# Cowan, CC, or Acton tomorrow?



## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

looking for crappie, and going somewhere. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Mark


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## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

No fish in CC. None. Nope. ;-)


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

I would not be suprised to see people water skiing tomorrow at CC....that is why I was thinking about the smaller lakes.


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## t_miller (Jun 5, 2005)

i heard from a friend that at acton lake, that they have the dredging machine up against docks and cant get a boat in. if someone knows otherwise let us know please i would like to go to acton myself
i fished ceasars twice last week with no luck and everyone i talked to over there said fish not biting due to it was flooded and they had dam open a bunch to get water back down


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## SICKOFIT (Feb 23, 2014)

t_miller said:


> i heard from a friend that at acton lake, that they have the dredging machine up against docks and cant get a boat in. if someone knows otherwise let us know please i would like to go to acton myself
> i fished ceasars twice last week with no luck and everyone i talked to over there said fish not biting due to it was flooded and they had dam open a bunch to get water back down


I was at Acton Wednesday afternoon and it looked like chocolate milk at Sugar Camp. Visibility could not have been more that a few inches


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## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

Only one wake boat out on CC Thurs. Testing it apparently. Water still only 51-55 degs. Muddy in some areas but not bad in most places. Water level looks to be stabilizing just above winter pool. They should leave it alone and get the rest of the docks in.


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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

Fished Acton today along with the other MILLON boats, yes the dredge is blocking two ramp lanes but there are like 4 or 5 others to use, water at ramp looked good and got muddier the further we went toward the dam. h2o temp 52-58, didn't see anyone killing the crappie but they were being caught close to the back and also in 15fow, we pushed jigs and would of limited with all the light bites, but it is tuff they seem to be still in winter mode or possibly practicing social distancing. We really didn't find any pattern although roadrunners caught the most. Happy boating!


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Well, I went to CC on Saturday morning. Got the 70lb kayak off the roof rack, started loading the kayak……and then, realized that I was up Caesar’s Creek without a paddle. Idiot!

Undeterred, I made the trip back home, and decided to give Cowan a try. The water was still very stained, but much better than last weekend. It was very crowded. It was like a holiday weekend, except no sailboats.

Nothing huge, but a lot of action. Caught, crappie, gills, white bass, largemouth, and a channel cat. I was vertical jigging while drifting in 10 – 15 FOW. Caught fish from 1’ below the surface to the bottom. Crappie seemed to be practicing social distancing and chasing bait (didn’t find any schools). Caught everything on a tungsten ice jig with gulp 1” minnow.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Rooster said:


> and then, realized that I was up Caesar’s Creek without a paddle.


Don't feel bad I did that once on a duck hunting trip 
Nice fish so looks like everything worked out okay.
Good luck and good fishing


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

I hit Cowan again yesterday. We were catching a few in 10-15 FOW, but it got too windy to vertical jig, and we gave the banks a try. They were in pretty thick, and hungry. Buddy kept about 15, and only two had eggs. Fish were shallow DEEP in cover. Not sure where the cold weather will send them. Almost all fish were in the 10" range (no monsters or dinks). I caught all fish on an ice jig with a little atom fished about 1.5' bellow a bobber.


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## BMagill (May 5, 2004)

I was out there too, but a long way from 10 ft of water. Did not get a fish Ohio but had 5 over 12" and a bunch of 11"ers.


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## SmallieKing (Apr 11, 2007)

My guess is every lake in the area just got blown out


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Went to CC today. I knew that it was going to be bad, but the wind was absolutely brutal. I was Really limited to where I could fish. Did my best combat kayak fishing, but only managed 3 crappie. All three came on consecutive cast off the same tree. I did get a bunch of small gills, and a TON of stupid bass. All fish came on an ice jig with a 1” gulp minnow 1.5’ under a slip bobber.


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## horse 'em (Jun 8, 2005)

Absolute beauty! Nice job on a very tough day.


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## Fishing Flyer (May 31, 2006)

That’s one heck of a stupid bass!


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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

If I cant catch smart Crappie Im always happy with stupid Bass


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

I tried a “new” area yesterday at Cowan. The cold weather seemed to push them even further back into the brush. I got about 20 over 6hrs, but spent more time fighting the wind, getting out of snags, and retying than fishing. I got all fish on an ice jig and 1” gulp minnow fished on a slip bobber about 1’ deep. Fewer fish that my previous trip, but much better quality (all were over 10”). But, I’m still looking for the spot on Cowan with the monster crappie.


