# Good spots around Athens?



## Iwishiwasfishin (Apr 13, 2009)

i've been to fox lake, dow lake, snowden lake and some ponds tucked back in wayne national forest. Me and my friends are wantin to get into some crappie, gills and maybe some bass. We brought our bass boat down for spring.Any comments or suggestions? we're students at the university and don't mind driving somewhere if its worth it.... we'll appreciate any sorts of help.


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## BuckeyeBassMan (Jun 8, 2004)

I went to school in Athens as well and I fished the same lakes from the bank. I saw several people fishing for crappie at Snowden, so I think that would be your best bet. Don't forget White's Mill for a little variety and a short day. I'm not sure if they still offer it, but I took a fishing course in the Spring of 2007 with Rich Capitelli, he's an awesome guy and very knowledgeable bass fisherman, easily the best class I took at OU. Good luck and go Bobcats!


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## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

We did pretty good on gills at Lake Hope when I was a student at Hocking College. It has some crappie and bass, too. Electric only though.

The biggest gill I have ever seen came out of a pond in Zaleski SF, but I can't remember how to get there without digging out the map. I'll look it up later.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

If u dont mind drivin about a half hour head down to Belville locks and dam after the water drops a lil the Suger, Crappie and White Bass will be on fire. Or head north on 33 to lake Logan , they have everything you mentioned


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## Iwishiwasfishin (Apr 13, 2009)

Thanks for the help...I've never fished whites mill but what kinda rigs should we use if we head there?...i think we're going to try out snowden lake tomorrow on the boat since we just got it...


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

I'd hit the Hocking for the crappies. Put in at Coolville boat ramp, then head downstream. 4 mile creek is on the right, then more backwaters on down in Hockingport, on the left. Don't mess with the backwaters above 4 mile, closer to Coolville, they are too shallow.


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## Iwishiwasfishin (Apr 13, 2009)

I think crappies are our target tomorrow.. maybe we'll try that out... Do you do pretty well in the hocking for crappie? Our boat is a 17 foot bass boat that'll be ok on the hocking will it?


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

Yea, as long as it isn't up too much. I haven't been around the river for a while, but the small streams that flow to it were up, so you probably should check its level first. But, yea a 17' as long as you've got a 25+hp motor, is more that enough for the Hocking. It's too early for the pleasure boaters, so it should be about like a really long, narrow lake with current and brush. Even if you've got a smaller motor it will still work, just take a long time to get anywhere.


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## HeadwatersEd (Mar 14, 2006)

Whites Mill is a great spot if you hit it right. Used to wade just downstream from there and caught just about everything in that river. During the spring I'd use a roostertail or jig and minnow and limit out on sauger in an hour or two. Got on largemouth the same way and within a week caught over 50. Not much size but it was a good time. Had a boat, but rarely used it, had too much fun wading down there.

The mouth of the hocking near the ohio is a great bass spot. Caught quite a few nice largemouth, lots of flatheads, and even a musky in the few timesi fished it.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

The Hockings done for a week or two , Water is way up and Muddy , But as soon as it drops , look out it should be on Fire


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## JLeephoto (Apr 12, 2008)

Checked out the Hocking at Coolville this weekend before heading to Dow Lake. I'll second what Riverwader said. It was high and muddy. No boats at the ramp. There were trout being caught at Dow but I couldn't get a LM to bite to save my life!


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## striperswiper (Oct 14, 2008)

i was wondering how a 16'DeepV With a 50HP wld do in the hocking ?? thought about goin out for some crappie in about another month or so


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Just depnds on what part of the hocking you were on, Down towards the ohio it would do ok, you can get up as far ar stewart before it starts to get a lil shallow and alot of stumps and trees , but theres a ton of spots up in those parts


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## striperfreak (Apr 30, 2004)

My favorites were dow for bass, and whites mill and the lower hocking for everything else! Riverwader is right, when the hocking comes down it will be on fire, small cranks and a white jig were my staples......


