# East Harbor Ice



## Capt. Crude (Nov 2, 2012)

Heard second hand that some guys were out catching some gills... Anyone been by, or been out since the past warm up? Planning on heading up there this weekend, any info would be appreciated. Thanks


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## My Demeyes (Aug 2, 2010)

Some buddies fished it Sunday, they did much better in the marinas


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## hearttxp (Dec 21, 2004)

There where a couple of shanties in east harbor today ? Have No idea what they caught ?


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## Capt. Crude (Nov 2, 2012)

Thanks for the replies, saw 5 to 6" good hard ice on some ponds by me.. was hoping to hit up East Harbor or some marinas that way, I think I will be standing on ice this weekend instead of docks. Thanks again


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## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

I seen 1 shanty on the ice this evening. Had 3" of ice were I checked. There is still pockets of open water where most people normally ice fish out from the launch. Repeat...Open pockets of water yet.


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## tsproperty (Jan 29, 2013)

Do guys mostly walk or take quads out on East Harbor? Where is a good point to go out from? Thanks for any advice.


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## TheSkoalBandit (Jun 25, 2012)

Mostly walk....way too soon for quads


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## sdkohio (Jul 26, 2008)

Where do people park to get on East Harbor? I have launched from Tibbel's while boating...


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## hearttxp (Dec 21, 2004)

WALK out guys No need to drive Quads or sleds. Most park by boat launching ramp


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## sdkohio (Jul 26, 2008)

Is that the ramp at the State Park?


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## TheSkoalBandit (Jun 25, 2012)

sdkohio said:


> Is that the ramp at the State Park?


Yup...quickest and easiest


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Saturday I was out we walked in north of the little inlet by the launch. The launch had open water by the mouth and out about 2-300 yards . The water is not real clean and the fish didn't cooperate for me.


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## WalleyeWiz (Jun 18, 2004)

laynhardwood said:


> Saturday I was out we walked in north of the little inlet by the launch. The launch had open water by the mouth and out about 2-300 yards . The water is not real clean and the fish didn't cooperate for me.


Ramp was still wide open yestetday as well. 


Dwayne


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## KingFisher89 (Feb 22, 2007)

They dredged from the mouth of the ramp all the away across the harbor this summer. What use to be 3-4' is now 7-9'. Just a heads up.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I know I caught lots of bass along the edges of the dredge not in the dredge but the weeds just out of it in the 4ft of water.


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## Rivercrazy (Mar 28, 2008)

The days of sight fishing Gills may be over for awhile. Heck half the fun there was seeing the fish. Weeds in traditional hotspots are GONE. Water is Milky. I noticed the coloring of the Gills Has been affected (thinking thats to blend in with morrow bottom since weeds gone). Hope the ODNR got it right with the aggresive dredging. Was there yesterday. Open water in places still. Straight out from boat ramp probably not a good idea for a couple days.


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## TheSkoalBandit (Jun 25, 2012)

Thanks for the update


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

The harbor will clear up after a while it was dirty last year first ice also. The silt will settle and sight fishing will be a go. I'm going to give it hell Sunday


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## TheSkoalBandit (Jun 25, 2012)

Please post results...been thinking about heading over there. Did pretty well last year there.


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## QUICKRELEASE (Feb 26, 2007)

laynhardwood said:


> The harbor will clear up after a while it was dirty last year first ice also. The silt will settle and sight fishing will be a go. I'm going to give it hell Sunday


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## QUICKRELEASE (Feb 26, 2007)

thanks for the reply .sight fishing is a great way to fish it really puts you on your best skill and time passes by quick .look forward to getting out


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I actually like to cut a hole in the middle of my two fishing holes and put my camera pointed down at an angle and watch my two lures without actually straining my back over the holes. I keep my camera just under the ice if I can. I don't think Sunday will be clear enough for that just yet.


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## WalleyeWiz (Jun 18, 2004)

laynhardwood said:


> I actually like to cut a hole in the middle of my two fishing holes and put my camera pointed down at an angle and watch my two lures without actually straining my back over the holes. I keep my camera just under the ice if I can. I don't think Sunday will be clear enough for that just yet.





NE 15-25 tonight and tomorrow. Most likely will get dirty again. 


