# Winter “Secret” Spots



## Tall Tales (Aug 28, 2018)

Hey everyone, 

Although we’re not open and we don’t have hard data that we typically share with you all, I wanted to post some much less popularly known spots to fish as they are usually not great come late March/April once we have good reports to share with you all. Also included will be baits we have been most successful with: 

Mahoning River:

Pike- Greenbower 
In line Spinners/Spinnerbaits 

This spot usually turns on in February/March. 

Walleye- Up and down the river from the dam to the water works 

1/8 & 1/4 oz jigs with chartreuse fleck, pink, and black (for really muddy days)

This spot is usually good right before ice on and and right after ice off. Can be as early as now and as late as April.

Crappie 

Crappie start to be more active by mid March to late April. It usually depends on the water temp and how our winter cooperated. By the time the white bass run, the crappie fishing can peak, but It’s rare they are being fished for as the white bass run coincides. Look for them near brush piles and tree overhangs. 

Jigs (1/32, 1/16, 1/8oz) with 2” twister tails, Cubby mini mites, or Panfish assassins. 

West Branch: 

Walleye/Musky 

Most of the shore fishing can be good all around the lake as they will come close to shore but the area near the dam is a good one. 

Shallow swimming stick baits are a good method as the bottom is very rocky and it becomes easy to hang up jigs on the bottom. 


These spots can be rotated up until the white bass run in April/May if you are itching to get outside! By then you’ll have crappie and Lake Erie eyes to chase!


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

> Crappie
> 
> Crappie start to be more active by mid March to late April. It usually depends on the water temp and how our winter cooperated. By the time the white bass run, the crappie fishing can peak, but It’s rare they are being fished for as the white bass run coincides. Look for them near brush piles and tree overhangs.


And now is the time to get out to Berlin and gps mark all those Christmas trees and cable spools placed all the along those shorelines. They are everywhere.


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## Tall Tales (Aug 28, 2018)

Lewzer said:


> And now is the time to get out to Berlin and gps mark all those Christmas trees and cable spools placed all the along those shorelines. They are everywhere.


That is a really good point. Sometimes that gets overlooked as people transition to hunting but when the water levels are low take some photos at the very least but if you can take your gps with you and walk around the lake, it will pay dividends, especially in the spots that get very low in the summer (Greenbower/Rockhill)- fish are often trapped in small pockets and can often be caught easily if you know where the holes are.


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## FlyFishRich (Feb 3, 2016)

Thanks Tall Tales for the river tips. I live 2 minutes from the dam on Summit St.,.....Rich


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

Never fished the Mahoning River. Might give it a go. Can you put a small boat in and travel up and down river?


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

> Never fished the Mahoning River. Might give it a go. Can you put a small boat in and travel up and down river?


Yes. But it depends on several things. What do you mean by a small boat? Your 14'er or your kaboater (SIC)? It also depends on whether Berlin is at full pool. Berlin water level is very important.

I always launch my kayak off that crappy "parking lot" on Greenbower or Price. If at full pool, you could launch your 14'er at the new German Church ramp and motor over to south of Price and then Greenbower to hit the river proper. While you are back there, hit the area below the Deer Creek dam. In the spring I like to fish all the willows for crappie behind the police firing range and water treatment plant. You would not be able to get to those areas in a normal boat.
So many places to dip a minnow but so little time.


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## Tall Tales (Aug 28, 2018)

Lewzer said:


> Yes. But it depends on several things. What do you mean by a small boat? Your 14'er or your kaboater (SIC)? It also depends on whether Berlin is at full pool. Berlin water level is very important.
> 
> I always launch my kayak off that crappy "parking lot" on Greenbower or Price. If at full pool, you could launch your 14'er at the new German Church ramp and motor over to south of Price and then Greenbower to hit the river proper. While you are back there, hit the area below the Deer Creek dam. In the spring I like to fish all the willows for crappie behind the police firing range and water treatment plant. You would not be able to get to those areas in a normal boat.
> So many places to dip a minnow but so little time.


That Deer Creek dam is a really good spot!


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

Tall Tales said:


> That Deer Creek dam is a really good spot!


Musky, walleye and wipers?


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## Tall Tales (Aug 28, 2018)

Wipers and crappie most commonly, but I’ve heard there’s a few big Muskies breaking people off the last few years over there too....


