# Central Ohio Ice reports?



## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

How is the ice looking at the local lakes (Buckeye, Indian, Alum, Kiser, any other that are regularly ice fished). I have either been out of town or working late so have no been able to check. I got my equipment now I am ready to go! Any updates on ice is appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt


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## FishHunter88 (Nov 8, 2010)

Alum is starting to freeze over completely so the coves should be a go here pretty soon


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## Tommybouy (Jun 5, 2005)

This is a great thread!

Is Indian Lake ready to fish again since the rain? If not what about this weekend? I may go as soon as Friday if fishable.


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## Bonecrusher (Aug 7, 2010)

Farm ponds are good. Most ice is extremely clear and nerve racking for a while lol. Delaware county.


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## pomiller72 (Jun 10, 2009)

Tommybouy said:


> This is a great thread!
> 
> Is Indian Lake ready to fish again since the rain? If not what about this weekend? I may go as soon as Friday if fishable.


there were about a dozen shantys off of long island....most of the rest of the lake had open water with a little ice


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## Tommybouy (Jun 5, 2005)

pomiller72 said:


> there were about a dozen shantys off of long island....most of the rest of the lake had open water with a little ice


Thank you for this information. The warm weather and rain knocked IL for a loop b/c anglers could snowmobile anywhere they wanted to go up to the warm up. 

I was hoping to fish this weekend and start at Long Island and the weather looks good for that. Good to hear - thanks again!


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

Walked off a couple ramps at Alum yesterday... pretty scary stuff, could be a little while before I feel comfortable walking out to a few fishing holes.


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## OHMC 1st VP (Apr 18, 2008)

Hit Buckeye last night just for a couple hours before dark. There is 5" of clear ice right off Fairfield Beach. It thins out a bit as you head toward the marsh. Wasn't willing to walk straight over to it...should be pretty good today or tomorrow. Didn't catch anything where we were, couldn't get to our spots yet.


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

I checked the marina yesterday at Alum and it looked pretty good. A guy was heading in to fish as I was driving out. I would have gave it a shot if I had my ice gear with me. I may try today depending on how late I am at work.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

According to the weather report, Columbus is not supposed to crack the freezing point for the next week.


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

Has anyone checked how thick the ice is at Alum at the cove by the Galena ramp? The one by Africa Rd. I was thinking of trying it out Sunday Thanks.


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

drove by yesterday, seemed to have new holes drilled. Also another thread someone asked about open water by dam. There is none. just an FYI


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## ERFishers (Dec 16, 2010)

My boy stopped by Alum yesterday. Ice was 3- 3 1/2 inches in a cove. Planning a trip to Indian tomorrow. Reports from there say not much going on, maybe another inch or so of ice.


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

A friend of mine drove by the cove by Galena and said there were 3 people out on buckets about 40 ft out. Was that anyone from OGF? If so how thick was it and how did you do? I want to go there tomorrow but want to make sure it is safe and worth driving up there.

Thanks!

Dre


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I was on Buckeye Friday afternoon by Fairfield beach i was only out about 100 yards but had 6 inchs of ice. Ended up with about 15 real nice slabs. Poo Boy sandwiches today for lunch.


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

fished yesterday for a few hours... so tired of catching small gills and crappie. Would love to have a real idea on how to get into some saugeye around central Ohio through the ice. Without lucking into one, which seems to be the only way it has been happening.


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## shroomhunter (Aug 6, 2004)

I was on Buckeye yesterday late afternoon Fairfield Beach area. The wind was brutal, my holes kept slushing up despite my best efforts to build wind dams around them. Zero for me, not even a bite. I spoke with 1 other group that had 2 perch for the whole day.
I really recommend a shanty with the temps this low and the wind, I have one but it's too much for me by myself. Be careful out there, the Marsh area has open water.
Ying, I wish I could help, got nothing for you from Buckeye. Any word on Indian Lake saugeyes?


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## ying6 (Apr 21, 2004)

From what I have heard about Indian, it is not worth the drive for me. I live about 5 minutes from Alum and can waste time over there just the same... 
I was talking to a guy yesterday who has fished Alum through the ice for 20 years. He said he only got into the eyes 1 night... going to be honest, did not give me a good feeling.


