# Down at Salt fork till the 24th,daily updates.



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Made it down to salt fork state park with my father. Going to be here until the 24th. Will be targeting musky and saugeye. 
Tomorrow mainly just gonna troll around for musky to explore the lake as it's my first time here.

Will keep updated and looking forward to the next few days.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Update, founders double chocolate oatmeal stout is pleasing to my senses.


----------



## tudkey (Sep 24, 2014)

Enjoy your time. Hope that beer don’t hurt your fishing


----------



## Firelee83 (Jan 10, 2015)

Out here as well. Fishing has been tough for us. Thrown a lot at everything except muskies and only have a white bass, 3 crappie and small cat to show for 2 days fishing. Lots of memories tho. Mined some gems with the kids today.


----------



## tudkey (Sep 24, 2014)

That’s one big cooler next to that kid! Hope it’s full of beer and soon to be fish.


----------



## ccc (Mar 14, 2005)

tudkey said:


> Enjoy your time. Hope that beer don’t hurt your fishing


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Morning update, father is waiting for the morning sun to warm him before he gets out of bed. A







Little chill last night.
Making some breakfast and the going to start off the first half of the day only musky trolling to explore this new lake.


----------



## DaveHCopley (Sep 20, 2014)

Karl Wolf said:


> Morning update, father is waiting for the morning sun to warm him before he gets out of bed. A
> View attachment 376711
> Little chill last night.
> Making some breakfast and the going to start off the first half of the day only musky trolling to explore this new lake.


it has been a long time since I fished there but around the dam area is where they targeted musky back then.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Spent the day musky trolling around for about 5 hours. Learning the lake depth and so on.

No weed beds at this lake and its deep. Every shoreline is deep and a few coves that are shallow.
Seems like tomorrow I'm going to target the points around the lake with jigs and minnows/crawlers for some saugeye.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Went back out and trolled hoit n tots outside of the state campground.
Ticking the bottom at 12 ft. Nothing.

Lake is really peaceful only a few boats on it.

Water is kinda murky, seems like a murky lake.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Things I like about the salt fork campground. 

The courtesy docks you can keep your boat at are nice,not having to put it in and out. Having a campground only ramp is nice.
Showers are hot and heat up quickly.
So many different birds chirping and flying around.
Saw an eagle yesterday. 
This campground is huge and the spot I got is perfect, will camp here again. 

As to the lake.
Probably trolled 1/2 of the lakes shoreline yesterday over roughly 5 hours.
Never saw a weed,never touched weeds.
I was only able to find 1 large flat and a couple little flats but for the most part,its just a straight drop along the shoreline with all rock and a good amount of fallen timber that does have depth.

Had a nice shower this cold morning,gonna cook up some meat,veggies and then head to salt fork outdoors to get some bass minnows and crawlers. Will just take my father out and try bouncing point to point. Gonna hook him up with a "Whistler jig",you know the ones with a prop on the rear for his crawlers,they always worked well at milton.

When you take your 60+ year old father out fishing,you can count out morning fishing when it's cold. But that's ok, hope I can put him on a few saugeye later,he's never caught one yet.

Lake sure is huge and I enjoy that it's a mix of idle only and ski zones,makes it good for everyone and they can get their big boats here without terrorizing the small boats.
Lake is far from packed and extremely peaceful. 

Time to cook up a rib eye and get on it.


----------



## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

The lake has changed over the last 30 years, and I couldn't say exactly why. The weedbeds always varied from one year to the next, I can recall one year in the late 80s it was nearly unfishable because of the weedbeds. Other years there's next to nothing. I fished it heavily from the 80s until about 10 years ago, and never saw a single lily pad. I was out there last week and the lily pads are everywhere. There's a seemingly endless supply of "structure" so it makes it tough to pinpoint fish compared to some other lakes. At least for me.


----------



## Macky (Mar 1, 2013)

Good Luck and thanks for sharing!


----------



## Firelee83 (Jan 10, 2015)

The only luck we had was south of cabin bay on West Bank. 12-16’ of water next to river channel right off bottom with minnows. If you have a finder you’ll mark them.


----------



## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

You should catch some fish on a whistler jig tipped with a minnow. Looks like a good time.


