# saugeyes are heating up!



## ErieEye

Got a limit of 6 saugeyes last night at one of the local reservoirs. Got em casting shallow running stick baits right along shore. Been going out a couple evenings a week for the last month or so and getting 1 or 2 an evening. Also been averaging 1 or 2 bass an evening too. However last night was by far the best action that I have seen so far this fall. I generally start fishing right about the time the sun drops below the horizon and stay till about 9:30 or so. 3 of last nights fish went 18" and 1 17 1/2". I'm hoping to see some bigger fish start to move up as the water cools even though I did get a 25"er last week. If you live close to a reservoir that has saugeyes in it you might want to give it a try some evening, you might be surprized by what you find.


----------



## ress

Is that casting from shore or from a boat toward shore?


----------



## 1basshunter

I've. Been having luck at 4:30 till 5:30 am before going into work using a pink grub and hopping. It back


----------



## ErieEye

Been fishing from shore. Fished tonight till 8:30. Got 2 dinks then called it a night.


----------



## AtticaFish

I got out last night on a local reservoir. 1 keeper on a black grub with 1/8th chart. head.... lost one that felt better on a clown x-rap. Walleye instead of saugs over here.  Also caught a really nice LMB and several google eye on the twister grub.

Thanks for the heads up...... never think about hitting them in the evenings until it gets cold. Sure was nice to do it in a t-shirt rather than carharts!


----------



## ErieEye

Been fishing the night bite at the reservoirs for 3 years now. Its surprising how much effect the moon has on the fishing. I'm finding that the night of the full moon can be especially good. Back on the night of the September full moon I lost one at the shoreline that I would guess would have gone 24"+. I also had 3 other big fish on that for whatever reason just wouldn't stay buttoned up. The night I limited out was the night of the half moon which also has been good to me in the past. We have a full moon coming up on the 8th I beleive. Fingers crossed that the weather is favorable that night. Back in November 2012, on the night of the half moon I caught my biggest saugeye to date, a 27"er. And then the full moon following I caught a 23" and a 24" on the same night.


----------



## AtticaFish

Got a nice one tonight on a hair jig. Also caught a huge LMB on the clown x-rap. Never got the tape measure on the bass since there were too many glowing eyes swimming around at the time. Guessing the bass went maybe 18"? She went back quickly. The walleye went 20" and was nice and thick. Eggs were forming for next spring, cat enjoyed those. Had to double up the sweatshirts and put on the Carhart bibs tonight though. Low 40°'s and rain while i fished. Water was much, much warmer than the air!


----------



## Shad Rap

I didn't even see that sneaky little kitty sitting there waiting for some odds and ends...she looks soaked!


----------



## fisherboy

Last 1 I caught I ate the developing eggs. Not bad.


----------



## ErieEye

AtticaFish said:


> Got a nice one tonight on a hair jig. Also caught a huge LMB on the clown x-rap. Never got the tape measure on the bass since there were too many glowing eyes swimming around at the time. Guessing the bass went maybe 18"? She went back quickly. The walleye went 20" and was nice and thick. Eggs were forming for next spring, cat enjoyed those. Had to double up the sweatshirts and put on the Carhart bibs tonight though. Low 40°'s and rain while i fished. Water was much, much warmer than the air!


I haven't been brave enough to try it sinse that front came through. Upground reservoirs and wind don't work together. Good job with the bass and 'eye though.


----------



## kritterkare

Great Post, in Colorado I had my places I fished using the same formula and rarely got skunked especially in the Fall, here in Ohio I have no clue where to fish for eyes but back in Colo I learned from a lifetime there.


----------



## fishfinder43420

Got two eyes and lost a third at the dock....caught two at 4:50 pm.. then lost the last one at 645...had to leave cause of storm...also had biggest bass of year... At least 17''.. the walleye were 18'' and 20'' both female with eggs starting..


