# Rocky Fork Lake question



## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

I am planning on trying some early season carping at Rocky Fork Lake (March through May). The area is where the state nets carp. (The state gets it's carp brood stock from this area. The eggs are hatched and the small newborn carp become musky food.) The spot is located in the campground, but no description is given in the campground map. Can someone familiar with the lake let me know if the pictured area is accessible by non-campers?


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## Alex_Combs (Mar 20, 2013)

I have no information on this but I would love to go! Haha


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Yes , that area is accessible by non campers. There are many parking spots in the circle and restrooms nearby.


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

garhtr said:


> Yes , that area is accessible by non campers. There are many parking spots in the circle and restrooms nearby.


Thanks for the reply, that is exactly the information I was looking for.


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

Alex_Combs said:


> I have no information on this but I would love to go! Haha


If you are ever back in town when the carp are biting, you're more than welcome to join.


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## 33highland (Feb 5, 2014)

Paint creek is loaded with carp also..


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

33highland said:


> Paint creek is loaded with carp also..


I'm hoping that it contains big carp, carp in excess of 30 lbs. Numbers are not important to me, but size does matter. I would imagine that carp come into that area once we get several consecutive warm days or a real long warm, heavy rain.


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## Alex_Combs (Mar 20, 2013)

Well that 1967 50 pounder came out of Paint. I'm sure it's spawn are still lurking around there. 
Man it would be wild to beat a state record that old with that big a fish. 
I'm hoping for 50.5lbs one day haha.


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## TurtleJugger (Jun 2, 2013)

Where at paint creek are the carp? The lake or spillway?


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## cwcarper (Apr 5, 2004)

Be prepared to catch lots of itty bitty carp from the campgrounds at Rocky Fork (if things have't changed from when I fished it a handful of years ago). I normally don't mind catching smaller ones...but these were so small that even on light tackle they weren't much fun. I fished it in the summer, though, so prespawn should get you into bigger fish (I've heard of a 30 that was netted there).


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

cwcarper said:


> Be prepared to catch lots of itty bitty carp from the campgrounds at Rocky Fork (if things have't changed from when I fished it a handful of years ago). I normally don't mind catching smaller ones...but these were so small that even on light tackle they weren't much fun. I fished it in the summer, though, so prespawn should get you into bigger fish (I've heard of a 30 that was netted there).


 I did some Googling and saw where they had a fish-in there back in 2004. The weather was poor and few people attended, but it was held during June - not an ideal time for a place that contains water that is 3 feet deep and is a considerable distance from much deeper water. This definitely seems like a pre-spawn area. I'll invest a couple of days or so and see what size of fish I can catch. I would really like to try this area after a warm, long spring rain.

The Paint Creek state record carp is looked at skepticism by some (myself included). It just seems that a small body of water could not produce a fish of that size. Some think it might have been a misidentified smallmouth buffalo. There is no known picture of the state record carp. A lot of very large buffalo originate in the Ohio and Scioto Rivers and find themselves below the dams of lakes in Ohio.


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

TurtleJugger said:


> Where at paint creek are the carp? The lake or spillway?


 The state record came from Paint Creek before the lake existed and was caught near Washington Courthouse. The record is viewed with skepticism by some (see my previous reply).


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

Attached is a pic of the current bowfishing record for carp in Ohio. It came from Lake Erie and weighed 53.65 lb and was 45 inches long. It's hard to believe that a fish weighing about 3 lbs less than this was caught out of Paint Creek, but I could be wrong.


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## Alex_Combs (Mar 20, 2013)

GMR_Guy said:


> The state record came from Paint Creek before the lake existed and was caught near Washington Courthouse. The record is viewed with skepticism by some (see my previous reply).


This is the first I've heard of the skepticism and honestly it's very possible. But too bad it's an official record. I'm thinking our best bet of coming close is Erie or the Ohio.


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## cwcarper (Apr 5, 2004)

GMR_Guy said:


> I did some Googling and saw where they had a fish-in there back in 2004. The weather was poor and few people attended, but it was held during June - not an ideal time for a place that contains water that is 3 feet deep and is a considerable distance from much deeper water. This definitely seems like a pre-spawn area. I'll invest a couple of days or so and see what size of fish I can catch. I would really like to try this area after a warm, long spring rain.


I was one of the few at the fish-in and completely agree with you on fishing it pre-spawn. The earliest I have fished it is late May, which seemed to be just after the spawn. I'll be interested to see how you do. It's been on my list of lakes to try in the spring, just haven't been able to find the time to do it.


