# Local Spillways



## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

I have been sick for awhile and haven't been able to make it out to see if the Spillways at some of the local Columbus lake areas (Alum, Hoover, etc.) are frozen over. Hoping to feel better this week and check them out. Has anyone else been fishing them or checked them out? Are they frozen and do they stay this way most of the winter or is it off and on? Any info would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Dre


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

Anyone?? I would go check them out myself but like I said I still sick and the cold weather wouldn't help out at all. I'm new to fishing spillways and don't know if they freeze over or not.


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## tnant1 (Nov 21, 2006)

Well, I haven't been out in a week or so, but yes they can/do freeze over. When I was out on the 29th they were pretty much all open but I doubt it very seriously now.


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## Hooksetter (May 17, 2009)

Only place I saw today was in Westerville, Dam on campus was open 55% on the west side of Alum Creek...Only fish I could see was the 8 lb saugeyes and a hand full of 40"+ muskies. I was there trying to corn feed the [email protected]#@!##$ muskies and eyes ate all my corn .BUT the water is open like I said.

Hooksetter


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## TPfisher (Aug 31, 2009)

Hooksetter said:


> Only place I saw today was in Westerville, Dam on campus was open 55% on the west side of Alum Creek...Only fish I could see was the 8 lb saugeyes and a hand full of 40"+ muskies. I was there trying to corn feed the [email protected]#@!##$ muskies and eyes ate all my corn .BUT the water is open like I said.
> 
> Hooksetter


where is this exactly?


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## cubsfan (Nov 17, 2008)

TPfisher said:


> where is this exactly?


If that post was true as to the amount and size of the fish he wouldnt be posting about corn feeding carp!!!! Although that spillway does hold some fish here and there the open water report is accurate.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Alum spillway is locked up. The pool downstream of the bridge is OPEN.


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## TerryMayberry (Dec 23, 2009)

I was just at Hoover 5 min ago. The main lake appears pretty open on the South end. The water below the dam is open as well. I walked along the shore from the dam South to the Central College Ave bridge and I was wishing I had my pole with me. There were no other fishermen anywhere.


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

Uh oh Terry I think I've planted a seed here! I didn't know there was still open water on Hoover. Just be careful walking on the edges of the spillways. Sometimes it's hard knowing where the grass ends and the ice starts. I almost took a swim in February below hoover last year. When the ice is snow covered it looks just like ground. Alum is concrete so different story.


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

Thanks for all the info guys! Still sick but hoping to make it out Sunday.


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## todd61 (Nov 22, 2009)

Fished below deleware last night. Had to get out of the house. No saugeye.Caught one sucker and snagged a carp.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Had to get out as well...just couldnt take it anymore (I dont Ice fish..Ice fishing is for girls  ). Oshay is 60% locked up, Griggs is 30% locked up and Waterworks is Open. All three are muddy with less then 12" visibility...Good for a brief trip to get the lines wet/heater running and thats it


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## JBLLURE (Oct 4, 2008)

Checked deer creek early last week they slowed the pumps down wich froze the spillway looks like fishing there is done for awhile


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## TPfisher (Aug 31, 2009)

cubsfan said:


> If that post was true as to the amount and size of the fish he wouldnt be posting about corn feeding carp!!!! Although that spillway does hold some fish here and there the open water report is accurate.


i didnt even think about that


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Caught an ungodly amount of buffalo suckers today...and one large channel cat.

Warm water was present...


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

I fished a little below Griggs and Alum. Had something big on my line at Griggs that i was fighting through the current for about a minute them BAM it snapped off. When i reeled in my line the only thing remaining was a broken off peice of hook still tied to my line. Wonder what it could have been???? Got nothing below Alum, not even a nibble, very cold out...


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

dre said:


> I fished a little below Griggs and Alum. Had something big on my line at Griggs that i was fighting through the current for about a minute them BAM it snapped off. When i reeled in my line the only thing remaining was a broken off peice of hook still tied to my line. Wonder what it could have been???? Got nothing below Alum, not even a nibble, very cold out...


At least you had something hooked! And were you fishing live baits or artificials? did the line ever go "limp" / slack when you were fighting the fish? More often then not i'll snag alot of fish below there in the winter (carp,suckers,S-eye) etc. But every so often you'll have something just DRILL your line and fight like crazy...Usually its a big S-eye, but come Ice out in Feb. you will get some PIG smallmouth. Best thing about it is you almost never see a sole


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

Actually yes I was fighting it for awhile and then i felt it come loose and my line went limp. Like i said all that came back was my peice of hook. I was fishing jig and twister. Wish I would have got minnows to tip off the jig. It was either a carp or a BIG eye. Wish i could have seen it...


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

I meant like go slack/limp then go back tight again...More often then not when that happens you have something snagged (unless your fighting a muskie/steelhead which will charge towards you during the fight). Sorry for the confusion. Also next time your down there or alum or wherever try to find some fresh-kill shad and tip them like you would a minnow. The key is making sure there eyes are still black and not cloudy. After the eyes go cloudy rigourmortis sets in and there bodies get stiff and dont provide very much action. While they may feel a little bulky on the line (and smell nasty on the fingers) they can mean the difference between going home happy and going home skunked.


