# Downtown Cincinnati - lots of bait but no hybrids



## hoosiertransplant (Apr 20, 2009)

Since the bite turned off in late June/early July I've only been fishing downtown about once a week - and it has been a waste of time. 

You can't swing a dead cat without finding a massive ball of bait. 

The only thing chasing them was a couple of gar and 5" - 7" skipjack.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

There's so much bait they're just layin' around on the bottom. Probably hittin'm at like midnight!


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## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

I am eager to get a hold of skipjacks. I live close to downtown so where are they located ? are they there only at dawn and sunset or all day. Most of the spots I know they are there only once in awhile never every day. I will be glad to get 5-7 inchers anytime. Norb


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## fishymcgoo (Jul 20, 2005)

Try the creeks that lead into the river. I have saw alot of skipjacks and have been catching stripers too. I haven't been catching them on skipjack or even anything that mimmicks a fish but there have been quite a few people walking down and cast netting for them. They said they were using them at a paylake for cats and told me how I was wasting my time there wasn't nothing but baitfish there. I kinnda agreed and said "beats sittin on the couch". This was after I caught several 2lb+ Largemouth and ended up catching a 8lb. Striper shortly after they left.


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## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

On Aug 9th. I went over to the mouth of the Licking River on the Covington side. It was around 7:30 till 8:30 at night. I did not see any skipjacks jumping or even Shad swirling the water. I did cast for nearly the whole hour I was there and not even a nick. This morning I thew my casting net at the Public Landing ramp came up empty! So where are the BAIT FISH DOWNTOWN? The bait fish I have are all turning to mush when thawed out.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I concur with NL here, the last few times I have been out, havent hardly been able to get any shad let alone see any bait fish, Im curious where you were seeing them as well. Was it dusk or dawn? up a trib or in the main river? any hint would help us starving ( for bait) catfishermen..LOL

Salmonid


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## lark101_1999 (Apr 12, 2004)

skip jacks have been pushing minnows near the bank at dusk, i have started cast neting shad in the creeks last week end the small shad where in bait balls in the main river .tip to the catmen here flaheads are taking live shad right now hope this helps


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Ain't tellin' ya where my striper bait is!


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## hoosiertransplant (Apr 20, 2009)

The (small) skipjack are feeding usually along the bank & heavily the last hour before dark. I don't know if they're young-of-the-year minnows or shad they're feeding on but I've caught them on both sabiki rigs and little white grubs. 

The heaviest feeding seems to be when it is really hot and little or no wind for some reason. 

Larger shad are still down there but at times I've had to stand still on the shoreline for 10 minutes waiting for a pod to come up and feed on the algae on the rocks.


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## hoosiertransplant (Apr 20, 2009)

not that it has helped I've put every kind of bait - live and artificial on a silver platter and haven't gotten bit much to speak of for weeks!


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## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

I went down to the Public landing last eveningfrom 7:30 8:45.Tried behind the showboatwith wax worms and never saw anything moving. Walked up to the front of the showboat and fished same thing nothing jumping.
I got out the casting net annd worked both sides of the ramp NOTHING!

Went over there this moring at 08;10 I did see schools of minnows and a pop like white bass hittting them. No swarm of jumping as skipjacks do when they are around. Tried the casting net no results either. 
So are the bat fish up at the breakers end of the Serpentine wall or along the Serpentine wall? 

This and the Mouth of the Licking River are the only spots I consider being Downtown that is why I wonder excatly where are all these bait fish.


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## hoosiertransplant (Apr 20, 2009)

The skipjack are anywhere they can pin minnows up against structure. I saw a few last night in the 10' section between the shore and showboat.

I always see them on the edges of the wall itself but they're usually spread out.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Lunch break.


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## boonecreek (Dec 28, 2006)

where do u buy those flies at fallen ?


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

I tie all of my flies 'creek.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Take your boat to one of the many dams on the Ohio. There are hundreds of thousands of perfect skipjack everywhere.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Fallen, All I am seeing are the 6-7" skippies and they are out there by the millions, so we should be in for a good couple of years of skippie fishing. I been below Markland a few times lately but wondered if your seeing any bigger ones at meldahl/greenup etc.?

Thanks
Salmonid


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## boonecreek (Dec 28, 2006)

fall,in; do u sell any. those thing look killer. think they fish from a spining outfit ok?


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Mark, yes. 12"+ everywhere. Greenup. So many I could not see it changing any time soon.

Boone, I don't sell any. I've thought about it but it's time consuming & I use all high end components so I'd probably want more money for them than people would want to pay.

They are too light to be spin cast. You should have to use a launcher of some sort to get them into the zone.


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## boonecreek (Dec 28, 2006)

fallen513 said:


> Mark, yes. 12"+ everywhere. Greenup. So many I could not see it changing any time soon.
> 
> Boone, I don't sell any. I've thought about it but it's time consuming & I use all high end components so I'd probably want more money for them than people would want to pay.
> 
> They are too light to be spin cast. You should have to use a launcher of some sort to get them into the zone.


where do u get the stuff? nans net craft. hope i anit asken to much info.


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## fishymcgoo (Jul 20, 2005)

I see skipjacks at every creek I go to. Wherever there is some structure, the hour before dark they are up against that structure. You can go to Walmart and buy a cast net. There are plenty of skipjacks to go around. But like someone said on here " I aint tellin ya where my striper bait is"


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Fishy, he's talking about 15"+ skips. I'm sure you aren't seeing them just hangin' around structure, typically you'd see them smashing bait, looking almost like a hybrid busting the surface. 





> hope i anit asken to much info.


Of course not. I buy all my materials locally at a fly shop...if I were ordering online I'd use my favorite net catalog: http://www.flyshop.com/

They have everything. Don't forget the vise, thread, bobbin, hook, bucktail X 2 colors, flash & weighted eyes. 


I'd tie you 3 for $10 if you really wanted to try them out. Those will be the first & last ones I tie for loot.


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## fishymcgoo (Jul 20, 2005)

"Fishy, he's talking about 15"+ skips. I'm sure you aren't seeing them just hangin' around structure, typically you'd see them smashing bait, looking almost like a hybrid busting the surface."



Thats exactly what they are doing. Smashing fish. It sounds like it's raining sometimes.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

You're pretty close to the Ohio River then I'd imagine.


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## fishymcgoo (Jul 20, 2005)

Yep. Close to the Ohio.


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