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## 33highland (Feb 5, 2014)

You can almost go anywhere on paint creek lake and catch nice carp. I'm normally a hard core cat man but sometimes i'll get the urge to go carping when cats are spawning or rivers are flooded. Last year I parked at the boat ramp parking lot off rt. 50 and fished to the right side of the ramp and caught 3 over 10 lbs. in an hour or so and I was just goofing off with an ultra light and tiny wheatie balls. Below the spillway is full of them also and Lake white is full of big carp too.


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## TurtleJugger (Jun 2, 2013)

33highland said:


> You can almost go anywhere on paint creek lake and catch nice carp. I'm normally a hard core cat man but sometimes i'll get the urge to go carping when cats are spawning or rivers are flooded. Last year I parked at the boat ramp parking lot off rt. 50 and fished to the right side of the ramp and caught 3 over 10 lbs. in an hour or so and I was just goofing off with an ultra light and tiny wheatie balls. Below the spillway is full of them also and Lake white is full of big carp too.


Thanks for the info. Looking to try carp fishing this year and I live down the road from paint creek and rocky fork. Also I would like to add that I've seen some big dead carp along the banks of Stonelick lake. I'm gonna try fishing it for carp this year as well.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

GMR_Guy said:


> The state record came from Paint Creek before the lake existed and was caught near _Washington Courthouse_. The record is viewed with skepticism by some (see my previous reply).


 I was told or read somewhere that the State Record Carp was taken on Paint Crk near it's confluence with the Scioto Rvr ? ? I would be a bit skeptical of a fish that size coming from Paint Crk in the Washington C.H area, but no matter where it was caught --- that is One Big Carp !


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## StumpHawg (May 17, 2011)

Just a fyi on Paint creek lake, 2 years ago a lake turnover occurred killing thousands of big carp and other species... I myself didnt see much size to carp since the kill but never fished for them just saw them in shallows bass fishing...


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## JSGonefishing (Mar 5, 2014)

Yes it is accessible. Good Luck!


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## StumpHawg (May 17, 2011)

JSGonefishing said:


> Yes it is accessible. Good Luck!


Nice I'm glad...


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## Tonic80 (Sep 6, 2013)

Speaking of Rocky Fork, is it open water yet? New boat, itching to get it out tomorrow!


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## Riverbum (Jan 27, 2013)

I was there on Wednesday , and it was locked up


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

I know of a few places that I'd bet 1000 dollars that they held a state record carp. One spot in particular has given up two over 30lbs and nearly a dozen over 20lbs. I fish for carp maybe 4 to 5 times a year..last year I tried twice. Im sure i spent more time on the water I could find a few larger ones. In fact we've had a couple larger ones hooked and nearly in the net. How much bigger.....I don't know. When fish get that big it's hard to judge.

Now asking for carp suggestions on ogf isn't going to give you what you want. Most serious carp guys have since moved on to or created other forums that don't allow bow fishing talk. Nothing against ogf.....I'm still here and I appreciate the service. Others just felt the need to talk about it more privately. There are a few guys lingering around that are knowledgeable about carp fishing ....but they don't post often. 

First and foremost learn the hair rig. Learn how to tie it and get the equipment needed....bait needle and stops. Walmart sells a needle im the sewing section that will do the trick. Secondly get rod holders...pvc works well with a piece of rebar attached. Alarms are expensive and since I do not fish for carp much I don't have them. Next familiarize yourself with the a bolt rig....fixed weight....use a hair rig on a bolt rig and put your rods in the rod holders. Once the carp touches the hair rig you've got him hooked. It's simple once you get the hang of it. Finally.....corn corn corn. Chum it and they will come. (I don't use euro gear....I typically target carp with my bass gear.)

Rocky fork is a numbers factory.....lots of 6 to 15 pounders. Spring and shallow flats equal tons of fun. Night fishing gets pretty hot on that lake as well. Fishermans wharf docks and north shore docks are solid choices. If you fish north shore make sure to find a the weed line.....fish just outside of it. Fishermans wharf is a sand bottom so it's the easiest to fish. When I was younger I remember 30 fish trips. 



Just to let you know im not pulling your leg... Here's two over 30.....and a couple twenties. Like I said I don't fish for them much but when I do I typically do well. These carp came from state lakes. I'm not telling where they are, but I'd be more than willing to answer any other questions you have. 


