rattle traps east of the boat ramp in 17 feet of water. Surprisingly, the water temperatures were reading 52 degrees here. I hooked my thumb here with a brand new Flitter bait and had to pop the hook out which was fun 

We moved up to the East Fork of the LMR and found water temperatures averaging 54 degrees, but the water level was so high and muddy that it was hard to fish anything but the shoreline. We found a spot to drop anchor and really cover the area throwing jigs, jerkbaits, inline spinners, cranks and I even broke out a zara spook just to say we tried everything...but we got skunked on bass. We didn't see any shad in the area far up in the river, but on the way out we did see them where the river hits the mouth of the lake. I think we should have fished this area more thoroughly. Also, we saw bass about 5 feet in the submerged flooded shoreline that we might have been able to catch if we flipped into it but we had the wrong gear for that.

I thought we might find bass in the deeper channels that line possible spawning flats, but we came up short. Did anyone else out there have any better luck?

-House


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## Fishonboard (Oct 8, 2007)

Went Saturday. Put in at the main dock off of 125. You could step up on the courtesy ramp. Crappie were on early and then fell off. Like you said, went up in the river and the temp was around 53. No luck till about 3pm and then they turned back on. We caught around 40 crappie. Missed around 20. Light bite. Caught everything shallow, around 2ft deep in 6 ft of water. Kept 19, biggest was 12", a few 11". All in all, it was a fun day for the first day on the water.


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## crankbait09 (Apr 28, 2009)

went out sunday evening around 5:00......the boat ramp off 125 was fully accessible, water was muddy and wasnt expecting a whole lot. there were about 5 boats on the water....i was the only shore fisherman.

in the hour, i pulle din about a 9" crappie on a bass crank bait.....oter than that...very slow, as expected

i looked at the spillway and that was still a mad rush of water........

rain, rain, go a way


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## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

Fishonboard said:


> Went Saturday. Put in at the main dock off of 125. You could step up on the courtesy ramp. Crappie were on early and then fell off. Like you said, went up in the river and the temp was around 53. No luck till about 3pm and then they turned back on. We caught around 40 crappie. Missed around 20. Light bite. Caught everything shallow, around 2ft deep in 6 ft of water. Kept 19, biggest was 12", a few 11". All in all, it was a fun day for the first day on the water.


I always catch crappie by accident, what do you crappie guys look for this time of year? All I know is bass and catfish. I got the impression you just had to find a good tree and then try and find out how deep they are biting. Do you search for them on sonar first and then fish a spot? I saw some guys pulling in a ton of them fishing a steep shoreline but there was no visible cover to relate to. Looked like they were having a lot more fun than my skunked bass outing!


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## The Solution (Nov 15, 2010)

I hit the Tate Boat Ramp today in search of some LM. I found that the water was very high and extremly stained, there was also some current flowing towards Burg. I also was skunked, but after I busted my behind and almost got my boots stuck in the mud two fish jumped right where I had been throwing my turtleback. I'm not sure but I think the second one flipped me off, so I went into the water to get him. It was too cold so I went home.


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## Countryboy23 (Mar 13, 2011)

I went up to east fork over the weekend to check it out before i hauled my boat over there.Those water conditions suck!!I love to fish eastfork but not when its like this.I took my boat up to Cowan instead and caught some big fat crappies.Im a lowsy crappie fisherman so I was happy with that.At least i got the skunk off!I really hope that eastfork clears up soon I love that lake.


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## bsmith (Mar 26, 2010)

I was there last night. The water is back down to normal levels and around 47 to 49 degrees but it's still really muddy. As best I can tell, no one on the lake caught anything. Maybe a week or two more will allow it to clear up and bring the temperature up enough for the fish to start feeding more aggressively.


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## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

bsmith said:


> I was there last night. The water is back down to normal levels and around 47 to 49 degrees but it's still really muddy. As best I can tell, no one on the lake caught anything. Maybe a week or two more will allow it to clear up and bring the temperature up enough for the fish to start feeding more aggressively.


