# Help at LaDue



## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

I have a boat and live near LaDue Reservoir. It's a plenty big enough lake for me and has very few things to snag on. When I go there from mid-June, July, August, and onward I catch tons of fish...on almost every cast. White perch, bass, walleye, cats....I am in the water by 8 and out by 11 as the bucket's full and I have plenty to clean and freeze.

Anyhoo...I have started to go earlier in the year, like this year I went very early May, last week, the week before. I went out for 4 hours three times already (3 poles at once sometimes) and got a grand total of 1 bite. I tried worms, live minnows, and Gulp minnows with crappie nibbles. I have a fish finder and can see endless fish on the 2d, and after an hour or so I move to another place. But after 12 hours of no bites I may just have to wait a month or...

Can someone help suggest other tactics to fish this early? What is the reason for the lack of bites? I have other lures but my (admittedly limited) experience has had lots more luck on live bait. But I'll try anything at this point. Thanks in advance!


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## ducknut141 (Apr 26, 2017)

I would suggest not getting cought using 3 poles to start


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## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

Your recommendation to catch fish this time of year is to have everyone in the boat share 1 pole?


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## RedJada (Jun 21, 2009)

Not even a white perch in 12 hours? Something sounds fishy?


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## Labman1127 (Jul 27, 2012)

Try dynamite; I heard the white perch love it! 


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## ducknut141 (Apr 26, 2017)

Ohio only allows 2 poles per person


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## joekacz (Sep 11, 2013)

Maybe those white perch tournaments wiped out the population. Ya right. HAHAHA! LOLLOL


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

try an inline spinner around points and brush and only use the 2 rods allowed by law.


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

Yesterday trolling buddy got this and I picked up a couple crappie 13-14"


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## miked913 (Feb 29, 2008)

You guys fell for this guy hook, line, and 3rd rod. 

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

I use 5


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

All ladue trolling


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

Fyi I got big hands


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## joekacz (Sep 11, 2013)

set-the-drag said:


> All ladue trolling
> View attachment 306785
> View attachment 306787
> View attachment 306789
> ...


You better not lose that lure. Nice catch.


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## Exentrik (Aug 9, 2010)

kinglerch said:


> Your recommendation to catch fish this time of year is to have everyone in the boat share 1 pole?



This is brilliant.. I havent been on here in years and I think the rule nazis were a big contributing factor.. Anyway.. Totally hilarious.. Fish on bro!


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## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

set-the-drag said:


> Yesterday trolling buddy got this and I picked up a couple crappie 13-14"
> View attachment 306741


What did you use for bait? Is it recommended to use a lure rather than live minnow for crappie?


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

Look at my picture of the crappie. My buddy used a hot n tot and I had a 2" deep diver crank bait. You cant have to far of a lead or its going to drag bottom


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## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

Thanks, I'll give the crank baits a try


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

Took the girlfriend trolling for an hr got 3 all have eggs still


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

You may be fishing the wrong area. Fish are often shallower in the spring time. See if you can find some weed beds and fish near them. As water warms, they often move a little deeper, which might suggest why you are doing better on the summer months.


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## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

johnboy111711 said:


> You may be fishing the wrong area. Fish are often shallower in the spring time. See if you can find some weed beds and fish near them. As water warms, they often move a little deeper, which might suggest why you are doing better on the summer months.


Ah, thanks. That may explain it. I'll try in the shallows a bit more than my usual areas.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

Depending on what you are fishing for, and the water level, flooded brush is good. There are also ditches and drains in the bays that act as travel routs for fish, they will stage on these small drops and can hold a lot of active fish.


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

Gonna go later wind is supposed to go down. Going to troll hopefully for some eyes and crappie and maybe cast the weeds I have a feeling some eyeballs are hidden in them!


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

Got 3 13"ers trolling Tuesday with the woman. Her lure pick got the biggest it was a hair under 14"


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## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

What time of day do you find decent action? I had a lot of luck from 8-11am and after 5pm. Mid day seemed very slow, but maybe only what I was fishing for went to sleep and the walleye/crappie are still awake?