Just to be clear.....I'm no expert. There are hundreds of guys who know more than I do. I will share with you what I know though.












Sent from my SCH-I545 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

SeanStone said:


> I know of a few places that I'd bet 1000 dollars that they held a state record carp. One spot in particular has given up two over 30lbs and nearly a dozen over 20lbs. I fish for carp maybe 4 to 5 times a year..last year I tried twice. Im sure i spent more time on the water I could find a few larger ones. In fact we've had a couple larger ones hooked and nearly in the net. How much bigger.....I don't know. When fish get that big it's hard to judge.
> 
> Now asking for carp suggestions on ogf isn't going to give you what you want. Most serious carp guys have since moved on to or created other forums that don't allow bow fishing talk. Nothing against ogf.....I'm still here and I appreciate the service. Others just felt the need to talk about it more privately. There are a few guys lingering around that are knowledgeable about carp fishing ....but they don't post often.
> 
> ...


Thanks Sean for the info. I'm actually one of those euro carpers and tomorrow I will be on a public water that has produced confirmed, weighed, photographed 30 lb plus fish. Such waters are rare in Ohio as many stories of 20 and 30 lb carp are greatly exaggerated. Those are very nice, big carp that you have pictured - true trophies. 

It sounds like Rocky Fork may not be my type of place, given that it is a numbers factory. Most trophy carp waters are not numbers factories. Some place such as East Harbor might contain a 30 lb plus fish, but you might have to go through a thousand fish to get that 30 - that's not what I want either. I'll still give it a day or two of my attention since my favorite trophy carp lake, Cowan Lake, will have varying water levels until May 1.

Again, congratulations on those trophy carp and your advice. Pictured below if my confirmed, weighed 30 lb, 36" pre-spawn fatty from Cowan Lake.


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## CincyFisher (Nov 12, 2010)

I don't target carp but catch a few bass fishing each year. Most of them are foul hooked but this one ate a shakey head worm with a corn-colored tail...


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## terryit3 (Jul 15, 2011)

FYI, Rocky is still too covered in ice to launch a boat according to BayView.


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

Sean,that carp where you are kneeling is a Magnificent fish.All are but that one is in it's own league.Glad to see you catching them than shooting them.Do you release them? Good Luck.:B


Roscoe


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## trickys10 (Feb 19, 2010)

probably my favorite fish other than steelhead is catching carp and I have a couple spots on public lakes that I catch big carp every year. you just need the right bait and touch but they are there


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## oldstinkyguy (Mar 28, 2010)

Sweet I'm always looking for a chance to show off this pic of a river carp from a few years ago. My dad and I used to carp fish Rocky Fork quite a bit. There are a lot of carp. But everyones right they just don't seem to get that big. Ive caught a couple really nice ones at Caesar Creek by laying out a bait spread and waiting a while. We even baited a spot every couple days for a week once, that was pretty epic. If I was after a big one only I'd probably concentrate on Cowan or the Ohio River


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

Those are some really nice fish! I think I might have to try and target carp more this year. Definitely and under-rated sport fish in my mind.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

Roscoe said:


> Sean,that carp where you are kneeling is a Magnificent fish.All are but that one is in it's own league.Glad to see you catching them than shooting them.Do you release them? Good Luck.:B
> 
> 
> Roscoe


All fish were released unharmed. Neither of those fish were mine....my little brother with a 35lber, an old fishing buddy with a 32lber, and my girlfriend with a 28, and gf with a 25. I'm all for preserving carp fishing.....others aren't so I'll leave it at that. 



Sent from my SCH-I545 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

oldstinkyguy said:


> Sweet I'm always looking for a chance to show off this pic of a river carp from a few years ago. My dad and I used to carp fish Rocky Fork quite a bit. There are a lot of carp. But everyones right they just don't seem to get that big. Ive caught a couple really nice ones at Caesar Creek by laying out a bait spread and waiting a while. We even baited a spot every couple days for a week once, that was pretty epic. If I was after a big one only I'd probably concentrate on Cowan or the Ohio River


That is a very healthy, distinctive-looking carp. Though I mainly target carp, I spent some time last year adding bowfin, northern pike, and musky to my species list. As far as I am concerned, they are all gamefish.

Sometimes I don't think people appreciate how rare a real (not estimated) 30 lb + carp is in Ohio. I'm certain that there are far more lakes that contain 8 lb + bass than contain 30 lb + carp. The capture of an Ohio 40 lber is something that happens maybe once every couple of years.


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