# piedmont is open



## pkent

went to clendening today,still ice coverd but looks like it will be gone by this weekend.went to piedmont and it was open and looks to be up a foot above summer pool. went to dam area and there is still some ice on roadbed. water not to bad down that way, but muddy up the lake. there is some thin ice here and there, looks like it will be gone in a day or so. I did get skunked but nice to be on the water in february. good day out.


----------



## Specwar

Water level at Piedmont Marina anyone??


----------



## shorthair

6" below summer pool if that helps any.


----------



## ducky152000

Plenty of water to put in at marina. Question is how muddy is the water going to be. Muddy water + cold water temps = very tough fishing. Trolling bite won't be happening unless we got at least a foot of visibility. Jigging bite will be very slim also with muddy water but it should be a tad better than the trolling bite.


----------



## Specwar

That's good news. I have done very well early in the year for SMB and S-eyes in the past. Tappan was really muddy when I first looked at it on Sunday, but the open bay on the North side of the first underpass by the damn had cleared somewhat before I returned on Tuesday. Long term forecast looks good so maybe by the time I can get there late next week it will clear some.
I fish strictly jig and minnow early on.


----------



## juggerman

Can you let me in on your technique...never had much luck....what to use and such...maybe private message....


----------



## Schatty

Anybody laid eyes on Piedmont the last few days? I was hoping to head over and fish this afternoon/evening but didn’t want to make the drive down if the water was chocolate milk. Based on the Army Corp website the lake is about a foot above summer pool but the amount of flow coming into the lake has really come down since Friday and Saturday.


----------



## pkent

was at the dam monday 26th,water was a little dirty and up alittle. fished off the rocks with minnows and had no hits.


----------



## Schatty

Decided to give a try today. It wasn’t on fire but we caught fish. Ended up with about 15 eyes from 2:30 til 6. We were trolling with leadcore near the dam. We saw a few boats jigging that were doing alright as well. It was great to be on the water in February in a T-shirt. The bite should improve as the water clarity gets a little better.


----------



## Ron Lynn

Schatty said:


> Decided to give a try today. It wasn’t on fire but we caught fish. Ended up with about 15 eyes from 2:30 til 6. We were trolling with leadcore near the dam. We saw a few boats jigging that were doing alright as well. It was great to be on the water in February in a T-shirt. The bite should improve as the water clarity gets a little better.


How deep were you trolling? Were the jigging boats on the road bed?


----------



## Schatty

We trolled along the road bed and dam. Depth was mostly 22-28 fow. The jigging boats were on the road bed.


----------



## Ron Lynn

Schatty said:


> We trolled along the road bed and dam. Depth was mostly 22-28 fow. The jigging boats were on the road bed.


Thanks


----------



## TClark

I can never find that road bed...even with electronics.


----------



## Hatchetman

TClark said:


> I can never find that road bed...even with electronics.



Don't know how you can miss it with electronics. Just idle down the middle of the lake from the bay on the left and aim at the gate house. Can't miss the depth coming up from 25-30 ft to 18-25 depending where you are crossing at and then drops right back to deep water when you get to the gate house side of the road....


----------



## Tinknocker1

TClark said:


> I can never find that road bed...even with electronics.


just drive across the dam in your car there is prolly 20 boats sitting on it right now lol 3/4/2018 10:30 am


----------



## pkent

21


----------



## Tinknocker1

pkent said:


> 21


lol the red necks are catching all the saugeyes out of the creek at the other end of the lake ----------------------->


----------



## bountyhunter

I watched two guys one spring off a little road bridge , back of the lake ,snagging some years back. they had a stringer full. I called the dnr gave there license #, then I pulled away. all ways wondered what happened.


----------



## Tinknocker1

bountyhunter said:


> I watched two guys one spring off a little road bridge , back of the lake ,snagging some years back. they had a stringer full. I called the dnr gave there license #, then I pulled away. all ways wondered what happened.


i said they was red necks not poachers bountyhunter !


