# New Cumberland Dam ?



## Metzie (Feb 11, 2009)

Anything happening at NC Dam?


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## djeisenbraun (Sep 17, 2009)

I'd like to hear some news about that area too. I'm planning on going in a few weeks.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Probably not. I haven't seen Snake post about it yet.


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## djeisenbraun (Sep 17, 2009)

Is there a certain time of year when this area would be best?


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

The NC lock and dam is a great spot. As for the "Best" times, I'd say April-May and October-November. Both can be ridiculously good on certain days when the wind and clouds coalesce just right. Overcast days are generally better, and you should watch the flow data at waterdata dot usgs dot gov -(I'd post link, but my post count isn't high enough) Anything at 15ft or more is unfishable in my mind mind, unless you go a ways downstream--However, never been productive for me. If you are paying close attention, aim for a period of relatively stable water levels or a peak. When the flow is in flux, the fish are re-adjusting and seem to turn off. 

This info is true for the walleye/sauger bite as well as white bass/hybrids. The summer time is the best catfish action. What are you after?

I was just there Sunday, and action was near non-existent during the morning. My buddy landed one small hybrid. I fought a few gar--none landed. I also hooked a very large channel cat on a dead 4" shad, but the small(er) hook I was using (targeting smallmouth and hybrids) came loose. 
Another local was there who got a small hybrid and a decent smallmouth bass on green gulp. 

We decided around noon to go back to the truck, when we spotted drum feeding on the "flats" and shoals along the railroad tracks. We exchanged our spinning and casting outfits for fly rods, and my friend landed a 7lb drum on a 6wt. Not bad! I will try to post a photo.

In my opinion, unless you're out for cats, give it a few weeks, then bring a heaping of cheap 3/8oz jigs and 3-4" grubs as well as some husky-jerk-types that you don't mind losing in the rocks. 

-Tim


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## snake69 (Sep 26, 2005)

Hello all. I usually don't start hitting the river until mid Oct and then just periodically to see when they are hitting. Of course, lately I don't post much at all due to the financial crunch, I was forced to get rid of the house phone, internet and some others. (that's for Lewzer)I now hit the library for little checkups & checkins like this. I was gonna attempt erie this Friday, but am considering taking the boat to the river. Off the pier/wall might not be so hot right now, but going up and down the river might be ok. If I make it, I'll post!


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## djeisenbraun (Sep 17, 2009)

I'm going to be going for catfish. I'll probably go in about 3 weeks.


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## snake69 (Sep 26, 2005)

Looks like we're heading for Milton instead. Oh well, won't be long and I'll be making it down that way.


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## snake69 (Sep 26, 2005)

Milton didn't produce either......should've went to the river!!!!!!!!


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

Made it down to NC Dam today for a few hours. A number of white bass/small hybrids and a handful of zander species (1 sauger, 3 walleye) landed on soft plastics on jigheads. Wind was unbearable at times, but the bite shut down when the wind did.


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## Recondo37 (Jan 11, 2008)

tis about that time....boo yah...


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

Went back again yesterday, Saturday, and got handful of white bass/hybrids (15" range), along with 2 'eyes and a sauger.


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## benpecc1 (Sep 2, 2008)

Intracostal, are you catching these from shore? On the Ohio side or the WV side?


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

We catch them from the WV side just below the dam. Sometimes we fish from the rocks, other times on the concrete wall adjacent to the dam. 

I went down yesterday with 3 guys. My buddy and I fished near the wall and totalled 12 whites, 7 'eyes, 4 sauger, and a quillback on a jig!. The other two guys fished the brickyard downstream and got 1 smallmouth, 1 (20") flathead cat, 1 sauger, 1 walleye, 1 white bass, and I forget what else. 

Looks like it will be really good in a few weeks, though it's not bad now if you put in the time. We definitely had periods of fish and periods without a bite.


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## isaiashortie (Oct 24, 2009)

the last time i went i fished from the wall and caught 4 saugers with a spoon ranging from 10-15in... with creek chubs i caught 1 largemouth 2 channels and 2 hybrids but my friend caught about the same amount of fish if not more but im going saturday to get a trophy sauger!!! is there really walleye at the dam i've never caught one there before???


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

Why would I mention walleye in my reports if there weren't walleye at the dam? I'm not confusing them with sauger because you will see sauger in my reports as well.There are a lot of walleye at the NC lock and dam. Every year a number of 7-9lbers are taken from there.


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

Spent a couple hours at the Dam this afternoon. A buddy and I got 1 sauger and 3 walleye to 23". A healthy, thick fish too. Water was brown and high with the second gate open, making fishing somewhat difficult. Water was about 15ft or higher, and it dropped 1ft while we were there.

We gave it 2.5hrs, then hit little beaver creek on the way back. 1 SMB and a nice 15" sauger on jigs/plastic.

If the water level drops and that second gate closes, fishing should shape up. Good luck out there.


