# Crappie Fishing at Hoover



## MattSmith223 (Dec 20, 2015)

Anybody having any luck from the bank ... have the crappie moved out to deeper water yet ?


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## Crappie/Eyes (Mar 10, 2007)

I was out two days ago and found the crappie in deep water. NO SIZE but in deep water(16 ft). 
25 keepers...... all under 10 inches.

Probably will not go back because of the regulation that prohibits the use of outboard motors over 10 HP being lowered in the water (not running but with the prop in the water) while using an electric trolling motor. When the wind picked up, my 18 ft boat just spun around in circles without the large motor in the water act as tiller against the wind. I know I could have taken the prop off but that rule defies common sense and safety when the wind is blowing. I can easily see situations where high winds could prevent a large trolling motor-powered boat from returning to the ramp because of dead batteries. It would be interesting to learn how often the ranger is called out to tow such boats back to the ramp.

Adios and good luck


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## shilty (Apr 23, 2015)

I personally love the 10hp limit rule. I think it's great for the reservoir, fishery, and fisherman.


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## rutty (Feb 5, 2007)

I think a HP limit is ridiculous, make it a 5 mph limit or something like that. Some 9.9 boats make a bigger wake they my 18.5 and full speed. It shouldn't matter what size motor you have if you put a speed limit on it it will achieve the same goal.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

rutty said:


> I think a HP limit is ridiculous, make it a 5 mph limit or something like that. Some 9.9 boats make a bigger wake they my 18.5 and full speed. It shouldn't matter what size motor you have if you put a speed limit on it it will achieve the same goal.


Very true..... either way I hope it stays "limited"....
And I'm not saying go and do it. But I have been fishing Hoover on/off for 19 years from a boat with a 90 merc an a 9.9 kicker. Out of simply not knowing any better we have never taken the prop off of are 90hp. And have never had a water officer tell us to remove it. Even during the dozen or so safety checks we have had there. Maybe we are just lucky.


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Burr Oak like a few lakes is IDLE only. All the times I have been on it, I have seen NO ONE pushing that limit with their big motor. Meanwhile Jon boats with 9.9 "decals" zoom all over Hoover. I fortunately have a 9.9 kicker on my 19' boat, but it's still a stupid not thought out law. But...money talks!


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## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

rutty said:


> I think a HP limit is ridiculous, make it a 5 mph limit or something like that. Some 9.9 boats make a bigger wake they my 18.5 and full speed. It shouldn't matter what size motor you have if you put a speed limit on it it will achieve the same goal.


Never seen a 18.5 outboard. I'm planning on going to Hoover Friday. I will give a report when I get back in.


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

The limit on engine size is 9.9hp with a speed limit of 10 mph. So the little boat going too fast is breaking the speed limit. A larger boat with the 9.9 should be able to reach somewhere near the 10 mph limit. If we all could control the speed it could work. It would require restraint and most like me have a hard time with that. The motor out of the water rule minus prop does seem a bothersome requirement. I do believe the motor in the water helps with the spin you discribed. I have not read anywhere why the prop off is part of the regulations. I will make a guess the prop removal was added to keep boaters from firing up the bigger motor. Likely in the past it was an problem that turned into a regulation. Maybe the two rules together helped keep the sped near ten mph for those with a speedo and the 9.9 did something close for those without a speed indicator. I remember when Hoover had a 6 hp limit, that would not be something I would want to see return. It's is the cities field we have to play by their rules.


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## fish4wall (Apr 14, 2004)

The HP limit on Hoover is 10hp. And for the guys with bigger motors yes I see both sides of the coin. But you have Alum that just up the road. yes there's a ton of dumba$$ at Alum. But the area north of 36/37 it no wake. Also, you can always buy a kicker....a ton of guys who love Hoover but has a bigger motor bite the bullet and buys one.
I have a 14ft john boat with a 10hp motor. And fish both Alum and Hoover. I just choose to stay away from Alum this time of year. that's why I bought the size of motor.
in the end its your choice...if you don't like the rule then fish Alum or get a kicker.
that way your not limiting the places you an fish.


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## fish4wall (Apr 14, 2004)




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## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

I fish Hoover all the time. I always have my main motor raised and out of the water with the prop still on. I believe the rule to have prop removed came about from people using the main motor to load there boats. No one has every said anything to me about having the prop on. I have a 9.9 kicker and it will push my boat at 6.8 mph. I can't imagine the nightmare it would be to enforce an idle only rule on larger motor. I was recently at Indian lake at the start of a bass tournament in a no wake area in a canal and got passed by numerous boats just under plane.


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## rutty (Feb 5, 2007)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Very true..... either way I hope it stays "limited"....
> And I'm not saying go and do it. But I have been fishing Hoover on/off for 19 years from a boat with a 90 merc an a 9.9 kicker. Out of simply not knowing any better we have never taken the prop off of are 90hp. And have never had a water officer tell us to remove it. Even during the dozen or so safety checks we have had there. Maybe we are just lucky.


I agree with limited, just should be a speed limit and not a HP limit.


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## shilty (Apr 23, 2015)

HP limit self regulates itself. By setting a speed limit you're just asking for trouble. No one follows them on the highway so why would they n a lake? Also, wildlife officers are already spread much to thin to add another headache like this. You open a huge can of worms if you replace the HP limit with a speed limit. Honestly, it may not seem fair, but those of us with smaller boats deserve a lake where we feel safe at (I wont go on alum anymore but thats another story). The best part is, they have made it so that you can still go on the lake with your boat! You just don't like the exceptions they have made to make it accessible to everyone. Also, it saves the lake when its not getting beat up from large boat wash. One of the biggest reasons for the HP limit is due to it being the main drinking water reservoir for the city of Columbus. They woul dhave to spend much more money to maintain the lake and the water quality would drop if they allowed it to turn into Alum Creek. You don't like the rules they have in place? Tough, more crappie for me. Go to one of the other hundreds of lakes in Ohio.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

rutty said:


> I agree with limited, just should be a speed limit and not a HP limit.


