# Delaware Dam this afternoon



## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Well had awhile this afternoon went down below Delaware Dam and water was ripping full boar just the way i love it sometimes of year. Springtime well put on double jigs 1/8 ounce Hot Pink and Orange 4" tails so they would really thump in the muddy water pitched out jigs and kept rod tip up and kept steady reel going so bottom jig ticked bottom and fish of all species were there caught 3 saugeyes and snagged 4 others one was huge got to see her before jig popped out every bit 7-8 pounds. Caught 4 white bass 2 crappie 2 catfish snagged 5 bowfin and two uncontrollabe carp they took off in current and about stripped me was a blast. Man i am telling you as soon as water slows down to a couple shoots and holes by dam slow a little CRAPPIES GALORE WITH WHITE BASS AND BLUEGILLS WITH SOME SAUGEYES MIXED IN. At that time use small jigs or hook and bobber with minnows or wax worms you should tear them up. Used to do that there alot in spring some Dandy crappies in the rocks. As for where i caught them today i will let you figure it out,i will tell you i was on the west shore so use your fishing wisdom and before you go down to fish if you go tomorrow stand on top of dam and look down at river on west side now if you were a fish and was tired of fighting the fast water current where would you go. Then when you see it go fish it and have fun because they are stacked in it. This only works when dam is basically full bore releasing and by the looks of lake it will be that way for awhile. Here are the 3 saugeyes i got. Remember though if it is snagged it is a illegal fish and put it back i have been checked down there many times in spring because certain ones keep everything they catch snagged or legal. It is not worth keeping snagged fish you can catch them if you keep casting but the carp will keep you woke up while waiting for a bite sometimes they are in there so thick you can walk acrossed them. Have fun out there and be careful water is fast and dangerous. Safety first always.


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## kmb411 (Feb 24, 2005)

YOU ARE THE FISHING GURU! Thanks for the update and information. I am sure that it will go to good use. As normal, a good report and great catch.

Thanks for all your effort!


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

great info slim. 
sounds like an enjoyable trip. good job


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

I hate myself. I had to work up in Delaware yesterday so I brought a rod with me and headed over to the lake after. Fished several banks for a couple of hours and not a bite. If I had only known to go to the spillway. 

Oh well.


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## sowbelly101 (Apr 5, 2004)

Glad to see you made it back Troy. See you didnt forget much while you were down south. How did the lake look or is it lookin?

Sow


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

Nice fish slim. I think im going to go up there today and go for a new pb saugeye, it wont take much for that.


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

Very nice I also like the twintails


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

nice fish. sound slike a great day in the water, if i get out this weekend sounds like i know what im doing. Fishing spillways with Jigs.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Thanks guys good to be back. Sowbelly Lake was high and pure mud they had ramps closed off yesterday. Drew it hard all night so it will be fishable this weekend but muddy muddy. Got below dam tonight about 5:20 and they drastically lowered flow level but still all shoots were open so the high water spot was now high and dry. But i put on a single 1/8th ounce jig was able at the point on west side before it cuts in catch 2 small saugeyes and foul hooked another pretty nice one. So as i was moving up closer to dam there was another younger guy there and he was throwing a crankbait in fast water pole bent over and in came about a 6 pounder from where i was though before i got up there he had it netted and said he caught it in the mouth from what i saw i beg to differ it was a dandy saugeye fat as could be but with a real bloddy spot on its side that would tend to go with the way i saw it come in. He threw it in the net and was out of there in a hurry. So i went on to fishing and figured out that there were all kinds of fish running the shore to 5 foot out started throwing a vibee against the current and popped 1 about 16" and then snagged huge catfish who thought it was a bass it came out of he water 3 times and tail walked liad it down by pole and marked spot to measure later 29 1/2" good 10-11 pound cat. Well after a couple more line ripping carp on i hit a fish and knew that thumping head shake of a saugeye. Was right but as i got it close it was hooked under the gill plate got her in and she was fat as one i had on yesterday laid it down measure her with pole kicked myself for leaving camera up in van and slid her back in the water. 28" was what she measured everybit of 7-8 pounds. Well after trying little longer wife called and said get home. So i did But as i was leaving another guy came down and asked how i was doing told him about big one and he was shocked i let it go. Come to find out him and a few other guys been tearing them up in his words last couple days with the high water in the spot i mentioned when it is real high. Said caught only one fish but was not trying to catch throwing 1/2 ounce jigs and snagging them. So before i left went down to that area which was pretty dried up and walked around and found 9 1/4-1/2 ounce jigs with maumee twists to the hooks man i was mad. These guys are hauling fish out of there and are not afraid of doing it. In his words this is the safest place to do it nobody ever checks. Well i know i have tried and tried in past to get wardens to go down there but i guess it is to much of a walk. Oh well enough ranting just burns me up. But for the guys who think there are no saugeyes in Delaware dam there are maybe not huge numbers but there are some real trophys in there well at least some but if the snag happy boys have there way they will be gone fast.


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

I hit the Delaware Dam tonight as well, just for a little while. It was my first time fishing there.

