# Alum Creek Photos



## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

Guys,

I am in search of any aerial photos of Alum Creek before it was created. I have heard that the Huntington Army corp of Engineers may have these from surveying the land before constructing the dam. I have emailed them and no one has responded. Maybe they don't give them out anymore because of the times we now live in?? Does anyone know if such photos exist? Where could a guy get these? I always thought it would be interesting to see what structures occupied this area before hand. Maybe even pick up on a couple of new spots to fish. Any help would be appreciated!


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## Jammer (Feb 10, 2006)

The last time I was down there. I don't know if it was the park office or a nature center. They had pictures of the area as they were building it. There were several pictures in different stages. I don't know if they are still displayed. :F


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## Erie Addict (Apr 12, 2004)

Yes they exist and so do Topo maps of the proposed lake. There are also arial photos of the lake as it was filling. I would share but i have been sworn to hold the secret. If i share the secret, they will take my tongue from my mouth and bury my corpse and the low tide mark.


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## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

Erie Addict,

The secret being where to get ahold of these?? (place, person, etc.) That's a buzzkill stating I know but can't/won't tell. Why would these be top secret? What a minute, this doesn't have to do with Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance does it?


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

I would start with the Westerville public library. My wife usually has to send in a search party to find me when I take her to her doctors appt on State St. Lots of historical documents not found on the web.


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## CShaver8 (Jul 12, 2005)

These pictures are out there( I have a set)....Its like holding onto a big hunk of gold. I know many guys that would buy copies of these pictures for $200+ dollars....but they are too valuble to be giving out.


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## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

Oh, I guess I didn't realize the severity of the question I was asking. Kinda like asking where a guy can get some of those good "illegal" cubans. I'm new to bass fishing from a boat and begining to understand that it takes time and research to even begin to improve at this. Takes a little more than dumping the boat in and getting the line wet.


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## Wiper Swiper (May 24, 2005)

I've got about 60 minutes of video footage from 15 years ago when the lake was drawn down about 20' in March. Some VERY revealing stuff...especially up and down of Howard road. There were areas that we could walk (old road beds), but most shoreline was too mucky to even attempt to collect baits and bobbers along.

I'll start the bidding at 10 legal virgins, and a top flight bluetick cooner!


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## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

Video footage, man you guys are serious. I have to admit that is a good idea.


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## CShaver8 (Jul 12, 2005)

That video coverage when the lake was 20' down...that right there is priceless.

I know a couple of buddies who, when the lake was ultra clear years past, took a fly over with an airplane and took photos.

Alum Creek is just one of those lakes where understanding the bottom is key.


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## Erie Addict (Apr 12, 2004)

Hint
Any one ever find or fish the "2 bridges" in the south end? Killer saugeye ice fishing!
How about The old Boy scout camp ground foundations?


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## CARP 104 (Apr 19, 2004)

I have the new Humminbird Side imaging sonar and man, I could drive down the sides of alum creek all day. There's a lot of stuff down there, but most of it didn't hold fish (bass) from my experiences, I may just be fishing them at the wrong time. I have seen foundations, roadbeds, rockpiles, weedbeds, stumps, trees, old dams, bridges, etc...just about everything down there.

I have been trying to find information on Alum creek before it was flooded as well and the most I came up with so far is some old maps from the early 1900's, but I have yet to check a few very good sources.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

I always wanted to know how good that side imaging sonar works, looks very cool, the pic of the underwater bridge they have is unreal. Does it pick up schools of shad, fish like bass sized, things like that? I wanted one for the yak, thought it would be cool, until I saw the price and its 2x the price of my yak!


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## CARP 104 (Apr 19, 2004)

Well you need to be going 2-6mph to use it, not sure if that would work out too well in the yak.

It does pick up bait balls, but it's hard to distinguish the bigger fish like bass from possible debris on the bottom. There were a couple of occassions where I have seen lots of baitfish on it and some bright bigger white dashes near/under the baitfish. As far as seeing fish on structure or cover, they would have to be slighly suspended to recognize it.