----------



## midoh39

Hey guys, I go to school in defiance and I enjoy stalking the shore line for eyes. I'm not asking for any honey holes but what are a few reservoirs up here that have decent eye fishing? I try to go to Indian as much as I can when I'm on my fall/ winter breaks but that drive isn't as manageable from up here. I know that the Defi Res has been stocked with eyes but last year all I got were dinks. Luckily this semester I have more time to get out at night so any input on places to go would be great! Sorry if I hijacked this thread but I figured this would be a good place to post a question


----------



## Daveo76

midoh39 said:


> Hey guys, I go to school in defiance and I enjoy stalking the shore line for eyes. I'm not asking for any honey holes but what are a few reservoirs up here that have decent eye fishing? I try to go to Indian as much as I can when I'm on my fall/ winter breaks but that drive isn't as manageable from up here. I know that the Defi Res has been stocked with eyes but last year all I got were dinks. Luckily this semester I have more time to get out at night so any input on places to go would be great! Sorry if I hijacked this thread but I figured this would be a good place to post a question


 When you coming back down here??


----------



## midoh39

Haha man I don't know! I wasn't really at home at all this year so the trip down there would've been tough, but if the fishing down there picks up you may be blessed with my presence in November


----------



## AtticaFish

If you are shore bound, get out on any riprap banks close to deep water and cast jigs or stick crank baits. Rattletraps work as well on some waters. The 'eyes come up on the bank at times to feed. Watched 2 of them cruise the shore last time out trying to pick off bluegill that were sitting in among the big rocks. On Erie, they key in on the schools of shiners and shad.



kritterkare said:


> ....here in Ohio I have no clue where to fish for eyes.........


Should have gotten out tonight.......


----------



## kritterkare

Watched 2 of them cruise the shore last time out trying to pick off bluegill that were sitting in among the big rocks. On Erie, they key in on the schools of shiners and shad.
Should have gotten out tonight....... [/QUOTE]

They can be quite impressive to watch feed some times especially in the fall and this for sure would have been a good night to be out.


----------



## midoh39

I went to the Defi Res to kill some time before a meeting and got one dink eye then decided to call it quits. Missed one other fish, the fishing struggle of living in Defiance is real right now lol.


----------



## ErieEye

midoh39 said:


> I went to the Defi Res to kill some time before a meeting and got one dink eye then decided to call it quits. Missed one other fish, the fishing struggle of living in Defiance is real right now lol.


If your picking up some small ones, keep doing what your doing, the big girls will show up eventually. We have a full moon coming tomorrow. I bet the big girls will be up cruisin. Hopefully the wind won't be too bad. Don't know anything about that res. but if there is a section of shoreline somewhere around that res. that would be more irregular, and have some larger boulders mixed in right along shore, that would be the place to try (assuming its an upground res. with rock all the way around). Thats the type of spot I've been fishing.


----------



## 1basshunter

are any of you going out tomorrow with a full moon and a lunar eclipse happening


----------



## midoh39

From what I know, the Defi Res was made in 2007 and I have never heard of any size to the eyes in there. I talked to Paul at Paul's bait shop and he said that it has good perch but the eyes are still small. I just wanted to work on techniques and test a few lures. Hopefully I'll hitting up a different Res Thursday after class!


----------



## Gregger

If clyde isn't too far beaver creek reservoir is very solid.


----------



## midoh39

I'm in a toss up between Fostoria and Van Wert for Thursday


----------



## ErieEye

1basshunter said:


> are any of you going out tomorrow with a full moon and a lunar eclipse happening


I hope to try it but might have to try a different spot from where I normally fish. 30 out of the west would make my spot unfishable. Tried tonight and only got 1 12"er.


----------



## fishfinder43420

Ima try...30 out the west!!!!!! Say it ain't soo!!!!!!!


----------



## AtticaFish

Got out again tonight (Tuesday, 10/7) for a little more twisted ankle, slippery rock, shoreline 'eye, bank beating fun.  With the moon bright and high in the sky, seemed like i didn't see as many glowing eyes up in skinny water. Could catch glimpses of them, but they disappeared quickly and were all way out. Only google-eye rockbass on jigs tonight, so switched the X-rap to a floating, but _much_ deeper running Rapala and was casting out deep instead of parallel to the shore.

