# Punderson Holdover Trout



## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

What are the chances any of the rainbow and brown trout that have been released over the years in Punderson have been able to holdover and continue growing?


----------



## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I'd say, with the extreme depth available there to maintain preferred trout temps, very good!


----------



## dugworm (May 23, 2008)

That's a great question. I tried back in June. Skunked. Anyone with any recent luck?


----------



## fishing pole (May 2, 2004)

I've marked fish in the summer in the 35-40 foot range in larger schools. Trout??? I don't know. I did manage a few years back fishing deep off the side of my boat (30') on jig and maggots. That was toward the end of June


----------



## Don lane (Jun 15, 2020)

Anybody know if punderson got any trout stocked this month. I contacted them and they were unsure


----------



## eightwt (Nov 29, 2020)

I remember many, many, years back occasionally catching a trout in Wolf Run Lake which was very deep. Always assumed the state had thrown some in there at one time. So i guess some might survive.


----------



## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

I just bought an Eskimo Pistol Ice Auger 8" and am hoping to find some of those holdover trout this season at Punderson! I hope we get good ice this season!


----------



## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

Don lane said:


> Anybody know if punderson got any trout stocked this month. I contacted them and they were unsure


They stopped stocking in the Fall years ago. Just once a year in the spring now. They did have some bonus brown trout a couple years that were released in the Fall that were given to Ohio by the PA DNR. Let's hope for some of them to holdover and get bigger!


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

eightwt said:


> I remember many, many, years back occasionally catching a trout in Wolf Run Lake which was very deep. Always assumed the state had thrown some in there at one time. So i guess some might survive.


Wolf run is stocked every spring


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Extreme minimal holdover,just like Hodgson. Often times the big ones you think are holdovers are just big broods they mix in


----------



## flyphisherman (Jul 7, 2009)

Those bonus brown trout were lots of fun through the ice! They weren't big but they were very hungry. 

I caught a trout late august one year......so I'd say they survive.


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

OptOutside440 said:


> They stopped stocking in the Fall years ago. Just once a year in the spring now. They did have some bonus brown trout a couple years that were released in the Fall that were given to Ohio by the PA DNR. Let's hope for some of them to holdover and get bigger!


Years ago the fall they used to dump in big brood stock rainbow and gold trout.


----------



## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

Karl Wolf said:


> Extreme minimal holdover,just like Hodgson. Often times the big ones you think are holdovers are just big broods they mix in


Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that the broods no longer exist in Ohio because of the process in which the fish are hatched now.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

OptOutside440 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that the broods no longer exist in Ohio because of the process in which the fish are hatched now.


Couldn't tell ya.


----------



## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

OptOutside440 said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that the broods no longer exist in Ohio because of the process in which the fish are hatched now.


Think I heard in past we trade catfish to Michigan for their trout to stock. That's how we get some of them big ones stocked at places like Wallace or ledge lake on occasion. I'm sure that includes other stockings if the state does similarly


----------



## guppygill (May 8, 2004)

matticito said:


> Think I heard in past we trade catfish to Michigan for their trout to stock. That's how we get some of them big ones stocked at places like Wallace or ledge lake on occasion. I'm sure that includes other stockings if the state does similarly


Thought we trade Michigan for Steelhead for stockings in the rivers


----------



## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

guppygill said:


> Thought we trade Michigan for Steelhead for stockings in the rivers


Maybe it was that. Between steelhead and pond stocking rainbows it's just about the same


----------



## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

This is much like the lake at my sportsmen's club. It's an old limestone quarry so is spring fed. It's stocked with trout every spring. When the weather warms up the trout stop biting, or maybe they just move away from the shore fishing spots that work in the spring. When the water cools down again in fall, they are back.


----------



## markw620 (Jun 15, 2012)

They are in there.


----------



## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

flyphisherman said:


> Those bonus brown trout were lots of fun through the ice! They weren't big but they were very hungry.


The numbers of browns they put in were crazy! They had a large surplus, it was over 14,000 fish. Gotta be some left in there somewhere. . .


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

markw620 said:


> They are in there.


I remember fishing for those big palameno trout in the early 90s. Your taxidermist nailed the colors exactly. Nice mount.


----------



## markw620 (Jun 15, 2012)

It was Rankin out of Hartville - he did a NICE job. The fish was beautiful but deep hooked on a spoon and did not make it.
Only 1 of 2 fish i ever mounted. People think it is fake with the bright colors. At least 20 years ago.


----------



## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

creekcrawler said:


> The numbers of browns they put in were crazy! They had a large surplus, it was over 14,000 fish. Gotta be some left in there somewhere. . .


I've heard that brown trout are ferocious night feeders and worms work exceptionally well for them. May have to try that during ice fishing this season


----------



## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

It is possible some trout do survive in all the trout stocked lakes, but for the most part it is unlikely or very few. For one thing they make great food for catfish and bass. One lake that had documented holdover was Hammertown Reservoir in Jackson,Ohio. I think Punderson would be as good a possibility as any. 

