# Can't quite figure out Alum Creek!?!?!



## BrookdaleBrothersOutdoors (Jun 10, 2012)

Since I just got a new boat I figured that I would explore more with the central Ohio area. I came across Alum Creek and it amazed me. I had fished there a few times when I was real young but not a whole lot. I heard about the great number of saugeye in this lake and I decided to get after them. So for about two months every chance I had, I would go out there and give it a shot. I fish alot with my brother and he has landed eight with three keepers and just yesterday i caught my first one right at 15 inches. I guess Im starting to think Im not doing something right. We troll anywhere from 15 - 22 fow depending on where we pick them up. We have tryed cranks, worm harnesses, spoons, and even umbrella rigs. We mostly fish the northeren part near Cheshire boat ramp and talk to a lot of people that seem to do good and they all tell us something diffrent. Wether they fish 4 - 6 fow or 18 - 20 fow (using cranks) and they seem to do well. I guess Im asking fo some help and or advice to ease my pain anything would be great and much appreciated. It just hurts to spend a lot of hours out on the water for little to no production.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)




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## 93stratosfishnski (Aug 25, 2011)

They have certainly slowed down a little bit the last few weeks.. My bite was hot and producing a lot more fish than it has fecently.. The bite is about to picking up... If trolling try varying your speed and see if aome does better than the other, make sure your lures are staying close to bottom


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

acklac7 said:


>


LOL! Awesome graphic 

Just keep at it BBO. Like 93 said, get the baits bumping bottom. Also invest in a lure retriever..


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## striperfreak (Apr 30, 2004)

I would stop trolling. Around early july we would put up the cranks and get out the jig, tipped with a crawler. most of the time if we werent dragging bottom we would not get bit. Find a point and fish near the 12 ft. mark. Drag bottom, fish shallower up the point as dusk arrives. Have not fished there for saugeye for years, but this is what we had success with.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

striperfreak said:


> I would stop trolling. Around early july we would put up the cranks and get out the jig, tipped with a crawler. most of the time if we werent dragging bottom we would not get bit. Find a point and fish near the 12 ft. mark. Drag bottom, fish shallower up the point as dusk arrives. Have not fished there for saugeye for years, but this is what we had success with.


And you will catch a butload of other fish doing this!!! And usually helps avoid any skunking.


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## alumking (Feb 27, 2006)

I am in the same boat. I usually catch tons of white bass and saugeyes. This year very spotty and weak to say the least. Lots of Small saugeye so should be good in a couple years. Was on tons of crappie now they seem tight lipped as well. When is the bait and fish going to set up on the bottom and get active? Oh well going again tonight to get my 2 or 3 saugeyes and 8-10 white bass if I am lucky! Cant wait for them to bite again!!!!!!


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## eatinbass (Aug 6, 2012)

I haven't caught much out of there. A good friend of mine has got a couple good size muskie.


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## BrookdaleBrothersOutdoors (Jun 10, 2012)

93stratosfishnski said:


> They have certainly slowed down a little bit the last few weeks.. My bite was hot and producing a lot more fish than it has fecently.. The bite is about to picking up... If trolling try varying your speed and see if aome does better than the other, make sure your lures are staying close to bottom


Thanks for the advice guys ... also it is hard to find a bait that will dive so deeply and stay there. I just started using wiggle warts and they seemed to do great they stayed 7 - 17 based on amount of line let out and also where mostly snag proof untill I came across a real shollow point lol. Im going to get a couple and just stay at it. I also have heard that jigs seem to produce more and more latley I have used jigs alot before but wouldnt have a clue feet of water for time of day ect.... any more help would be terrific !!!


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## Playbuoy (Apr 6, 2005)

I've done ok in the past with cranks, but always did best in warmer weather on harnesses behind a 3 oz bottom bouncer. Hit the points in the main pool south of Cheshire and use your trolling motor to control your drift. I've caught them this way at 4 in the afternoon when it was 90 degrees. Good luck.

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## Danshady (Dec 14, 2006)

> came across Alum Creek and it amazed me


only amazing thing about alum is the feelings of despair, complexity, and disappointment! lol jk it is one of my favorite places to go bassin just because it can be so tough, makes for a great challenge to test your skills, but can be fustrating.