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## EE (Apr 13, 2004)

pictures of Alum creek before the lake was formed ..... I agree it would be pretty interesting. Sorry I don't have a set, if I did I'd share them with you (or at least tell you where to go look for them) as it sounds like you want to put some time in, do your own due diligence about the lake. 

Net, good suggestion - I agree the Westerville public library would be a good place to start. Bassaddict good luck, I hope you find what you're looking for.


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## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

EE,

Thanks for the encouragement. As they say, the sqeaky wheel gets the grease. If they are out there then they can be found.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

This is so funny. It is far from gold - indeed, it is public info! Go to your local library that is part of OhioLink and request the following title:

Title: *Flood plain information, Alum Creek, Ohio, Columbus and vicinity / prepared for State of Ohio Department of Natural Resources by Department of the Army Huntington District Corps of Engineers 
Publish Info Huntington, W. Va. : The District, [1967] *


CShaver, Could you forward me some names of people that will buy these for $200+ as I'm broke and could use the money to finance my new Triton!

I hope some recreational fishermen use this information to identify honey holes. Get there early and dont let the tourney guys chase you off your newfound spots!!! If they do, please peacefully and strategically ruin their day of fishing like they have done yours. ( I say this out of jest as I've had so many tourney guys crowd and run me out of spots on the lake and I'm still ticked about it....)




CShaver8 said:


> These pictures are out there( I have a set)....Its like holding onto a big hunk of gold. I know many guys that would buy copies of these pictures for $200+ dollars....but they are too valuble to be giving out.


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## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

JamesT,

Thanks for the info! I myself don't find it to be gold either but nothing more than a picture. We're not talking about a 2 acre pond. Just because you may find a spot doesn't mean that it will hold fish, and if it happens to doesn't mean you will catch them.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

You can get these maps from a federal govt service that took it over from the USACE. They are in Pueblo Colorado. I ordered these for West Branch and a few other Northeast Ohio reservoirs before they were created. They are $12.00 each for a copy.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Lewzer said:


> You can get these maps from a federal govt service that took it over from the USACE. They are in Pueblo Colorado. I ordered these for West Branch and a few other Northeast Ohio reservoirs before they were created. They are $12.00 each for a copy.


Are they maps, topo maps or photos?

Do you, by chance, know the name of the federal govt service that you are referring to? Several variations of google searches proved fruitless.

This seems like a nice option and I'd like to get some!


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## Four Weight Fanatic (May 14, 2006)

Along the same lines as what James T suggested, you may also want to pay a visit to the Deleware County Map Office. They will have Topographical and Aerial maps of Alum creek both before and after the area was flooded at least they do in most counties. You can generally have them make copies for you for a small fee.

FWF


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## CShaver8 (Jul 12, 2005)

JamesT said:


> This is so funny. It is far from gold - indeed, it is public info! Go to your local library that is part of OhioLink and request the following title:
> 
> Title: *Flood plain information, Alum Creek, Ohio, Columbus and vicinity / prepared for State of Ohio Department of Natural Resources by Department of the Army Huntington District Corps of Engineers
> Publish Info Huntington, W. Va. : The District, [1967] *
> ...



What I have are a little different than what is publically available.....thats all I'm gonna say.....


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## EE (Apr 13, 2004)

CShaver8 said:


> What I have are a little different than what is publically available.....thats all I'm gonna say.....


then why say anything at all?  A member asks for help; those who have no intentions of giving it would better serve this (or any) thread by saying nothing. I'm not trying to start an argument, I just don't understand the logic of "I have it but by the way, you can't".


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## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

Well good for you CShaver. Seriously though, I find that to be very pretentious. I'm not looking to steal anyone's "honey hole", not looking for that little edge to win some million dollar tournament, I don't even fish Alum Creek that often. But can you blame a guy for wanting to do his homework in order to better himself at what he enjoys doing? I don't care what you have and if you are not willing to help someone out then keep to yourself. I bit my tongue after the first post.


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## CShaver8 (Jul 12, 2005)

I was just saying that the pictures are out there....

Didnt mean to sound pretentious or anything...sorry if I started something.