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## alock0889 (Feb 6, 2009)

i am a student at ou too. ive never fished a river. im from cleveland and usually hit up lake erie for some bass. i was tryin to hit up dow lake or the hocking at whites mill or somethin. i was wondering if any1 has any tips for fishing the hocking for the first time. i dont have a boat or waders, so ill take any help i can get. thanks...


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

alock , You can still fish the Hocking without waders or a boat , just wakl the banks , use jigheads with twister tails , White, Yellow , Green best colors, Small crankbaits or small roostertails in the next few weeks will work best for Eyes and Bass, Live Minnows unde a Slip bobber work great too.


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## alock0889 (Feb 6, 2009)

thanks riverwader...any tips for fishing strouds run either?


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Ive only fished Strouds Run for Crappie and Trout , For trout I use The Berkley Power Bait In Green Fish the shore down past the beach, and for Crappie use Minnows or Small jigheads with small twister tails, around Brush


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## JLeephoto (Apr 12, 2008)

I got some good advice on bank fishing the Hocking on this and the Fish OH Canoe forum last year and it worked. So recommend a search. Have mainly fished from Nelsonville to Athens using 3in tubes & small spinner baits and caught a bunch of smallies, spots & some LM along that stretch though most were small, I've hooked and lost at least one citation size smallie so I know they're in there. The bike trail provides a lot of access points for bank fishing.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

RiverWader said:


> Ive only fished Strouds Run for Crappie and Trout , For trout I use The Berkley Power Bait In Green Fish the shore down past the beach, and for Crappie use Minnows or Small jigheads with small twister tails, around Brush


I've been slamming crappies on my flyrod there, too.


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

i had no idea they stocked strouds with trout...nice...when do they do this? every fall/spring?


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

1MoreKast said:


> i had no idea they stocked strouds with trout...nice...when do they do this? every fall/spring?


Every spring, typically. This year they put them in on April 10th, I believe. The schedule says 11th, but they were in there on the 10th. Someone said they stocked around 3000 rainbows. I caught a few on the flyrod on the 10th, then the water got nasty muddy that night with a heavy rain and I haven't had any takers on the flyrod since. I've heard of folks catching them around the dam/spillway, I have just been "opportunistic" fishing with my flyrod and finding almost solely crappies.


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Yeah a lil hint , whatever date is on the scheule its ALWAYS the day before that they release them , they do that to keep everyone from being there on the release date


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

very cool....i was gonna go down to snowden tomorrow after my 10-12 class but now i'm thinking strouds for some rainbows...thanks for the info guys. appreciate it!


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

If the waters Muddy you will be wasting your time


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

very true...i got a lot of time tomorrow to do some scouting. i'll let ya'll know how it looks.


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## striperswiper (Oct 14, 2008)

im going to be stopping by snowden after testing at the OU Inn today and tomorow anyone have any tips on where to fish or what to fish for will have WaxWorms as bait and small TwisterTails


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

striperswiper said:


> im going to be stopping by snowden after testing at the OU Inn today and tomorow anyone have any tips on where to fish or what to fish for will have WaxWorms as bait and small TwisterTails


I have found fish all over the banks all around Snowden lately. If you're aft6er bluegills, I'd say waxworms would catch fish. I have caught bass, crappies, and gills, all from thebank, in the last week. Good luck!


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

I just back from Snowden a little while ago. Fished from 2:30 til 5:45. Caught 7 bass all on flukes. I tried to get some crappie and gills but no luck. I'll post one of bigger bass I caught. Not much size...pretty much all of them are dinks but I'll show the average size of the bass coming out of there as of recently.


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## Critter Getter (Jan 30, 2007)

Forked Run has good crappie and cat fishing


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

Quick question for those of you who are fishin snowden with waxworms...where besides Downs by lake logan sell em???


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## RiverWader (Apr 1, 2006)

Brickyard Drive thru in Trimble has them


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