Dwayne


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## WeekendWarrior (Jan 20, 2008)

laynhardwood said:


> The harbor will clear up after a while it was dirty last year first ice also. The silt will settle and sight fishing will be a go. I'm going to give it hell Sunday


I hope your right!! Fished first ice at this location for the past 19 years and my experience has taught me that the weeds that were very visible helped to keep the silt and murk away. I truly believe the dredging activity may have truly messed up the sight fishing for at least this year.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

It is possible I'm hoping for the latter


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Question guys: does the dirty water just make sight fishing hard ? Or is it pointless to fish it with a sonar unit in the hole ... I'd like to come up and fish east harbor for some gills


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## tsproperty (Jan 29, 2013)

Water color or clarity has no effect on the flashers


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Yes , I understand that, But most everyone I talk to about east harbor ice says that they mainly sight fish , just wondering why it's so much mor popular than using a unit


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## tsproperty (Jan 29, 2013)

I think the answer to your question is just that it's a cool experience and there aren't that many places in ohio that have semi-clear water. It's pretty cool to see the lure a few feet down and watch the fish suck it in.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Gotcha... Thanks for the answers, sight fishing is a lot of fun , I have tried it in the past...


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

I've not fished EH, but have fished some weedy lakes. It can be very tough with a flasher to pick out fish in the weeds.... even more so if the weeds drift around at all. Maybe it is just my unit tho.........


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

The trick is to find an edge or a little clearing near the weeds. It does take a little searching but when you hit that money zone it's all day action on the harbor.


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## Ron--Mar*Lu Sportfishing (May 11, 2015)

There's a handful of shanties out there now. More toward the back of the harbor in shallower water nearer the state park dock and ramp. Ice looks pretty good.


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## fshnfreak (Feb 24, 2007)

i was at east harbor today ice was great at least 6 inches maybe 7 didnt measure but it was safe for sure they were running quads and sleds all afternoon. ended up with 8 nice gills and 2 monster pumpkin seeds. we caught over 60 fish between two of us and missed that many bites as well. ill be back out there tomorrow morning hopefully i can get some more gills for the freezer.


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## TheSkoalBandit (Jun 25, 2012)

fshnfreak said:


> i was at east harbor today ice was great at least 6 inches maybe 7 didnt measure but it was safe for sure they were running quads and sleds all afternoon. ended up with 8 nice gills and 2 monster pumpkin seeds. we caught over 60 fish between two of us and missed that many bites as well. ill be back out there tomorrow morning hopefully i can get some more gills for the freezer.



Nicely done!


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

We fished East Harbor for a little while yesterday afternoon. I didn't see any machines out, but we did watch a snowmobile go out of the boat launch, then promptly turn around when he saw the water on top of the ice at the mouth of the channel. Son and I walked a couple hundred yards and stopped just short of the pack. Ice was 5" or so where we drilled, but thinner in spots for sure. The cloudy patches had about 6" but the top couple inches is/was junk ice. There was a nice sized pack of shanties to the north of us, but with only one set of cleats between the two of us, we stopped way short. There were no weeds under us at all, in about 4' of water. We had a few bites, but my son was watching down the hole and said they were barely big enough to get the tiny jig in their mouth. Saw a few guys at the ramp with pretty decent buckets, so obviously stopping short was a bad idea on our part. We were trying out some new gear (shanty, heater, etc. etc.) so any fish would have been a bonus as we didn't have long to goof around. 

Not sure how long that ice in the gap is going to be any good, and the ice near the rock point is junk too. Be careful there.


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## fshnfreak (Feb 24, 2007)

here







is this mornings haul. 18 kept some a lil smaller than i prefer but they were bleeding so what the heck.


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## sdkohio (Jul 26, 2008)

How did the ice hold up today? We we're planning a trip out in the morning


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## fshnfreak (Feb 24, 2007)

the ice was good to go when i left at 1230


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

Hey guys - the message below was posted in the NW board and thought he might have a better possibility of finding his gear if it was posted here. He was fishing Sunday, the 24th...............



dbradley120 said:


> I was fishing the northern end of East Harbor yesterday and my blue ice rod bag must have fallen off my sled on my way back to the truck. We left the ice around 1:15 and walked northwest to the parking lot north of the campground. The bag had 4 or 5 rods in it I think, nothing very valuable, but would still love to get everything back. If you know anyone who fished East Harbor yesterday, please ask them about this. Thanks much!
> 
> DammitDave
> (edit) ***-***-****


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## dbradley120 (May 24, 2014)

AtticaFish said:


> Hey guys - the message below was posted in the NW board and thought he might have a better possibility of finding his gear if it was posted here. He was fishing Sunday, the 24th...............


Thanks much AtticaFish! I just received a call from Gene Sitterly from Norwalk and they found my rods. I've arranged a pickup. I've been in Ohio for less than 2 years and so impressed with OGF and all of it's members that I've met to date!


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

That's awesome glad you found your gear and Kudos to the honest people who are returning it. Nice job Attica on forwarding his post to get more eyes on it.


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## puregreen (May 23, 2009)

Awesome job guys


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## kraftmatic (Dec 28, 2007)

Anybody been out how is the ice?


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