# Vertical jigging saugeye?



## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

I primarily fish CC, Cowan, and Acton for crappie. I have caught just about everything while crappie fishing these lakes….except a saugeye, but I know they are there (I’ve seen pictures). I usually fish the upper end of these lakes, are the saugeye all hiding on the lower end? What depths and structure should I be targeting for saugeye?

Thanks!
Mark


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## BMagill (May 5, 2004)

I have caught saugeye vertical jigging bladebaits on the upper end of Cowan. I wouldn't say I have a go to pattern yet, but the day I had the most luck was pretty windy, and I caught them on the "down current" side of a creek channel dropoff that ran perpendicular to the wind direction. Of course anytime I have caught them it has been part of a mixed bag with crappies, largemouth, white bass, and channels. 8-10 FOW.


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## TheKing (Apr 15, 2004)

Same bobber sinker - same bait - no bobber. And pull a turn or two and wait few seconds. Repeat. Most of my experience is that it is the best summer time crappie pattern too. But at this date, I'd fish for saugeye off the bottom if I could stand the weather.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

My partner and I cast and snap jig Vibe, or round head jig with 1" of garden hackle slowly dragged across the bottom. Too much worm and they steal it. Buckeye is mostly cast and snap while Alum is both techniques. Only time I vertical jigged was through the ice, and only with Vibe's. I hate to troll.


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## hackerharrison54 (Feb 10, 2009)

Rooster said:


> I primarily fish CC, Cowan, and Acton for crappie. I have caught just about everything while crappie fishing these lakes….except a saugeye, but I know they are there (I’ve seen pictures). I usually fish the upper end of these lakes, are the saugeye all hiding on the lower end? What depths and structure should I be targeting for saugeye?
> 
> Thanks!
> Mark


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## hackerharrison54 (Feb 10, 2009)

I fish cc usually in mid may until July for saugeye. Usually fish 6 to 8 ft. Deep with jig and nightcrawler or vibes. Also catch them on spoons. Hazard area or beach.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

For the CC saugeye...All you need is a 2-3inch twister tail jig,1/8 ounce head, chartreuse in color… (white works great too)...your main focal point will be fishing 10 feet or less of water. You can tip with bait if you want, but there's really no need...I always pick up several random saugs when I am crappie fishing with a jig...To catch them consistently… My personal opinion is that trolling crankbaits in 5-10 fow is the ticket. Myself, I have had the most success trolling bandit crank baits that dive 6 to 10 feet deep .


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Rooster said:


> I primarily fish CC, Cowan, and Acton for crappie. I have caught just about everything while crappie fishing these lakes….except a saugeye, but I know they are there (I’ve seen pictures). I usually fish the upper end of these lakes, are the saugeye all hiding on the lower end? What depths and structure should I be targeting for saugeye?
> 
> Thanks!
> Mark


This is a great time of year to vertical jig blade baits for saugeye!
Look for shallow hard bottom areas with deeper water nearbye,they will be feeding up for the spawn!
Wait until late april into may to break out the jig/worm.
Altho you can catch them with good consistency year around vertical jigging.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Thanks everyone!

It sounds like I’ve been fishing too deep to run into the saugeye. I have a few spots in mind that fit the description on CC, and will be giving them a try….maybe as early as Sunday….depending on how much rain we get.

Thanks again,

Mark


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Rooster said:


> Thanks everyone!
> 
> I sound like I’ve been fishing too deep to run into the saugeye. I have a few spots in mind that fit the description on CC, and will be giving them a try….maybe as early as Sunday….depending on how much rain we get.
> 
> ...


Good luck out there! If the waters not to muddy you can jig them up at nite. Also dont rule out casting swims and twisters,an moving really shallow af nite an work stickbaits. For that see the "rainy nite bite jerks limit" sticky thread in central ohio..
Also good "where at" info in the "how to determine a saugeye spot" sticky in central ohio forum...


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## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

Have caught them jigging/casting blade baits at CC on break lines, though have caught many more casting and trolling cranks around main lake structure.


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## Cptn Spaulding (May 20, 2015)

I’ve throw netted legal size saugeye while getting shad around the docks at Acton in the middle of summer.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Shortdrift said:


> My partner and I cast and snap jig Vibe, or round head jig with 1" of garden hackle slowly dragged across the bottom. Too much worm and they steal it. Buckeye is mostly cast and snap while Alum is both techniques. Only time I vertical jigged was through the ice, and only with Vibe's. I hate to troll.


This is it right here. Once you find the fish, this is the #1 technique.


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## crappietime (Sep 20, 2014)

You can definetly catch saugeye deep at caesar creek. I have caught them 20-30 feet deep vertical jigging a blade during cold water months. Finding shad around structure is the key.


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

8 to 10'... sounds like a swimbait paradise!


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

a tournament a couple years ago at CC, a guy and his son were frustrated with the saugeye and started casting jigs into a huge tree sticking out of the water for crappie, the saugeye were piled in this tree, they won the tournament using crappie technics. north end


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

crappietime said:


> You can definetly catch saugeye deep at caesar creek. I have caught them 20-30 feet deep vertical jigging a blade during cold water months. Finding shad around structure is the key.


Oh ya! For sure! They'll be there in the warmer months to! Even during the spawn some fish will be deep. They dont all spawn at once. But for the most part the shallower fish can be easier to catch. Unless you got post front conditions,which dont effect the deep fish as much as the shallow fish. 

Rooster,my original post was based on the time of year it is. Imo your better off sticking to heavy metal then jig/worm until after the spawn. Then after the spawn move up on big shallow flats or good points an work the jig/worm or cast shadraps at them... when I say shallow I'm talking like 2-6fow. They will be gorging on all the fresh spawn. 
I'm assuming your in the kayak,an that's why I didn't mention trolling. 
Again if you cant find them during the day try casting the dam or any causeway with suspending stickbaits,red eye shads,and swimbaits. It should be hot now


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Rooster said:


> I primarily fish CC, Cowan, and Acton for crappie. I have caught just about everything while crappie fishing these lakes….except a saugeye, but I know they are there (I’ve seen pictures). I usually fish the upper end of these lakes, are the saugeye all hiding on the lower end? What depths and structure should I be targeting for saugeye?
> 
> Thanks!
> Mark


Have you gotten out? Just curious if you've been able to put anything together... they should really start grouping up with this steady warmer weather an full moon approaching... should really fire things up good!


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## 3 Z's (Jan 25, 2012)

One of my favorite summertime patterns has become fishing the shore line mud edge. After a good warm weekend day, all the boat traffic will create a mud line along the shore. I slow pull spinners or shallow diving cranks with alot of wobble, zig/zagging in and out of the mud line. The shallower the mud line the better as the evening goes on.


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