# Deer creek snagers



## jason78 (Dec 19, 2008)

Went To Deeer creek today was fishing up on the wall caught couple dozen small ones there was about 8 guys on the wall with me they were snaging a fish ever cast and dropping them in their buckets one guy was picking up and throwing rocks over the wall so it looked like he was throwing the fish back 
guy looked right at me and smiled i just shook my head one guy left with his fish and came back 20 mins later with no fish and started to keep more people like that are not real outdoorsman and pisses me off next time im taking the game wardens number with me


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## deercreekman (Feb 3, 2013)

wardens are never around the spillway when you need them


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

What you need to do is......CALL THE GAME WARDEN!!!!!!! Then tell them your calling the game warden.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Put the game warden or park ranger of the spots you fish on your phone. We're their eyes and ears, especially since they hardly ever get out of their trucks. I busted guys netting game fish last year several times on the big and little d. They had a whole friggin operation going...


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## killingtime (Apr 29, 2009)

i was there today also for 7 hours and i seen it happen also. i dont know why those guys think it is a big deal catching those little saugeye anyway everybody there was catching them 8-10 inch fish. i seen quite a few fish floating dead from banging them off the wall when realing them in then throwin them back overhand from about 18-20 ft above the water. those guys are the biggest bunch of fish slobs i have ever seen.


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## AEFISHING (Apr 25, 2004)

yep, you have to have that number stored on your cell phone.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Deazl666 said:


> I busted guys netting game fish last year several times on the big and little d. They had a whole friggin operation going...


THANK YOU! A damn shame! You can probably find tilapia filets on sale for $3.99 a pound, and people are doing this?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

try 1-800 POACHER 

not hard to remember but the direct line to your county CO is best, also helps if you take pics, or have license plates or good descriptions of them

Salmonid


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

Salmonid said:


> try 1-800 POACHER
> 
> not hard to remember but the direct line to your county CO is best, also helps if you take pics, or have license plates or good descriptions of them
> 
> Salmonid


YES!!!!! And let them know your taking pictures of them in the act.


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## TiDuhble (Apr 10, 2008)

Is the Game Warden going to do anything about it if you call? I had spoke to a GW at alum about the saugeye in the spillway and this one group of people who was keeping small fish both crappie and saugeye. The GW told me that the rules that apply above the damn do not apply down below. I asked if this was for all spillways and his answer was "pretty much" He told me that it had something to do with the drastic reduction in growth rate for the fish in the spillway due to the lack of food. Now, I HATE snaggers and people that keep undersized fish and wish there was something we could do about it. I have been in quite a few arguements with people (not anglers) that participate in these activities because they aren't good enough to catch them legally.


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

I don't think there is a limit on size for saugeye below spillways in ohio. Still gotta hook em legally though!


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## killingtime (Apr 29, 2009)

i know there is no size limis there but the way they treat the fish bouncing it off the wall 2 or 3 time when realing it in then the way they throw them back from way above the water. it really does about make you sick when you see this going on firsthand. if the state can spend money for all the officers at the spring walleye runs they can put someone undercover at deer creek once a week for awhile until some of those guys get the hint. i know they cant do alot about it in the dark but these guys are doing it in broad daylight.


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## OnTheFly (Jul 30, 2010)

I don't think there is a limit on size for saugeye below spillways in ohio. Still gotta hook em legally though!


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

I was there also from 7:30am till4pm I fished down far end by little dam on wheel chair ramp. All day caught small fish all day kept 4 that were 16-17 inches. I have seen people snagging for years and I've seen people get into fights in parking lot over it. It's very upsetting to watch because at time you feel helpless to stop it and just makes you more and more upset when they know your watching and they don't care. I try very hard to stay away from them when they are at it if I can. I know for last 25 years watching them most of the people I see doing this look like the type of people that would rob you if they had half a chance.


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## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

glasseyes said:


> I was there also from 7:30am till4pm I fished down far end by little dam on wheel chair ramp. All day caught small fish all day kept 4 that were 16-17 inches. I have seen people snagging for years and I've seen people get into fights in parking lot over it. It's very upsetting to watch because at time you feel helpless to stop it and just makes you more and more upset when they know your watching and they don't care. I try very hard to stay away from them when they are at it if I can. I know for last 25 years watching them most of the people I see doing this look like the type of people that would rob you if they had half a chance.


