# Alum Creek Spillway



## SeaRayder (Jan 6, 2009)

Was at the AC Spillway for 3 1/2 hours this afternoon (12:30-4:00pm). Worked the entire spillway from the rushing water to the lowhead dam with

1) Crankbait - Hot N Tots and Rapallas
2) Spinners - both large and small

(Then tried trolling a large bobber with both so it would go about 4' down and float with the current).

3) Erie Dearie with Nightcrawler current (bobber) troll and bottom bounce
4) Nightcrawler on bobber

The results - not a bite. Not giving up - just expected more...or should I say something...

BTW- what does "no snagging within 1000' of dam mean?"


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## jshbuckeye (Feb 27, 2005)

Im not sure maybe i can throw a vibe-e there and not get snagged.


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## SeaRayder (Jan 6, 2009)

Rocky bottom there for sure. I didn't lose any lures (amazingly) and the floating bobber in the current seemed like a great idea. :F

From Googling, "snagging" apparently is when you try to drag a heavy lure with a bunch of extra hooks over fish that are laying in pools near dams. You snag them (maybe not in the mouth) and pull them in. I did this one time by accident with a large catfish - snagged the meaty part of his tail at Oshay Twin Lakes - and I thougth I caught a beaver. Great fight since he had full power to swim against my line.


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## lacdown (Apr 25, 2007)

SeaRayder, back where I'm from (Englewood) there's a damn with a strong current in a narrow area. People would just go there with large treble hooks (and no bait) and just snag fish along the wall, whether they be bass, catfish, or carp. 

Regarding the spillway, I fished it very often this summer. They say that musky are the fish of one thousand casts... this place is the fishing hole of one thousand casts. The fishing is on and mostly off. If you get lucky you can get an occasional musky, smallie, or saugeye bite. I fished most often with one foot diving crankbaits or jerkbaits for bass and 3 inch suspending jerk baits for saugeye (close to dark or after). Others had some success with tubes, but no matter what you end up losing some baits. good luck!


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## bones (Dec 31, 2004)

i have noticed the same thing fishing there.i like to go when the water is high thats about it.the rest of the time i go up to delaware or some of the rivers, doesnt seem to get as much pressure.another thing i have noticed is the amount of people using bait as long as my arm.i know they are fishing musky but i have never seen anyone take a musky with a 2 foot lure below the dam.i no saying people havent,i have never seen it.


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## andesangler (Feb 21, 2009)

Go here for the regulations:

http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/1501:31-13

Particularly, subsections (A)(8) and (A)(9), and also further down at 1501:31-13-02(E)(2).

Basically, snagging means trying to catch to keep fish by hooking them in a place other than the mouth. With several species, it is legal (none are traditional game fish, like bass, perches, pikes, trouts, etc.). There are limits on when and where it can be done, and the limits were created with the thought in mind of protecting the game species that are likely to be present in a certain place at a certain time, like the walleye run on the Maumee, and steelies in NE Ohio. If you happen to snag a fish that can't be legally snagged, release it immediately and there will be no problem. Do enough fishing, and eventually you'll "foul-hook" something. Put it on your stringer, and you may get a ticket from the game warden fishing next to you. If you don't get a ticket, but deserve one, may it pollute your refrigerator and taste like crap.

You, that is, who would do such a thing.


andesangler


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## bassin mickey (Apr 22, 2004)

SeaRayder: I nailed an almost 8lb saugeye there three yrs. ago in Oct. The weather lately has been just to darn nice. You need clouds/some light rain/and colder temps. Good luck!!!


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## SeaRayder (Jan 6, 2009)

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. So the vote is cloudy, cold and rainy. 

Good thing I like fishin' cause the nicer days I'll still be on the boat. OShay on Thursday, thinkin' about going above Home Road this time with lures, trying to get some more bass for the season. I do plan on hitting the spillway several more times as I know it has to be one of the last places in Central Ohio to freeze (I'm thinking). I had a friend who caught a nice muskie (saw pics) in the spillway early Dec 08. 

Does anyone prefer any particular spots at the Spillway in late fall? Close to lowhead or main dam, or does it matter? Same question for Oshay...thanks.

Also, If you had a choice on Thursday (70s and sunny) and wanted to catch some bass, would you go to Oshay or Griggs? 

Thanks everyone!


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## bones (Dec 31, 2004)

oshea unless you go way below griggs.


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## smith.3583 (Apr 17, 2009)

For the most part, the snagging warning at AC spillway refers to muskie. At certain time of the year, muskie are thick there, and the water is so shallow that you can see the dorsal fins. Easy, and apparently tempting to some, to snag them, especially if you are on about your 8,000th cast. Patience.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

smith.3583 said:


> For the most part, the snagging warning at AC spillway refers to muskie. At certain time of the year, muskie are thick there, and the water is so shallow that you can see the dorsal fins. Easy, and apparently tempting to some, to snag them, especially if you are on about your 8,000th cast. Patience.


I belive they are reffering to all game fish in general. This is common practice at allot of ohio spillways and lowhead dams. And almost all are posted with asign that will say no snagging or netting within 1000' down stream of this dam.This is because at certain times of year alrge numbers of fish concentrate below these in calm or slack water and can be an easy target with a trebel hook.


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## striperfreak (Apr 30, 2004)

The no snagging rule applies to all fish within 1000 yards of dam. When snagging you cant differentiate between a carp and a muskie.


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## JoshSnyder (Apr 21, 2011)

i caught a 29 in saugeye and it was cold but nice and sunny check my pic<<<
And yes i caught it at the spillway 20 yrds from the bridge.


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## JOJOFLY (Jan 12, 2011)

That is an awesome Saugeye-Great job!


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

The reason why you may not be getting as many fish:

The water is being released via a small opening at the gate. The fishing was best when the water was coming from the tube since fish can flow through it with ease. Just my hypothesis.


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Hey Mushi the best thing is when gates are open fish do not die like they do with the shoot wide open.That is what was killing all the muskies and eyes they would come thru soot and get there gills caught in grate and rip the heads half off. Sucks!


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

fishslim said:


> Hey Mushi the best thing is when gates are open fish do not die like they do with the shoot wide open.That is what was killing all the muskies and eyes they would come thru soot and get there gills caught in grate and rip the heads half off. Sucks!


I did see that..but from what it looked like today it was barely open a crack! It might have just seemed like that since I was about 100 yards away. Any idea how open they had it?


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## kevsworld (Nov 30, 2007)

I was there Friday, caught a decent 20" Saugeye and seen a really nice Musky caught from the stairs...caught on a black twister


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## BassSlayer41 (Apr 26, 2011)

I was there this morning. I caught 4 saugeye(1 keeper) 2 lb smallie and 3 white bass

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