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

Always evening or night. 5p and later. Trolling seems to die for crappie 1/2 hr before sunset if they are hitting. Nighttime seems to produce in waves catch a few really quick then nothing for 30min than they hit again then nothing. It can be a very tricky lake I will generally go somewhere else cuz I get frustrated. Been doing ok though the last couple times I haven't got any eyes yet though


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

4 nice crappie and one 17" eye all before the sun dropped behind rhe trees after the it was dead.


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## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

Nice! I'll be right out there dragging with you beginning next week


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

buddy got one again yesterday


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

They are moving deep! Everything caught the last couple days was 13'


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

Going Monday.....ill be the guy,catching fish!


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## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

I'll be there too. I'll be the one in the light blue boat trying some new lures...most likely with an empty fish bucket


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

Yesterday was a flop the lake is a mess couldn't troll 5' without the lure bein loaded with junk the algae is bad already


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## kinglerch (May 16, 2019)

LaDue is back to how I remember it, maybe it has finally warmed up. Some spots I could not take the worms off 1 line fast enough before getting a strike on the other.

But I was also trying some plugs (Rapals, HotnTot, Berkley). I oddly caught a Perch that was not much bigger than the lure, and got a nice channel cat trolling around 1.5mph. Those plugs look friggin real in the water, and they dive and jitter when you reel them in. Not sure on each one how fast to reel or if I should let it rest sometimes.

Thanks for the advice. I have mostly used live bait but am trying these lures now.


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

kinglerch said:


> View attachment 308411
> LaDue is back to how I remember it, maybe it has finally warmed up. Some spots I could not take the worms off 1 line fast enough before getting a strike on the other.
> 
> But I was also trying some plugs (Rapals, HotnTot, Berkley). I oddly caught a Perch that was not much bigger than the lure, and got a nice channel cat trolling around 1.5mph. Those plugs look friggin real in the water, and they dive and jitter when you reel them in. Not sure on each one how fast to reel or if I should let it rest sometimes.
> ...


Was it still algae blobs all over


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## crestliner TS (Jun 8, 2012)

kinglerch said:


> View attachment 308411
> LaDue is back to how I remember it, maybe it has finally warmed up. Some spots I could not take the worms off 1 line fast enough before getting a strike on the other.
> 
> But I was also trying some plugs (Rapals, HotnTot, Berkley). I oddly caught a Perch that was not much bigger than the lure, and got a nice channel cat trolling around 1.5mph. Those plugs look friggin real in the water, and they dive and jitter when you reel them in. Not sure on each one how fast to reel or if I should let it rest sometimes.
> ...


You should vary your retrieve until the fish tell you what they want. Sometimes fast sometimes slow, sometimes a pause every couple feet, some times a long pull pause pull pause, try twitching it with long pulls, you just never know.


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## ignantmike (Apr 30, 2005)

just a report...fished today with a buddy....launched at the boat house...fished all the way up to the dam...across the lake to the east shore....and south to the 422....then we left at about 1230...casting the shore line...caught 1 LM bass and 2 white perch....1/4oz chrome rat-l-trap...saw a lot of gill's spawning in the willow's on the east side....a lot with carp...too...


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## BadgerYaker (Jul 27, 2019)

set-the-drag said:


> Yesterday trolling buddy got this and I picked up a couple crappie 13-14"
> View attachment 306741


I have gotten a few of these out of there as well. Nice catch


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## BadgerYaker (Jul 27, 2019)

Anyone that regularly bass fishes here and is willing to have a convo with me hit me up. I fish from a kayak. I just catch bass for fun and have pulled everything out of here except LMs

Looking for anyone that know the lake better then me for a few tips. Not expecting your honey hole but I'm looking to make this place worth whole.

I know medina lake very well and can offer some tips to fellow yakkers in return thanks.


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## REEL GRIP (Jan 11, 2013)

I'd fish the rip-wrap along 422.
Both sides....That will keep you busy for a while.
Throw what you're confident with.
I like a jig.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

If in a boat...slow drag the smallest spinners/jigs tipped with wax worm or minnow head...you will have plenty of action...this just 10 feet from shore line on both sides of 422...good times to be had.

Don.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Do any of you guys ever drop shot along the 422 rip rap?


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