No saugeye, but I caught two pretty decent carp.. both hit my jig and twistertail (not snagged, oddly enough). they were fun to catch. 

thanks for the tips fishslim. were you wearing a blue rain coat? I think I was fishing just downstream from ya. I had a green raincoat on.

its disappointing to hear that people are snagging saugeye so readily.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Yea that was me sorry i did not get to talk to you was short fishing time and i was trying to get a big one LEGAL.  Saw the carp you got water was alot slower but you were doing it right saw the orange tail you had on some nights they are on but if the snaggers keep at it they will ruin it. I was down where the guy was catfishing last night when water is way up that spot gets 5-6 foot deep and holds fish like crazy once it slows flow they spread out and get tougher. Up where i was there is a hole that is good when water flow is around two shoots. That is where the fish will stay with alot of crappies in there for a few days. Next time i will get over and say hi!


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

I was at Delaware early this afternoon fishing the spillway. There was a guy catfishing right in the spot I wanted to be. I was getting snagged up like crazy trying to fish out in the current and it was starting to pour so I left after about 45 mins and 6 snags and went to Indian spillway instead.


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## Trucked (Apr 6, 2004)

Now don't get all ticked off at me everyone. We went through all this last year several times and probably again many times,

Fishslim, Let me ask the dumb question *my friend.*

Why did you not call the DNR, Delaware Sheriff or Delaware police? They all have the SAME authority if I am not mistaken when it comes to "BREAKING A LAW".

I guess there wasn't anyone in the office up top as usual huh?

Please don't misunderstand this. I am NOT trying to be a "smart a**"

When I see crap like that I pick up my cell phone right in front of whoever and call DNR or a law enforcement agency. I get the name of the officer who answers if they won't come down. Then you can call the sargent and ask WHY not?


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## Trucked (Apr 6, 2004)

what did you do at Indian MR. Pigsticker?

Any fish?


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Good question Trucked first guy was out of there in a flash i was to far away to positively tell a warden that it was snagged. Second thing was other guy was talking but was not snagging when i was there just telling about what had been done again no proof other then jigs in rocks. And third i have reported it many times there before up at office and to delaware wardens have even drove up to office in state park. Only once many years back did i finally see them hide in tower and bust about 5 guys for snagging. and another time for a bunch of people keeping over limit and for throwing nets. This is first time i have been down there in a long while been to busy at Indian to fish there. Hey Pigsticker was the guy up by dam catfishing if so that was the guy he was real nice came down and said he had been getting some cats while he was Saugeye fishing as well. Then got that saugeye and boom was out of there in a hurry! How was Indian tonight gotta be slowing down in flow at dam.


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## Trucked (Apr 6, 2004)

Lily has early release today and then a doctors appt. at 2 pm so that kinda kills the daytime hours for me.

I am thinking about going down there tomorrow with Pigsticker. (MAYBE TONIGHT) I talked to him last night and figured on Friday morning but now I have Lily here off from school for the next 10 days. SPRING BREAK................Kinda puts a damper on me going to Indian now. Wait till I let Kerry know I really can't go tomorrow. It is supposed to be really nice I think before the rain comes in for the weekend as usual.

Maybe I'll take her to Delaware below the dam. That shouldn't be too bad tomorrow in the a.m. before the rains? I just don't want to take her below the dam at Indian. Too much of a chance if there is a bunch of guys down there crowding and all. 

I want her to feel a Saugeye again. I'll never forget her first one that almost yanked the rod out of her hands along with her arms.  But she got it.

Anyway man, I'll catch up with ya later. Going to take my "nap" before I go pick her up at 1:15 pm.

See ya'll


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## Slabs! (Oct 1, 2005)

Hey, gotta tell you all that I have absolutely no problem with calling 1-800-POACHER in a heartbeat when I see no good, non - skilled, clowns, snagging fish. I usually make it a point to be extra loud about it when I call as well. Can't tell you how many people I have ran out of many lakes, for a variety of reasons. They run like the wind when they hear you and see you taking pictures of them. People like that don't deserve "fishing" licenses. It's called fishing, not snagging. I usually carry a digi cam with me as well and I will use for proof, people identification, and vehicle identification. I then take those pics to the park officers so they have a heads up and know who and what vehicles to look for. Fishslim, hope I catch em one day. Hell of a zoom on that cam, almost better than binoculars.


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## Trucked (Apr 6, 2004)

I know that fishslim would've called if he could've too.

The point is that if there is the typical recording on at ODNR then don't be afraid to call the local sherrif's office. Like I said, make sure you guys get the officers name and badge number if he refuses to come out because it is a fishing related crime.

IT IS STILL A CRIME. If you wanted to really push it, you could call the State Police and demand that they come out in a timely manner due to the fact of it being STATE LAWS and not county or city laws. Now they may take 5 hours to get there, in hopes that you had already left, and tell you they were busy or something, just so they didn't have to do an ODNR problem. They think that they are "above" that. Too Bad.

Let's start enforcing the laws.

Thank you all.


