# Cowan Muskie



## Cowanmuskie (Aug 3, 2004)

It's too bad the ODNR stopped stocking Cowan Lake with muskies a few years back. I'm still catching some FAT muskies out of there.
The lake has some decent weed beds since the PARK people quit dropping lake levels so low for winter drawdown ('09 3' vs. >'08 5'+). Those beds provide cover for the stocked fingerling muskies to hold in over winter, and keep from being eaten or washing out completely.

The old Airborne Express/DHL wetlands project helped SIGNIFICANTLY with better water quality (Much less airport run-off) in Cowan Lake, and the ODNR didn't even give that enough time to work before stopping the Muskie Stocking Program.
GLYCOL the chief ingredient of aircraft de-icing fluid, destroys the OXYGEN, depleting the oxygen from the water which muskies need high levels of dissolved oxygen, and muskies aren't a pollution tolerent species either.

The ODNR needs to continue stocking Cowan at least every OTHER year to maintain a small density muskie population in the lake to thin up the HORDES of SHAD and SUCKERS that get too big for bass and saugeyes to eat. It won't break the bank. When will our state (ODNR) start listening to the people whom buy the licenses?

Besides, it is (WAS) the ONLY 9.9 H.P lake in South West Ohio to have muskies stocked in the lake, Leesville and Piedmont are too far to go on these gas prices for a FISHERMANS lake to PEACEFULLY fish for muskie.
I know that Clearfork imposes a speedlimit, but that lake is still over TWO hours drive, when Cowan is located in our BACKYARD.

ODNR- Bring back Cowan's muskie program!

At LEAST keep it in SW Ohio for the recreational fisherman whom doesn't want to put up with the INSANITY of the MASSES at Ceasars Creek or East Fork MADHOUSES!

Yesterday afternoon, I trolled up a FAT 38" muskie, and released her to fight another day! I reported it on MAL.
I know of two other muskies caught/released by other fisherman that weren't even reported to the ODNR Muskie Angler Log (MAL) website. The 'Skies ARE in there, and they are fatter than ever!

Regards,
CM


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

I agree with what you are saying. If there are some significant water quality improvements going on there, and it is now a quality fishery for muskie then you need two things: numbers and patience. I don't know if you are already a member of SOMA or not, but that would be a good place to start. I know a few of the members of the that club(Southwest Ohio Muskie Association) usually hit Cowan a few times a year. If you get the club on board with your plea then you will have numbers of people making the same plea to the ODNR. Then, you would need to exercise a little patience, and you might get that lake restored to the program. I know that reported catches do also help, so encouraging all musky anglers to report catches would also get some attention with the good folks at the ODNR.


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## Mean Morone (Apr 12, 2004)

Yes it is sad. I wish our state would ask fisherman what their opinion is. I know they do surveys and ask fisherman to report their catches, but after stocking musky in that lake for so many years, it is just sad to see them stop the musky program on that lake. You are correct about the shad in this lake. There aren't many predator fish species out there that can take a big gizzard. I know they wont put hybrid stripers in that lake because of the number of fish that get washed out. I guess it didn't matter that the Little Miami got stocked with so many Cowan musky. From what I have heard, the state is now going to try to make Cowan a trophy saugeye lake. Ok, bring it on!


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I know we usually see several muskies when we go there bowfishing at night. We haven't seen any giants but they are usually mid 30" fish. Seems like it would be a great lake for them.


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## GETTIN' THERE (Apr 17, 2007)

Mean Morone said:


> From what I have heard, the state is now going to try to make Cowan a trophy saugeye lake.


Yea, we all know what that means, and got a taste of it this spring. Trophy
Saugeye will bring everybody and their brother to that little Lake. Can't wait to see all the arguments between the Sail Boat Club and fisherman in their big walleye rigs and bass boats tooling around on their electrics.

Bring back the Muskie program and keep the serenity of the lake as it is. A nice place to get away from the madness of the world.


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## mhumpjr (Mar 4, 2010)

Well said sir...I didn't even know there were muskies in there until a guy posted a huge one on here a few weeks ago


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2010)

I agree. The Muskies were just starting to catch on at Cowan, and then they stop stocking them. Makes no since to me, but that is about par for the ODNR. If there is anything I can do to help get the muskie back into cowan please send me a pm and let me know. 