Can I ask what kind of bait you use? I've fished the spillway 4times and each time only caught 3-4 dinks on a Christmas lights twister tail, of the times I have been there I've seen snaggers probably twice up on the walls casting out and jerking a little to hard to hard to be fishing for anything 


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## Dovans (Nov 15, 2011)

Interestingly enough, at the sports show, the biologist was saying how Deer Creek was actually managed for the tail waters fishery. Secondly, be very careful when telling a criminal your turning them in. Just call the Warden and let him do it. The wardens do watch Deer Creek. Many people have been busted snagging. I have read about it in cuffs and collars in that ohio game fish newspaper.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

Fisherfourlife said:


> Can I ask what kind of bait you use? I've fished the spillway 4times and each time only caught 3-4 dinks on a Christmas lights twister tail, of the times I have been there I've seen snaggers probably twice up on the walls casting out and jerking a little to hard to hard to be fishing for anything
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


I was using a husky12 jerk bait black gold with orang belly, caught two of the keepers, others on pink or chart tails, with weighted bobber at 6' deep. Caught three of the bigger ones before 10 am. Caught last one right beside little dam by far end parking lot right before I left.


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

Where is the little dam ?


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

Dovans said:


> Interestingly enough, at the sports show, the biologist was saying how Deer Creek was actually managed for the tail waters fishery. Secondly, be very careful when telling a criminal your turning them in. Just call the Warden and let him do it. The wardens do watch Deer Creek. Many people have been busted snagging. I have read about it in cuffs and collars in that ohio game fish newspaper.


Word. That's a pretty tough population down there. I have family from Mt. Sterling.


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## Deazl666 (Mar 30, 2012)

streamstalker said:


> THANK YOU! A damn shame! You can probably find tilapia filets on sale for $3.99 a pound, and people are doing this?


Here's what I did:

1. I called MetroParks - They posted more signs that using a seine net within 
park boundaries was a no-no. I also told them that if they really wanted to put an end to the practice that they would need to get out of their trucks and walk the river. I told them that I've never seen a ranger down in the river valley of either the big or little d. 

2. I emailed the Ohio Smallmouth Alliance - Not sure what good that did.

3. I called ODNR (the poacher folks) - Person who answered the phone had no idea what or where the Darby was. They "weren't sure it was poaching." I said they not only were taking gamefish, but they were taking baitfish and craws from an entire stretch of river. The night I busted them it was a six-man operation.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

What was the water level like down there?? is it flowing hard with the rain and snow melt?


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Deazl666 said:


> Here's what I did:
> 
> 1. I called MetroParks - They posted more signs that using a seine net within
> park boundaries was a no-no. I also told them that if they really wanted to put an end to the practice that they would need to get out of their trucks and walk the river. I told them that I've never seen a ranger down in the river valley of either the big or little d.
> ...


I sure hope the shake up at the DNR changes the whole "1-800-JOKE" deal. If you search the archives there are a number of posts about the 1-800 line that are identical to yours (operator located in another State, had no Idea what to do, etc).

I've said it once, i've said it 10x, and i'll say it again in this thread: outside of the Muamee during the Walleye run the DNR simply doesn't care about our inland rivers and streams. Period. Just ask the Catfish guys...

In 18 years of fishing said rivers and streams I can count, on two hands, the number of times I have seen the DNR patrolling our moving waterways; unacceptable. Im not calling for mass-enforcement, nor heavy fines, just a noticeable presence to let the bad guys know "don't break the law, we're watching" - I don't think that's too much to ask

Sorry if I alienated any of "you guys", but seriously, something needs to be done, our State is getting a bad name...


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

acklac7 said:


> I sure hope the shake up at the DNR changes the whole "1-800-JOKE" deal. If you search the archives there are a number of posts about the 1-800 line that are identical to yours (operator located in another State, had no Idea what to do, etc).
> 
> I've said it once, i've said it 10x, and i'll say it again in this thread: outside of the Muamee during the Walleye run the DNR simply doesn't care about our inland rivers and streams. Period. Just ask the Catfish guys...
> 
> ...


I completely agree with all this. This crap happens at every spillway in the state and I never see any DNR guys patrol anywhere. And driving thru the parking lot doesn't count as patrolling. They worry about the guys on the lake and I would say 95% if not more of the guys on the lake are completely legal. The problem has always been at the spillways. I have only had to call one time on a river or creek and that was when this idiot was catching gar and stomping on their head and throwing them up on the bank.


