# maumee river ice-out pike?



## toledoeyebanger (Jan 4, 2008)

looking for information on ice-out pike fishing at independence dam


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

I hope someone shares... I'm interested too.


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

I know guys catch them but I have never really tried it. One of my buddies goes every spring and does o.k. He fishes a cheek chub under a bobber and gets a few every year. That is about all I know, if nobody chimes in with any info I will see what else I can pry out of him.


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

We've always had luck in the creek behind the gas station id Grand Rapids. Haven't done it for a few years. Also, just down river from that creek on the other side of the train bridge are what we always called the cory holes. A bunch of nice deep little holes where we could pick up some pike. I've seen people pick them up around the spillway at Mary Jane park as well. Usually a chub under a float.


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## toledoeyebanger (Jan 4, 2008)

I used the search tool to find some good information about pike being caught after ice-out/before the walleye run in grand rapids as RedHunter has posted. Try 'Maumee Pike" in the search and there are 2 or three posts that mention fishing behind the gas station with chubs. Thanks for the help everyone!


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## nwfish (Jan 16, 2008)

What is the average length of the pike in the maumee?


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

> What is the average length of the pike in the maumee?


I don't know how anyone could answer that - they vary in size. I've caught them barely bigger than my hand (and it wasn't a grass pike or pickerel) to around 35".

It's not just the Maumee R. either, you can get them in the Portage and Sandusky River's as well... not to mention the feeder creeks/streams off of them. Need a place to start - go to any dam on any of the aforementioned - fish below it.


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

example... this is a bit later- first week in May... 2005, most of the ones I get are this but a few over 30" now and then.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

Nice! Very nice. That is probably what you would consider and average size for the area.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

What does anyone think about using HJ's or other stick baits as opposed to live bait?


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

nwfish said:


> What is the average length of the pike in the maumee?


As stated above, it's unpredictable. I've caught several 20" fish within minutes while others were catching 30" fish. About 15 years ago, we went walleye fishing in Mid March at Jerome Road with no luck. Around Noon we decided to pick up some minnows in GR and stop behind the Gas Station. There were already about 10-12 people fishing. Apparently a few smaller ones had been caught, and we were forced down stream a little bit. I remember withing the first 5 minutes my old man caught a 35" Pike, a 41" Pike, and a 15" Crappie. There were alot of jealous faces. I think we fished for 3 more hours and never got a nibble. We've also picked up some Pike and Walleye in the summer down at Beaver Creek around the bridge. But, the Lady that owns the property doesn't really allow too many people there. She only let's us cause we helped her rescue her dog from a steel trap that some idiot left for the summer.


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## fishingfoolBG (Oct 30, 2007)

Would fishing in late February and early March be succesful for pike on the Portage River. From previous post I read the best time for pike on the Maumee River is late February or early March.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Just be sure to keep in mind the regulations on the Maumee River if tossing lures early season for pike. In particular keep in mind that trebles are prohibited from March 1 through May 1. I just thought it was worth mentioning to prevent someone from a fine.

Here are the specific regulations from the ODNR site.

Fishing / Maumee, Portage, Mahoning and Sandusky Rivers


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## William (Mar 8, 2005)

heck does ohio even have a pike fishery and if we do can anyone share some
info I know people catch them but not in numbers?


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## CoolWater (Apr 11, 2004)

> heck does ohio even have a pike fishery and if we do can anyone share some
> info I know people catch them but not in numbers?


Fishery in the sense that the ODNR raises them - nope. Do they naturally occur and can be targeted at specific locations - especially during certain times of the year - yep. Not sure what other info you are looking for... hope that helps.

bkr, great point about Walleye season and the special regs during that time on those waters.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

CoolWater said:


> bkr, great point about Walleye season and the special regs during that time on those waters.


Yep, for sure... never really considered that the regs covered all the way up to Grand Rapids.


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## hollandbass (Aug 8, 2007)

HJ's work as well as most other jerkbaits, my favorite are live pointers by Lucky craft. The best local spot is where Tiffin river meets maumee, thats where they hang out at. Ive seen many over 30" with average about 24" down there.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

one of my bosses did a bunch research up on the maumee and he always told me about seineing pike in all the little flooded ditches and backwaters that ran into the maumee. he said they moved into them to spawn and later just to stay out of the flooded river, they were there well into the walleye run, and the biggest he saw was 41". btw he said the ditches were small, 10-20ft wide and often smaller. also if you can't use trebles, a big bunny leech on a 7wt only has one hook and is brutally effective on pike


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## Muskie Hunter (Oct 13, 2006)

Some rivers in Ohio have decent numbers of Pike, even good numbers. I do very well on them on the Upper sections of the Great Miami River. I fish mainly for smallmouth while floating the river; and it is rare that I don't land 1 or 2 pike on every 4 hour float from Spring through Fall; I haven't tried winter fishing for them yet; but from what I hear, they bite very well during this time. The average size for this river is around 26", rarely see any under 24", most between 26-28", with the occassional fish over 30". My largest one last year was 31". 

Also, from what I have seen, they like entering feeder streams of the Great Miami as well; usually if you see a feeder stream, there will be a pike or two close by.