----------



## Dragline (Nov 26, 2007)

Karl, Loved your post's. Man it looked like you guys made the best what you had to work with.
Looked like a ton of fun.
I been saying for several years (where's the weed beds we saw many years ago that held so many fish ). Well when they dropped the lake 8' to fix the leaking dam that seems to kill off the weed beds..
It can be a very hard lake to find fish, but such a pretty lake. You gave it your best shot !


----------



## Upland (Nov 3, 2016)

wish I could join you guys But as usual problems with wife's car down to one vehicle if it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all good time good fishing enjoy


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Well today we got out there very late. Father enjoys to talk with everyone we meet and puts around.
Went to Salt fork outdoors today to get some minnows and crawlers.
They had a wonderful selection of EVERYTHING you would need to fish here.

We got on the water about 3 PM, nice to have the little boat docked down there at the campground docking.
Zig sagged around hitting maybe 5 points heading west towards the cabins.

Finished up the night on the shallow danger zone outside the cabins which is about 6 ft with nice drops. There was a big school of bait all over the top of that shallow flat. I wanted to finish the evening there hoping some saugeye would come in that shallow but no takers there. A big school of white bass was busting that bait though. 

Ended up losing 1 saugeye by the side of the boat,lost a few other fish,tossed back severl fish of different species and ended up keeping these.
I didn't know off hand If there was a 9" crappie limit here so I just kept a couple. Didn't want the small ones anyways.
The catfish this size are the ones I like to keep.

Father truly gets a catered service, getting all his knots, snagged and fish handled for him. 
Oh, dad caught a dang softshell snapper also, there seems to be many here,they were some big ones on the logs.

Another peaceful and beautiful day at saltfork , had a wonderful time and am really enjoying myself out here.

I believe tomorrow we will go get some fresh minnows and crawlers and do the same things again.


----------



## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Tell your Dad to wear out that Mepp's Musky Killer....


----------



## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

Nice. Did the whistlers work well? That’s plenty of fish for a camp meal.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Snakecharmer said:


> Tell your Dad to wear out that Mepp's Musky Killer....


He's enjoying catching the eater fish. Actually catching instead of trying for musky


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Muddy said:


> Nice. Did the whistlers work well? That’s plenty of fish for a camp meal.


He snagged 2, 1/4 oz Whistler's super fast and lost them. I ended up hooking him up with about 5 more 3/8 oz jigheads with an attached Colorado blade. Got them in bulk off Ebay. Father sure does lose many jigs


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Upland said:


> wish I could join you guys But as usual problems with wife's car down to one vehicle if it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all good time good fishing enjoy


Great times at the lake


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Was running a slip bobber on the side when I had a chance. A few fish nailed it.
Really taking a dad that refuses to wear glasses is like taking a child.


----------



## Bluegillin' (Jan 28, 2009)

Life comes full circle. Your parents start out taking care of you and ultimately you take care of your parents.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Bluegillin' said:


> Life comes full circle. Your parents start out taking care of you and ultimately you take care of your parents.


Tru dat homie


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Gotta go get some more boat fuel for the day, the 9.9 doesn't eat much but this lake is big with much to cover.

I believe today ima give the minnows a break and try tossing some of my big joshys out there for some saugeye. Trying a little bigger presentation in the murky waters.

Stop back at salt fork outdoors and get some more worms for pops.


----------



## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Karl Wolf said:


> Was running a slip bobber on the side when I had a chance. A few fish nailed it.
> Really taking a dad that refuses to wear glasses is like taking a child.


Does he just need readers? They have bi-focal sunglasses with readers.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Snakecharmer said:


> Does he just need readers? They have bi-focal sunglasses with readers.


I dont know what he needs. Just me to do it all,hahah


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Decided to try some 3/8 oz vibes today. Only used them once at milton vertical jigging and ice fishing,never casted them but gonna try them today


----------



## Upland (Nov 3, 2016)

Karl Wolf said:


> Was running a slip bobber on the side when I had a chance. A few fish nailed it.
> Really taking a dad that refuses to wear glasses is like taking a child.


be thankful your dad still is around miss my dad


----------



## fishless (Sep 18, 2014)

Upland said:


> be thankful your dad still is around miss my dad


Your dad sounds like me.When my son goes he ties lures,unsnags me when I can't get it. And I enjoy it much more than going by myself.I'm 66 my sons 38.I use cheater glasses when by myself.Beleive me your Dad appreciates it


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Got on the lake about 2 pm.
I casted vibes all day,jigging that bottom hard.
Tried a few points near the dam,was super snaggy. Wouldn't have been so bad if it was just me but my father is the snag master and I can't fish at all doing us both in a snaggy area.

