# Atwood Spillway



## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Been fishing the spillways a ton in NE Ohio. Wanted to make a trip to Atwood spillway for Saugeye/pike next week. Was just curious how the bites been and what patterns have been pulling fish. Thanks


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## suresnagsalot (Dec 15, 2013)

was there last wend morning, they were cranking out water never seen so maney dead shad, sea gulls every were. ice on the lake brought the oxygen level down and shad dont need to much of a reason to up and keel over. I fished for little over an hour, threw several colors, sizes of jig twister, jiged a ice rap off the wall,tossed a fluke for a bit, no action at all. I cant help but wonder wat would happen if a guy baited up one of those shad? fish have to be there but I wonder if there stuffed on shad to the point were they wont eat

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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

suresnagsalot said:


> was there last wend morning, they were cranking out water never seen so maney dead shad, sea gulls every were. ice on the lake brought the oxygen level down and shad dont need to much of a reason to up and keel over. I fished for little over an hour, threw several colors, sizes of jig twister, jiged a ice rap off the wall,tossed a fluke for a bit, no action at all. I cant help but wonder wat would happen if a guy baited up one of those shad? fish have to be there but I wonder if there stuffed on shad to the point were they wont eat
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I800 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Interesting. Sounds like a huge shad kill off. Those fish are probably gorging themselves


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## ZEBRACON1 (Feb 15, 2008)

Was out at Atwood on Sunday making my rounds. Took a bunch of pics. The spillway was gushing pretty good. There was one person fishing it.


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## ZEBRACON1 (Feb 15, 2008)

More Atwood pics....


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## TiDuhble (Apr 10, 2008)

Where is Atwood? I would love to fish a new place. I'd be coming from Columbus if anyone would like to tell me how to get there.


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## ZEBRACON1 (Feb 15, 2008)

170E to I77N. Exit at Boliver to SR 212 East/South. Follow to Atwood Res. After you cross the dam, the boat ramps are on the left. 25 HP limit on outboards.


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## suresnagsalot (Dec 15, 2013)

did you happen to check the ice?

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## partlyable (Mar 2, 2005)

TiDuhble said:


> Where is Atwood? I would love to fish a new place. I'd be coming from Columbus if anyone would like to tell me how to get there.


I would not make the trek all the way there. So many other closer lakes to Columbus and central ohio.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

TiDuhble said:


> Where is Atwood? I would love to fish a new place. I'd be coming from Columbus if anyone would like to tell me how to get there.


This might be a better option right now.


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## ZEBRACON1 (Feb 15, 2008)

I agree with All Eyes. I'm not an ice fisherman so I didn't check the ice. It looked like it was caving in around the shore-lines due to the decreasing water levels.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Back in the early 90's, the Atwood spillway and especially the Conotton Creek fork down river from there were one of my favorite places to fish for saugeye and pike. There were days there that would rival any fishery in the state for quality fish. Sadly, they have closed access to the fork and the spillway just hasn't been what it once was.


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## Dinkchef (Aug 6, 2012)

How deep is the water at the spillway right now? Anyone try live minnows. Had some luck last spring with fatheads catching perch, crappie, and spotted bass when there was still ice on the spillway and just enough thaw to get a bait in. The spotted bass aren't big, but any fish is good fish this time of the year with cabin fever setting in!


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Not sure of the current current at the spillway.  ODNR's website has the live charts of discharge and levels. My bro lives within walking distance of Atwood so usually have him go look before I make the drive.
Tipping jigs with minnows has never worked very well at Atwood spillway for me. If using live bait I have always done better with larger minnows or chubs on a bare hook with a split shot 2 feet up the line.


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## suresnagsalot (Dec 15, 2013)

I cant figure out why it gets fished so hard. been there plenty of times when the parking will be half full, il go down and find a place among the crowd to cast from a fetal position, fish till dark and not any one catches any thing but weeds and large rocks. makes one wonder wats really going on. I think possibly that its a portal to a diffrent place in the universe , and strange life forms disguised as humans wait till no one is there and then hop in the water and vanish. 

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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

suresnagsalot said:


> I cant figure out why it gets fished so hard. been there plenty of times when the parking will be half full, il go down and find a place among the crowd to cast from a fetal position, fish till dark and not any one catches any thing but weeds and large rocks. makes one wonder wats really going on. I think possibly that its a portal to a diffrent place in the universe , and strange life forms disguised as humans wait till no one is there and then hop in the water and vanish.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I800 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


OH NO!!! They are on to us! 
The place still has a reputation and I think people may remember what it once was and go with hopes that it will return to it's glory days. Still, there are fish to be caught there. Like all spillways, the level and discharge are everything. Believe me, there are still some locals who very rarely leave empty handed.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Waiting for Saugeye Sam to comment on this thread. He still manages to do pretty well there and knows the ways of the illusive Atwood saugeye. He also remembers the good old days at Conotton Creek fork when that little mud hole could make you feel like a real fisherman.


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