# The Hoover Honey Hole is a Myth



## KDOG1976 (Jun 29, 2008)

OK i tried fishing for it this spring with no luck. It allegedly exists somewhere between the dam and the central college bridge, suppossedly by the islands. This weekend i put on my waders and walked up and down and sidewayz that entire area and didnt find anythign more than about 2 feet deep anywhere. Unless it is south of central college or the size of a dime I think it is safe to say it doesnt exist. Anyone care to comment?


----------



## gonefishin' (Apr 14, 2004)

If I knew I would not post it and my guess is no one else will either. You might get some vague direction if your lucky. Good luck!:G:F


----------



## striperfreak (Apr 30, 2004)

I am suprised there wasnt several people fishing there. There is a hole there that holds saugeyes, at times.


----------



## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

There are 2 holes in that stretch that I was told used to be a lot more productive. Spent a lot of time there last winter. Depth all depends on the water that is being let out. Hoover water levels have remained about the same for a little while now. I always see locals drive out to look at the area. I'm sure when the fish are biting it is packed and you won't hear about it. If there is no one there they probably aren't biting. I've not had luck there, and have never seen much luck there. I do know people who have caught them there. My understanding is that the law is that you are supposed to return the fish you catch in that area to the reservoir. I wouldn't waste too much time down there, find another area with a better recent track record or just drive by occasionally and watch for cars to be loaded down there


----------



## sploosh56 (Dec 31, 2008)

st.slippy said:


> My understanding is that the law is that you are supposed to return the fish you catch in that area to the reservoir.


Why do the fish have to be released? Just curious


----------



## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

Wouldn't worry about it. Fished that spillway many times in the last 5 years. There are a couple of holes. I've caught 0 saugeye. I have seen a few caught and I mean few. Last winter/spring I went maybe 8-10 times and saw 1 hog caught and that was it. It is well known as one of those spots that "used" to be great. I always went at high water through a few days afterwards. 

On a funny side note. Every time I would go there, there would be people standing in the best ambush spots where the fish should be. Everyone fishes the fast moving water during a release and stands in the slackwater areas off to the sides.


----------



## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

As far as the release, there was a big discussion about it last year and people were posting the ordinance, you'll have to do a search to find the thread. I don't understand, maybe I'm just a sucker, but that is what was stated then


----------



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Release=fish coming over the top/through the dam.....or having enough flow to get ones downstream moving upstream. The latter is a bit less common. If there is any flow or even a rumor of people catching fish, you will find the hole. HINT: Look north from the bridge.


----------



## FatRap007 (Jul 23, 2009)

The last good year i had out at the hole was when we had that big ice storm that hit 2 days before christmas...for the next couple months after that i would catch some really nice fish.......huskey jerks,,,,,,,,had best luck with those after dusk .......good luck to ya i think it was 4-or so years ago ever since the place has fell off give it a couple weeks of snowing and give it a try ...........


----------



## Hooksetter (May 17, 2009)

I have caught eyes up to 6lbs 9oz... 26.75 long outta there......Only under 3 conditions do I know The fish are there.


----------



## TiDuhble (Apr 10, 2008)

1st of all I wouldn't call it a honey hole. This is the 1st year I haven't really fished there. The reason why is b/c fish have been on the decline there. Getting worse every year. I have "caught" a few hogs down there but fewer and fewer fish are showing up. 

On a side not, that spot is probably one of the most notorious spots for people snagging fish. So you may hear of people getting fish there but I'm willing to but they were snagged. Matter of fact, I've been down there and it looked like Maumee with all the people. The only people that left with fish were people that snagged them


----------



## imbassin (Mar 10, 2008)

stop by olddutchmans and ask judy to show u some pics of eyes from there. they used to have a pic of a 10lbs eye from there.


----------



## FatRap007 (Jul 23, 2009)

This is where snaggers get there amunition......... i bet after a post like that it is going to just keep declining......also if you trow a jerk bait chances are its in the mouth .....its all the guys there with double 1/4 oz. jigs and 14 llb. line 7 ft. uglysticks doing the snagging ..........and the guys like me with the st.croix and energys that do the catching ......