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## justflippin (May 6, 2004)

The way to do it, is to go out there in Feb or March while the water is still low. Your not going to see the real deep stuff, but you will see enough to keep you busy in the spring. Take a video camera, digital camera, or just make some notes.

I caught a 6 lb smallie last fall off of a spot I found in February one year. Last year I don't think you could get out until March though. Anyways, just a suggestion.


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## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

Justflippin,

Thanks for the suggestion. I honestly had that intention in mind after another member posted that he videotaped when the lake was down. Looks like I'm gonna have to invest in some good cold weather clothing. February/March on the water.....burrrrrrr.


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## fishmeister (Jul 29, 2004)

Is the water too low to launch at that time of year?


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## flounder (May 15, 2004)

When I was performing environmental audits for clients we would obtain aerial photos dating as far back as the late 40's and early 50's. I'm sure They would have a good selection of dates up to the last few years for that area since it is in close proximity to I-71 and SR 36. The cost for research of dates and scanning th photos to a cd would probably run somewhere in the $50 dollar range and depending on how many dates and photos you pick it could be as high as $80 or $90. Just depends on what you want. Keep in mind the the prices I were from a few years ago and my memory may not be the sharpest... 

When we would place orders for research we would outline the area we wanted on a topo map. Made it easier for the folks there define the area we wanted.

The office of Aerial Engineering for Ohio Department of Transportation is located at West Broad and I-70.

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/aerial/home.asp

Good luck with your search.


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## bassaddict (Sep 3, 2007)

flouder,

Thank you for the link. That is awsome! Guess I'm gonna have to call in sick and take a day trip to the C-bus!


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## justflippin (May 6, 2004)

Was at Alum on Saturday, water is pretty low now (hint, hint). 

Caught 4 keepers, biggest about 3lbs.


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## Danshady (Dec 14, 2006)

yea it is low..was there on sunday and there was a two person jet ski wreck


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## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

The US Geological Survey should have aerials dating back to about 1950. (not sure when Alum was built) After WW II they photographed the entire country, and it is updated every 10 years or so. Hence there should be a set from the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's as well. I have obtained photography from them in the past, but it has been awhile, so I don't remember the exact process. I would start with their website, and go from there. The pictures are not free, but they are relatively inexpensive. (the cost is just to pay for the cost of printing the pictures.) I should also warn that there are numerous companies that are selling aerial photography, many of which are using the USGS photo's. They change them in some minor way, and then jack the price up for the consumer who does not know how to go thru the USGS to obtain aerial photography.


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## dKilla (May 1, 2007)

Jet ski wreck -- I hope they sank and are totally unrecoverable.


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## FISHERBALL (Apr 7, 2004)

I worked with a man whose family's home was moved by The Army Corp. of Engineers to make room for the water. He rode on the roof with a wooden pole to lift the wires over the top of the house as it went down the road. I think he said it was mid-late 60's. There is an orchard on the west shore north of the Marina that was in his backyard. His house faced the creek. He watched it fill up. & he didn't even know anyone who played the banjo.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

FISHERBALL said:


> I worked with a man whose family's home was moved by The Army Corp. of Engineers to make room for the water. He rode on the roof with a wooden pole to lift the wires over the top of the house as it went down the road. I think he said it was mid-late 60's. There is an orchard on the west shore north of the Marina that was in his backyard. His house faced the creek. He watched it fill up. & he didn't even know anyone who played the banjo.


I would sure like to know where that orchard is located!

CG


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## FISHERBALL (Apr 7, 2004)

Maybe it's there WAS an orchard. I haven't been able to reach the man for a few months, his cell is disconnected. If I can find him he would be happy to tell the history of Alum as he saw it. He had told me he could put a boat over his old foundation & see it on a fish finder.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Oh I see. It's all under water now. In that case, it wouldn't do me much good to know where it is/was. lol

I did some browsing on USGS but wasn't able to come up with exactly what I was looking for. I suppose if a guy had some time on his hadnds he could find it. That is quite a resource chocked full of data.

CG


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