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

I tried to take Slims advice and walk up to the top of the dam and look down and try and figure out where the eyes would stack up. The little cut there on the west side had a 30ish guy in camo and waders sitting on the point and casting cut shad into the little eddy there. I even walked all the way down to where the feeder creek comes in but it was miserable. Water was raging and so was the rain. I guess I just don't have any confidence in it since ive never caught anything there before.


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I waas their Thursday from 2 to 7 and all I caught was 2 cats and a carp


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Hey pigsticker that eddy or cut that you mentioned was the main spot to fish when water is raging that becomes a 5-7 foot deep swirling hole the water from main river pushes into back edge of eddie and swirls the water back towards dam. Creating a nice slack water spot for fish to rest in. The other thing to look at when up ther is how the foam is moving in river and watch to find the spots where it moves back towards dam or just seems to collect fish those areas will have better chance of hooking fish. When water is way up there is actually slack water or slower water right along edge of river about half way from dam wall that juts out into water if you stand about 30-40 feet down from that wall and cast back up towards wall along edge to about 4-5 foot out you can catch some fish they lay right along the edge. Most people throw out in fast water and about the time they are where most fish are running they speed up reel and pull there lure out to cast again. I have walked river edge and did nothing but pitch jigs ahead of me 10-15 feet and work back slowly on the waters edge it can suprise you how many big fish are right at your feet. That big cat i got was no more then 1 foot off shore in foot or so of water. when water really slows down you can stand up top and figure where the holes are to fish as well. Used to do that alot at Oshay when it had some saugeyes in it. The foam is your friend in any river system find standing foam or areas where it swirls and find fish. hope that helps.


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

Thats an excellent tip there Slim. "The foam is your friend". I love it! 

I was really frustrated because that guy catfishing had that pool locked up. I tried to cast into the fast water but kept getting snagged. So I walked down to the feeder creek and it was neat to see how there was an underwater wall of cloudy main river water right in front of the feeder creek. It was like a line drawn in the water that seperated the two creeks. 

I shouldve thought of just casting parallel to shore. Ive had alot of sucess at the golf course and other ponds doing that in the clear area between the shore and the moss that grows on top of the water next to shore. You're right, there are some big fish right by your feet. I always try to remember that when bassin because if im in a boat I usually cast to shoreline structure so why not dip it in the structure even though it may only be a foot in front of you.


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## Biglake (Oct 1, 2006)

Hey Fishslim
You Say that you snagged 5 bowfins at Delaware Dam! I would love to catch some Bowfin. I got addicted to catching them at Biglake when I lived in Arkansas. Can you or anyone else that reads this tell me where would be some good places in the central Ohio area to catch these beasts, please? Thanks!


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Hey biglake these are probably not the same fish i call them bowfin others around hear call them quillbacks. They fight good but i have not seen any real big ones these are about 1-3 pounds only place i seem to hook them is below delaware dam in river. Hope that helps i am sure someone else will know or where you might hook some.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Spent 2 hours below the spillway at Delaware this morning and didn't get a single bump from a saugeye. The dam engineer dropped it from 5 gates to 2 gates. I thought about putting on waders and really going after them, but after 2 hours and not a bite, I was done. That isn't what it used to be.

CG


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

I was there too (green pants/gray shirt), tried the west side for a couple hours and then went over to the east. I don't think I saw one saugeye caught by anyone. It was all cats.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Was the water wadable yet? if two shoots and not full bore it is time like crittergitter was thinking to go out and fish the hole. that is where they will be now with some spreadout in faster water.


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

Some guys did step out in waders a few yards. It is probably wadable but there is enough current where you better have decent balance. It was my first time there and so I am not sure about the lay of the land when the water is down. I just know a little cuz I asked some of the other guys some ?s.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Yo Fishslim, I know Delaware very well. It's where I cut my teeth on jig fishing so to speak. I used to fish down there all the time in the mid to late 90's back when they used to stock the resevoir regularly and there were really good #'s. The water level was wadable, but it was not a low wade level. In other words, there is a big rock on the east side back toward the trees and when I can see the top of that rock then I feel comfortable wading. I couldn't see the top of that rock on Sunday. So, he cut it back to 2 gates, but it was 2 gates at a heavy flow. I could've waded, but it was a tad high for what i am comfortable with down there and I hadn't had a single bite. If I had a bite or two then I would have been in on the east side on that nice flat casting up toward the deep hole at the center of the flow. It just didn't seem worth it at the time.

CG


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Thanks guys hey critter know the rock but have not been done there lately when low was not sure if it was still there. If so you are right wait till you see it and it is comfortable wading otherwise to strong for my likes. Looked pretty low going over river downtown delaware this evening probably just right up there this eening. That will changes fast though if we get much rain.


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

yea unfortunately, this front coming through right now is probably going to throw everything off for at least a week. right when the rivers were losing their muddyness too...


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Well that is nothing new around here it seems like in the spring  Was ready start getting busy on the lakes around here with the boat should have known to get boat out of storage. Works everytime snow let it snow!!


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