Went 1 for 2 again with a 19.5" walleye to the net this evening. The one i lost looked like a freakin' MONSTER........ of course, don't all the ones you loose at your feet? Ugh. I'll take it though. Getting at least one each trip out, so happy with that. Another female with eggs starting. Also think i finally have it figured out how to get the cheeks out!  The outside cats and (spoiled heavily) dog got equal shares of the belly fat and trimmings.

BTW - Only the 'good' beer with the extra kick is consumed on the weekends. I still need to get up in a few hours.


----------



## kritterkare

Nice fish, looks like the animals want their pic taken with it


----------



## ErieEye

AtticaFish said:


> Got out again tonight (Tuesday, 10/7) for a little more twisted ankle, slippery rock, shoreline 'eye, bank beating fun.  With the moon bright and high in the sky, seemed like i didn't see as many glowing eyes up in skinny water. Could catch glimpses of them, but they disappeared quickly and were all way out. Only google-eye rockbass on jigs tonight, so switched the X-rap to a floating, but _much_ deeper running Rapala and was casting out deep instead of parallel to the shore.
> 
> Went 1 for 2 again with a 19.5" walleye to the net this evening. The one i lost looked like a freakin' MONSTER........ of course, don't all the ones you loose at your feet? Ugh. I'll take it though. Getting at least one each trip out, so happy with that. Another female with eggs starting. Also think i finally have it figured out how to get the cheeks out!  The outside cats and (spoiled heavily) dog got equal shares of the belly fat and trimmings.
> 
> BTW - Only the 'good' beer with the extra kick is consumed on the weekends. I still need to get up in a few hours.


Beautiful fish! Looks like I'm gonna have to try some deeper running baits when I'm not getting them along the rocks shallow. This post has me thinking about last night. I did have 2 big fish on that I couldn't control. I just assumed they were snagged carp but who knows. Never did see em. Ya you don't want to throw that cheek meat out. Anything over 18 I make shure I cut the cheeks out of.


----------



## midoh39

I'll be at Lake LeComte tonight! Wish me luck!


----------



## Hammb

This Walleye fishing from shore has me very intrigued. I've never done it. Are there public fishing areas on the Lake Erie shoreline that could be productive? Just tossing jigs or cranks along the rocks? 

Very intriguing to me as I love Walleye and am shorebound. My Walleye fishing has been limited to the run in the Maumee.


----------



## AtticaFish

They do catch them off of break walls and piers on Erie. Mostly hear about it during late fall..... from around Halloween up until ice. Catawba SP Pier, Lakeside Pier, Mazurik Access break wall and Huron pier are popular spots. I've talked to people who have done well casting from shore out on Kellys Island. Also hear about Luna Pier up in MI.



midoh39 said:


> I'll be at Lake LeComte tonight! Wish me luck!


Good luck, hope you find some to make up for that long drive!


----------



## Saugeyefisher

ErieEye said:


> I hope to try it but might have to try a different spot from where I normally fish. 30 out of the west would make my spot unfishable. Tried tonight and only got 1 12"er.


Fyi ive learned(especially early fall) hard winds are saugeye maginets... though its tougher to fish,the fish LOVE it. Ill catch saugeye at buckeye in a wind pushing 2/3' waves on my feet. The trick to casting is hitting it at an angle. Beileive it or not i was casting #5 flicker shads into the 20-30 mph wind a couple weekends ago. That and when its at your face it doesnt take much of a cast,the fish are usually at your feet. .
Once temps really cool down,ill let the wind just push in my suspending stickbait. And just simply reel in the slack. Its crazy most the time the stickbait isnt even wobbling, just being pushed....
Another good windy bait is a red eye shad or ripnrap... they really cut through the wind for when you need a further cast to get to a break,or hump.

Ive enjoyed your guys thread,figured id toss something out there...