He finally got his 1st saugeye, a cute 11" saug. He got a little cat and a few white bass also.

First time I've "casted" vibes and I missed a ton of fish and lost 2 vibes and missed 30+ fish today. Come and go with being hunks of metal in a snaggy lake.

Got on a huge school of big whites, kept about a dozen,it was fish every cast for a while. 
Ima try the vibes out more. 

Oh, found a kick ass musky skull walking the shore,I kept it 

Time to clean some fish.


----------



## BigJohn (Apr 14, 2004)

Yup. Appreciate these times with your dad. Lost mine 5 years ago this week. Those times we spent on the water were some of my best memories with him.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

BigJohn said:


> Yup. Appreciate these times with your dad. Lost mine 5 years ago this week. Those times we spent on the water were some of my best memories with him.


Yups


----------



## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

Thanks for all the enjoyable reading and photos Karl. My buddy and I have fished Salt Fork many times and had everything from skunks to 100 fish days. Those white bass are lots of fun!


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Last update in the Salt Fork trip.

Last night at the campground I heard the coyotes going berserk. I mean they were really letting loose with their howling or whatever it's called that coyote do. Never heard so many and so loud.
Made me regret tossing the fish carcasses out back in the woods,although both nights i harvested fish, I heard them scavengers back there munching on fish heads.

Unfortunately my father had a medical issue pop up in the middle of the night,woke me up and had to spend the wee hours of the morning in Cambridge ER. We just ended up getting back grabbed a couple hour nap and got out before check out.
He wasnt "fishable" and I dont blame him for that.

On regards to my first trip to salt fork.

Its definently not the top producer for saugeye,in fact it's way below the district average. But father caught his first one so that was nice.

The lake does have a wonderful mix of fish and I really enjoyed myself there. It was great learning a new lake and boy oh boy is it a big lake with plenty of room.
The campground was excellent and my spot was perfect. Couldn't have asked for a better camping trip.
Will most definitely camp there or do the cabins again.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Mickey said:


> Thanks for all the enjoyable reading and photos Karl. My buddy and I have fished Salt Fork many times and had everything from skunks to 100 fish days. Those white bass are lots of fun!


You're most welcome sir.

The white bass there were pretty darn big,more so than what I'm used to on inland lakes.


----------



## DaveHCopley (Sep 20, 2014)

Karl Wolf said:


> You're most welcome sir.
> 
> The white bass there were pretty darn big,more so than what I'm used to on inland lakes.


thank you for the updates will try next we and hope to post more.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

DaveHCopley said:


> thank you for the updates will try next we and hope to post more.


Most welcome and good luck!


----------



## bountyhunter (Apr 28, 2004)

good luck to your dad,[maybe your cooking did it? lol


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

bountyhunter said:


> good luck to your dad,[maybe your cooking did it? lol


How dare you insult my cooking! I've lured a many females to linger in my cave, due to my cooking skills


----------



## Upland (Nov 3, 2016)

Karl Wolf said:


> How dare you insult my cooking! I've lured a many females to linger in my cave, due to my cooking skills


Was that before or after they passed out


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Upland said:


> Was that before or after they passed out


Either or suits my needs.


----------



## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

Hope your dad is ok.


----------



## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Mickey said:


> Hope your dad is ok.


He's just fine now. A small medical issue that needed attention.
Thanks for asking.


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Karl Wolf said:


> Last update in the Salt Fork trip.
> 
> Last night at the campground I heard the coyotes going berserk. I mean they were really letting loose with their howling or whatever it's called that coyote do. Never heard so many and so loud.
> Made me regret tossing the fish carcasses out back in the woods,although both nights i harvested fish, I heard them scavengers back there munching on fish heads.
> ...


Thanks for sharing your trip,I enjoyed following along.. kudos for taking care of pops an getting him out! Freaking awesome!
Dont let the data full you. Saltfork can be a GREAT saugeye lake. I like peidmont better. But still,a good lake!
You got anymore fishing stops before hitting the road again for work?


----------