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## TheKing (Apr 15, 2004)

Rooster said:


> I tried a “new” area yesterday at Cowan. The cold weather seemed to push them even further back into the brush. I got about 20 over 6hrs, but spent more time fighting the wind, getting out of snags, and retying than fishing. I got all fish on an ice jig and 1” gulp minnow fished on a slip bobber about 1’ deep. Fewer fish that my previous trip, but much better quality (all were over 10”). But, I’m still looking for the spot on Cowan with the monster crappie.


I know where it used to be. But I haven't fished there for 5 years. 12" is great. 16" is my PB with some 14's now and then. That fish looks healthy !


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## Lil Crappie (Jun 17, 2013)

Rooster said:


> I tried a “new” area yesterday at Cowan. The cold weather seemed to push them even further back into the brush. I got about 20 over 6hrs, but spent more time fighting the wind, getting out of snags, and retying than fishing. I got all fish on an ice jig and 1” gulp minnow fished on a slip bobber about 1’ deep. Fewer fish that my previous trip, but much better quality (all were over 10”). But, I’m still looking for the spot on Cowan with the monster crappie.


I’ll take a couple of dozen stupid crappie like that.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Fished Cowan today. COLD and windy. Got a TON of gills, but only a few crappie (struggled today). My buddy fished a different area on the lake (deeper), and got about 20 crappie over 10”s.

What is the relationship between gills and crappie? Several times today, I caught a single crappie, and then nothing but gills from that hole. I don’t ever remember getting an even mix…..usually mainly crappie or mainly gills. I would imagine that when the gills are thick, they would run-off the crappie?


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Rooster said:


> What is the relationship between gills and crappie? Several times today, I caught a single crappie, and then nothing but gills from that hole. I don’t ever remember getting an even mix…..usually mainly crappie or mainly gills. I would imagine that when the gills are thick, they would run-off the crappie?


I imagine food types are what separates the 2 species.
Crappie= more minnow based, gill= more larvae/insect based.


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## BMagill (May 5, 2004)

I seem to catch some bigger gills with the crappies (probably 1 gill for every 15 crappie). If I am picking up small gills I take it as a sign the crappie aren't there.


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## bbsoup (Apr 3, 2008)

BMagill said:


> I seem to catch some bigger gills with the crappies (probably 1 gill for every 15 crappie). If I am picking up small gills I take it as a sign the crappie aren't there.


I completely agree with this. Last night I actually tried to search online for some actual scientific studies concerning the relationship between bluegill and crappie during the crappie spawning period. My thinking was that I would find that bluegill predation upon crappie nests would be observed, but I did not find ANYTHING at all about ANY sort of relationship between the two species during the crappie spawn. I would think that because crappie spawn first, THEY would be the aggressor, keeping bluegill at bay during this time. I realize this is the opposite of what Rooster proposed. I don't know which theory is right (who runs off who), or even if neither is right and the two species actually coexist. If they do coexist, though, I sure agree with BMagill at least to the point that catching small gills is a bad sign. Why exactly, I don't know. Maybe someone who is learned on such things can chime in? Thanks


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Fished Cowan on Friday. I have systematically fished the entire shoreline of the lake over the last three weeks, and STILL have not found the BIG crappie. I don’t keep fish, just looking for a 15”er in Ohio. I know they are in there (I’ve seen photographic evidence), and people have even spoon fed me their secret spots (thank you!). I think that I’m just cursed to only catch the little guys.

The crappie seem to be making their way to the bank in the afternoon (before the cold front, they were on the bank). I was catching them shallow in the brush by 6pm on Friday. Prior to that, I was catching them (vertical jigging) in 15 FOW. Anywhere from the bottom to only about 2’ from the surface (more aggressive fish where higher in the water column). The deeper I got, the lighter the bite…..no indication even on an ice noodle rod, a little tension in the line, and fish on. Higher they were aggressively hunting shad. Very weird bite this time of year (ever year)……even shallow, the bobber goes down slow and deep, but then nothing (no hook-up).