----------



## Saugeyefisher

Oh and to those targeting rip rap and rocks. Also dont over look spots where creek channels swing up to the bank,and any channels,canals,or back of coves. If its more less a round bowl your fishing. Look for ANY irregular spots on the bank,like dips,washouts,or arwas that mifht slightly shoot out. ANYTHING for fish to refer to... ive read before,if you take a plain,nothing in it but water fish tank and just put a pc of black tape on the bottem,most game fish will relate to the black tape.


----------



## midoh39

I'm the only one out here at Vets Res, hopefully this isn't a bad sign


----------



## ErieEye

midoh39 said:


> I'm the only one out here at Vets Res, hopefully this isn't a bad sign


thats why i started this thread. Theres almost never anyone out in the evenings.


----------



## kritterkare

ErieEye said:


> thats why i started this thread. Theres almost never anyone out in the evenings.


Yep! So in Colorado Denver area there are 2 main reservoirs and late September on it starts clearing out of people and all October at night no body and in the late afternoon the wiper would chase the shad shallow then move out and the walleye would start moving in and the action would go on all night and you would rarely ever see anyone and you could wade and catch fish all the way around the 900 acre lake.

The other had good Smallmouth action and many places to wade but same thing a few trollers but for the most part empty and some good trout action as well as the Walleye. Both reservoirs could be fished until about Halloween when the shad move deep again. 
There were a few ponds and small lakes around also with big saugeye and bass that could be fished until they iced up. 
I do a lot of night bass fishing here with a kayak and fly rod in the canton area but still have not figured out where the eye fishing is around here minus trying Mosquito or lakes that might have them and trying the rip rap or looking for shad.


----------



## fishfinder43420

Biggest resivor eye I've caught... Got to freeze it unroll I get a tape messure... Has to be 26 to 28''... Just the one.. got the eye at 8...


----------



## fishfinder43420

fishfinder43420 said:


> Biggest resivor eye I've caught... Got to freeze it unroll I get a tape messure... Has to be 26 to 28''... Just the one.. got the eye at 8...


My eyes were bigger than the tape.. 24'' dead on...still won't complain about it.. a good resivore fish from land though


----------



## midoh39

That's a nice eye! My buddy and I went down to Indian. My buddy got one at 20" and I lost 2, very upsetting night trying to knock the rust off lol


----------



## Larry Winkelman

From shore or boat midohio39??


----------



## midoh39

Shore, ill be back out there the next two days


----------



## Larry Winkelman

Nice. I might be there tomorrow. I was thinking around 6 to 9 probably be the best times. Hopefully I can hook one. I been shut out so far this fall.


----------



## AtticaFish

Nice fish FF43420. Didn't make it out last night till after the moon was up. Was a beautiful night with not a breath of wind. Got :S Actually saw some other people fishing for a change.

Have to say....... wife just might turn me into fish food if i threw a bleeding walleye up on the counter! [email protected]


----------



## Recneck

My woman helps me clean fish on her counter...i lucked out


----------



## Recneck

Do any of the lima area resevoirs have decent eyes??


----------



## fshnfreak

Caught one nice fatty about 7 pm last night then one small lm bass and that was it.


----------



## treyanddad

Wow nice fish


----------



## treyanddad

My son and I fish the river and never catch anything except sheephead and smallie


----------



## treyanddad

Have only been fishing for last two years and not very knowledgeable


----------



## fishfinder43420

Just the one this morning...21.5"....nothing else...caught it at like 730... Lots of fish were jumping...just nothing wanted to bite...


----------



## fishfinder43420

treyanddad said:


> Have only been fishing for last two years and not very knowledgeable


This is the best spot to learn...I'm glad I have this app...helped me improve on what I'm catching and were I fish and what to use..


