# My first fishing tip (pay lakes)



## Rayfaling (Jun 17, 2016)

I'll admit it I suck at fishing in Ohio, being from Florida and usually fishing saltwater its a tough transition. But some of those saltwater tricks work very well on pay lakes. Every time I go to a pay lake I get strange looks when I break out my bass rod, I don't use a slip float, or a weight, I just use my 20lb braid and a hook. I have always subscribed to the whole idea of your trying to trick a fish into eating something, so using a huge float, and weight and 30 lb leader didn't make sense to me. Also I like a fight, catfish aren't the best fighters, even the big ones, the ones I caught fight about as hard as you fight them, they will follow where your leading them if you dont go crazy, but its a lot more fun catching a 30lb catfish on a bass rod than a meat stick. Once they see shore they get active, but its usually net time if you do it right. For bait I like to use what they are used to, so I catch something from the lake. Bluegill have been my best bait, and easy to catch, but here is where I change things. I take a pair of scissors and I cut half their tail off and try and get a little meat. This hampers their ability to swim and they try even harder to move causing a lot of vibration, and it lets some blood out to give a smell that can be honed in on. Anytime someone that is used to fishing the lake I am at wants to give me a tip I try it, so whatever strawberry chicken/leech/worm/shad head combo is working at the time I listen and try it, and sometimes it works. But the best results I have had is not casting out as far as I can, and using just a hook, and a local caught fish with its tail cut works amazingly for me, at Catfish Paradise I average 15 fish a night, and a night is as long as it takes me and a friend to drink a 12 pack. I admit I haven't tried this at a normal lake, but with my inability to actually catch anything besides tiny Bluegills and Smallmouth and Crappie on any of the big lakes in Columbus I think next trip I might try it out.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

go out to public waters and catch a 40 lb plus flathead that isnt starving and weak from being in a pay lake and tell me catfish dont fight.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

I know this is a sore subject just because most here believe in fair chase and the fact that the catfish in those lakes are depleting from the river.
That said , I fished paylakes a lot as a young man and never gave it a thought about the fish and where they came from, the biggest reason I quit fishing the ones I went to was because of the boredom and the drunks and just the types that were fishing there. The week I quit fishing paylakes I went to local public lake and caught the largest flathead of my life, just under 50 lb. I then thought why have I been paying to set with a bunch of goobers at a bathtub trying to catch fish. I have never been to one since and it has been30 years. Now I know there may be some good reasons people may come up with to fish a paylake. I will tell you ahead of time I don't care , they just aren't for me. They are a money maker for someone just to take advantage of some poor sap.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Ray... first off the least we could do is say thanks for the tip in contributing to the site .. however ...Pay lakes are an extremely sore subject to a lot of fishermen on here.
primary reason is most of their catfish are caught from our great rivers and lakes... and sold into slavery to a pay Lake . Pay Lake fishing is far from what most guys on here would call Fairchase .


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Rayfaling. Not sure where your located but pretty sure me or some others on here could get you on some nice wild catfish that would have your bass reel smoking. Where are you at?? We can point you on some good spots where you can still fish the same way except with stronger wild fish


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## pedex (Aug 17, 2016)

Catfish continually surprise me, never thought I'd see one hit a spinner bait being retrieved at a pretty decent clip. Guess eating a crippled bluegill wouldn't be out of line. In many places they are probably the top of the food chain and everything is on the menu for them. My knee jerk reaction method would be to cut up the bluegill and send it to the bottom with a small sinker, but after yesterday, ya letting the bluegill swim around crippled probably works just as well. If they will hit a spinnerbait I'd guess they'd eat anything they can get. I was shocked by the fight he put up. I was standing on a concrete drainage pipe and almost had to jump off if it he pulled so hard. I can just imagine what a really big one would feel like. Better hold on to the rod tightly.


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## Rayfaling (Jun 17, 2016)

9Left said:


> Ray... first off the least we could do is say thanks for the tip in contributing to the site .. however ...Pay lakes are an extremely sore subject to a lot of fishermen on here.
> primary reason is most of their catfish are caught from our great rivers and lakes... and sold into slavery to a pay Lake . Pay Lake fishing is far from what most guys on here would call Fairchase .