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## EYE BANDIT (Dec 31, 2012)

I was over there last year & seen a guy snag what I would say was at least a 10 pound female Saugeye..Warden sitting in his truck right behind him..He was gonna keep it until he realized he was sitting behind him..I see you breaking the law..You will be reported! After I tell you about it!!!


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## catmando (Aug 21, 2006)

imalt said:


> I completely agree with all this. This crap happens at every spillway in the state and I never see any DNR guys patrol anywhere. And driving thru the parking lot doesn't count as patrolling. They worry about the guys on the lake and I would say 95% if not more of the guys on the lake are completely legal. The problem has always been at the spillways. I have only had to call one time on a river or creek and that was when this idiot was catching gar and stomping on their head and throwing them up on the bank.


I don't see it going on at Indian or other places. DNR needs to take away the privilage of fishing in Ohio from some of the lowlife scumbags at that dam.


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

catmando said:


> I don't see it going on at Indian or other places. DNR needs to take away the privilage of fishing in Ohio from some of the lowlife scumbags at that dam.


It happens at caesers and cowan. At least at cowan before they dredged the spillway and killed the fishing there. But that is a different story. I know they can't be everywhere but when anglers on here are seeing it on a constant basis at a certain spillway it seems like the dnr could step up the efforts a little bit. I don't know how it is in other parts of the state but in southwest ohio it seems like the talapia fisherman are the worst offenders of poaching.


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## catmando (Aug 21, 2006)

imalt said:


> It happens at caesers and cowan. At least at cowan before they dredged the spillway and killed the fishing there. But that is a different story. I know they can't be everywhere but when anglers on here are seeing it on a constant basis at a certain spillway it seems like the dnr could step up the efforts a little bit. I don't know how it is in other parts of the state but in southwest ohio it seems like the talapia fisherman are the worst offenders of poaching.


I fish all those places and don't see it like i do at DC. I bet the snaggers have their own snagging web page for that lake. OGF may want to make a forum report topic out of it.


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

if you want to keep small fish below spillways its legal be my guest. Most will either die or remain resident stunted dinks when the water goes down and subsequently boils during the summer. But there is never and i mean never a time to snag a saugeye or crappie. Saw a guy last spring in a spillway snag one that weighed 11 lbs on his scale and released her unharmed even though no law enforcement was present. That makes you at least feel like theres still some people like us out there.


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## catmando (Aug 21, 2006)

:good:


jray said:


> if you want to keep small fish below spillways its legal be my guest. Most will either die or remain resident stunted dinks when the water goes down and subsequently boils during the summer. But there is never and i mean never a time to snag a saugeye or crappie. Saw a guy last spring in a spillway snag one that weighed 11 lbs on his scale and released her unharmed even though no law enforcement was present. That makes you at least feel like theres still some people like us out there.


:good:


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## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

Do you guys think that some conditions are better for fishing at the spillway like water coming out of all four gates and weather conditions like windy or rainy or anything?


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## Dovans (Nov 15, 2011)

Been down to Deer Creek and see folks catching fish, then the buzzer sounds, and fish quit hitting.. So, I dont know if it matters or not.


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## Skippy (Dec 2, 2009)

I just can't see where the state just doesen't put a 15 inch size limit on all saugeyes and walleyes. Everywhere, state wide. Won't stop it all but would sure slow it down.


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## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

and another angle to look at snaggers (im not proud of this): i was probably around 11yrs old and didnt really know any better, but i went to a spillway with my fishing pole and didnt really know what i was doing, but i wanted to catch fish. i saw some people ripping hooks through the water and getting fish, so i tried to do it too. i didnt get anything, but for a kid to see people catching fish, they can try to mimic it too, because they dont know about rules, regulations, and etiquette.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Skippy said:


> I just can't see where the state just doesen't put a 15 inch size limit on all saugeyes and walleyes. Everywhere, state wide. Won't stop it all but would sure slow it down.


Just being honest here, i'd like to see the minimum @ 12". I don't like to eat fish much but boy do I love them lil tasty 12-14" eyes, taste almost the same as yellow perch...mmmmm. Anything below 12" is just a joke to keep...


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## James F (Jul 2, 2005)

This thread pops up almost every year.Same thing over and over,slob fishermen making sportsmen look bad and causing the loss of more places to [email protected]


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## bobbyblitzcreek (Aug 6, 2011)

I saw guys snagging fish today and keeping them. What happened to honest sportsman?!?!?