----------



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

you must use shimanos to catch the true monsters, though.


----------



## FatRap007 (Jul 23, 2009)

after onley 36 this year those fish beter have been some TRUE monsters lol j/k if you fish as mutch as me saugeye would be your fish of 1000 casts lol.........i am joshin i know you kill those smallies every year ...... i just have not had a reason to swich yet......


----------



## tchrist5 (Jun 29, 2008)

FatRap007 said:


> and the guys like me with the st.croix and energys that do the catching ......


im with you on that one best combo ive ever had, and you can use it for anything.


----------



## FatRap007 (Jul 23, 2009)

had g loomis budy broke it in car later that day i "accidently" pushed him into the water man sometimes the bank is slick lol


----------



## willieg89 (Dec 5, 2008)

tchrist ur welcome for that combo : ).. lol and im with you mushi shimano all the way everyday.


----------



## gone2fish (Mar 10, 2005)

I have fished that "honey hole" a few times about the time it was hot. It was not my cup of tea. When it was producing fish the area would get alot of pressure. I believe that the spot has been fished out. I have heard of people keeping snagged fish from that spot so I am not surprised that it has been fished out, it is not that big. You will know where the hole is by driving across the bridge during any decent water release and see the crowd of people. Look north (upstream), It is about 50 yards north of the bridge. I believe you missed the prime fishing by about 5 or 6 years.


----------



## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> I believe that the spot has been fished out.


that hole has been producing fish(walleyes before saugeyes) for more years than most of the guys fishing it have been alive,and will continue to do so.from year to year,numbers may vary due to several factors,but it definitely isn't fished out.the fact is the fish are only there under certain conditions,and if you fish then,you'll catch fish.the problem is pressure.with such a small area it's easy to reduce numbers,but only temporarily.new fish will eventually take their place due to washing down from the lake.so as long as they continue to stock hoover,that hole will hold fish.


----------



## gone2fish (Mar 10, 2005)

I have known about that spot below hover for well over 2 decades. A stream that size will not sustain fish large numbers of fish because of the fishing pressure and other factors such waterflow. One of the reasons I know about the pressure is that the people (some) would try to regale me with their stories of snagged fish and overbagging. That is why I will not fish there.


----------



## brhoff (Sep 28, 2006)

Listen to Misfit..the spot cannot be fished out as long as Hoover is stocked...put 2 and 2 together...or not.


----------



## river rat 101 (Aug 20, 2009)

I have fished this spot a few times with minimal luck, seems like when the fish are there the hole is elbow to elbow with people. Have seen nice fish both caught and snagged out of the hole. One time while in the hole I removed 15 rusted jig heads and 5 birds nest of fishing line, unfortunatley for me one of the jigs was in the boot of my wader. Talked to an older gentleman who said the whole was very deep when the dam was first built, 10-14 ft. Said over the years it has slowly filled in to current depth of 2-4 ft, not sure if it true, just wondering what the rest of you fellas think.


----------



## striperfreak (Apr 30, 2004)

I am pretty sure that spot is no more than 4-5 ft deep. The 2 times i have fished there once, while fishing 3 guys came in fgrom other side of river and proceeded to line up 6 poles in the small hole cramping me out of there. the second i snagged line after line everytime i threw in there. I spent an hour pulling line and trash ouit of that spot. My advice to anyone looking to fish would be to find your own deep hole in that river. I have had better luck 10 miles south. There is plenty of access that way.


----------



## Character Zero (Jan 6, 2005)

I agree, place is either packed out and people are acting like its a FLH event or ots dead. I waded the stream last 3 years and have only caught a few fish, thus making me try other areas that have produced. What i can say is that i have found a ton of jig heads and old line that people throw away in the stream. All i can say to them is thanks. Thanks for polluting a really good spot where new stream guys can go in and get ticked off because they spend more time untangling junk than fishing. 

P.S. I am still looking for a good stream to try stream fishing.


----------



## CamdenGizzard (Apr 6, 2005)

im confused it. I took one trip to hoover this year and the son and I caught fish in several locations..... Why all this talk about ONE honey hole


----------