I have been retired too long and haven't kept up with what they are doing at London Hatchery (where brood stock is kept), but I do know there was talk of not spawning fish there anymore, but I hadn't heard that was the case. I'll try to remember to ask someone. As for trading fish, Ohio trades channel catfish to Michigan for Steelhead (that can be eggs or fingerlings) , or at least did. ODW also has gotten trout from the feds at their hatcheries in Jamestown Ky, (below Cumberland) and years ago west Virginia. 

I caught a golden trout in Rocky Fork in the middle of July a few years back. They have an annual kids derby by the camp ground. This trout was at the opposite end by the old restaurant.


----------



## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

You are correct they did stop with the brood stock. I found this article stating that the last year was 2011









Outdoors: Punderson will get a final stocking of excess breeder trout


Anglers visiting 100-acre Punderson Lake in Newbury Township will get a last hurrah at catching so-called "brood stock" brown and rainbow trout. The large trout will be stocked at Punderson




www.news-herald.com





Here is the holdover statement on the trout.


----------



## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Has anyone ever measured water temp in any of the 80-90 foot holes in Punderson during July or August?


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

berkshirepresident said:


> Has anyone ever measured water temp in any of the 80-90 foot holes in Punderson during July or August?


I may be wrong but I thought that the deepest spot was like 60 plus feet. That’s going back as a kid. Think the biggest thing is trying to figure out the thermocline. Probably below that the oxygen levels are not there to hold them. Curious to hear any responses to see if anyone has. We didn’t have money for a fish finder then so that’s going off memory of lake maps. Cut a lot of grass to purchase a canoe though. Good memories.


----------



## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Inside the Manor is a private party type room. There is an old topo type map that shows several holes that are 90 feet deep.
I didn't believe it.....until my old Humminbird told me otherwise. The map was right.
These holes are closer to 44, IIRC.


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

berkshirepresident said:


> Inside the Manor is a private party type room. There is an old topo type map that shows several holes that are 90 feet deep.
> I didn't believe it.....until my old Humminbird told me otherwise. The map was right.
> These holes are closer to 44, IIRC.


I never knew it was that. Now I am going to start looking for topo maps on the web Just for my own curiosity. One thing I have learned about topo maps over the years is that they are not created equal. Today’s electronics make it too easy.


----------



## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

I would like to find that because the deepest I found is close to 60'. According to the ODNR map 57' is the maximum depth.


----------



## fishing pole (May 2, 2004)

It is not 90 feet and only a couple place are over 50.


----------



## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

The deep holes are not very big and they are scattered....but they are there. I've floated over three of them and saw 80-90 foot listed on my sonar for depth.
Happy to go looking for them next Spring.
Doubters can buy me Blazin' Bills afterwards.


----------



## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

berkshirepresident said:


> The deep holes are not very big and they are scattered....but they are there. I've floated over three of them and saw 80-90 foot listed on my sonar for depth.
> Happy to go looking for them next Spring.
> Doubters can buy me Blazin' Bills afterwards.


Seriously please do. I looked all over for topo maps and could not find anything over 60. It would make a good thread.


----------



## guppygill (May 8, 2004)

Biggest secret back then was fishing for brown trout at night, would have fun right at the marina at night catching them. They would fly in just at the light of the lantern in the water, neat watching them swim in. Too shallow there now and too many weeds. Also caught them on the shoreline near the campground, hard to fish that side now.


----------



## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

Ive been told deepest spot was around 75' in pund but little pund has spots 100+


----------



## Jo-Jo (Jun 29, 2016)

This link states 90 feet .. Fish Punderson Lake - Geauga County, Ohio .. but back in the day, with my Lowrance flasher, I found about 60 feet max, when the flasher got older I think it had a short [or something] because every now and then it would register double the actual depth.. Few years back, a friend with a light,and oxygen probe took it to the deepest portion and said at 60 feet [it was in July] there was little dissolved oxygen, temp was about 39-40., he said between 20-35 feet had best oxygen..


----------



## fishing pole (May 2, 2004)

Use the Navionics app. It's very accurate


----------



## Labman1127 (Jul 27, 2012)

There is definitely hold over / survivor trout in Punderson. The deepest hole in Punderson (basically straight out from the floating fishing pier) is 68’ deep give or take a couple feet. I have verified this on several brands of electronics through the years. 
I have fished this lake for 25+ years now and know just about every inch of that lake. The lake is plenty deep enough and cold enough to hold over trout. Plenty of bait fish in there as well. It was cool when the state used to dump in the big old breeder stockers in the fall. I recall going down there as a kid and seeing several 8lb+ fish of stringers and one year I saw A 28” 10 lb rainbow that a guy caught (not sure how that was helping the breeding stock...lol). 
Also, it’s a super spot year round for eater sized channel cats. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