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## tobeast (Mar 6, 2009)

was there tonight as well almost everyone was keeping 6 inchers . how much fillet can there be on those things . wish they would put a size limit on there so we could hav a good quality fishery. ok my rant is over


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## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

I love fishing that spillway, but people like that make it hard. Do they
Not realize by throwing those small ones back it would make the spillway a better fishery with larger fish so everyone whos catching those dinks would be catching say 15"ers in a year or 2? A size limit of at least 13" would be good below spillways, that's still small if your looking to eat them but it's better than 6 guys keeping ten 6"ers each to get as much meat as 2 or 3 15" could get you. 


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

I fished spill way at Deer Creek thurs. fri. and Sat. , I seen the DNR officer on top of the dam Sat. ( lots of people there) when I drove up around the dam to look at lake, he was crouched out behind top of dam watching people fish. I know he was up there over an hour not sure how long when I went back to spill way and was fishing he drove down and seen him walk up the wall and check license, not sure if he gave any tickets I was down at other end past bridge. Seen two guys leave in a hurry on my side when he drove down and he never came over to check license on my side. I guess he figured any one that didn't have them would have left by the time he got around there.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Two little known facts.

Snagging below the dam at Deer Creek existed prior to the Internet being in existence.

Snagging below the dam at Deer creek existed prior to saugeye being a species.


There were walleye below that dam prior to the saugeye.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

Lundy said:


> Two little known facts.
> 
> Snagging below the dam at Deer Creek existed prior to the Internet being in existence.
> 
> ...



Your are correct on your comments other then , being a little known fact. If you fish there and you are old enough, and of course you have internet access or you wouldn't be here then these are not little known facts. I am old enough to remember catching walleye as a child, and have fished there all my life. I don't like the snagging any more then others and just having the website to talk about the frustrations just fuels the fire I guess when others chime in.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

glasseyes,

I too caught walleye below that dam back in the late 60's early 70's

My point being most are not as old as we are and don't know that


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

I can't remember but seems like the dam was built in 1967 ? , not sure. Yes your right I never thought about being that old, guess it catches up pretty fast. I still remember as a kid catching the small walleye and sticking my fingers in their mouth, oh what a surprise for a kid used to creek fishing. I have many fond memories of that place and some not so fond. There are a lot of good people out there and just as many not so good. I never fish there in warm weather so from March thru October I usually don't see what go's on there. And this is the first winter I have fished the spillway in a few years, mostly I fish for crappie year round.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

I looked it up, they say the dam was finished in 1968. I can remember how excited everyone was to fish there and how NEW everything looked. I know for a 13 yr. old boy it was a new place to explore.


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## cramerk (Aug 3, 2005)

FAKE IT Talk like you are actually a warden.... I was about to meet up with fishslim and Ying a few years back when they called and said guys were snagging where they were at (a central ohio river), Slim then came up with the idea for me to act/talk like a warden when I came down to fish. As soon as I talked about writing some tickets earlier in the day, the snaggers bolted out and cleared the prime spot for slim to work his magic. Also asked to see their fish and pointed out that the marks were not what a legal fish looks like.... Didnt see them in our area ever again.


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## Rod62 (Jul 27, 2012)

Went to the spillway this morning.No snagging or catching going on


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## StumpHawg (May 17, 2011)

Most snagging happens up top of wall, overall you have the Good-Bad and Ugly at that spillway just like others.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

Actually years ago when I fished there several times a wek I would see most of the snagging done by wheel chair ramps, down in rocks at one end or other where the people doing the snagging could be hidden to some extent when they would bring fish out of water . I guess they thought you couldn't tell what they were doing when they ripped the pole every few seconds.


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## Toolman (Jun 8, 2004)

My point being most are not as old as we are and don't know that 

Thats for sure!

Seriously though, it seems that if people would call the local Conservation Officer every time they witnessed snagging they would address the problem

Tim


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

Yes I guess we are old. I don't know about the calling of the officers , if that would work or not. You and I ( since we are old ) both know the problem has been around sice the beginning and I know from talking to the different officers that have come and gone over the years that they are well aware of the problem and I think sometimes their priorities are different than ours . It's just hard to deal with when we are fishing and it's going on in front of you , a person would like it to stop NOW, and that is just not going to happen. In the real world I doubt if snagging fish at a spillway is on top priority of the DNR. Don't get me wrong I feel I have done my part in past to try and stop it and I feel that a person should do their part ( within reason ) not to put themselves in harms way over a fish, that just doesn't make sense. I would never approach anyone who was snagging and inform them of what they are doing was illegal, they know it is and it's not worth a physical confrontation to me over a fish. And I have seen that happen at that spillway , and it wasn't the guys snagging that got the worst end of the deal.


