# FO 'Eyes After Dark



## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Fish: 'eye
Location: urban river
Plug: hj12 
Color: shad
Shoe Length: 12"

Total Casts: 6
Total Fish Landed: 6


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## kraftmatic (Dec 28, 2007)

Congrats. Damn near looks like an erie eye. Gotta love going 6 for 6. 


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Thanks! I love December at the river


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## ShoreFshrman (Sep 25, 2014)

Nice catch!!!


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## allbraid (Jan 14, 2012)

Well done!


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## MR_KLN (Apr 17, 2012)

Congrats 


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Congrats awesome eye


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## USMC-BUCKEYE (Apr 2, 2010)

HOLY COW! Nice catch!


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## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)

Wow nice fish!


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## James F (Jul 2, 2005)

All on the HJ? good fishing!


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

All were caught on Tennessee Shad hj12 in pic and released


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## allbraid (Jan 14, 2012)

Did you catch any after the six? Had a night last week 5 cast 5 fish then 20 or so cast one more. Then nothing the next few hours. Love those flurries of activity!


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

I was forced to leave after the six. The lip broke off the plug.

PB at the same spot - 8 on 8 casts. They're stacked in the boil


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

That fish has shoulders on it!!!! Great job!!!


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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

well done sir,!!! it's been a long time since I've had 6 for 6


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Bought hj12 at old Dutchman for $9
Caught 6 FO(27"+) eye on 6 casts

6th one broke the lip and turned it into a top water.


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## EyeCatchEm (Jan 6, 2014)

What Rivers are good to try, I'd love to try but I've never done it 


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Any in central ohio you can get a good presentation around a deeper water boil. Jig or plug it...


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Man I know that concrete spot. Lol


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

I thought that after the post, the concrete is a dead giveaway!


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## 93stratosfishnski (Aug 25, 2011)

you caught 6 over 27"!?!?!


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

Haha I know a few spots that have concrete like that so I have no clue. Also, heck of a fish!


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## allbraid (Jan 14, 2012)

That's not concrete, just a very rare form of river rock only found at one or two places along blacklick creek! LOL!!

I am always careful about pic back grounds. And I only refer to streams and rivers as flows and lakes as impoundments. Lots of lazy types that want to profit from your hard work! Great catch.....protect your locations


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Yep on my first 6 casts. My PB at that spot is first 8 casts


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Couldn't load only other pic from the eve in pm. I think it's vague enuff to share  I usually keep the fish near/in the water when releasing. Wish I could catch a few where I feel comfortable eating them from...


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

How are you working those husky jerks in fast current???


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## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)

claytonhaske said:


> How are you working those husky jerks in fast current???


I've wondered the same. Seems like you just crank it down then let it drift?


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

bjp said:


> Bought hj12 at old Dutchman for $9
> Caught 6 FO(27"+) eye on 6 casts
> 
> 6th one broke the lip and turned it into a top water.


All 6 were 27"+ ? 

I caught 1 FO eye that night. Standing on concrete as well  Mine came on a big gold Lucky Craft suspending bait. Mine is in the fridge ready for the fire.


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Short cast just past then retrieve to the edge of the boil, let the current do it's thing and hold on tight.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

bjp said:


> Short cast just past then retrieve to the edge of the boil, let the current do it's thing and hold on tight.


All 6 were 27"+ ? lol.


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> All 6 were 27"+ ? lol.


Yep all were 27+. Only happens a couple weeks in December and March in the rivers. Small to mid size fish leading up to in the fall and following in late winter. All I can think is the biggest fish must stay out where we can't cast to them the rest of the year...


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Great catch! Are those walleye or saugeye? Nevers says in your post. Regardless a hell of a night we all dream of...and you say rivers. I honestly only know of one river in columbus that has the potential for a nite like that. And its not blacklick creek...


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

bjp said:


> Yep all were 27+. Only happens a couple weeks in December and March in the rivers. Small to mid size fish leading up to in the fall and following in late winter. All I can think is the biggest fish must stay out where we can't cast to them the rest of the year...


You do realize FO qualification is 21"? Just seemed the way you worded that earlier that you were saying 27" was FO. Yowsa!!! Dems some beasts!


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Isn't Fish Ohio for walleye 28"?


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Op. Do you think those fish are saugeye or walleye?


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Walleye: 28 inches

Saugeye: 21 inches

It looks more like a walleye to me now that you mention it. I'm pretty sure I'm seeing bars.

