# Salt Creek Fish: Giant Gill



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

On my anual trip to hocking co. for turkeyhunting, relaxation, and fishing, we decided to head to salt creek at a bridge not far from the cabin. The water was very clear and the bridge is directly over a very deep hole. I ended up catching 3 Kentuck. Spotted Bass, 3 Smallies, 1 Carp, numerous rockbass, and 2 gills (one Huge one). My brother was using a fairly large plastic crayfish texas rigged. We were looking down into the deep hole waiting for it to disapear when it did. A thick bodied fish rolled and got off. He thought it was a catfish due to it's thickness, I thought it was a smallie. It was not, and we found that out next. I dropped my small roadrunner into the same area, jigging it. Moments later I felt a large hit followed by a very hard fight. The gill looked like a freaking pompano in the water! He ended up being 11" long, 9" tall, and 2.5" thick at the stomach. It is the largest gill I have ever seen, beating my obvious PB gill by 2". I could in no way hold this gill like I would any other gill, it was lipped. I found large grasshoppers and a crayfish in it's stomach. The large gut and breast area was pure FAT. I never knew a fish could have so much! A local later told me he has "seen gills up to 3 lbs." He was also from Vinton Co.  That hole seems to hold very large fish though, along with the whole creek. Every bridge we stopped at we saw spawning bass on their beds, large ones too. We also saw a group of 3 bass cut through the hole chasing suckers, one had to be over 4 lbs. ANYWAYS, here are the pics.

















2.5" shot








Next to an 11" beard from a gobbler shot by my brother.
















Hard to see contrasted against my dad's goofy friend.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

If you dont mind me askin, where is salt creek??? ive never heard of it..


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Runs through hocking, vinton, and ross co. Empties into the scioto near chillocothe I believe.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Aww, memories 

In my opinon one of the most underrated Smallmouth fisheries in the State. 

I will also tell you: It Holds Some MONSTER Rockbass too. Mush, I'm pretty sure I know where you are at. Those are some awsome holes. I was aprox 11 or 12 & my uncle caught what I think would give the state record Rockbass a serious run. It was caught right in the middle of town, which is prov giving away too much info


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

What would be the best way to get there from Athens??


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

33 into Nelsonville, then Nelsonville into Logan, Take 364 from Logan all the way into Laureville, then start following the creek. (Those #'s may be off, as we don't live there, but just have a couple cabins down there)


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I've had 50+ fish days (smallies & rock bass), but out of those 50 fish, the biggest may have only been 10 inches long. It's a blast on 4 lb test & an ultra light.


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## Master Angler (May 26, 2004)

Great fish but what a waste to fillet it...perhaps another angler could have enjoyed the same thrill you did.


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

Not a waste at all....imo.......the next guy would have eaten it up too  


That is one huge gill. Man that would have been an awesome fight


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

Congrats on one heck of a gill. That's what makes fishing so great, never know when the big one will come. 
H20 Mellon, is there any of Salt Creek located on public ground? Just curious. Thanks!


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

WOW! What a monster gill!!!


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Dont worry, he went to good use....panfish samiches! The lower end of the river (when it widens out) seems to hold the biggest fish. The really deep holes have some monster carp too, over 20lbs for sure. There are not many but that is good, the bigger ones have more food.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

thats a big gill. Nice fish!


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## HRCats (Oct 3, 2005)

Thats a very nice gill. Have fished salt creek quite a bit over the years and have found the narrows to hold the best fish. Have caught smallies up to 18" and some decent gills, none that size but close. Its getting harder and harder to get access to some of the spots i used to fish. Changing hands of landowners and such. Congrats on the gill!!!


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## saugeyeslayer (Jul 6, 2004)

thats a nice lookin longbeard isnt it....eh? haha nice job on the gill big bro. i hafta admit, you outdid me with that monster of a "panfish". think you'd need a little more than a "pan" to fry that baby up.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

I would have to say the narrower part up around laurelville holds the bigger fish.The holes run deeper than were it pans out.Ive walked stretches of 2 miles before on the lower half and never got in any water over 2 feet.Never seen anything worth mentioning either.I do My best fishing right off 180 bridge about a 1/4 mile west of laurelville.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Lol we all have our spots. Go ahead and stay up near Laurelville, I don't mind  .


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

To answer someones questions, part of of it runs of Meade Westvaco Land. The area right off of Narros road was public fishing. It's not the whole stretch but some of it.


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## bronzebackyac (Apr 19, 2005)

As you get down towards Richmondale near the Scioto River there are holes that hold some Muskie. I know some guys who target them. The creek is much deeper down there. All private land though. You gotta float it early in the year if you don't want to drag alot though. It does hold some nice cats too mellon. You forgot to mention that didnt ya. lol


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

so how did the big ole gill taste Mush?


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## BigRed89 (Jul 22, 2012)

Mushijobah said:


> Runs through hocking, vinton, and ross co. Empties into the scioto near chillocothe I believe.


Salt Creek is in pickaway county too I live just south of Tarlton on it.


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

Mushijobah said:


> On my anual trip to hocking co. for turkeyhunting, relaxation, and fishing, we decided to head to salt creek at a bridge not far from the cabin. The water was very clear and the bridge is directly over a very deep hole. I ended up catching 3 Kentuck. Spotted Bass, 3 Smallies, 1 Carp, numerous rockbass, and 2 gills (one Huge one). My brother was using a fairly large plastic crayfish texas rigged. We were looking down into the deep hole waiting for it to disapear when it did. A thick bodied fish rolled and got off. He thought it was a catfish due to it's thickness, I thought it was a smallie. It was not, and we found that out next. I dropped my small roadrunner into the same area, jigging it. Moments later I felt a large hit followed by a very hard fight. The gill looked like a freaking pompano in the water! He ended up being 11" long, 9" tall, and 2.5" thick at the stomach. It is the largest gill I have ever seen, beating my obvious PB gill by 2". I could in no way hold this gill like I would any other gill, it was lipped. I found large grasshoppers and a crayfish in it's stomach. The large gut and breast area was pure FAT. I never knew a fish could have so much! A local later told me he has "seen gills up to 3 lbs." He was also from Vinton Co.  That hole seems to hold very large fish though, along with the whole creek. Every bridge we stopped at we saw spawning bass on their beds, large ones too. We also saw a group of 3 bass cut through the hole chasing suckers, one had to be over 4 lbs. ANYWAYS, here are the pics.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hey whats with the red x


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

This is 6 years old.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

blast from the past! I saw this thread and thought someone else caught one...let me see if I still have a photo of it.


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