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## 66johnson (Apr 7, 2008)

I will not go into a huge rant and rave here. But each one of us has our own opportunity to keep or throw fish back. Its our own privilidge. I pay to purchase a license each year that entitles me to keep a "daily bag limit" of fish that the ODNR sets. I admit I like to fish....but I also LOVE to eat them and if I go there and only catch 10 inch fish then that is what I am going to keep. I am in the majority here of agreeing with a size limit. I have no problems abiding by one. I do it each and every year with crappie and you do not hear me complain one bit. When and if the ODNR decides to put a limit on it then I will abide by this one also. But for people to come on here and complain about others taking fish home when their isnt a size limit is ridiculous. Its funny to even think about it because when I am there fishing I guarntee that 90% of the fish I see caught are thrown into their buckets. I very rarely see ANYONE throw a fish back if they do not already have their 6 in their bucket.


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## Chub Buster II (Jul 16, 2008)

I would abide by a rule of a length limit on the saugeye at deer creek if it was a law. Just like the law of snagging. A Fish Ohio or dink snagged I turn it loose. But if I make them bite, I keep the ones that I can get a fillet off of. Be nice to see at least 13-15 inch length limit I would agree. But until that rule becomes law... you all sound like a bunch of arrogant snooty yuppies trying to start your own tree hugging service. I'm gonna take my six just like the other 80 people do every weekend. You want to micro manage rules then add in the number of people littering the water breaking off 50 feet of mono. Lets make a rule to force low income legal fisherman to buy hybrid power lines that break off closer to the lure. And the 500 other rules we could enforce. Any non native hybrid state raised fish in tail waters I don't feel one bit sorry for. Saugeye are eating machines. Keep your limit abide by the rules and have a good time fishing. Save the Smallmouth from saugeye eating all their groceries downstream. No one protecting the Smally's in this thread is there? 

When I go up in 17 degree whether I'm not out there with the wind in my face cause I'm a pure trophy fisherman I'm out there to bring something home, and I enjoy it and it fun to fish etc... But hey just another opinion.


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## Chub Buster II (Jul 16, 2008)

Good point Johnson66. I keep my 6 throw the other 10 back. Plenty of fish in there.


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## bstew (May 2, 2005)

I have spoken to a warden and he said that once the fish hit the spillway growth is slowed drastically. Saugeye are very meaty and similar to perch, in that most all of us would keep a 10" perch. However, damaging a fish then returning it to the water is a shame. Many times my limit has icluded a small fish that has swallowed a hook. Personally I feel cuts is budgets have caused the wardens to be undermanned, especially at a place like Deer Creek where they are not only monitoring fishermen but hunters also. I've been fishing the spillway for over 20 years, and there was a time when they would sit at the top of the hill with binoculars and bust guys all the time. The wardens would check for licenses multiple times a day, now it happens occasionally. All we can do is suggest to lawbreakers they stop, remember the world we live in and you have no idea who is carrying a gun, either legal or not. Be safe and you can only do what you consider moral. I have to answer to God for my actions, not those around me.


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## Chub Buster II (Jul 16, 2008)

I haven't followed every post in the thread but, in case it hasn't been mentioned . The new Pickaway county WO was sworn in 2012. Officer Joshua Elster age 30. He's been very active this year and I've witnessed 2 instances of him fining folks for either obviously over their limit in the bucket, which is a no brainer, or happening to be caught buddy fishing with their fishing partner and he's not giving any first offense warnings either. Very direct and strick.

Here's the only thing I don't think is clear in the instance of buddy fishing. In case you haven't though about it. It's not any different than folks on lake side that have a functional livewell. Putting both or all individual limits of party, say of crappie, in one livewell/bucket. If they start enforcing folks to segregate their limits of crappie on lake side within the livewell? Then looks like the municipal courts will be making some good money. Same thing goes for walleye on Lake Erie. On private charter boats and alike. Do they really enforce you to segregate your fish of 6 limits on individual stringers in the ice chest. They do so on head boats due to amount of fisherman but for a family or group on private charter perch or walleye alike? They don't. Just a shady rule. Hard to watch a guy with his father or senior getting fined for wanting to team fish their 2 limits at the dam. But at same time you watch the 8 people of whoever, family, or foe alike taking their fill of buddy fishing and walk away with no penalty time and time again.