Ohio River? Thread tags say, Downtown, fish, ohio, river, saugeye. So I'd say the OP thinks they are saugeye if he added those tags to the thread?


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## Enthusiast (Jun 20, 2011)

Nice!

Sure looks like a pure walleye to me, white salmon.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Bjp,anything? Im just curious.if it wasnt a central oh thread i say nice walleye.
Lol really not starting chit just curious is all.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

I would say, definitely walleye. I don't see any of the blotched markings on the fish that saugeye have.


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## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)

Also in the second pic I don't see any dark spots on dorsal fin.


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## COCC (Mar 20, 2013)

Nice catch!


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

I say saugeyes as I caught them in downtown...

I was always curious if we were catching walleye or saugeye. Seems they never have the sauger-like blotches when they are large caught both in the rivers or reservoirs.

Does anyone know if the state still stocks both in central ohio.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

bjp said:


> I say saugeyes as I caught them in downtown...
> 
> I was always curious if we were catching walleye or saugeye. Seems they never have the sauger-like blotches when they are large caught both in the rivers or reservoirs.
> 
> Does anyone know if the state still stocks both in central ohio.


Closest stocked walleyes are in springfield. I think. But if caught downtown i dont see why its not a saugeye. They can look like walleye,right. Anyway,again congrats. Oh and ty


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

Dang!!! I wouldn't mine six big ol fat chicks about now.


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## allbraid (Jan 14, 2012)

Not sure why the confusion that it could possibly be a Walleye, walleyes are native to our rivers.


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

I thought walleye too except Just wouldn't think they would be that thick in there.

The color of the skin fades a bit when they get older. 

Has anyone caught a big one that had the splotches? I don't think the pic of the state record had them


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

allbraid said:


> Not sure why the confusion that it could possibly be a Walleye, walleyes are native to our rivers.


Ya ive thought that to. But just like op assume saugeye because of the millions of saugeyes stocked around columbus. But who knows. There huge thats all i know..

Mushi,you out there,any thoughts buddy?

There is a certain section of a certain flow that i think may have the chance of hoding huge traveling walleye...


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Ya ive thought that to. But just like op assume saugeye because of the millions of saugeyes stocked around columbus. But who knows. There huge thats all i know..
> 
> Mushi,you out there,any thoughts buddy?
> 
> There is a certain section of a certain flow that i think may have the chance of hoding huge traveling walleye...


Far enough south and there sure is not anything stopping them from making the swim.


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## BigFishHunter (Dec 14, 2011)

I would have to say walleye as well. I sampled Wills creek drainage this summer with the Ohio EPA and we got a few large saugeye (25"+) that had the blotches on them and, as mentioned previously, walleye are native residents to all of our larger rivers. Great fish and great night of fishing getting 6 of them. The state record does have to blotches and muddy look.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

I have 4 in 10 pound range from river all have blotches. Look at my avatar picture that is a 11# plus and has blotches all over it.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

OnTheFly said:


> Far enough south and there sure is not anything stopping them from making the swim.


Makes ya wonder,huh? Lol lemme know when u wanna hit it


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Now I'm envisioning migratory fish like in the Great Lakes. What an awesome thought and even more amazing the feat for the fish. 

Might be why they only seem to show up at certain times of the year. Since they knocked down the downtown rolldam what is the next one south?


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Bigfishhunter... Did u sample the mills creek in Cincinnati ? That must have been a cool experience!


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## BigFishHunter (Dec 14, 2011)

No I sampled Wills creek in Cambridge. It's a tributary that feeds into the Muskingum river. I did go to mills creek in Cincinnati one time to do a fish tissue sample, but didn't get to see anything nice. We were too far up from the confluence to get the Ohio river migrants.


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

Did u use a shock boat to collect samples? I would love to see what came up at various places around the state


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

I have seen plenty really big saugeyes. They all were easily identified, I have been reading a lot about guys heading out to various spots as well with quite a bit of success. You guys must know the secret, I don't average near the catch rate.


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## BigFishHunter (Dec 14, 2011)

We used three different pieces of electrofishing gear depending on drainage size. The boat sites were the only sites that produced the big saugeye. We got one 45lb flathead at a wading site in salt fork above the reservoir, but most of the fish at our wading sites were smaller. It was an amazing experience and I hope I can find a career doing something similar.


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## bjp (Mar 16, 2012)

That's quite a catfish! Good luck in getting a job doing what you love.


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## BigFishHunter (Dec 14, 2011)

Yeah it was pretty startling being in waist deep water and getting hit in the thigh by a fish of that size. Thanks for the good wishes.


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