# fishing ram at Meldahl



## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

I talked with a guy this morning that said the fishing pier or ramp is almost done at Meldahl. I just wonder if there are any drawing or photos of what it looks like. How close to the water does something like that gets. will you need a dip net to get fish from the water to the ramp?


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

I'm expecting that it will suck.

By expecting that it will suck, I will not be disappointed. If it works out to be beneficial then I will be pleased with the result, but don't have my fingers crossed. It is located on the rip-rap down river from the dam, and not up in the tailwater, as originally promised. I'm sure that it was the first budget cut to be axed.

As you should know, change is always for the worst.


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## whodeynati (Mar 12, 2012)

Is it to much to ask that they put the docks in at Neville! That's all I want!


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## GoneFishin75 (May 14, 2012)

BMustang said:


> I'm expecting that it will suck.
> 
> By expecting that it will suck, I will not be disappointed. If it works out to be beneficial then I will be pleased with the result, but don't have my fingers crossed. It is located on the rip-rap down river from the dam, and not up in the tailwater, as originally promised. I'm sure that it was the first budget cut to be axed.
> 
> As you should know, change is always for the worst.


Us fishermen just can't get a break can we. I was sooooo looking forward to the pier being in a prime spot but oh well maybe in 50 - 100 years after we're dead and gone other generations will be able to have it their way but i wouldn't hold my breath


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## Kendall0627 (Jan 25, 2012)

When is the damn gonna be finished


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## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

BMustang said:


> I'm expecting that it will suck.
> 
> By expecting that it will suck, I will not be disappointed. If it works out to be beneficial then I will be pleased with the result, but don't have my fingers crossed. It is located on the rip-rap down river from the dam, and not up in the tailwater, as originally promised. I'm sure that it was the first budget cut to be axed.
> 
> As you should know, change is always for the worst.


I was hoping to be able to reach the tailwaters. But I should have knew better. I guess if we don't expect much we won't be disappointed.


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## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

I just hope there least steps from the parking lot to the ramp. I know there is no way I am going to climb around the rip rap to fish. I only intend to go up there to fish for Skipjacks.


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## EStrong (Jul 23, 2014)

I'll just give my friend a call over at the NSA and get the latest satellite image of the area. I'll post pics of the dam, new ramp/fishing platform along with EVERYONE'S secret spots sometime later today.  

Enjoy!


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## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

I just checked with Huntington corps here is the good & bad news. the sand bar is OPEN for fishing. The fishing pier & park will NOT be done until Spring! 

http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Media/NewsReleases/tabid/4124/Article/558139/meldahl-recreation-facilities-temporary-fishing-access-reopens.aspx


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## catcrazed (Jan 15, 2008)

Ive been fishing there a bunch. Prolly not going back though...... So sick and tired of the ass holes at the dam being pricks. I called last year and spent HOURS on the phone with WV trying to get our fishing rights back from the end of the wall down stream to the arrival point. After a few weeks we got that back. I was there about 10 days ago and fishing in our approved fishing area. A barge started coming around the bend down river which still means you have a good 10-15 minutes of fishing before the barge gets near the arrival point sign. The dicks at the dam were yelling at me on the bull horn telling me to move and the barge was still waaaaaaaaaaaay down river. I mean way down river. So like a good little boy I moved down to the creek mouth on the ohio side. my fishing partner and I fished nearly 20 minutes before this barge even made it to us at the mouth of bear creek. took another 15-20 for him to get in because of the wind. we went back fished another 15 minutes or so and once again there yelling at us on the bullhorn. We look back and we can only see the front of the barge. The rear of the barge was still unvisible around the bend. Anyone that knows the meldahl area knows how far away the barge is when there coming around the bend!!! the barge is just a speck in visible site at that point. 

WV got all offended when I told them that the ppl at the dam had something against us fisherman..... well I said it once and ill say it again, THEY ARE ASS HOLES even when you are following the rules!

As far as the ky side goes, you WILL NOT be fishing those tail waters. The rip rap bank is prolly a football field long from dam downstream and is STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN! you wont walk on it but more like jump 25-30 feet straight down. They may as well have poured a concrete wall straight up and down to fish off of. The place is ruined. Id love to stick that bull horn up there asses. I was always that guy that said these guys just have a job to do and that everyone needed to just quit bitching but its way beyond not fair the way they are treating us. Hell we were the ONLY boat there that day..... They acted like that twice that week to us. But the weekend prior to that they let 15-20 boats fish ON THE LOCK WALL!!!! left hand doesn't know what the right is doing down there. typical.


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## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

I drove out there to check it out after being told the parking lot would re-open on 12/10 and was sent home by the guard saying that it was delayed a few days. It looks like they opened it 12/15. I'll post some pictures of the pier from the OH side for those of you wondering about scaling the rocks. It's not going to be easy but I'll find a way


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## marv (Nov 18, 2004)

This thread is about the new fishing pier on the KY. side. not about the mean ole lockmaster.


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## burt (Aug 22, 2010)

Catcrazed is on spot I don't care for the core for the same reasons the mean ole lockmaster can suck eggs.