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

View attachment 289071


Tall Tales said:


> Wipers and crappie most commonly, but I’ve heard there’s a few big Muskies breaking people off the last few years over there too....


I wonder with the hybrids/wipers in Walborn....whether there is a small run up Deer Creek past Greenbower...up till spillway at Walborn.
Bob Tomasko had Deer Creek dam as a hotspot in his Berlin cassette tape series....musky included.


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

allwayzfishin said:


> Never fished the Mahoning River. Might give it a go. Can you put a small boat in and travel up and down river?



FYI,,, My favorite places to explore, 
Mill Creek Park mouth, then go DOWN the Mahoning. 
Or Warren Summit Street Bridge Dam, down.
Or Below Meander Dam.
Above & Below New Brighton Dam,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
& All of the Beavers.
http://www.trumbullcanoetrails.org/

*This link could keep you busy for a while;*
http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/paddlesouthernohio


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## bountyhunter (Apr 28, 2004)

when I was a young lad I fished of that tunnel bridge , to old and stiff now.


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## FlyFishRich (Feb 3, 2016)

Thanks for the map Doboy.....Rich


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

Lewzer said:


> Yes. But it depends on several things. What do you mean by a small boat? Your 14'er or your kaboater (SIC)? It also depends on whether Berlin is at full pool. Berlin water level is very important.
> 
> I always launch my kayak off that crappy "parking lot" on Greenbower or Price. If at full pool, you could launch your 14'er at the new German Church ramp and motor over to south of Price and then Greenbower to hit the river proper. While you are back there, hit the area below the Deer Creek dam. In the spring I like to fish all the willows for crappie behind the police firing range and water treatment plant. You would not be able to get to those areas in a normal boat.
> So many places to dip a minnow but so little time.


Actually either boat would do fine i think, The 14ft tin will motor thru 12'' of water in shallow water drive mode but Ill need a launch point.. The kaboat i can launch anywhere and it floats in 2'' of water.So Im probably better off fishing the first time in the kaboat to get an idea of the river system and its features. Thanks for the info brotha


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

Couple questions

The map legend indicates boating hazards? What exactly are the boating hazards, and can they be bypassed by boat or on foot?

And where is greenbower and waterworks located on the map?

This is a river Ive been wanting to fish but never have yet. Wonder how much ice forms throughout the river during winter? Kinda want to float it next week


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)

allwayzfishin said:


> Couple questions
> 
> The map legend indicates boating hazards? What exactly are the boating hazards, and can they be bypassed by boat or on foot?
> 
> ...


Greenbower is north of Alliance....considered to be upper part of Berlin Lake. Winona is the headwaters of Mahoning....Mahoning goes all the way to Beaver River in Pennsylvania


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Alwayzfishin, that map Doby posted is in the warren area, not the mahoning river above Berlin near alliance. And the hazards on the map is probaly a dam. Down below lake Milton is a small park next to the mahoning river a small carry boat or yak could easily b put in and go up or down river. That area would be ok now to fish cause at Berlin with the drawdown you couldn’t get near the water up near price street to get a boat in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Try the website- Trumbull metroparks. .org 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

Thanks Tall Tales. I don't live in your neighborhood but if I go there, you'll be the 1st place I'll stop, for bait & tackle, and a little chit-chat. --Tim


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

I’ve been a contractor before at the cruise plant and I remember a park/boat launch in Niles. Just a mile or so before a 4 way stop light intersection. It was on the right heading south. That was a few years ago tho, and I can’t remember the route I was on. If I came across it again in person I’d know. Gotta look deep in satellite to recall where it actually was. It had a nice parking lot and it looked like you could only go north from the launch because of a dam south of it


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## Tall Tales (Aug 28, 2018)

Wow said:


> Thanks Tall Tales. I don't live in your neighborhood but if I go there, you'll be the 1st place I'll stop, for bait & tackle, and a little chit-chat. --Tim
> 
> View attachment 289247


Thanks Tim. We would love to have you. We opened yesterday just to catch up with some guys who wanted to check out the shop as we were reorganizing for 2019. Its awesome to meet people from OGF. 

And if you need any reports or just have some questions just call us, we know Erie just as good as our surrounding area.


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