Thanks, sorry didn't know. not knowing the area or even how to fish up here a pay lake was my best way of catching anything of size. But it makes sense how people dont like them.


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## Rayfaling (Jun 17, 2016)

Salmonid said:


> Rayfaling. Not sure where your located but pretty sure me or some others on here could get you on some nice wild catfish that would have your bass reel smoking. Where are you at?? We can point you on some good spots where you can still fish the same way except with stronger wild fish


I live in Dublin, Ive been trying Hoover, and Alum Creek, not doing to well. I would appreciate the tips.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Rayfaling said:


> I live in Dublin, Ive been trying Hoover, and Alum Creek, not doing to well. I would appreciate the tips.


Look for good holes on the sciota river.
9left,an salmanoid,way to handle things! Very impressive,and classy.
And i agree. Catfish are awesome fighters!


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

I also live in Dublin, and the Scioto river is your answer. My son fishes the same way. He'll take some hotdogs and go catch a mess of bluegills. Then he takes the live bluegill and runs a circle hook through the dorsal fin. And then simply fee lines the bluegill in a deep hole.
There are TONS of BIG flatheads in the Scioto!


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## All Thumbs (Apr 11, 2004)

i have a son-in-law that fishes pay lakes. i have told him how they get the catfish and how it is exhausting the resources. i have even offered to take him to some good local spots. he said that was how him and his father always fished plus the best excuse ever "it is not illegal". i cannot argue with that. there is a lot of hunting and fishing regulations that i do not agree with but until we can get them changed, i cannot condemn someone who is not breaking the law, even if i disagree strongly. i sign the petitions and urge others to the same. i write emails to those in charge to try to influence them as well. but until then i cannot condemn.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

correct all thumbs, fishing at a paylake is not illegal... but the methods used to put big catfish in paylakes is very illegal.


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## EStrong (Jul 23, 2014)

Ray, I'll try to be as nice as I can, LOL. Considering you're a newbie up here it's easy to see how unfamiliar you might be with finding places to fish and getting into some good fish. Going to a pay lake would make sense if you've never really fished all the State/County parks or rivers and streams here. I have a general clue about offshore/saltwater angling, but I'm sure if I went down to Florida I would need some guidance to get going in the right direction. I can see where you were wanting to share some good info and contribute, but now you know, lol.

I'll throw some knowledge at ya: Jackpot pay lakes like Catfish Paradise suck! They basically get their fish from the rivers and commercial fisherman who rape the local waterways. Most fish end up dead within a few weeks to a month and then they end up in the dumpster. 15 a night at a pay lake isn't a big deal. Pull 15 in from the river in one setting and that's a good night. I know people who have pulled over 30 from the river in one night, but that was a group of 3, but you get the idea. The whole weight and leader thing, you need that in the river. The only floats I would consider using would be peg floats for setting up Santee rigs. Those giant ass ones they use at jackpot pay lakes are for just that, jackasses at pay lakes. Uhhhhhg. AND... those river fish will kick your ass so don't bring your bass setup. 20something inch channels will peel drag on you, 20"+ flatties will do the same and lord forbid if you hook something 34"+ without a proper cat setup. Don't forget when hooked how they like to hit the current and then dig into wood piles and structure, something pay lakes don't have and weekend warrior no skills anglers don't know how to deal with.

K, didn't mean to rail on you too much, but you get the idea. Fish the rivers, be a man, lol. Many state and county parks are stocked with FARM RAISED FISH and have the habitat and ecosystem to support them. These would be much better options than Catfish Paradise and you would even be able to take the fish home and eat them. Wow, such a novel idea. Once you find a good place to fish and land something of size from the river, you'll never go back to pay lakes, especially the bad ones.

Here's an interesting video. Do check out this youtube channel, lot's of good exposure vids of what's going on out there.


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## EStrong (Jul 23, 2014)

pedex said:


> Catfish continually surprise me, never thought I'd see one hit a spinner bait being retrieved at a pretty decent clip. Guess eating a crippled bluegill wouldn't be out of line. In many places they are probably the top of the food chain and everything is on the menu for them. My knee jerk reaction method would be to cut up the bluegill and send it to the bottom with a small sinker, but after yesterday, ya letting the bluegill swim around crippled probably works just as well. If they will hit a spinnerbait I'd guess they'd eat anything they can get. I was shocked by the fight he put up. I was standing on a concrete drainage pipe and almost had to jump off if it he pulled so hard. I can just imagine what a really big one would feel like. Better hold on to the rod tightly.