----------



## bountyhunter

I did not say they were red necks, just two guys, they could have been lawyers.


----------



## Tinknocker1

bountyhunter said:


> I did not say they were red necks, just two guys, they could have been lawyers.


----------



## Schatty

Made it out again today, this time with my brother. We started at 8 am and finished up with our 12 eyes by 2 pm. We didn’t catch any real big eyes but had a nice mix of 15.5-20” fish. We also caught 3 nice muskies and a couple 10” crappie. All fish came on lead core, trolling crankbaits on the bottom. Fish were spread out around the dam area.


----------



## pkent

right on !


----------



## TClark

WTG!!!


----------



## Ronny

Better get there earlier next weekend if you want to put in. Parking lot has been full all week. Gonna be parked up the road next weekend with all your new leadcore buddies.


----------



## Tinknocker1

Ronny said:


> Better get there earlier next weekend if you want to put in. Parking lot has been full all week. Gonna be parked up the road next weekend with all your new leadcore buddies.


they might be using the goat path this weekend their dumping Piedmont and Clendening which leads me to think i might hit the creek tonight and try to catch a pike .... ")


----------



## Fishingislife

Ronny said:


> Better get there earlier next weekend if you want to put in. Parking lot has been full all week. Gonna be parked up the road next weekend with all your new leadcore buddies.



I am sure there is plenty of room for plenty of horse buggies Ronny.


----------



## TClark

I didn't think there were that many saugeye IN Piedmont.


----------



## Lewis

A tough parking situation just got tougher.


----------



## Gregjp

glad to see people are fishing now


----------



## Specwar

^^^^^^^ They're not fishing, they're _CATCHING !!!!_


----------



## Tinknocker1

TClark said:


> I didn't think there were that many saugeye IN Piedmont.


you didn't think there was any crappies in Piedmont either your the white bass king  get out to Piedmont with your lead core and muscle your way on the road bed don't let them clowns push you around !


----------



## Ronny

Schatty said:


> All fish came on lead core, trolling crankbaits on the bottom. Fish were spread out around the dam area.


Sorry Bud. But the only thing specific in this report is the location. What kind of crank, productive colors, speed would be a report. This is just bragging.


----------



## Ron Lynn

Ronny said:


> Sorry Bud. But the only thing specific in this report is the location. What kind of crank, productive colors, speed would be a report. This is just bragging.


Have you never fished before it's a great report! Get out there and try it! You want him to tie the lures catch the fish clean them and feed you too! Sounds like you're being too specific please stop posting if you want to put stuff on this 2 weeks after it was posted


----------



## EDE

Agreed!!Just get out and work on it.


----------



## Schatty

I’m happy to share any of that information with anybody that asks. We stick to flikr shads size 5 and 6 and Shad raps. A wide range of colors work, anything from firetiger to natural Shad and perch colors. Speed for trolling leadcore is 1.5-1.8.


----------



## Ronny

Actually Ron. I've been fishing Piedmont longer than you've been alive. I fish it along with about a dozen other lakes. 15 years ago, prior to all the internet boasting, there probably would have only been three boats on any lake this early in the season. Now you have to fight for parking at a small place like Piedmont.
My post was in reference to a response on a different thread that has since been closed. So it was placed here.
Schatty, if you truly were trying share info with fisherman, that is what your original post would have included. Not a specific location. But in a sense it did help keep boats away from the rest of the lake. So thanks for that. But not for the parking issues. 20 rigs and maybe two south of the marina.


----------



## Schatty

My sincere apologies if I am in the wrong. I will not be posting any more “bragging” reports in the southeast forum. I’ll be happy to help out anyone that wants info. Shoot me a pm.


----------



## bountyhunter

schatty please don,t stop. I,m up here in the canton area and going to start fishing your lake. need all the help I can get. P>S wheres the bait shops close the lake . coming from rt 77 rt 250 rt 8 .


----------