----------



## midoh39

Got out on Friday night till about 10:30 pm. Honestly it was a pretty rough day, hooked up on 3 fish on jigs including one really nice eye that took a dive for the weeds and popped itself off :/ went all around the lake then I got to my original spot and gave myself 30 more minutes. Turned out to be a good move! I popped 2 eyes in that time and missed another strong bite! Both fish came on a super rougue


----------



## midoh39

Here are pics of the fish! I personally believe that it needs to cool down just a little bit more and it will all be in full swing


----------



## Larry Winkelman

Nice fish midohio39. You still at Indian? I went up last Friday til about 7 and got skunked yet again. Hopefully next time.


----------



## The Outdoor Connection

ress said:


> Is that casting from shore or from a boat toward shore?


 Its very amusing to me - The shore angler tries to throw out into the body of water as far as possible...while the boater throws to get as close in to the bank as they can!


----------



## kritterkare

The Outdoor Connection said:


> Its very amusing to me - The shore angler tries to throw out into the body of water as far as possible...while the boater throws to get as close in to the bank as they can!


I was fishing a lake with the flyrod on shore at a marina and a guy in a boat tossing a large spinnerbait cast pretty much right in front of me and mumbled some crap about trout fishing and moved on and I thought if I were in the boat I would not be wasting my time there when he had the whole lake.


----------



## Cajunsaugeye

Sent from my VS870 4G using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## AtticaFish

Nice MidOH & FishFinder.

Only got one 'eye tonight and not all that big...... but big enough.  Did catch a bunch of RockBass as well. 3 of them were well worth cleaning also, so not too bad a night overall. Tried a new plastic bait tonight - Berkley Havoc BeatShad - in the smoke black purple on an 1/8th oz head. Has a good slow wobble (similar to the x-raps) when worked slow and the tail gets thumping good on the up-sweep jigging motion. Should have ordered the black/blue/silver too! Next time...... Took a while to find anything willing to bite, but it caught all the fish tonight except 1 RockBass that hit my clown x-rap.


----------



## fishfinder43420

Went out last night..got one eye 18''... Got him right at 730 from land...that was the one and only bite I got,, and ill take it..lol..fished from 530 to 8..


----------



## AtticaFish

Fishfinder - Are those saugeye or walleye? I suck at ID'ing between the 2. Trying to narrow down where you are fishing........ without coming right out and asking on the board.  You are getting them much earlier in the evening than me. Mine have been coming close to 10:00 each time.


----------



## fishfinder43420

I'm getting walleye..at green springs resivor


----------



## AtticaFish

I figured that was where IF you told me they were walleye. Only other spot i can think of close (other than Erie) that has walleye instead of saugs. You might have lots of company fishing there after posting that...... that's why i was trying to guess! haha.

..... there is always the 'edit' button.


----------



## fishfinder43420

Ya...I hope not..and still didn't give up any of my good spots..lol


----------



## Gills63

So I'm thinking about giving this a go tonight. I've tried all summer to get into them and haven't brought any home. Probably Le Comte or veterans. Any other tips would be accepted.


----------



## AtticaFish

Gills63 said:


> .....Any other tips would be accepted.


Just keep casting. Jigs - hair, twister tail & boot tail - have had more consistent action so far than stick cranks for me.... but maybe that is just for the reservoir i am fishing. If you are going after dark, keep your head lamp OFF as much as possible. You'll spook them if you leave it on. Good luck - hope to hear a report.


----------



## Gills63

Nothing. Tried rapalas and jigs. Wind and rain were pretty rough.


----------



## fishfinder43420

I'm goin to try tonight...goin to try jig heads...I've been using stick baits..think ima try something different an see what happens..


----------



## dre

You guys are tipping your Jigs with Minnows..right?


----------



## AtticaFish

I tried during daylight today..... nothing. Wind was brutal. 

I have not been tipping my jigs.


----------



## dre

I guess I'm only a tipping mine if I'm just using a jig head. Also a roadrunner with just a minnow has worked for me.


----------



## midoh39

A couple buddies and I hit Indian tonight. I was really expecting for a better day, we were thinking this cold front would get more fish active. Overall I popped a nice eye on a joshy missed another on a vibee, not a single fish on jerks. My buddy got one on a vibee, there was one other keep caught between 8 guys. Very tough day!