The new WO's that were sworn into Ohio 2012.
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/News/NewsReleaseArchives/tabid/19075/EntryId/2886/ODNR-Welcomes-New-State-Wildlife-Officers-for-2012.aspx


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## Thor (May 3, 2012)

Just to chime in my 2 cents... I used to work at Deer Creek, and I know for a fact that they only have 2 deputies, usually only one of which is working at any given time. (sometimes 2 on weekends) They have to patrol the Lodge, Campgrounds, Dam, Lake, Beach, hunting areas, shooting range, Restaurant, and banquet facilities during large gatherings and parties/events. Often times, there are 500 people or more in the banquet facility, and drunken disorderly problems happen a lot with "good ole boys" and the local ********.

Not sure if the state pays for them, or if Xanterra (the company that owns the property) pays for their service. There needs to be more manpower and presence though. There are just too few people stretched too thin. We might have to challenge ourselves, and others, to abide by rules, and limits so that our children can have the same benefits of a place with fish to catch.

I like the idea mentioned of pretending to be a ranger, but just make sure "the man" doesn't find out. I hear they frown upon "impersonating an officer of the law".

Ps. cant wait till march... goal this year is to improve ratio of 1 white bass per rooster tail lost !


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## Chub Buster II (Jul 16, 2008)

Good night. Limited in 20 minutes. Caught near 20 within an hour and half. Almost ready for a fish fry. Not one snagged fish tonight by me. All good bites, missed few short bites but otherwise active with a little steadier retrieve maybe due to the mild temps idk. Anyhow between my old man, and uncle I'd guess we caught 40-50 seyes.


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## killingtime (Apr 29, 2009)

Good catch chub it seemed like they bit good all day from what I seen while I was there. I fished for crappie and ended up with 21 but only had 12 that were 9-11 inches.


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

I went up on Sunday morning and didn't even get a bite.whats the best size jig head to use ? I was using a 3 inch on the bottom and two inch grub on the top. . . What was I doin wrong?


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

killingtime said:


> Good catch chub it seemed like they bit good all day from what I seen while I was there. I fished for crappie and ended up with 21 but only had 12 that were 9-11 inches.


Whats the water look like??? Clarity wise???? Thanks, Clayton.


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## killingtime (Apr 29, 2009)

I could see my jig about 6 inches before it disappeared and the fish were biting so I guess it's about right. I don't fish there often so I don't know what it's supposed to look like.


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## fisherFL (Oct 23, 2012)

Chub Buster II said:


> Good night. Limited in 20 minutes. Caught near 20 within an hour and half. Almost ready for a fish fry. Not one snagged fish tonight by me. All good bites, missed few short bites but otherwise active with a little steadier retrieve maybe due to the mild temps idk. Anyhow between my old man, and uncle I'd guess we caught 40-50 seyes.


3" grubs?


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## StumpHawg (May 17, 2011)

Chub Buster II said:


> Good night. Limited in 20 minutes. Caught near 20 within an hour and half. Almost ready for a fish fry. Not one snagged fish tonight by me. All good bites, missed few short bites but otherwise active with a little steadier retrieve maybe due to the mild temps idk. Anyhow between my old man, and uncle I'd guess we caught 40-50 seyes.


Good response on earlier post and great job this eve with ur family


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## Chub Buster II (Jul 16, 2008)

Killintime, nice on the crappie. 

Zack and fishforlife, I like going as light as I can floating it through water column. Sometimes right on bottom sometimes mid column depending. Other times dragging it literally on bottom sometimes steady quicker retrieve. When water is coming out 600 cfs or less I typically use double 1/32nds. Sometimes a 1/16th on top and a 1/32 on bottom with your favorite twister tail or grub 2 or 3 inches personal pref. Just your typical saugeye setup. But see many people fishing too heavy I think sometimes which gets ya in to more snags if you don't keep your retrieve up. I also like to just go single 3-4 inch grub/twister on a 1/16oz or 1/8oz jighead. I seem to think bigger bait bigger fish if I'm trying to concentrate on targeting a bigger saugeye. JMO though. Hope that helps.

StumpHawg, thanks. And that's 3/4 of the fun when you got friends and fam to enjoy this stuff with. Great times. Enjoy why your loved ones are around and still can.