That's what I'm hoping for. We need the rain to help warm the lake, but then it's too muddy to fish the way I want to. grrrr...
-I can't remember how many days without rain it took the lake to clear up last year. Any ideas? I'm sure it is more complicated than just that, maybe the spillway outflow needs to come down as well. I'll give it until April 1st, then I'm going back after some bass. Catfish and crappie in the meantime I suppose


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

2 or 3 days after they shut the dam off & it'll be clear. With the forecast, that could be weeks but will hopefully happen a couple days after this next rain. (3-5 days if they continue lettin' 3000 cfs rip...that pulls in timber/mud & stirs up the lake like nobody's business)


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## ezchezze (Jun 8, 2010)

Hit east fork this morning around 9:30am. What a shock the water is just flowing out of the lake. Started fishing at the north shore ramp and walked NW about 1/2 mile and got 3 crappie 10 to 13" range and a white perch. Great day to go for a walk around the muddy banks. Left the lake about 3:30.


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## bsmith (Mar 26, 2010)

ezchezze said:


> Hit east fork this morning around 9:30am. What a shock the water is just flowing out of the lake. Started fishing at the north shore ramp and walked NW about 1/2 mile and got 3 crappie 10 to 13" range and a white perch. Great day to go for a walk around the muddy banks. Left the lake about 3:30.


I had no idea that there were white perch in east fork. You are correct though, I pulled this from the ODNR species guide:

"White perch are not native to Ohio and have been introduced from the Atlantic coast. They are found in brackish water and in the lower portion of rivers along the coast. In Ohio they have become well established in Lake Erie and the lower portion of its tributaries. They have also become established in a few inland reservoirs such as LaDue, East Fork, and Sippo Lake."


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

Just a friendly heads up, eastfork will be drawn down well below winter pool, to add-on to the afton boat ramp, somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 feet below winter pool. Id call in advance before heading out.

HB


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## RIDGE_RUNNER91 (Aug 13, 2010)

Hillbilly910 said:


> Just a friendly heads up, eastfork will be drawn down well below winter pool, to add-on to the afton boat ramp, somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 feet below winter pool. Id call in advance before heading out.
> 
> HB


Thanks for the heads up. That is the ramp that I typically use. I hate the thought of having to drive all the way over to the slade road ramp, but the work needs to be done. A couple of years ago when the water was way down I actually got my trailer stuck while launching the boat. There is a BIG drop-off right at the end of the paved ramp, and my trailer tires went over that lip. I actually had to wade out into the water and pick the trailer up while someone else pulled my truck forward. Of course I forgot to take my phone out of my pocket so it was trashed, and before I figured out what was going on I backed up and pulled forward with some force (thinking I was stuck on a rock).......... of course that jacked my trailer wheels out of alignment. Needless to say it was an expensive trip.


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## Fish Assassin (Jan 30, 2010)

That happened to me the last time that I was there. My travel didn't go back more than 3-4 inches of where it was when I launched. Luckily a friend use an anchor to lift it up while we pulled it out of the water. I know it hurts the fishing but that is something that has to be done.


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## ezchezze (Jun 8, 2010)

bsmith said:


> I had no idea that there were white perch in east fork. You are correct though, I pulled this from the ODNR species guide:
> 
> "White perch are not native to Ohio and have been introduced from the Atlantic coast. They are found in brackish water and in the lower portion of rivers along the coast. In Ohio they have become well established in Lake Erie and the lower portion of its tributaries. They have also become established in a few inland reservoirs such as LaDue, East Fork, and Sippo Lake."


I was confused when I pulled the perch in. I didn't know what was going on. Thought i was losing my mind.
The water level makes the fishing trips a little challenging wether your useing a boat or shore fishing.