Anyway, I caught a TON of fish on Friday. Mostly small crappie, but plenty on 10”ers, some nice gills, and some really nice white bass (most underrated fish in Ohio). You can see the white bass screaming through on the sonar, and if you get the jig near them, they will bite. Love the Gulp 1” minnows, but they REALLY need to fix that damn jar.

I found some nice sunken treasure (probably Xmas trees that I HOPE to fish thru the ice) in 15 FOW, that was loaded with a TON of fish. I think that some that I caught were were black crappie? They were holding on the bottom, but aggressive. Don’t know that I have ever caught any blacks at Cowan…..anyone get blacks there? just a note, for the topic above, one side seemed to be gills ONLY....other side of the tree had a mix.

See you there Monday, It should be ON!


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## bbsoup (Apr 3, 2008)

Rooster said:


> I think that I’m just cursed to only catch the little guys.


It's not just you, Rooster. I have felt that way myself when it comes to Cowan. It has been that way for me there for so long, though, that I now blame the fishery there, not myself. I truly believe Cowan will have larger crappie only very infrequently as compared to the cycle seen at most other lakes. I have no idea why.
You're onto something with the white bass. There are a lot of really good ones in there now. I'd rather fish for them most days.


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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

I noticed the shallower crappie hitting hard and deeper ones were doing the lite bite thing too, unfortunately the shallow fish I've been catching are in the 6-9" range. I fished Jigs tippped with crappie nibbles first 4 times out , and had a lot of light bites so I went back last weekend armed with minnows thinking this would be the ticket, but it wasnt ,but I think it had more to do with the water temps cooling down. Im sure the main spawn will start around 8:00am on Monday and quit at 5:00pm Friday, it sucks being essential!


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Been fishing Cowan a lot in the last few days, and the banks started to heat-up yesterday. There was a consistent bite all day, but it really caught fire around 6pm (on a western sun exposed bank). They were shallow, deep in the brush, and hitting hard. I kept 20 around 10” (my bi-annual harvest), but had even more throw-backs (mostly under 10”, but a respectable number over 11”). Nothing huge for me, but did see a MONSTER crappie pulled out & released in a boat next to me (thank you!). Caught everything fishing an ice jig with 1” gulp minnow 1’ under a bobber. I’m afraid that this weather will push them back down (again). Might switch over to CC…..still looking for a BIG crappie.

Major accomplishment....fished all day in the wind, deep in the trees, and did not have to re-tie all day!


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## TheKing (Apr 15, 2004)

Rooster said:


> Been fishing Cowan a lot in the last few days, and the banks started to heat-up yesterday. There was a consistent bite all day, but it really caught fire around 6pm (on a western sun exposed bank). They were shallow, deep in the brush, and hitting hard. I kept 20 around 10” (my bi-annual harvest), but had even more throw-backs (mostly under 10”, but a respectable number over 11”). Nothing huge for me, but did see a MONSTER crappie pulled out & released in a boat next to me (thank you!). Caught everything fishing an ice jig with 1” gulp minnow 1’ under a bobber. I’m afraid that this weather will push them back down (again). Might switch over to CC…..still looking for a BIG crappie.
> 
> Major accomplishment....fished all day in the wind, deep in the trees, and did not have to re-tie all day!


Those 1" minnows are obviously working well for you. My experience at Cowan was that bass minnows about 2 - 2 1/2 inches long were helpful at getting the bigger crappie. Seemed like the smaller crappie did not try for the bigger minnows.


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## harrison08 (Oct 4, 2004)

I went out to Acton a few days ago and got into some really nice crappie. Switched from strictly jig fishing to fishing with minnows. I had not done that in quite some time. I really enjoyed it. Here are a few of the bigger ones.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Nice slabs!!!

Looks like I should have been exploring Acton. Minnows are a hassle, but they seem to pull-out the BIG girls.


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## fshnjon (Feb 25, 2008)

harrison08 said:


> I went out to Acton a few days ago and got into some really nice crappie. Switched from strictly jig fishing to fishing with minnows. I had not done that in quite some time. I really enjoyed it. Here are a few of the bigger ones.
> View attachment 354777


 Love seeing that bobber go down to ,make for a nice change


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

I agree minnows are a hastle,especialky in a kayak. I've foundthe big yeti(or off brand) 480z ramblers work great for about 3 dozen minnows with an air pump clipped on it. It also fits in my cup holder.


