# wipers



## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

Anyone catching wipers?
I've never caught one of these critters and would sure like to.
If anyone could steer me to a place to attempt them, i would appreciate it very much.
I'm not asking for anyones spot, just a place to try.

Thanx


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Charles mill lake and below the dam


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## REEL GRIP (Jan 11, 2013)

They are plentiful in Walborn. May and June you could see them
active on the surface early, while the lake was slick. Seen them caught
on Ned-rigs, Spinner-baits, Cranks, Swim-Baits, and on top. So it's
seems they ain't to picky. That was just between me and a buddy.
No one is out ther fishing for'em, that I can see. 
Have'nt seen much activity lately. Was there last week. Water is 
about full pool. Had it all to myself.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Try Cumberland dam or the pike island dam on the Ohio..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Walborn guilford berlin charles mill Ohio River tusc river south of dover. Sippo was suppose to have some stocked as well


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## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

Thanks for the info, guys.


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## FlyFishRich (Feb 3, 2016)

Charles Mill with chicken liver...


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

Wipers are a lot of fun to catch. The bigger ones will wear your arms out.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

JamesF said:


> Wipers are a lot of fun to catch. The bigger ones will wear your arms out.


Understatement!













Pretty good on the table as well!(tip-trim off the red flesh near the skin)! If you're c&r, leave the UL at home-you might land one but it'll kill them! Plus you need bigger baits than UL can handle efficiently!


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

Ugly sticks are the what my cousin used, after breaking two rods. Not expensive rods, but nice ones. Good going.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

c. j. stone said:


> Understatement!
> View attachment 378269
> View attachment 378271
> 
> Pretty good on the table as well!(tip-trim off the red flesh near the skin)! If you're c&r, leave the UL at home-you might land one but it'll kill them! Plus you need bigger baits than UL can handle efficiently!


You seem to do rather well on those beasts. I'd love to hook into a 5+lb wiper


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Well, not really Karl! I targeted them twice around mid summer and caught "one" each time. I c&r'd the second one, fileted the first one(~8#) since I wanted to see how they compared to true striper(which are in my top 3 table fish)! I thought they were very close, but not quite as good. Mild flavor, firm white meat(after trimming the skin side thin red meat off)! My wife thought it was just as good(she likes her fish "un-fishy" tasting). I cut it into 1" thk. strips, battered and deep fried it. Prob be great on a grill buttered, spiced, and wrapped in foil as well. Will try some of the next one that way.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I'd second the suggestions of the Ohio River. Heads of islands and the upstream side of gravel bars would be where I'd look. Especially if there's decent current. I'd also be looking at any warm water discharges this time of year. As the water cools, warm water discharges are magnets for bait fish. And where the bait fish are, the wipers won't be far behind. 

While I haven't caught any in the New Cumberland and Pike Island pools, I have caught them in Hannibal (Wheeling WVA) and Belleville pools. (Marietta) They are a blast in the river, and if you catch them up on the head of an island or a gravel bar, the action can be fast and furious. A fish on every cast and if you lose one you can get bit multiple times on the same cast. 

The biggest one I've ever caught was probably 6 or 7 pounds, with the average being about 4 lbs. Personally I don't think you need any special gear for them. Pound for pound river fish fight harder than lake fish. Any time I have gotten into them I've been using medium power bass gear, and it handled the size fish I was catching pretty well.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Husky hooker and I used to catch them on the Pike Island pool. They would show up 1/2 hour before sunrise and shut down as soon as the sun peaked over the hill. Then the 1/2 hour after sunset they would be on again in the same place. We would get them on top water pop-R baits. Where they would go the rest of the day, who knows. We had some good times on that pool.


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## Sbrockway (Jun 11, 2021)

My brother and I caught a nice 26 incher 7-31-21. We were trolling crankbaits towards the dam about 11:30 am when it hit. He was using a medium light rod and took several minutes to get it into the boat. We released it and watched it swim back down. It was a good day.


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