Live gills or creek chubs are some of the best bait for flatties. Whether wounded or not, when the bite is on they will tear them up. I've caught channels on live bait also but been more successful with cut gills instead. Also have pulled the occasional flattie with cut gills too. Depending on the type and size of bait, and whether I'm targeting channels or flatties, I'll use Octo Circle hooks or Kahle hooks; hook through the dorsal area or from the bottom of the jaw up through a nostril. Keeps them alive and kicking for some time.

There's a ton of guys who fish the rivers in the Southwest forum that pull channels and flatties in with crankbaits and dragging tubes and grubs on a regular basis. Kind of a normal thing down our way.


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## All Thumbs (Apr 11, 2004)

9Left said:


> but the methods used to put big catfish in paylakes is very illegal.


i do not know that to be true but if the commercial fishermen supplying the fish were breaking the law, i am sure they would be shut down. if that is true, we need to start putting a stop to it. i remember awhile back there was a big stink trying to stop them but the laws were not changed and they still harvest the big catfish legally. i could be wrong though.


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## Bustin'bass (Jun 5, 2016)

Rayfaling said:


> I average 15 fish a night, and a night is as long as it takes me and a friend to drink a 12 pack.


That's a lot of fish for 30 minutes.


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

They did alter the catfish laws in the last 10 years to prevent over harvesting. Both on limits and size restrictions.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)




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## Fisherman 3234 (Sep 8, 2008)

Rayfaling said:


> I'll admit it I suck at fishing in Ohio, being from Florida and usually fishing saltwater its a tough transition. But some of those saltwater tricks work very well on pay lakes. Every time I go to a pay lake I get strange looks when I break out my bass rod, I don't use a slip float, or a weight, I just use my 20lb braid and a hook. I have always subscribed to the whole idea of your trying to trick a fish into eating something, so using a huge float, and weight and 30 lb leader didn't make sense to me. Also I like a fight, catfish aren't the best fighters, even the big ones, the ones I caught fight about as hard as you fight them, they will follow where your leading them if you dont go crazy, but its a lot more fun catching a 30lb catfish on a bass rod than a meat stick. Once they see shore they get active, but its usually net time if you do it right. For bait I like to use what they are used to, so I catch something from the lake. Bluegill have been my best bait, and easy to catch, but here is where I change things. I take a pair of scissors and I cut half their tail off and try and get a little meat. This hampers their ability to swim and they try even harder to move causing a lot of vibration, and it lets some blood out to give a smell that can be honed in on. Anytime someone that is used to fishing the lake I am at wants to give me a tip I try it, so whatever strawberry chicken/leech/worm/shad head combo is working at the time I listen and try it, and sometimes it works. But the best results I have had is not casting out as far as I can, and using just a hook, and a local caught fish with its tail cut works amazingly for me, at Catfish Paradise I average 15 fish a night, and a night is as long as it takes me and a friend to drink a 12 pack. I admit I haven't tried this at a normal lake, but with my inability to actually catch anything besides tiny Bluegills and Smallmouth and Crappie on any of the big lakes in Columbus I think next trip I might try it out.


Ray you're driving to Camden or Belpre from Columbus to fish at a pay lake? Am I reading that right?


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

pay lakes suck. If you know how to catch fish you know how to catch fish. The Internet is full of educational resources. Stop being lazy


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## Rayfaling (Jun 17, 2016)

Fisherman 3234 said:


> Ray you're driving to Camden or Belpre from Columbus to fish at a pay lake? Am I reading that right?


I work in Middletown a lot.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Ray, if your in Middletown a lot for work then your all set, tons of good access and a decent amount of flatheads and a lot of big channels in the Great Miami River right all along through Middletown. Now your not far from my neck of the woods if your ever avail after work during the afternoons, let me know and will get you out in my boat and show you some big channels...(wink wink) the kind that will have you looking to upgrade your gear.


