# 2014 NOAA or xseries river??



## JF1 (Mar 25, 2008)

Just throwing it out there, but this year the river is consistently putting out better weights than a lot of our ne Ohio lakes, and it seems participation hasn't been there on Berlin (neither have weights). A trip to the mighty Ohio would be a welcome change in 2014 IMO. 13and change won 2 weeks ago, if you don't have over 8lbs on weds nights you don't get a check. Curious others thoughts??


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

I think they all should consider it. The river is as good as anywhere right now (other than Erie). I just don't understand where the fear and worry comes from....

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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

ive wanted to try the river but all i hear are barge horror stories and props ripped to shreds...

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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

No fears and worries...

Problem is as always... the field- that's what makes payout.

River rats worry about weather, to high, too low, this pool, that pool,etc. and won't play ahead. NOAA is geared for those condfident to play regardless the future scenarios to be.

I can't drop a grand to roll the dice that the proverbial ramp pays will show...what I'm seeing field wise currently , even low to mid entry level events pull around 10- 30 teams...

Tried it once shame on you...try it twice shame on me 

nip


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

:what:

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## JF1 (Mar 25, 2008)

I'm not a river rat, actually can't believe I posted this for the river. Ask me 3 years ago to fish the river, i would have told you I would rather get a paper cut in the eye. But the last 2 years the fishing there has consistently gotten better, while other lakes have dropped off. He'll it takes almost 12lbs to win every weds night in Cumberland now. 

I see the low weights, and as of late small fields on Berlin and that's what made me pose the question. 


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## Cull'in (Nov 21, 2005)

The way Berlin and Mosquito are fishing anymore it might not be such a bad idea to try again.


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

Good fishing is only part of the equation to figure into a venue

Maybe I'm not looking on the right places but am I correct in saying that there are no fields other than one West Virginia tournament, on this east side of the Ohio that is drawing any kind of crowds even with the fishing being excellent at this time?

With no points race to draw full season teams and NOAA's dependence on early commitment it's remains a hard sell for us

Jami and OMBTT might be your best fit- twist him up


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Nipididdee said:


> Good fishing is only part of the equation to figure into a venue
> 
> Maybe I'm not looking on the right places but am I correct in saying that there are no fields other than one West Virginia tournament, on this east side of the Ohio that is drawing any kind of crowds even with the fishing being excellent at this time?
> 
> ...


The fear and worry wasn't directed towards the tournament organizers, but more toward the potential participants. So many guys that go to Erie at the drop of a hat, knowing how fast things can go bad on the big lake, have this huge fear of possibly damaging a prop on the river. Hazards are easy to avoid if you keep your eyes ahead of you. And running across Berlin on a July weekend is way more dangerous than the occasional passing barge....

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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

Thanks for the clarification BadBub...

I never knew those were concerns of some...??? That's the first I've ever heard of this...

I guess you can add prop damage and barge terror to the list of rat problems 

nip


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## alumking (Feb 27, 2006)

Oh thanks Nip throw me to the wolves. HA HA. Actually guys we are working on a bigger venue event eventually at the river. We had our first open this year (Memorial Day weekend) at Powhatan point and drew 47 boats. It is a 100.00 entry 80% payback. We are doing it in conjunction with Wrights Marine from down there on the river. If we see that event grow in 2014 we may try a higher entry event in 2015.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Nipididdee said:


> Thanks for the clarification BadBub...
> 
> I never knew those were concerns of some...??? That's the first I've ever heard of this...
> 
> ...


Really??? Cause there's a comment that says that exact thing right before your first post....

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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

Since may theres been 40 over 3 pounds and 6 over 4 pounds weighed in on Wednesday nighters.. best i've ever seen the river


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

Yes badbub... Really- like everyone else I don't read everything prior to posting... Kinda like the title of the thread "2014 NOAA ... river?"

Great weights happening- awesome to see that Procraft! Need to bring my little green worm down there!


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## hopin to cash (Sep 14, 2010)

Had not been on the river at all in over ten years but recently made 2 small opens that were held in 2 different pools and some really nice bags were weighed in. Found that we could catch fish using any and all techniques.