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## legendaryyaj (Nov 1, 2005)

Just got back. Water conditions are pretty much the same as described above. I managed pictured fish on my first cast. I got a 3 others which were all walleyes as well. I find it weird no Sauger at all. Every fish I got was a walleye. I know the difference in the fight and the marks. Walleyes fight a ton harder than that of the other two species.










Fish went 28" and 7#6oz. I took home only this one, all others released as they were on the younger side.

Fished from 1-4am.


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## isaiashortie (Oct 24, 2009)

wow good job what did you catch it on... but im headed ther in about two weeks so what a good bait right about now for the trophy walleye or sauger...???


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

nice fish from off the wall! sonar?


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## legendaryyaj (Nov 1, 2005)

Fish came from below on the rocks. If I had gotten her off the wall im pretty sure I would have lost her as I had no net.

I am a bass fisherman so bass gear was used including the lure. Can anyone guess?

This fish was also my PB to date but I dont do much walleye fishing.


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## isaiashortie (Oct 24, 2009)

wow thats crazy what was you using???


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## snake69 (Sep 26, 2005)

Normally from the rocks/bricks we use jig and twister with or without a minnow. From up above we use the same and also vertical jig and cast spoons!


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

> I am a bass fisherman so bass gear was used including the lure. Can anyone guess?


Let's see, 
Lucky Craft RC, wacky jig or a super Roostertail


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## legendaryyaj (Nov 1, 2005)

Haha. Nope.

Lipless crankbait in chrome sexy shad. I dont know if the color means much at all though but it was on a lipless. I dont see too many people throw cranks for walleyes. I snag to often with jigs and hate retying. I snag cranks once in a while but its not that big of a deal usually.

When I fish Pike, I throw cranks exclusively unless they want only the jig. I seem to catch bigger fish as well as Ive personally experienced it. Luck maybe?

GL fellas!


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## moondog5814 (Apr 8, 2007)

Do you guys usually fish before the dam or after it? used to fish there about 30 years ago and there was a small breakwall over by New Cumberland down river. We would catch some monster catfish at night. Where do you guys park at on the WV side? By the old brick yard?


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

I usually park about 3/4 mile upstream of dam on the WV side in an old brick parking lot, then walk down the RR tracks the rest of the way. Fish below the dam mostly, but if I make the run down there and the water is out of control, I will head farther downstream or even upstream along the tracks as the flats/timber can hold decent smallmouth bass.


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## isaiashortie (Oct 24, 2009)

o by the way this is for you jig fisherman what color twisters is working so far for the fall walleye and sauger???


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

White is a staple at the river. However, I like to have a couple variations, such as salt & pepper, white/chart, or white with silver sparkle. Sometimes I'll switch to a chartreuse with silver sparkle, but I usually don't have to. Pink or pink/white can also be good, especially for walleye. 

For plugs (crank and stickbaits), the same colors as above will work, but I have a lot of luck with blue shad (blue over white).


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

Fished yesterday alone 2-6pm at NC. Got 5 white bass, 3 walleye, and 5 sauger over the rail. Many other sauger and walleye came off, and I had a hell of a bite that stole my jig (admittedly the line was very worn from fishing in rocks and other snags).


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## isaiashortie (Oct 24, 2009)

Went to the dam today and fish from 8 to 12 and only caught one that was a smallmouth on the way out but the person I went with caught 3 two sauger and a sheephead fishing could have been way better


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

Went to the NC Dam yesterday with two buddies. Fished 1:30-6:30. Total catch between all 3 anglers was 27 sauger, 5 walleyes, 3 whites/hybrids, and 1 SMB. All fish were released as there was not much size to them. The sauger averaged 10" or 11", and only two walleye were over 18" by a hair.


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## isaiashortie (Oct 24, 2009)

I was there too I just couldn't get them to bite we used jigs tiped with a worm that's the only thing we were using did you fish with minnows???


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

Isaiashortie, 

We were using soft plastics in various colors and sizes. Keeping the jig moving along the bottom was key given the high and bright sunshine and no wind. My guess is you would have caught many more if you were creeping the jig along the bottom, even donating a few hooks to the river every once in a while. 

Stop messing with bait and buy yourself a pack or two of 3-4" plastic grubs/minnows in white, chartreuse, pink, smoke, or some combination thereof.


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## Recondo37 (Jan 11, 2008)

we need some rain to get the river up..and the cold will play apart..but with maybe 3/4 gates open...bite will be on early morning and late afternoon/evening there and Pike Damn..I'm waiting.....patiently...lol


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

Fished NC dam wall today with 2 friends from 1:30pm-6:30pm. Slow day for everyone I talked to, and the same goes for us. We totaled 18 sauger, 5 walleyes and 2 white bass between the 3 of us. The fish were there, but you really had to work for them. I fish the river almost every week, and we all agreed we had never lost so many jigs as we did today. Low water, low current, and no wind make for a lot of snags.


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