Yeah I here ya! And 100% agree most of the boats on Hoover are putting out just as much wake as a lot of the bigger fishing boats.


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## steven kovach (Sep 24, 2014)

Crappie/Eyes said:


> I was out two days ago and found the crappie in deep water. NO SIZE but in deep water(16 ft).
> 25 keepers...... all under 10 inches.
> 
> Probably will not go back because of the regulation that prohibits the use of outboard motors over 10 HP being lowered in the water (not running but with the prop in the water) while using an electric trolling motor. When the wind picked up, my 18 ft boat just spun around in circles without the large motor in the water act as tiller against the wind. I know I could have taken the prop off but that rule defies common sense and safety when the wind is blowing. I can easily see situations where high winds could prevent a large trolling motor-powered boat from returning to the ramp because of dead batteries. It would be interesting to learn how often the ranger is called out to tow such boats back to the ramp.
> ...


Yea it should be changed to 5 mph but we the fishermen who buy license every year have no say in it I believe it's the people who live on the lake that keeps it the way it is we need to do something about it for real


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

steven kovach said:


> Yea it should be changed to 5 mph but we the fishermen who buy license every year have no say in it I believe it's the people who live on the lake that keeps it the way it is we need to do something about it for real


Eh if you go back an search the forums I'd say there's a lot of fisherman that want it left alone....
It's a pretty beat up subject on here.
I don't care one way or another. 
I usually fish alum over Hoover anyways,lol an I'm in a puny little kayak


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## rutty (Feb 5, 2007)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Eh if you go back an search the forums I'd say there's a lot of fisherman that want it left alone....
> It's a pretty beat up subject on here.
> I don't care one way or another.
> I usually fish alum over Hoover anyways,lol an I'm in a puny little kayak


I am with you, don't really care one way or the other, only fished the lake 1 time in my life anyway. All they would have to do is make it a no wake lake and all issued described by people above would be solved. The little boats with 9.9 on them tear up the lake just has much as a bigger boat does in most cases, so that theory doesn't float with me. I live 2.5 hours away from that lake and wouldn't pass up Delaware, Alum or many other lakes to fish Hoover anyway. Alum is a much better fishing lake than Hoover that is for sure.


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## fool4fish (Mar 21, 2014)

This one is sticky guys but i always say hoover is dearly beloved by the people who fish it and its a fishermans lake. I love the place i have more on the water time on this lake this year than any the lake i fish i feel it needs to stay the same imo and ramp up the enforcement of the speed limit i seen boats go by all the time which i know are violating it you can tell and i one hundred percent agree with the out the water on outboard because i seen several bass boats in years past no this year doing power loads n tearing everything up at baldridge ramp and this year i have had alot of problems with over 50 yrs old pleasure crowds coming into coves im anchored in and doing a full speed pass just coming in hot looking at whatever they wanna see n looping right back out n on to the next sight and i hate to ruin anyones day but how many boats would be issued citations for 9.9 covers with 15 horse units im not gonna put the business owner out there but ive been told by more than one boater they got a hoover special 10 cover on 15 motor from so in so i still say its a fishermans lake and take the bad with the good if u wanna fish hoover


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## Crappie/Eyes (Mar 10, 2007)

After seeing a small section of the lake from the water and driving around the lake, it appears to me that the real issue is NOISE verses the $$$$$ homes bordering the lake and I certainly don't blame local property owners at Hoover from wanting to keep their homes and neighborhoods peaceful. I know I would if I could afford such properties. After looking at the size and condition of a few boat ramps and parking lots, it was apparent to me that the lake was intended only for small boats and small quiet motors and never for large boats trying to break the lake speed record like they do at ALUM on weekends.

I wanted to try Hoover because it produced the state record crappie recently and I'm still trying to break 14 inches for a black crappie. Hoover is simply too big to fish with an electric trolling motor effectively in a larger boat.

*While I apologize if my earlier comments may have rekindled a few old burning embers, I for one, would not change the regulations.* *Hoover is what it is and that is... a BEAUTIFUL, PEACEFUL OVERSIZED POND that deserves to stay that way!* As for me, I will simply return to the lakes and rivers where I have caught many 13 7/8 inch black crappies and be satisfied.....but I will keep on trying to find that elusive 14 + inch crappie. After all, my boat still holds the unofficial and self-proclaimed state record for the smallest black crappie ever caught on a hook and line in OHIO, as my moniker photo will attest.


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

Easiest way to catch a 14" crappie is a forgotten farm pond or quarry. Hoover is fine the way it is. Having watched people on Alum for years, it's nice to not have to worry about a cigar boat bearing down at you at 6000 mph and hoping he actually sees you in time between drinks of beer and trying to impress the ladies on his boat


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## fool4fish (Mar 21, 2014)

Crappie eyes im still trying to get past the 14 mark too at it but not past so i understand the challenge this is the first year i didnt secure my fo for crappie in the last 5/ 6 years straight hoover has a good # but after looking around i vowed to try buckeye more i have a friend who broke 15 mark two years straight now and imo griggs /oshey is the place where i see strongest big fish populations but couldnt catch fire this year over there just wanted to pass along what my research says im a nut for the trophy size crappies not that hoover is not good or other lakes just for the areas i target those are top3 for me n just an opinion from similar scenario and i agree with your assesments hoover is peaceful n needs to stay that way


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