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## BrookdaleBrothersOutdoors (Jun 10, 2012)

Yes sir we switched it up today by doing a lot of jiggin and we caught everything bluegill, crappie, smallmouth, largemouth, catfish but no eyes. Tmmrw we are going to try the southern part of lake and cast in the morning and troll midday and my even throw in some drifting with harness. Just have to wait and see what the pleasure boaters do haha thanks for the advice.


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## my vise (Jun 12, 2011)

Not a true saugeye fisherman but have caught them plenty south. Big ones north have always seemed a little deeper except in one spot and have never trolled it. Have been having fun on smallies lately. Alumn tests u. Takes a while and changes allot. Not an easy lake.

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## my vise (Jun 12, 2011)

Acklac7 u crack me up but have mad respect b/c i have learned alot from u in the past.

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## BrookdaleBrothersOutdoors (Jun 10, 2012)

thanks never got out to alum today went to griggs instead no eyes but we mustard up several diffrent species of fish on jigs (bluegill, crappie, whitebass, hybrid, cats, lrg bass, sml bass) but no eyes. I think I may be trollingthe wrong types of cranks so if anyone could tell me the style/model of cranks would be great! Be back at it Tues/ Wends/ Thursday cant wait!!!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

BrookdaleBrothersOutdoors said:


> thanks never got out to alum today went to griggs instead no eyes but we mustard up several diffrent species of fish on jigs (bluegill, crappie, whitebass, hybrid, cats, lrg bass, sml bass) but no eyes. I think I may be trollingthe wrong types of cranks so if anyone could tell me the style/model of cranks would be great! Be back at it Tues/ Wends/ Thursday cant wait!!!


LOL endless cranks that will produce. shadraps,huskie jerks,original rapalas,jointed shadraps,rattling shadraps,wallydivers,jr.thundersticks,reefrunners lil rippers,ripshads,flickershads,lindys cranks,bandits,bombers,smithwick rouges,hotntots,wally demons, LOL and im sure theres ALOT more that I missed.


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## BrookdaleBrothersOutdoors (Jun 10, 2012)

Thanks lol there must be something Im doing wrong with 100+ hours on Alum and (personally) one 15 inch saugeye to show for it. Is not a very good sign at all. SMH


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

The ever elusive Alum saugeye. A couple of years ago when I moved back to Ohio I didn't catch a saugeye until ice up. Now there are a few to be found in the usual spots but they can be tight mouthed. Haven't caught many of size this year and I believe it's from the big draw down last fall/winter.


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## Lucy of Alum Creek (Jul 15, 2012)

Lots of fish lost in the spring floods last year! It needs about 4 more years to bounce back for fish with teeth.


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## brucey42085 (Jun 4, 2011)

work the north side of the causeways, i like cheshire road personally, we were catching them the other day on cranks at about 14 feet during daylight and at/after dusk waaaaay up shallow, right up on the bank almost, with jigs (my buddy was using a twister tail, i had a joshy). this is a great time of year for almost any late day/dusk fishing, when it gets into the 80s during the day and drops down into, or almost into, the high 50s at night.


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Hit Alum Friday and found some crappies in the bays but as soon as the sun came over the trees they moved out. Tried crappie rigs in the deeper water but didn't do to well. Surprisingly water temps were "only" 77. If the water keeps getting lower won't be a lot of brush to fish along the edges for the tourney, Water was down about 3'.


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## brucey42085 (Jun 4, 2011)

yeah chopiq, i heard that it was already at winter pool and that they may be taking the courtesy docks out soon...


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## Castaway87 (Nov 6, 2004)

By chance does anyone know what is winter pool.....how many feet drawdown? Thanks.


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## ptbs (Aug 24, 2012)

hot n tots 8-20 fow slow


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

ptbs said:


> hot n tots 8-20 fow slow


Can be deadly! Hotntots are one of my favorite trolling cranks.. There searching action is awesome the way the kick to one side then the other with speed burst. Kinda same searching action as a reef runner the way they kick from one side to another.


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## puge (May 14, 2009)

Castaway87 said:


> By chance does anyone know what is winter pool.....how many feet drawdown? Thanks.


885 is winter pool, and the current level is 885.17. Summer pool is 888. Here are a couple helpful pages I have come acrossed from other users.

current conditions
http://www.lrh-wc.usace.army.mil/wc/distns.htm
ODNR drawdown dates and levels
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/explore/lakedrawdown/tabid/233/Default.aspx
The dates are from last year, they haven't updated it yet for this year.


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## Castaway87 (Nov 6, 2004)

Great info, thanks!


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