Water clarity? Not as clear as it was at beginning of Jan. when water was steady before precip started falling. However it's not bad murky to dirty. For a spillway bout avg. and looking better.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

Chub Buster II said:


> I would abide by a rule of a length limit on the saugeye at deer creek if it was a law. Just like the law of snagging. A Fish Ohio or dink snagged I turn it loose. But if I make them bite, I keep the ones that I can get a fillet off of. Be nice to see at least 13-15 inch length limit I would agree. But until that rule becomes law... you all sound like a bunch of arrogant snooty yuppies trying to start your own tree hugging service. I'm gonna take my six just like the other 80 people do every weekend. You want to micro manage rules then add in the number of people littering the water breaking off 50 feet of mono. Lets make a rule to force low income legal fisherman to buy hybrid power lines that break off closer to the lure. And the 500 other rules we could enforce. Any non native hybrid state raised fish in tail waters I don't feel one bit sorry for. Saugeye are eating machines. Keep your limit abide by the rules and have a good time fishing. Save the Smallmouth from saugeye eating all their groceries downstream. No one protecting the Smally's in this thread is there?
> 
> When I go up in 17 degree whether I'm not out there with the wind in my face cause I'm a pure trophy fisherman I'm out there to bring something home, and I enjoy it and it fun to fish etc... But hey just another opinion.


Well if you knew me you would know I'm about as far as from being an arrogant snooty yuppie as you can get LOL. 
People are different thats all, just because someone doesn't want to keep small fish and comes to a forum to express their opinion doesn't make them arrogant . And just because someone wants to keep small fish doesn't make them wrong. We all fish for different reasons and I for one could care less what someone else wants to keep if it's legal. I have kept my fair share of saugeye over the years that were under 12" long but I have past that stage and mostly fish for fun. I do keep fish on occasion and enjoy them very much. I can also remember when the eyes were 1st stocked in Deer Creek that everyone was keeping the little cigar type fish and filling their buckets when there was no limit, I was one of them. As far as bad weather , I have been there many times when a bad winter storm was coming and no one else was there, because I know they turn on when the worst of weather hits, I have fished it in Horrible wind and snow and sub zero weather and some of those times I don't keep fish, it's just fun for me, so just because the weather is bad doesn't mean you keep fish because you braved the weather. Like I said we are all different. I seen a guy catch and keep a few Saturday beside me and we talked for a while chewed the fat and I probably caught 30 in a short period of time using my bobber and a single jig fishing the current and I never kept a fish, he kept the first 6 he caught and I'm sure none of them were over 11"-12" long but he was tickled and it made his day, that's great.


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## Chub Buster II (Jul 16, 2008)

Nah glasseyes I'm not calling anyone directly arrogant I'm just saying it's sounding that way. As you state we're all different I agree. Choose to fish as one may legally, without grief. Just don't get all balled up about it when the guy next to you is keeping anything someone else would preferably not consider. Neutrality or even grounds amongst all our thoughts as outdoor enthusiast is what I'm striving for. 
"Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall. It is better to be humble and stay poor than to be arrogant and get a share of their loot".


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## crappiewizard (Feb 21, 2012)

Went down to the spillway today with goosecomander and didn't catch much. But the park ranger caught him one lol. Must be a limit on the eyes bc after he wrote the guy a ticket they went a let a couple go. Never seen him catch one over 10 inches. That's just crazy to me. 


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## StumpHawg (May 17, 2011)

Never seen a Park Ranger write a ticket for game laws, I think some are getting mixed up about how our tax money works.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

It was proabably a wild life officer.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

I may be going there sometime Saturday morning, depending on the weather. I have an 18 mile run to get in early then if the weather is clear and sunny I'm going after crappie at Paint creek lake, if the weather is nasty, snowy rainy cloudy I'll be headed to the spillway


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## crappiewizard (Feb 21, 2012)

Yea game warden sorry. 


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

crappiewizard said:


> Went down to the spillway today with goosecomander and didn't catch much. But the park ranger caught him one lol. Must be a limit on the eyes bc after he wrote the guy a ticket they went a let a couple go. Never seen him catch one over 10 inches. That's just crazy to me.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


What did the water look like clarity wise???? Muddy, clean, a little stained????? Thanks, clayton.


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## Thor (May 3, 2012)

Welcome deercreekman !


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## crappiewizard (Feb 21, 2012)

Clarity was pretty good. A little stained but overall good. 


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