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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

three things with saugeyes......they never go deeper than 15 feet...lots of studies on this.... two...they seem to only be aggressive eaters at dusk or night (although I have caught them in really murky water in the day) 
and three...they love current...any bend or lower current in the water...a spring maybe? anything... as far as I have caught them structure wise???They will be hanging out around anything...trees,rocks,weeds,sand....you name it.as long as the three things I mentioned are present....
AT LEAST THAT IS MY KNOWLEDGE....


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

sady dog said:


> they never go deeper than 15 feet...lots of studies on this....


Where did you read/hear about these studies? I would like to hear more about this. Thanks, Clayton


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## puterdude (Jan 27, 2006)

sady dog said:


> three things with saugeyes......they never go deeper than 15 feet...lots of studies on this.... two...they seem to only be aggressive eaters at dusk or night (although I have caught them in really murky water in the day)
> and three...they love current...any bend or lower current in the water...a spring maybe? anything... as far as I have caught them structure wise???They will be hanging out around anything...trees,rocks,weeds,sand....you name it.as long as the three things I mentioned are present....
> AT LEAST THAT IS MY KNOWLEDGE....


I will have to disagree with your point of view respectfully so. I have caught many of them deeper than 15 ft,as have many here at Alum Creek.They are preferably aggressive eaters at dusk or night,but I have caught them at Noon on a bright sunny day with a feeding frenzy that reminds me of a dobe attacking a T-bone.Structure,,, again they prefer it but I have caught them on a flat muddy bottom with no structure or current remotely close.
Generally speaking,and this had been stated many times by saugeye fishing experts,they love the bottom generally,but I have caught them with their backs out of the water during the day.
Myself I have found the saugeye one of the hardest fish to pattern,just as you think you have,they always remind me,I haven't.But that's what makes the challenge enjoyable.


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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

ya that is the truth....every one i talk with has different opinions and catching techs??? I too have caught ONE in the middle of the day....I too have seen One or Two in 2 feet or less (it was dark) but all these posts are true.....This is a mixed breed and is unpredictable.....
In the regard to the 15 foot depth...there where multiple studies with tracked and tagged fish...Some of the pro's will even tell ya they like the 15 foot range..and again I say this when they are retreating after or staging before they eat... (otherwise just hanging out) 

It has to do with clarity in the water table and temp...
And I imagine just like everything else in Alumn......it is different? 

This is just a unique mixed breed...always adapting and always elusive..I certainly am no expert...I catch more by accident at alumn then I do fishing for them..but I have caught a couple of hogs out of there...


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## puterdude (Jan 27, 2006)

yep,they are a strange fish breed.I ,personally, think Jim Corey was the closest one ever remotely close to patterning them with regularity.Some even said he could talk their lanuage.But hey like I said,that's what makes it so much fun fishing for them.


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

In cold water periods,late fall,winter and very early spring,
I routinely catch Saugeyes in depths to 30 ft on SE Ohio lakes.
I would say my favorite locations for cold water lead core trolling,blade baiting through the ice,or jigging average 22 to 26 feet deep.
Humps near deep water or a creek channel can also be very productive.
Any kind of hard bottom or gravel structure in these locations is the key.
Summer is a different story...I rarely fish deeper than 12 ft.


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## multi species angler (Feb 20, 2006)

Are two words I Never, no scratch NEVER, I try not to use, because there are ALWAYS, no scratch ALWAYS, there are usually exceptions.


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I think the Saugeye all went to warmer weather like NC or Florida.


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## I_WALL_I (Apr 27, 2006)

You're right about Jim Corey peterdude!! Lewis, was that you with him in the 2 day Piedmont SOWC finale in 02'?? My partner and I had 3 (total) eye and Jim and his partner caught like 80-90 in deepwater on leadcore!!


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Yes,that was Jim and me.I remember that 2 day event very well.
We put our heads together and came up with a very effective deep water bite that we used on many lakes.
I have many great memories of fishing with Jim,for sure.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

Heres one for ya. Fished delaware res yesterday with bonechrusher. Fished a cove in hte northern end didn't hook up but had soem really good bites. Ice was 8-9 inches thick no air gaps or water out of the holes, but it was singing. We fished the mouth of the cove didn't check the main lake


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## dre (Aug 14, 2009)

I really want to try Delaware bad! Sounds like good ice. Like I said in my Alum post, there was 6-7 inches of ice in the Galena cove and it was groaning at me so I can only imagine there is even more there now. It was really clear ice too.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

same with del real clear ice and it was talking big time


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