Also, I always hear of many fish getting washed out of cowan and into the creek. When does this happen?? The overflow of the dam usually does not have much water in it, and when it does it seems like the 15 foot drop into the concrete on the other side of the road would kill most of the big fish. Is the big concrete structure by the dam also an underwater spillway or something??


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## Craphead (Jan 9, 2005)

GETTIN' THERE said:


> Yea, we all know what that means, and got a taste of it this spring. Trophy
> Saugeye will bring everybody and their brother to that little Lake. Can't wait to see all the arguments between the Sail Boat Club and fisherman in their big walleye rigs and bass boats tooling around on their electrics.
> 
> Bring back the Muskie program and keep the serenity of the lake as it is. A nice place to get away from the madness of the world.


some days you can't tell Cowan has a 10 HP limit. A lot of those Bass/Walleye rigs are running a lot larger motors. Some of those operators must not be looking at the laws or posted limits. Just be careful out there fella's!!


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## Mason52 (Aug 21, 2009)

Traphunter said.
The Muskies were just starting to catch on at Cowan, and then they stop stocking them. 




Don't quote me, but I think they started stocking muskies in Cowan in the 50's. When ever it was it had been stocked for a long time. Muskies never really did the best in Cowan, that's why they ended it and started stocking East Fork with them.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Mason52 said:


> Traphunter said.
> The Muskies were just starting to catch on at Cowan, and then they stop stocking them.
> 
> 
> ...


I am unfamliar with Eastfork lake, but is it a restricted HP lake or not? If it is not, but Cowan is..........then I can see where some would want to have the musky program there restored. If the water quality improvements mentioned by the original poster would make it a better fishery for musky, then it would be worth revisiting. Personally, I prefer a 10hp or 10mph lake over the ones with jet skis and such.


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## cincinnati (May 24, 2004)

muskies stocked in Cowan since forever, so they weren't "just catching on." A few people have been catching muskies there forever, but their results were not well-reported & of no interest to the majority who fish for other species. 

I believe that musky fishing in SW OH is really just catching on & the Caesar Creek program started right place, right time. Since OH evaluates its stocking program on catch results, lakes that don't generate good numbers, become low priority. CC, because it is larger & unlimited HP, is accessible to more fishermen who are actually reporting their catches. More fishermen = more catches=more publicity= more interest in musky from new anglers.... 

As far as the "peaceful" aspects of a 9.9 HP limit, some of the biggest, barge-like wakes I've ever seen, came from the fully loaded, under-motored big boats that plow around those limited HP lakes. The last time I fished Cowan, the sailing club's 25 HP pontoon boat was creating some nice rollers, too. When the motor can't lift the hull under full throttle, you can create a real tsunami. 

I'd prefer a speed limit, as used on Clear Fork. Anyone can fish, but the PWC's need to go somewhere else!


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## kmb411 (Feb 24, 2005)

I just started fishing Cowen from a bass boat using electric motor. What ticks me off is the number of trollers who are using their big 150s to troll with. I abide the rules and am enjoying the little lake and the quiet. I wish everyone would abide as well.

I am now carry a camera and will be photoing guys using their big motors, so beware....


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2010)

Mason52 said:


> Traphunter said.
> The Muskies were just starting to catch on at Cowan, and then they stop stocking them.
> 
> 
> ...


Thats correct, that is what traphunter said. 

It wasn't until 2005 or so that I really heard of a lot of muskie being caught out of the lake, I am sure they have been caught out of there since the first year they were stocked though. I know of many personally that have been caught the past several years and were never reported. I am guilty of it myself, didnt want to risk harming the fish. It is not that there was a lack of fish being caught, it was that there was a lack of fish being reported. Not rocket science. The muskie fishery WAS improving at cowan, if you fished there yourself to any degree I think you would agree.


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## the falcon (Mar 13, 2010)

i lived around cowan lake for over 50 years, can remember musky being caught that long ,10 years or so ago i saw a 5 footer caught


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## AlanC (Jun 16, 2010)

When I lived/fished down there, Ceaser Creek was a creek. It held some good smallies you could wade for. Cowan lake I always fished in the backwater below the dam. I'd caught some Largemouths on plastic worms and decided to give the fly rod a try. I can't even remember the pattern I threw, all I can remember is that BMF of a Musky that just floated up and looked at it. All I could think of is he he hits he's gonna bust this fly rod to pieces. I frantically stripped line in to get it away from him. Of course later I was kicking myself.. Back then, all the big fish seemed to be below the dam not in the lake.


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