# Fast moving water fishing?



## Tornichio (Apr 14, 2004)

Since I had enough of standing in the rain I went and drove all over the place to scout new areas. What is you guys experience with fishing spillways? They worth it and how would you recomend fishing for them. I guess What I am asking is do you fish as close to the dam as possible or further down river. I figure that the weather has a lot to do with it. I see the pictures from the guys on the cag site from new england and it appears that they are fishing extremely fast water free lineing bread. It would seem like you would need about 6 ounces of lead just to keep your bait in place so maybe that is why they use no weight at all and just free line the bread. I know that saugeye seem to really move right up to the dam when the water is moving, I was just wondering if Carp were the same.

Thank you much for any of your insight.

later,
Marc


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## cwcarper (Apr 5, 2004)

Typically...you'll find a good concentration of carp below spillways, but from my experience, the average size will be small. They are particularly productive in the summer...though I'd imagine fish hold in these areas year round. Most of my experience has been with Paint Creek and East Fork spillways...and in these cases I fish downstream a bit, so I'm well out of the heavy current (though the fish will hold in the current as well). I generally don't care to fish in any heavy currents myself, as it gets to be a pain to deal with. My suggestion would be to either look for some sort of current break or slackwater area or a downstream flat near the current or deeper water. Every spillway is different...but if you don't mind spillway fishing, it will generally be worth your time (though I haven't had much luck fishing them in the cold water or in the summer during low or no flow). As far as around here...I know Deer Creek spillway is supposed to be productive, I've seen the carp below Delaware, and I've heard of carp caught below O'Shay. I generally don't fish the spillways anymore, though, so I can't really be of much specific help for the ones around here.


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## Tornichio (Apr 14, 2004)

I was talking to a guy at griggs last year and he was telling me that below the dam was better than fishing the resevior. I don't know how true this is because he also said that he caught a 60lb carp down there. That seems kind of like a fish story to me. But it could be possible and even if it did not weigh 60lbs it might have been a pretty nice fish over 20lbs.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

hmnmnmn I really don';t know but CW really convinced me it would not be worth it with his post...
Fast water eeeeeeeeyuc


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## RiverRat (Apr 5, 2004)

Fast water can be great in the hottest time of the year, the fast water coming over the dam is creating lots more oxygen and is cooler.
I fish a dam and it produces very well during the summer.
You have to adjust your rigs and baits to fish these areas...plus know the dam very well to locate holding zones and "clear" spots on bottom is a big plus.

Griggs is an awsome place for carp and if you figure out how to fish it you can catch carp there most of the season.

Good luck Marc,

Scott


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## cwcarper (Apr 5, 2004)

The couple of times I've fished below the dam at Griggs I didn't get anything at all...though both times it was the middle of summer and the flow was just a trickle. I have had a lot of luck above the dam, even from places that didn't look that productive, but from my experience, I had to put a LOT of bait in the water before I could get into the fish.


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Idealy is for a slaken area close to the swift current. Paint Creek has that amd cwcarper knows where I'm talkin about. My biggest fish (not carp) were caught in water most people wouldn't even try to fish. I'm talkin water BLASTING out of the pipes. I've also seen HUGE carp caught in that water also , at Paint creek . But for the most part , there are smaller carp like cwcarper said. RiverRat posted the right idea about the dams  Most of your fish will stay in the swift waters........ THE CATKING !!!


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## Tornichio (Apr 14, 2004)

Scott, what do you mean by "clear" spot on the bottom. are you refering to a hole. I sat and watched the current as it was coming over the dam. and it seemed like there were streams,for lack of a better word, that had fast current then in between there were areas where it looked like the water was not moving fast at all in between the fast current. Is that what you mean?

Thanks again everyone

hopefully I will get something to bite when the snow stops flying and the river falls back down.

Later,
Marc


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## RiverRat (Apr 5, 2004)

Marc, Below Griggs dam there is a 10ft wide concrete LEGDE that runs the width of the dam right below the whitewater....i place my baits on the is ledge and i never snag....now fall short of that ledge and its rock heaven.
I also only run a simple sinker, swivel and 8-10" leader to hook(like a carolina rig)..keep things simple in fast water......most of the time i dont even chum the tail water at all,.....the fish cruise this ledge picking up food that washes over the roll-over.
If i do chum i use my method catapult and shoot balls of chum up the roll-over so they break up when they hit and the water washes the particles down onto the ledge.
Also wheatie balls below this dam are great!!

Well enough secrets...happy fishing!

Scott


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

Most spillway area also have a nice hole right below the dam. Don't let thespeed of the water fool you, many times its just surface current. Your best bet is to cast and see if it holds. Its my opinion that some fish never leave that hole under a spillway. Most of the time its is deep also, up to 15'. I know of people catching big saugeyes, cats and carp under spill ways in the summer when there is hardly a trickle coming out. Its all about finding the deep pockets, structure and flats. Also tryin fishing "off hours" such as at night or early morning. Alot of those places see lots of people and those fish are smart so they change their feeding habits.

Jake


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