# Fishing for Saugeyes in winter?



## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

I know winter is a good time to fish saugeyes, i have heard Alum is a real good place to fish for them. i love catching saugeyes got my first this year and i was hooked lol but where can i go to get on some good eyes (i catch and realease) what bait do you use live or fake (i have heard jigs and minnow) got mine on a live worm have got alot on cranks. any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

bumping up


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

I have never fished for them at Alum, however I fish for them at Deer Creek. I catch them in the tailwaters below the dam. I use 1/8 ounce jigs with 3 inch twister tail grubs on them. A lot of people tip them with minnows as well, however I think they are just as effective without the minnow. I am also going to try and use some Vib"e"s This winter. Not sure how much I will use them, because you tend to get a lot of snags in the tailwater, and its one thing to loose jigs, but another to loose more expensive lures. I am also going to try throwing a crawler harness or minnow harness and see if that works. When in doubt use a floating jig head and a minnow, and then a sinker on the line.

Good Luck


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## SwollenGoat (Apr 13, 2005)

Catching Saugeye in All Seasons - copied from another site.

The following are basic saugeye strategies to get you started. 

Winter:
Ice - 45degrees - Jigs tipped w/minnows, minnows below bobbers or with tip-ups, blade baits & Rat-L-Trap style lures.
Below dams & on shallow bars (points & reefs) at twilight in reservoirs without ice or in nearby deep water during the day.

Spring:
45 - 72degrees - Jigs tipped with minnows, in late May switch to nightcrawlers on jigs or with worm harnesses, crankbaits on rip-rap & shallow bars at night. Below dams (especially high Òflow-throughÓ lakes), the rip-rap on dams and causeways in lakes, large structures (bars, points, underwater roadbeds, etc.) that reach all the way to the old stream channel in a lake.

Pre-Summer Peak: 
72 -78degrees - Trolling crawler harnesses or Òmayfly rigsÓ tipped with a piece of nitecrawler, trolling or casting small shad imitating crankbaits (1Ó- 3Ó) & casting jigs tipped with worms. Some fish use same locations as spring; however, fish are now scattered throughout the lake using all available structure, especially if it has cover like weed beds, stump fields or downed trees.

Summer:
78 Ð 90 Ð 72degrees - Troll or cast larger crankbaits (3Ó-6Ó) and use crawler harnesses and jigs tipped with worms. Small gizzard shad are plentiful- makes finding active fish difficult. Deep lakes are now stratified and fish are forced to remain above the warm-/cold-water interface (known as the thermocline) so they can obtain enough oxygen from the water.

Fall:
72 - 45degrees - Casting Rat-L-Trap style lures, using crankbaits and jigs with minnows. Fish can move extremely shallow at sunset & sunrise. Try rip-rap areas and large points with a gravel/silt make-up.

Other Hints: 
-Always fish tight to the bottom for saugeye, which means using a jig heavy enough for the conditions. Use a lift-and-drop retrieve for jigs. 
-The darker or muddier the water, the shallower the fish will be.
-ItÕs never too muddy for a saugeye, try black jigs and twister tails in these conditions.
-Always check good overhead cover in shallow lakes, saugeye have even been known to hide under lily pads like bass.
From Òice-outÓ until about 55 degree water, be sure to use a stop-go method when casting and retrieving crankbaits. Saugeye like to inhale the lure on the pause.


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

Personally I think the best thing to do if you are looking for a place to fish is look at the ODNR website and find out where they were stocked the most 3 years ago and work from there. I think Alum is probably not the greatest spot to fish anymore, in my opinion. 
SG gave some very good fundamental information, knowing the lake structure and dropoffs are important as well. I would also include the later in the season you go the less important it is to fish from a boat. If you can bump bottom you can catch fish.
good luck
ying


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## Hooch (Apr 14, 2004)

As for what kind of crankbait, I would use either a Husky Jerk or Smithwick Rogue. Make sure they are "suspending" and fish it with a stop and go technique when the water is 60 degrees or lower. The fish will most likely hit on the pause. -Hooch-


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

thanks. 
also bumping up


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## BiteMyLine (Sep 7, 2006)

I would say hit a spillway. Finding current has always been a good key for me, as well as fishing humps and channels in lakes. A good gravel bottom always holds eyes. Try using a rapala glass shad rap (perch, shad, or purple), also you can find a good deep diver at walmart on the bottom shelf in the $1.97 renegade box. I like purple shad for both divers the best. When all else fails throw a jig and grub. Good colors for me have always been charttreuse (solid and flake), white, pearl, and pink flake. When sizing jigheads a good rule of thumb is using the lightest jig possible to be able to feel the bottom. If your not down then your more than likely gonna go home skunked, but if your too heavy then your gonna get a lot of snags. Work the jig slowly along the bottom and if you have a good current float it down bumping along the bottom. As for tipping the jig, I don't think it does much better than a regular setup. Good luck


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## EpyonZero (Aug 10, 2006)

I've heard jigs with minnows provides good results. I was driving by Alum yesterday during sunset and decided to stop by to try my new husky jerk #6 and to my surprise, I caught a saugeye!


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## shroomhunter (Aug 6, 2004)

And a minnow under a bobber along rocky shorelines.Provided there is open water  I like the HJ12 or HJ14 size. I had an 8" saugeye come completely out of the water and grab the tail hook of my Husky Jerk last January as I was lifting it for another cast. Blue/chrome, clown or white Huskies work for me.


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