----------



## ErieEye

Finally made it out to the res this evening after battling the flu for the last almost 2 weeks. Got 1 18"er right at dark. Fish hit right at my feet. Not much of a fight I basically set the hook and pulled the fish out of the water at the same time. Fished till about 8 and never had another bite. Weather later this week looks good. Hopefully the wind will cooperate.


----------



## mike1987

got a 21 incher last night! 3.5 pounds. off the top of the water too! cant figure out how to upload the pic. i get a fish ohio pin for it...barely


----------



## mike1987

got it


----------



## fishfinder43420

Good catch mike1987.. good stuff erieeye..I havent made it out in a week...thinking about goin to Huron pier..


----------



## AtticaFish

There is a thread in the Erie board right now about shore casting.....

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=266513

Couple reports from Huron and not sounding like a whole lot going on yet. Don't think i've seen any Catawba, Mazurik or Lakeside reports..... will stick with the 10 minute drive to the local res. for now instead of the hour drive up to Erie.


----------



## ErieEye

Saugeyes didn't want to play tonight. Did however manage 3 largemouth ranging between 16 and 18 inches.


----------



## AtticaFish

Gave it a shot last night @ Willard and got skunked on the walleye.... only a couple of rock bass. Fished from around 8 to 10. Anyone gotten out recently? 

FF43420 - Has G.S. reservoir been green all year? Was out there last week during the day and wind was blowing up into the ramp. There was a slick of thick green gunk on the top of the water along the whole shoreline. Managed a nice bass by the pump and that was it.


----------



## BigFish614

Hey just interested in what size and colors of vibees you guys use. Im gonna buy a few this week.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## dre

3/16 is probably the best all around size for both casting and jigging. 1/4 would be ok in deeper water. At night I like to use the purple, red, orange, black or pink. At day throw gold or silver. The Chartruese colors will work decent day or night but I still prefer the darker colors at night. Hope this helps


----------



## fishfinder43420

Went out from 4 to 6... No eyes but a monster bass.


----------



## Tinknocker1

for you guy's that shore fish and wade for saugeyes does your back hurt after several hours of casting ? mine kills me between my shoulders


----------



## DeathFromAbove

Tinknocker1 said:


> for you guy's that shore fish and wade for saugeyes does your back hurt after several hours of casting ? mine kills me between my shoulders


Try a wrap around back brace. I use one in the river and it does wonders. You can get them at most pharmacy's


----------



## Tinknocker1

DeathFromAbove said:


> Try a wrap around back brace. I use one in the river and it does wonders. You can get them at most pharmacy's


thanks i will try that DFA


----------



## pkent

Real time pain killer cream,just found it this summer.put it on and the pain is gone for days.I was in pain for years and it killed my hunting fishing working.not now.


----------



## All Eyes

Fishfinder- That is one heck of a nice bass. Good job!


----------



## Tinknocker1

pkent said:


> Real time pain killer cream,just found it this summer.put it on and the pain is gone for days.I was in pain for years and it killed my hunting fishing working.not now.


wow thanks pkent i will look it up


----------



## canoe carp killer

fishfinder43420 said:


> Went out from 4 to 6... No eyes but a monster bass.



WOW!! That is a big ole bass


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## fishfinder43420

Thanks all eyes and canoe carp killer...it was on my first cast also...thought it was an eye till she got close...didn't have my tape or a weight measure...almost kept it to mount it...but I released it...maybey some one else will be able to pull her in on another day...by far my biggest bass I've pulled in though...


----------



## AtticaFish

Found one tonight.....










Another fish under clear skies and a bright, nearly full moon. Fished from 8:00-10:00. All the fish i saw tonight were very tight to shore. Missed 2 other bites, and did have a bunch of followers come right up to my feet and never hit. 1 bite on a jig/twister. Others bites (including the 1 above) came on a large, green backed X-Rap.


----------

