# Muskingum River depth



## Widowmaker

Just wondering if anyone knew the average depth of the river near Mcconnellsvile... thinking about taking a boat there in the spring if the waters deep enough, thanks


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## foxbites

You should be fine there at mcconnellsville . With that being said, you still have to be extremely careful on the river. There may be downed trees and rocks just inches below the water surface that you can't see! You can tear up a boat fast on the muskingum, especially if your not familiar with the area.The depth on the rivers all depends on the rain . I fish the dresden pool and the water ranges from 30' deep to a foot deep. And around July there are places there that are impassable, unless you have a jet motor. You can be in 8' of water then it jumps to 1' of water fast. You always have to be on your toes when navigating the mighty muskingum!


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## Widowmaker

Thanks, I have a 17' fiberglass cajun with a 90hp johnson... from the sounds of it I'll just stick with salt fork and seneca so i dont have to make an insurance claim hahaha... I never messed around with rivers much but i heard the saugeye fishing is pretty goo on the Muskingum


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## Doboy

foxbites said:


> You should be fine there at mcconnellsville . With that being said, you still have to be extremely careful on the river. There may be downed trees and rocks just inches below the water surface that you can't see! You can tear up a boat fast on the muskingum, especially if your not familiar with the area.The depth on the rivers all depends on the rain . I fish the dresden pool and the water ranges from 30' deep to a foot deep. And around July there are places there that are impassable, unless you have a jet motor. You can be in 8' of water then it jumps to 1' of water fast. You always have to be on your toes when navigating the mighty muskingum!



HELLO foxbites,,, it's been a while. 
As I mentioned before, our camp is just down from the Stillwell Bridge.
The last 2 times down, for bow & gun, the River was VERY low & we got skunk out of the River! 
( the River was SO LOW, that those crazy-good pilots were having a ball, landing on the island,,,, UNDER the hi-lines!! ) 

I've seen many stringers filled, just around that bend,,,, but I couldn't find a sauger, or a smallie for that matter.
Have you been doing any good around there? Does the river usually suck when it's that low?
How about that small feeder creek on the N side of town,,, any eyes come up in there?

We'll be back down for spring turkey,,,, just wondering if we should take the time to bring the boat & fishing stuff?
Thanks


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## Doboy

Hello Widomak


Widowmaker said:


> Thanks, I have a 17' fiberglass cajun with a 90hp johnson... from the sounds of it I'll just stick with salt fork and seneca so i dont have to make an insurance claim hahaha... I never messed around with rivers much but i heard the saugeye fishing is pretty goo on the Muskingum



Hello Widomaker,,, I see your on.
Check out Ellis Dam on Google maps,,, It's just South of Dresden. 
You might want to try to launch there. The ramp is just below the dam. 
I've seen many sauger come out of there, along with HUGE crappies & W bass. 
Most of the locals fish the center backwash eddy & the backwash on the far East side, with their boats, but I got to warn ya, I would never take a 'fancy-boat' out in that river, specially when it's low.
Maybe this will work;
https://www.google.com/maps/place/2000+Raiders+Rd,+Dresden,+OH+43821/@40.0439047,-81.9780491


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## Foremanscotty

Muskingum river around the McConnelsville dam is shallow under 5' with in 200 feet of the falls with lots of sand bars rocks and snags but above McConnelsville at rokeby dam lots of depth


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## Foremanscotty

http://www.water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=rlx&gage=mcco1


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## foxbites

It's not deep at the Ellis dam ramp! It's not to bad when the water is up in the spring but in the summer when the water is down it's would be a little difficult to launch a heavy fiberglass boat. Tons of big rocks there below that lock.


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## Widowmaker

Is it any deeper near stockport?


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## multi species angler

Widowmaker said:


> Is it any deeper near stockport?


 I have hit rocks while in a small aluminum boat with a 9.9 on the back. This was after being told that the water was plenty deep enough, 18' in places. Turned out to be 18"s in places instead. I would suggest going slow and cautious around any of the dams on the Muskingum River. Pools too, as far as that goes. My nephew hit bottom out in the middle of the river below Beverly dam. You just never know as the river can change with every flood.


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## Foremanscotty

Stockport is better than mcconnellsviile but still has a large gravel bar on the left 2/3s and the ramp sucks for taking boat out. When the waters down I have a great time with the yak up at the dam.


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## foxbites

The river channels almost never are in the middle of the river. In the Dresden pool, the channel run from the left or right side of the river and some places it's a constant depth clear across the river. High water and flooding does effect the river depth in spots, but for the most part it does not effect the main channel of the river. It takes time to learn the area in the muskingum in which you are fishing. I've never fished no further south than the y-bridge in zville. I do know there is a lot of skinny water from cochocton to dresden


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