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## RIDGE_RUNNER91 (Aug 13, 2010)

Hillbilly910 said:


> Just a friendly heads up, eastfork will be drawn down well below winter pool, to add-on to the afton boat ramp, somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 feet below winter pool. Id call in advance before heading out.
> 
> HB


Just a little heads up. I wasn't doing anything today so I ran over to look at East Fork. The Afton appears to be officially closed. There has be a sign stating that it was closed the last few timesi have been over there, but I could still get down to the ramp. Now they have the gate up at the horse area closed an locked. Unfortunately the gate that goes back to campground is closed an locked as well. If you want to lauch a boat I guess you will have to go over to the dam or the Bantam ramp.


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## crankbait09 (Apr 28, 2009)

and here comes the frickin snow..............come on already!!


i just wanna fish and wade!


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## Perch (Apr 5, 2004)

Give it two weeks fellas............We'll all be good then.


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## crankbait09 (Apr 28, 2009)

anyone been out lately? updates?


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## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

crankbait09 said:


> anyone been out lately? updates?


I was going to head out and see what the lake looks like with such low water levels, I bet it would be a pretty fun hike around the lake. I'd love to see a picture of one of the ramps. I'll post some pics if I head out this week on a recon mission.

The lake temps appear to be holding at 43*degrees according to the DNR website, but I think those are lower than most area surface temperatures. I think we are still 1 "warm weather front" away from some good fishing. The forecast looks interesting this week with some 70+ degree weather and rain. Maybe it will drive the lake temperatures above 55* degrees finally.


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## crankbait09 (Apr 28, 2009)

i went out shortly after i replied to this thread and was out for about 2 hours or so and came up empty. i didnt hit the lake but rather the spill way and downstream, saw a fish jump but that was all. water is still COLD!!


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## crankbait09 (Apr 28, 2009)

how we looking as of late? temps in the 80's this weekend...could be good!!


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## Countryboy23 (Mar 13, 2011)

Went to East Fork today for a little while.Water was really muddy but i managed to catch six 10 inch crappies.I caught them all within an hour and feel i could have caught alot more.But due to the downpour and thunderstorm i had to leave.Ive really got the itch now.By the way i think they were having a crappie tournament today cause the lake was jam packed with idiots.I mean IDIOTS.Goodluck fellas.


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## Hillbilly910 (Jan 6, 2009)

Countryboy23 said:


> By the way i think they were having a crappie tournament today cause the lake was jam packed with idiots.I mean IDIOTS.Goodluck fellas.


Thats a purty harsh statement, and kinda blunt to cover all tournament anglers as idiots, rather uncalled for...

HB


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## KWaller (Oct 3, 2010)

Us idiots sure do know how to catch crappie though...

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## Countryboy23 (Mar 13, 2011)

Sorry i didnt mean that the all the tournament fishers were idiots.The ones i was talking about were driving way to fast into blindspots on the lake.Like the was a real sharp point that you couldnt see around and they were flying around it like 60mph!I know there is a timeline in tournaments but dont throw saftey and respect in the wind.


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## AEFISHING (Apr 25, 2004)

I have seen that as well in that no wake zone in front of the bantam ramp, some people don't realize that is a no wake zone Those corners or points can be very dangerous when that happens.


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## KWaller (Oct 3, 2010)

I feel like they should extend tht bantam ramp no wake zone out a little further to the turn anyways, it would be good trolling area, spider riggin, etc.

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## fished-out (Dec 20, 2005)

Oh heck no! That's where it used to be, and it was a real pain idling all that way. Besides, I don't spider rig


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## Mean Morone (Apr 12, 2004)

I know I wont fish that lake on Tuesday nights anymore. They can have it. That lakes not worth getting hurt over.

I hope the fishing is better this year. I caught a couple nice hybrids but the numbers weren't there. You can catch dinks all day long.


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## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

what ramp do they usually end the tournaments on, Tate? I might go down and harass those guys sometime.


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## mkl (Apr 17, 2011)

Hi. Taking my kids there next week. They really want to catch some hybrids. Even dinks will do... Any advice on the best spot to find them?


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