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## Flippin 416 (Aug 18, 2005)

I still can't get over the "paper cut in the eye" comment...lol....gives me the hee bee gee bees!!! lol


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I would imagine the river is on fire this year because of the current. Take away the current and the river can be, and is a whole different story. I'm actually surprised to hear that the river was doing well last year. So maybe my current theory, is for the birds. I haven't been out to Berlin yet this year, but I have been to Mosquito a few times. I think the problem with the weights at Mosquito this year have to do with the way the weeds are this year. They're deeper, and more open within the weed beds themselves. I think it makes them harder to fish, and much harder to pin point specific high percentage spots within them. The fish are still there..... they're just harder to get a bait in front of. Once the 3' - 5' range starts to fill back in with mil foil, and the existing weeds start to fill in and get more defined edges, I think we'll see Mosquito getting back to what it was a couple of years ago. 

As far as the river.... I love fishing it...... but it's like Nip said..... a lot of guys wait and see when it comes to fishing the river. I'm one of those people. I just can't see paying in advance when the possibility of the river being blown out, or with no current at all. It's not the entry fee's that are the problem...... it's all accompanying costs, that make it tough to commit to, for me.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

The river is on fire right now for several reasons. Yes, the current helps the bite, but we've had some slack water days that still put numbers and good weights on the board. Mainly though, it's due to the past 5 years or so. Good spawning conditions, grass is back, bait fish have been stable. The river almost has to be looked at by year classes. High water during the spawn can wipe out the entire year class. That gap in population never comes back. That why you'll see weights that are bunched up tight. Any given tournament right now will have about 80% of the field around 8-9#. Basically all those fish are the same age/size. The guys winning are finding fish from a year class 2+ years older. The river is going to be great for the next 2-3 years. (My opinion) all those 8-9# limits are only going to get bigger, and there's a lot of them. It'll take 18-20# to win a springtime tournament in 2015/16 barring any major catastrophe. If you don't have 15-16#, the scales are going to disappoint you...

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## Cull'in (Nov 21, 2005)

Bad Bub said:


> The river is on fire right now for several reasons. Yes, the current helps the bite, but we've had some slack water days that still put numbers and good weights on the board. Mainly though, it's due to the past 5 years or so. Good spawning conditions, grass is back, bait fish have been stable. The river almost has to be looked at by year classes. High water during the spawn can wipe out the entire year class. That gap in population never comes back. That why you'll see weights that are bunched up tight. Any given tournament right now will have about 80% of the field around 8-9#. Basically all those fish are the same age/size. The guys winning are finding fish from a year class 2+ years older. The river is going to be great for the next 2-3 years. (My opinion) all those 8-9# limits are only going to get bigger, and there's a lot of them. It'll take 18-20# to win a springtime tournament in 2015/16 barring any major catastrophe. If you don't have 15-16#, the scales are going to disappoint you...
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I went down to New Cumberland last year and have never seen weed growth like was down there! I can't wait to get back, just haven't had the time yet (too busy catching 8lbs. at Mosquito ). This fall should be a blast on the river.

Nip, email if you wanna go down for a day.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

Weeds are so critical for bass fry and baitfish. Literally every shoreline, island and shoal has weeds. It's a different river than what I grew up fishing but like badbub said the next few years will be the best fishing we could ever see down there


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

> The river almost has to be looked at by year classes. High water during the spawn can wipe out the entire year class. That gap in population never comes back. That why you'll see weights that are bunched up tight. Any given tournament right now will have about 80% of the field around 8-9#. Basically all those fish are the same age/size.


The scientists would be proud! Smartest view on topic seen to date.

This is also applicable to Mosquito currently- crunch numbers from "samples" taken during MM and NOAA at similar periods year to year...the larger fish simply didn't survive the drought/winter 2012, we watched them statistically grow otherwise...the fishing ahead is guaranteed spectacular with large class years of 12-14" basses...if those years survive

I heard the ODNR took a bunch of smallies from Erie and transplanted into River system  :C [email protected]

Seasonal CONSISTANT water levels on any body of water one of the best features of continued spawn/growth/survival


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## hopin to cash (Sep 14, 2010)

I knew they had transplanted those Erie smallies. We caught one in Ashtabula that asked us if he swam all the way up the river would he reach the Ohio to find his brother. Where did that alien land?


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

I guess I can see where some are coming from, when I pass a barge, the occasional floating tree and the times when a 101 Fortrex goes 1.5 mph backwards in the current I don't really think much of it and I'm sure the others who grew up fishing it don't either. Put me on the 3-5 footers people run in on Erie and I've already pulled the cord on my inflatable. Regardless if a big event isn't held on the river, everyone needs to make a trip down.. somewhere around mid October and you'll see that river rats aren't really the crazy after all.


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## JF1 (Mar 25, 2008)

First weekend pa is open in june would be a great weekend for a big event.... Late sept-mid October last year was incredible on the river. I can't wait to get back down there this fall. 


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