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## Rayfaling (Jun 17, 2016)

Bubbagon said:


> I also live in Dublin, and the Scioto river is your answer. My son fishes the same way. He'll take some hotdogs and go catch a mess of bluegills. Then he takes the live bluegill and runs a circle hook through the dorsal fin. And then simply fee lines the bluegill in a deep hole.
> There are TONS of BIG flatheads in the Scioto!


Am I looking for moving water, or where it gets slow?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

channels like the current and flatheads like deep slow water and around a fallen tree is best. Look for an outside bend where a tree has fallen in, nothing better for flatheads!!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Rayfaling said:


> Am I looking for moving water, or where it gets slow?


Search some of oldstinkuguys posts in southwest forum. Him an a few others have posted a lot of great flat head info for rivers.
I don't target them but know during the day slower deeper holes with wood,then typically they'll move up into the shallow ruffles,and runs at nite to feast. And I also know that now -mid Oct can be a great time for river flatties.


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## MIGHTY (Sep 21, 2013)

As others have mentioned, if you're actually targeting flatheads rather than just anything that'll bite, upgrade your gear. Or better yet for a real challenge, take your bass fishing pole and and try to catch/land a decent sized flathead before their is a failure in line/rod/reel. Like others have said, go out to a creek or river and look for bends, deep holes, undercut banks, fallen trees, or some kind of man made structure like slabs of concrete along a bank (to prevent erosion) and cast out some live bait. Just remember that you might have some fishless nights as wild fish have miles and miles and miles of water to roam around in and countless hiding spots rather than being trapped in a pond the size of football field. Good luck to ya, and I hope to see some future posts about your trips with lots of pictures.


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## Rayfaling (Jun 17, 2016)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Search some of oldstinkuguys posts in southwest forum. Him an a few others have posted a lot of great flat head info for rivers.
> I don't target them but know during the day slower deeper holes with wood,then typically they'll move up into the shallow ruffles,and runs at nite to feast. And I also know that now -mid Oct can be a great time for river flatties.


I was looking and the bottom of Griggs Dam looks like a good spot to try, what do you think?


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Below all the dams on the sciota hold them. Fo sho


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Rayfaling said:


> I was looking and the bottom of Griggs Dam looks like a good spot to try, what do you think?


Get your feet wet and use live bait.


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## ShoreFshrman (Sep 25, 2014)

Rayfaling said:


> I'll admit it I suck at fishing in Ohio, being from Florida and usually fishing saltwater its a tough transition. But some of those saltwater tricks work very well on pay lakes. Every time I go to a pay lake I get strange looks when I break out my bass rod, I don't use a slip float, or a weight, I just use my 20lb braid and a hook. I have always subscribed to the whole idea of your trying to trick a fish into eating something, so using a huge float, and weight and 30 lb leader didn't make sense to me. Also I like a fight, catfish aren't the best fighters, even the big ones, the ones I caught fight about as hard as you fight them, they will follow where your leading them if you dont go crazy, but its a lot more fun catching a 30lb catfish on a bass rod than a meat stick. Once they see shore they get active, but its usually net time if you do it right. For bait I like to use what they are used to, so I catch something from the lake. Bluegill have been my best bait, and easy to catch, but here is where I change things. I take a pair of scissors and I cut half their tail off and try and get a little meat. This hampers their ability to swim and they try even harder to move causing a lot of vibration, and it lets some blood out to give a smell that can be honed in on. Anytime someone that is used to fishing the lake I am at wants to give me a tip I try it, so whatever strawberry chicken/leech/worm/shad head combo is working at the time I listen and try it, and sometimes it works. But the best results I have had is not casting out as far as I can, and using just a hook, and a local caught fish with its tail cut works amazingly for me, at Catfish Paradise I average 15 fish a night, and a night is as long as it takes me and a friend to drink a 12 pack. I admit I haven't tried this at a normal lake, but with my inability to actually catch anything besides tiny Bluegills and Smallmouth and Crappie on any of the big lakes in Columbus I think next trip I might try it out.


I'm just going to say, I've caught a fair share of Channel Cats in the 2-3 lbs range at Alum and had a fun fight on my hands, no their not jumpers but they do like to run toward you and away from you.


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