# Your 2016 Ohio Bass Fishing Goals



## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

*Your 2016 Ohio Bass Fishing Goals*

Well, it's that time of year again. Do you make yearly fishing goals? Many of us on the Ohio Game Fishing forum do. Although I do not always meet my goals. I still like to set them each year.

Here are a few of my 2016 fishing goals:

- Keep my streak of fishing 30-different Ohio public waters. (I love fishing and learning lakes that I am not familiar with.)

- Hammer out several Ohio public water 5-Pounders

- Get up to West Harbor/Lake Erie and East Harbor/Lake Erie at least four or five days this Spring.

- Have another successful annual Fish-Camp with my family and friends this year. And try to set-up a few more quick weekend Fish-Camps throughout Ohio.

- Put my grandsons on a fun Crappie day. And have each grandson catch an over 3-Pounder largemouth bass. And have the grandsons out on the Sandusky Bay/Lake Erie catching dozens of Channel Catfish.


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## homepiece (May 11, 2007)

It is funny, I was just starting to write them up for this year, and came across my list from last year..
I hit several of my goals from last year and missed on a few..

Last Year's Goals
6LB Largemouth from Public Water in Ohio - Complete
5LB Smallmouth from Public Water in Ohio - Got a 5lber, but it was at Dale Hollow
Learn how to use a baitcaster - Complete
Catch 50 Largemouth in a day - Complete
Kayak Fish 5 new Rivers in Ohio - Nope - Only got 4
Fish 30 Ponds at AEP rec lands and get a shared map started - Complete
Catch a fish every month - Didn't get Feb
Catch ten species that I have never caught in the Florida Keys - Complete
Catch Tarpon in the Florida Keys - Nope
Catch a Trophy Size fish to Mount - Nope

This Year
7LB Ohio Largemouth
Buy and outfit a new kayak
Enter a kayak fishing tournament
Enter a bass tourney as a second fisherman
Fish 5 new to me Ohio waters
Get good with a dropshot
Catch a fish on a lure I made
Catch a fish every month
Catch a trophy fish to mount
Catch a fish in 5 states


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## Andy130 (Jun 2, 2013)

I've never actually written anything down before, but I have a couple.

- catch a 6+ pounder. I came close last year with a 5lb 9oz through the ice. 

- go on a couple weekend camping/fishing trips to Ohio Power. There are so many good ponds there. 

- finally catch a fish on a jig. I've caught bass on bladed swim jigs, but never a traditional jig. I lack the patience. 

- become an overall better angler.


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## Flannel_Carp (Apr 7, 2014)

20" Smallmouth

22" Largemouth from the kayak.

20"+ Hybrid from the kayak.

Catch a smallmouth on topwater every month from June - December (I only got August through December last year).


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

Fish crankbaits more
Get out on the big lake more
Catch enough walleye for family dinner 
Catch enough perch for family dinner
Catch a Lake Erie Smallie
Pitch more 
Fish a wider variety of lakes. (Skeeter,WB etc)


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## JRyakinbassin (Oct 28, 2015)

Fish at least 15 tournaments and win 2 out of the back of the boat


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## Bassthumb (Aug 22, 2008)

Break the PB largemouth is always goal 1.
Pull a 7lbs LM from public water
15 or more 5lbs LM (13 last summer)
Crank and jerkbait more in the early spring
Fish Erie marinas more
Vertical jig blades and fish 10 inch worms deep in the dog days of summer. (Find a pattern in hot summer other than lily pad shade that works) those are my ideas.
Invent or buy a better lure to fish heavy mats without punching or frogging them
Use lizards to fish beds and pads during the spawn


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

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## ML1187 (Mar 13, 2012)

20 inch River smallmouth. Is that too much to ask ??!!!


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

ML1187 said:


> 20 inch River smallmouth. Is that too much to ask ??!!!


Yes


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

It's my turn. I've broken the yak in


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

ML1187 said:


> 20 inch River smallmouth. Is that too much to ask ??!!!


Come fish the Erie tribs in spring 20" smallmouth are pretty common from end of April through June depending on river conditions. I guess they are not truly river smallmouth but hey I am catching them in the river.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Really wanna catch some spotted bass dont know where to though. Gonna be hard to beat my PB bass of 8.4# maby try to come close to that on public water.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

DHower08 said:


> Really wanna catch some spotted bass dont know where to though. Gonna be hard to beat my PB bass of 8.4# maby try to come close to that on public water.


That is a tank was it caught in Ohio?


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Layn yes it was caught at a pond on a chatter bait about 3 feet from shore rigt at my feet!! Have caught several others out of the same place high 7s. The fish in my avatar thingy is the 8# prespawn fish


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Nice my personal best was actually caught out of a golf course pond. Sometimes ponds will surprise you with giant after giant. My wife caught a 7.02 on a tiny piece or crawler bluegill fishing the same pond. Ohio does have some real quality fish hidden away from the general public.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Nice layn. How do you go about gaining golf course permission


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Stay at the lake house and golf and fish. Black diamond


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

I see. I dont golf so that wouldnt work haha


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

laynhardwood said:


> Come fish the Erie tribs in spring 20" smallmouth are pretty common from end of April through June depending on river conditions. I guess they are not truly river smallmouth but hey I am catching them in the river.


We are wayyy inland Mr wood


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Ya but if your ever interested in a little river smallmouth trip pm me in the spring and I will let you know current conditions


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

DHower08 said:


> Really wanna catch some spotted bass dont know where to though. Gonna be hard to beat my PB bass of 8.4# maby try to come close to that on public water.


Not sure what part of the state you're in, but the Ohio River has spotted bass. In the past I've caught quite a few in the Hannibal pool. Most of them were between 10 and 13 inches, but I've caught several nice ones. The largest being 2 1/2 lbs.

The area around Wheeling Island, the mouth of McMahon creek between Moundsville WV. and Wheeling Island, and the area around Moundsville itself were the places I usually caught them. 

Just an in case you didn't know kind of thing. It isn't that hard to tell the difference between a largemouth and a spot by just looking at them, but if you're not sure, just look at the fish's tongue. Spotted bass have a patch of teeth on their tongue.


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## zimmerj (Oct 17, 2014)

Boy, did this thread get hijacked.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Bass thanks for the insight im near canton. And i knew the river had them it. Would really like to get into some on a lake although ive been on the river plenty of times. Mostly east liverpool 


And zim how did thread get jacked. People were talking about their fishing goals for the year and other people chimed in trying to help others with insight on how and were to achieve those goals. So far everyone has prettt much stayed on track.


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## jason_0545 (Aug 3, 2011)

Catch 5lb from public waters
Catch my first smallmouth
Catch a bass on a dropshot
Catch a bass flipping or pitching
Have a better year then last because I really stunk it up as far as bass goes


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Eclipse my nephew's "family" record. I hold second and third with a nine pound seven, and a nine pound three, but that rascal caught this one over ten on a Zoom mag finesse.







oom green pumpkin Mag finesse worm, ten pounds 4.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

That's a giant. Good luck catching one bigger. I am sure if fish that big are lurking one bigger is also lurking


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## ringmuskie9 (Mar 26, 2009)

WOW.... Now that's a monster!


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