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## HOCKEY (Jan 27, 2008)

nORTHWEST OHIO CREEKS ARE FULL OF PIKE FROM 16 INCHES TO 36 INCHES
ALL SUMMER AND FALL, NO ONE FISHES THEM, SMALL ROOSTER TAILS, 
MEPPS AND VIBRA SPINNERS, BLUE AND GREEN THE HOTTEST, ITS NOT 
UNCOMMOM TO CATCH 15 TO 30 AND EVENING, WERE CARS PAST OVER
ALL THE TIME, BEEN DOING THIS FOR PAST THIRTHY YEARS.


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## KingFisher89 (Feb 22, 2007)

where are some good creeks located?


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

KingFisher89 said:


> where are some good creeks located?


There are some decent Pike numbers in the bigger Creeks in Southern Wood County around SR 281. You can follow these creeks back from the highway and usually find numerous good spots.


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## fishingfoolBG (Oct 30, 2007)

Redhunter1012 said:


> There are some decent Pike numbers in the bigger Creeks in Southern Wood County around SR 281. You can follow these creeks back from the highway and usually find numerous good spots.


would these creeks your talking about be tributaries from the portage river on 281?


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

fishingfoolBG said:


> would these creeks your talking about be tributaries from the portage river on 281?


Yep I know of a few people that catch them throughout the summer. I remember seigning up smaller pike in the creeks when going for minnies as a kid.


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## fishingfoolBG (Oct 30, 2007)

Would it be a good time to target pike on the portage right after the ice out.


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## BASmead (Jan 11, 2008)

I'm very familiar with that creek and there are definitley some pike to be found but i've found the numbers to be down in the last few years unfortunatley. I've caught them up to 30 inches there in the past. Please if you do fish this creek practice C & R because it is truly just a ditch and the balance is delicate. And don't forget your leader cause that bit off spinner will kill fish. It seems like those smaller pike have a high mortality rate when badly hooked i've noticed. You can catch em on anything but i've done very well with small inline spinners there, i like the single hook ones cause of that mortality thing i mentioned. Be careful about trespassing. The majority of the creek is very small and shallow so find the promising looking pools and you'll find the fish unless someone just came through and filleted them. It takes some legwork cause the few pull off spots do tend to be heavily fished by idiots that leave six pack rings, meatsnack wrappers, and wads of 20 pound mono they think the birds will use for nesting. It is a gem. I've had some great experiences on that creek. Be gentle please. I never understood why pike prefer that small ditch over the bigger branch of the Portage just a few miles away. I do catch occasional pike in the bigger branch, but only 2 or 3 a year really. Any theories on why it is this way?


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## fishingfoolBG (Oct 30, 2007)

BASmead said:


> I'm very familiar with that creek and there are definitley some pike to be found but i've found the numbers to be down in the last few years unfortunatley. I've caught them up to 30 inches there in the past. Please if you do fish this creek practice C & R because it is truly just a ditch and the balance is delicate. And don't forget your leader cause that bit off spinner will kill fish. It seems like those smaller pike have a high mortality rate when badly hooked i've noticed. You can catch em on anything but i've done very well with small inline spinners there, i like the single hook ones cause of that mortality thing i mentioned. Be careful about trespassing. The majority of the creek is very small and shallow so find the promising looking pools and you'll find the fish unless someone just came through and filleted them. It takes some legwork cause the few pull off spots do tend to be heavily fished by idiots that leave six pack rings, meatsnack wrappers, and wads of 20 pound mono they think the birds will use for nesting. It is a gem. I've had some great experiences on that creek. Be gentle please. I never understood why pike prefer that small ditch over the bigger branch of the Portage just a few miles away. I do catch occasional pike in the bigger branch, but only 2 or 3 a year really. Any theories on why it is this way?



I was reading an article on northern pike spawning and they were saying the pike will go to backwaters to spawn which that can be 2-3 deep. The higher water levels allow the pike to travel these smalls creeks to find a spawning site. As you may know already they pefer slow moving water with lots of brush. The poartage river tributaries are pretty shallow with make great spawning spots for pike. Anyone else have any ideas?


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

fishingfoolBG said:


> I was reading an article on northern pike spawning and they were saying the pike will go to backwaters to spawn which that can be 2-3 deep. The higher water levels allow the pike to travel these smalls creeks to find a spawning site. As you may know already they pefer slow moving water with lots of brush. The poartage river tributaries are pretty shallow with make great spawning spots for pike. Anyone else have any ideas?


Food. There is an over abundance of chub minnows in those small tribs. I imagine they don't have to work real hard to get them. BASmead, I fill my freezer with Walleye and Gills, so no worry there. But I do know a few of the slobs that your referring to that search out those Pike like there the last thing on Earth to eat. I no longer live in that area, (about 20 miles southwest) but when I was younger, we trapped. I remember several times actually catching smaller Salmon in Box Traps around that area. That creek actually has the whole array of species in it. Right where it intersects Liberty High and SR 281, my Dad lived in a house there, and they used to catch and keep every kind of fish imaginable. (yes they were very poor)


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