# Buckeye Lake



## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

So I'm thinking of heading to Buckeye tomorrow to play with new electronics. Does anyone know if you can get into the eastern bays. I see the lake level is at around 889.75. It's been two years since I have been back in the bays and the last time I was able to get to them the level was 889.55


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## skywayvett (Jan 13, 2010)

Snugs open


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## Farmhand (Jul 11, 2011)

Is that lake all back to normal levels? With all the dam work they were doing?


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## hunt_n_fish (Apr 14, 2004)

It's still 2' below normal summer pool (891.5') according to the state info on current water level


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## Farmhand (Jul 11, 2011)

I haven’t fished there in years


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## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

Well I went today and got there around noon. Launched without any issues. It was sunny with light winds but it was still cold on the water. You have to be really careful backing away from the ramp. The water is around 3 foot deep at end of ramp but then rises to less that 2 foot. My suggestion would be to float boat off trailer and use trolling motor to pull away from dock. Water look fairly good and the main lake temp was 42 got up to 46 in some of the bays. I wanted to see if I could get into heron bay so that is the direction I headed. Got through the no wake zone by cranberry island and got boat on plane. Was cruising along about 20 mph and heard a god awful noise and said to myself what the hell was that. Well who would have guessed the middle of lake was still iced over and you couldn't see it. It was less that 1/4 inch thick so I just plowed through it. One you start getting close to heron bay the lake is about 2 foot deep. I raised motor and went in with trolling motor. Both heron and snug had around 3.5 foot of water. Today trip was to play with electronics and to catch my first fish of 2018. It didn't take very long to catch the first crappie of the year and about 30 more of his buddies. Only problem was they were all about 6 inches. By the time I left the bays all the ice had melted off lake. Next up was first trip out playing with new panoptix and I left being really impressed with what you can see with these units. I was in the deeper water by cranberry and all I can say is that deep water is completely full of shad. billions and billions of them. Someone has marked the channel going into snug with white pcv pipe I stayed just to the left of the pipe going in without any issues but you have to watch going in because it get really shallow fast if you get out of the channel. There were 3 or 4 other boats out and about but I didn't see any back in the bays. I didn't try to make it to little heron but my guess is I could have made it if I tried.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks Steve, If we don't get some more water I will have to pass on our first COCC tourney of the year at Buckeye


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## Hoover 4 Me (Jul 30, 2013)

I was waiting to read that you tore up your lower unit when you said you head a noise. Friend of mine lives on the lake and is retired so he fishes all the time. He hit a stump last year around this time and did a little over $2,000 worth of damage. He was out a few weeks ago and did the same thing...

He’s on the board that is involved with the dam project and said they will be letting the lake come up again this year. Just need to rain to make it happen. Would have been nice if they closed it off a few weeks ago when we got 3+”. Would have been good to go at this point.


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## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

Hoover 4 Me said:


> I was waiting to read that you tore up your lower unit when you said you head a noise. Friend of mine lives on the lake and is retired so he fishes all the time. He hit a stump last year around this time and did a little over $2,000 worth of damage. He was out a few weeks ago and did the same thing...
> 
> He’s on the board that is involved with the dam project and said they will be letting the lake come up again this year. Just need to rain to make it happen. Would have been nice if they closed it off a few weeks ago when we got 3+”. Would have been good to go at this point.


Yeah I know Doug also. He keeps having lower units problems because he thinks his boat is swamp buggy. Next time you talk to him make sure you ask him where his ice shanty is.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Good Report Steve - I did the same last year my son and I headed out early and heading down the lake - Then all of a sudden I was like what the and then realized there was a thin layer of ice on the lake.
With the water being low and it not expected to raise up to normal until summer you for sure have to be careful on the water. I saw a handful of boats last year get stuck or hit something.


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## ristorap (Mar 6, 2013)

What is going on at north shore the channel between the lake and little lake? When I was there last they had the area blocked off.


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## saug-I (Apr 7, 2010)

ristorap said:


> What is going on at north shore the channel between the lake and little lake? When I was there last they had the area blocked off.


Yep. Picnic point is closed, and will be for a while. They are redoing the gates to little lake.


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## Pinchweed1 (Jul 11, 2011)

deerfarmer said:


> Well I went today and got there around noon. Launched without any issues. It was sunny with light winds but it was still cold on the water. You have to be really careful backing away from the ramp. The water is around 3 foot deep at end of ramp but then rises to less that 2 foot. My suggestion would be to float boat off trailer and use trolling motor to pull away from dock. Water look fairly good and the main lake temp was 42 got up to 46 in some of the bays. I wanted to see if I could get into heron bay so that is the direction I headed. Got through the no wake zone by cranberry island and got boat on plane. Was cruising along about 20 mph and heard a god awful noise and said to myself what the hell was that. Well who would have guessed the middle of lake was still iced over and you couldn't see it. It was less that 1/4 inch thick so I just plowed through it. One you start getting close to heron bay the lake is about 2 foot deep. I raised motor and went in with trolling motor. Both heron and snug had around 3.5 foot of water. Today trip was to play with electronics and to catch my first fish of 2018. It didn't take very long to catch the first crappie of the year and about 30 more of his buddies. Only problem was they were all about 6 inches. By the time I left the bays all the ice had melted off lake. Next up was first trip out playing with new panoptix and I left being really impressed with what you can see with these units. I was in the deeper water by cranberry and all I can say is that deep water is completely full of shad. billions and billions of them. Someone has marked the channel going into snug with white pcv pipe I stayed just to the left of the pipe going in without any issues but you have to watch going in because it get really shallow fast if you get out of the channel. There were 3 or 4 other boats out and about but I didn't see any back in the bays. I didn't try to make it to little heron but my guess is I could have made it if I tried.


Hey Deerfarmer,

Which ramp did you launch from? Didnt see it mentioned anywhere... Thinking about getting gout this sunday.

Thanks,
Joe


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## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

North shore


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