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

Oh I see what you mean. No it never went limp when the fish was on. It just darted down the current and was determined to get the heck out of there. Try to fight him back through the current but wasn't happening...


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

dre said:


> Oh I see what you mean. No it never went limp when the fish was on. It just darted down the current and was determined to get the heck out of there. Try to fight him back through the current but wasn't happening...


Yea hate to say it but it sounds like you snagged carp. Big S-eye in freezing cold water usually dont make any sudden movements, infact most of the time you will swear up and down you have a log snagged until the "log" starts slowly moving its head left and right lol. Funny a few years back I was fishing down there in when it was in the teens and I paused a husky jerk a couple feet off the bank. Didnt feel a hit or anything but just felt weight, thought for sure I had snagged a log until the log started slowly swimming up stream..For a split second I was like "how does a log float upstream " then I was like "Oh snap big S-eye!". And just in case anyone is wondering I tend to average a fish every 4 or 5 hours from now until ice out, and even then it doesnt get good until the middle of march. But If your die-hard a single fish can mean everything in Jan/Feb.


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## WeekendWarrior (Jan 20, 2008)

Mushijobah said:


> Caught an ungodly amount of buffalo suckers today...and one large channel cat.
> 
> Warm water was present...


Wow!! Sounds like you were trespassing on city property...........


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

WeekendWarrior said:


> Wow!! Sounds like you were trespassing on city property...........


Nope, I was in my Kayak! Silly man!


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## WeekendWarrior (Jan 20, 2008)

Awesome!! Don't know many people who would venture on a river with a stiff current in January to fish for carp out of a kayak.


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## BigBen (Oct 7, 2008)

Mushijobah said:


> Caught an ungodly amount of buffalo suckers today...and one large channel cat.
> 
> Warm water was present...


That's hardcore Mush' (the kayaking). What do you wear to keep warm? I'm spooked to go out in the winter without buying the full body gear that's waterproof first. I was below Hoover Sunday morning , but didn't have any luck. That was my first time targeting 'eyes so I'm not surprised.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

I had neoprene, a big old hunting jacket, and a waterproof fishing jacket. Neoprene gloves. Extra clothes, fire starting supplies. Paddling kept me warm, and the water was warm also. Smelled bad, but you'll have that. Wore a belt around the waist just incase I fell in, or tipped the boat. PFD too, of course!

Warrior: I was going after saugeye you silly goose! You are just too much fella! How's the duck hunting going this year down south?! Where have you been killing all of those ducks and geese?!


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## tchrist5 (Jun 29, 2008)

Haha that's funny right there v


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Jackson Pike Outfall is the one in question...for those who are wondering. It cannot be accessed by land legally(?) or easily. I hit it by Yak. Wasn't very deep, kind of a disappointment!


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## EE (Apr 13, 2004)

Stopped at O'shay today and it is very STAINED, as expected. met a nice guy up in the parking lot, spoke for a few minutes (don't know if he reads these reports). Number of guys fishing, didn't see any fish caught. Guessing it will be stained for quite some time and rain moving in won't help.......
good luck if you're out and about.


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## jmenchhofer (Jan 12, 2007)

I stopped and checked out Alum Creek last night. The creek was mostly frozen over, with some open water just below the dam. Water level was about 2 1/2 to 3 feet below the upstream end of the sidewalk. I fished the open water for a half hour or so with no luck.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

jmenchhofer said:


> I stopped and checked out Alum Creek last night. The creek was mostly frozen over, with some open water just below the dam. Water level was about 2 1/2 to 3 feet below the upstream end of the sidewalk. I fished the open water for a half hour or so with no luck.


I stopped there briefly last night as well. I saw a couple guys fishing in the hole below the bridge. Mostly ice from there up to the dam, but it did seem as though some of the water up by the dam was open. I just didnt bother to walk up that way. The main lake showed all ice, but I didnt think it looked very safe.


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## cubsfan (Nov 17, 2008)

Hit alum spillway at 4am today though the rain would have busted up the ice not so! It was open about 200 ft from dam and iced untill the other side of the bridge. Maybe Sunday


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## ALWAYSNETIN (Feb 18, 2008)

Anybody been over to hoover lately have they moved up in the hole yet or is the water down to low for them to get there but after the rsin im sur it will come up soon im sure their gonna open a couple gates anyway they hate to hold water above the dam for some reason but im not mad untill they open all the gates and blow it out. Just wonderin waaas up over there


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

Yesterday below Oshay it looked like someplace in Idaho, the water was green and fast. People into whitewater kayaking would have had fun playing with it.

After that last round of rain I measured the conductivity of the river again, and the numbers went way down at six of eight locations, but below Griggs and Oshay the numbers went slightly up, like it's taking a long time to flush the saltier water through those reservoirs.

http://sciotoriverfriends.org/monitoring/Scioto_Conductivity_Data_Sheet.xls


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