# Mystery Columbus Quarry Lake?



## Lysis (Apr 18, 2004)

Recently, while driving through western Columbus, I noticed what appears to be a gigantic quarry lake off of McKinley between Trabue and West 5th. I guess it's city property, given the dozen or so signs mentioning "no trespassing" and "dept of public works and aviation." Anyone have any clue as to the origin or status of this lake?

Thanks.


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## MLAROSA (May 20, 2004)

Looking at a map, there are several lakes in that area. I am not really familar with the area so I am not sure what their intended use is/was. But there are a few there.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

Don't try it, you'll get run out and its a quarry surrounded by cliffs. I worked next to it for 15 years, nobody fishes the big one with the island in the middle(west of McKinely) since its used by the division of water to dump the waste sludge from the water plant on morse road on big walnut.( I know thats miles away, pipeline connects them). Now the quarries on the other side of McKinnely are a different story, full of fish, clear and deep, but both private and you WILL get run out unless you live in the apartments, Run-away bay(best name of a development I ever heard!). I've tried several times, every time a helicopter screamed at me or columbus finest told me to leave. PM me if you need more info...
Mike


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## harry1 (Apr 17, 2004)

i've been run off antrim's ice. that was years ago. i've been questioned at the quarries off groveport road, but i had a letter from the owner.


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

I'm moving to Runaway Bay next week, heard the fishing in the quarry is amazing, can't wait to buy a little boat and hit it up. Anyone know what's in there besides the standard LM, cats, carp, bluegill?


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## MLAROSA (May 20, 2004)

Runaway bay? Where might that be?


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

its where 5th dead ends on the west side, can't miss it. LM bass, bluegill, some crappies, cats(bullheads and channels) and carp. Water is gin clear, very spooky fish, you can see bass swimming in 20 feet of water sometimes and 8 lb. line looks like a rope!!!

Mike


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks for the info. Can't wait to get out there.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

runaway bay and the surrounding quarrie(s)have MONSTER bass....only problem is they can be spooked eaisly due to the clarity of the water (similar to lake erie)....I fished there alot when I was younger...back when the quarry on the north side of 5th was a quarry...not am apartment complex . It wouldnt suprise me if the next state record largemoth came out of the runaway bay quarry or the one just north of it.....there are some BIG fish in there.....hooked into a 30-40 lb carp only to watch it wrap me up in some cover and snap the line


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

Some really big bass , I agree, very hard to catch with the water being SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Clear, zebra mussels would starve to death in there its so clear. Like I said before , the big lake west of mckinely is unfishable without climbing gear and a black suit for hiding. The sludge they pump there contains all the chemicals from water treatment only rough fish seem to make it. A pond in Gahanna was full of the dumped stuff, bluegills, bass and bullheads only fish, and very small ones at that, and the sludge is mostly lime, which makes wonderful algea blooms, but is toxic in high doses. Don't look for any good sized bass in these types of ponds.
Mike


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## Lysis (Apr 18, 2004)

Thanks for all the posts. As for both apartment complexes off of 5th, I can't agree more about being careful when attempting to fish out there. I've heard of both places aggressively towing cars and/or sending the cops after trespassers (especially the upscale Quarry complex); and needless to say, it's also impossible to get into the gated condo community surrounding the other portion of the Runaway Bay lake.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

I cant remeber how...but me and a couple buddies got into the gated condo section once...that is where we hooked into the refrigirator sized carp that I mentioned...I think we walked in through some path down by the quarry....cant quite remember..it was about 8 years ago.....If you do decide to fish it make the longest cast you can with a heavy spinner....and by long I mean run and then cast..lol


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## Tornichio (Apr 14, 2004)

runaway bay as small mouth and large mouth bass. when I used to live there I caught 130+ bass during 1 summer I did not fish during the fall. learn to fish deep and you can catch bass. There a 10lb plus large mouth and smallies to 6lbs or more. I never caught any of the huge bass. I wish I could still fish there. I know for a fact there are carp in there pushing 50lb mark I only saw 2 in there that size. I know that there are two because. I saw them at the same time. Plenty in the 20 to 30lb range. I used to work on the quarry. I really hated to leave but It was time to move onto other work.


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## Smallie Chaser (May 17, 2004)

I remember swimming in there as a kid(20yrs ago) and the cops were fairly aggressive back then...a guy drowned in there around then and I remember the dive team having a tough time finding the poor guy because they said the water was murky(again years ago) a short funny story we were all in there swimming jumping off a cliff...when you would hit the water you needless to say swam to shore and climbed back up to the top to go off again....after a while this steep bank got wet a slippery from all the wet people going up...well one kid jumped off and no more than hit the water when we all looked to his left a seen these HUGE bubbles coming towards him  being kids we all assumed the worse and thought this was some prehistoric behemoth coming over to make lunch of our friend...so we all started frantically jumping and hollering for our buddy to get out ASAP!!!! he seen the bubbles and freaked as well and swam to shore pronto...he kept trying to get out but couldnt because the bank was steep and wet and maybe he was a little nervous  and since none of us were brave enough at this young stage of our lives to run down and help our now wetting himself buddy we thought this was surely was the end  when to all of our amazement and our buddies newly found believe in the man upstairs for answering his dying wish) a scuba diver appears out of the deep   very true story ladies and gentleman.


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

What type of patterns would you guys suggest for catching bass on such a deep and clear lake? Sounds like it might be a lot like a Canadian lake.


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## Rainer Wolf (Apr 11, 2004)

i had my boat in the broadcast lake quarry over 50 times & landed big lg mth and a cpl smallies over the years. This fall, fish rat-L-traps i say. i have a friend who lives in runawaybay. guess i have to go hang out over there with him. is there a boat launch? i think i hear boats are allowed.


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

yeah, there is a small boat launch area, gotta have a key that they give you if you are a resident to enter though.


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