Rooster said:


> Nice slabs!!!
> 
> Looks like I should have been exploring Acton. Minnows are a hassle, but they seem to pull-out the BIG girls.


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## bbsoup (Apr 3, 2008)

Found myself at Cowan Saturday after seeing every boat in southwest Ohio at Caesar. Craziness. Fished about 6 hours in the afternoon, but I had my brother and 2 of his daughters with me so we only actually fished about 2 1/2 hours. We ended up keeping 5 (I know, the girls insisted), but the biggest was only 10" (kids insisted). It is against the laws of physics for me to catch a nice crappie or 10 at Cowan, so that was totally expected. We caught 12 total, on minnows at 4 ft. The water temp was a little cooler than CC, at about 56, although we did find some 60 degree water way up shallow. I guess you could say we fished "midlake" (kinda hard to say that when you can see the whole lake at once). The water really is starting to clear up some, though. It's cleaner than CC, anyway. Unfortunately, we didn't luck into any white bass or saugeye.


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## Fishingswoh (Apr 20, 2020)

I fished Cowan Saturday, and I have never seen it that crowded. I had to park my truck and trailer in the grass. I don't know why there are no signs that says cars without trailers cannot park in the trailers spaces. Also the DNR still have not put in the two floating docks at the ramp. Without those docks it was a major hassle with all of the boats coming and going. Anyway, my dad and I were there for 4 hours and caught 3 crappie with minnows. No luck with jigs. They were not very big about 8 inches. Lake was about 54. I was hoping to catch more, but Cowan is not like it was 15 years ago.


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## smith07 (Feb 28, 2009)

My boys and I fished Cowan Friday and Saturday evenings. We caught 9 crappie, a saugeye, and a couple of small bass Friday, but only one crappie Saturday. I fished Ceasars last night and caught four nice crappie, two on a swimbaits and two on minnow.


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## Lil Crappie (Jun 17, 2013)

smith07 said:


> My boys and I fished Cowan Friday and Saturday evenings. We caught 9 crappie, a saugeye, and a couple of small bass Friday, but only one crappie Saturday. I fished Ceasars last night and caught four nice crappie, two on a swimbaits and two on minnow.


Caught crappie on swim bait Saturday. First time using swims. Mr crappie, pink/chartreuse.


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## Wally Diver (Aug 27, 2006)

Fished Acton today didnt catch anyfish. It got windy and I wss thankful I had a jacket with me.


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## bassmaster1 (Feb 6, 2006)

Fishingswoh said:


> I fished Cowan Saturday, and I have never seen it that crowded. I had to park my truck and trailer in the grass. I don't know why there are no signs that says cars without trailers cannot park in the trailers spaces. Also the DNR still have not put in the two floating docks at the ramp. Without those docks it was a major hassle with all of the boats coming and going. Anyway, my dad and I were there for 4 hours and caught 3 crappie with minnows. No luck with jigs. They were not very big about 8 inches. Lake was about 54. I was hoping to catch more, but Cowan is not like it was 15 years ago.


Are you talking about the marina or the state park ramp for parking?


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## bbsoup (Apr 3, 2008)

The marina ramp still had no docks. The dock at the campground ramp was in. That was where we put in and the lot was not full at 1 pm. Don't know about the ramp at the upper end.


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## Carter Crappie Crew (May 21, 2011)

bbsoup said:


> The marina ramp still had no docks. The dock at the campground ramp was in. That was where we put in and the lot was not full at 1 pm. Don't know about the ramp at the upper end.


The marina docks are in now. Will try them out Wednesday. Thursday was so windy every calm spot was packed. Managed 20 of all sizes plus a decent saugeye on jigs for the most part. Marked some great looking schools but they had lockjaw pretty much. Some form of chartreuse/green is usually the Cowan color for me but blue back shad has been good so far this year. Bobby Garland Lights Out is my trolling jig color so far. Nice ones when they hit that. Hooked into a few bass but didn't boat them.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Any crappie updates? They had been moving to the bank and then retreating like a yo-yo before this last cold front. I don’t know if it is over, or if they will make one final move to the bank.


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