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## burt (Aug 22, 2010)

I can say I don't think the access to the fishing won't be anything great. That is the last thing Hamilton or the core is worried about but I won't say fishing will be terrible, fish are still there just have to figure out new ways to catch them.


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## marv (Nov 18, 2004)

We shal find out how the fishing on the pier will be come spring.


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## Slyfly76 (Mar 9, 2013)

I'll take some pics in the morning an have them on here tomorrow after fishing.


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## catcrazed (Jan 15, 2008)

Marv, some of us fish from a boat and just like the fishing that your worried about on the ky side from the pier, My fishing access has been ruined by the government. Just like yours....... I can see where the freaking peir is going..... It WILL SUCK compared to the old dam. you will not be able to hit close to the walls if you shoot your lure from a cannon.......... So, you and I have something in common. The good fishing has been taken away.


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## cali2ohio (Nov 27, 2010)

Will you be able to fish the pier in Kentucky with only an Ohio license or will you need both????


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## catcrazed (Jan 15, 2008)

cali2ohio said:


> Will you be able to fish the pier in Kentucky with only an Ohio license or will you need both????


More will chime in here im sure, but about 3 years ago a game warden came down and checked everyone including myself on the ky side. I went by everyones word on here which said ohio and ky have reciprocal license rules. All I had that day was ohio license. game warden checked my license, handed it back and told me to have a good day. Unless something has changed you should be fine!!! Now you cannot fish a ky creek without a ky license though! hope others will come on and correct me if im wrong, but this is my understanding......


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## Thompy04 (Jan 26, 2013)

This is correct Ky and Oh have reciprocal license policies, they will honor either on either bank. Idle in, or bank fish a tributary and you need a Ky license in the counties of Lawrence, Scioto, and Adams and their counterparts across the river. 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


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## EStrong (Jul 23, 2014)

Straight from the Ohio DNR page:

The following Ohio River fishing regulations are the result of negotiations between the fish and wildlife agencies of Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. Some regulations differ between the Kentucky/Ohio border (Western Unit) and the West Virginia/Ohio border (Eastern Unit). Anglers must abide by regulations in each state's fishing digest for regulations not specified below.


*Western Unit (Kentucky/Ohio border)*: Lawrence County west of South Point, and Scioto, Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Hamilton counties. Ohio and Kentucky will honor the other states fishing licenses along their common borders on the mainstream and from the banks of the Ohio River, excluding embayments and tributaries.
*Eastern Unit (West Virginia/Ohio border)*: Lawrence County east of South Point, and Gallia, Meigs, Athens, Washington, Monroe, Belmont, Jefferson, and Columbiana counties. Ohio and West Virginia will honor the other states fishing licenses along their common borders on the mainstream of the Ohio River, including its banks and embayments and tributaries to the landmark location listed in Publication 404, Waterfowl Hunting and Fishing on the Ohio River. Boundaries for areas not listed in this publication extend to the first riffle. This agreement applies to West Virginia and Ohio residents only.


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## marv (Nov 18, 2004)

I have fished the KY. side for 40 years. am I happy about the hydro, no but there is nothing I can do about it. hopefully we will figure out how to fish the new access and burn them up like the good old days.


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## Slyfly76 (Mar 9, 2013)

Here is the pic of the project as of Sunday but I can't really tell where the piers going to be.


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## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

Thanks for the photo. Not sure there will be access to the river by the old dead wall. over head construction photo looks like the only way is right over top of the generators.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I wonder why they cant just do like they did at Markland and put in a nice parking lot, cameras to deter theft, and some maintained trails to the top of the rip rap and leave it at that. the fishermen will get to the best spots soon enough. again at Markland you can get right below the dam, touching it and casting out right at the hydro area there. With frequent flow changes, like at Greenup the wall there is either waaay too high to fish from or underwater, it seems from every time Im there. 

Salmonid


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## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

This was taken around Nov 1st.. I am trying to contact the company to see where the pier will be built.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Cool pic Norb, thanks for sharing...

Salmonid


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## cadyshac (Dec 9, 2005)

That picture makes me think the good old days are gone forever.


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## lark101_1999 (Apr 12, 2004)

looked like the pier was just below the hydro outlet . 2 days in a row they have fished the wall. not sure whats going on there


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## catcrazed (Jan 15, 2008)

lark101_1999 said:


> looked like the pier was just below the hydro outlet . 2 days in a row they have fished the wall. not sure whats going on there


Do u know if anyone was catching anything?


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## lark101_1999 (Apr 12, 2004)

watched for 20 minn a lot of small fish being caught. boat by the ladder on the end was doing the best. first barg came around noon so they had a long morning of fishing


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Hi burt!


___________________


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## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

Had a friend of a friend who fished Meldahl over the weekend and they caught a limit. Not sure if they were on the wall or not.


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

So I'm thinking about takin my boat up to meldahl dam soon and Never taken my own boat up there... I've read there is a few sand bars are these things like something I need to watch out for as far as damaging my boat or are they just shallower structure.....? Regardless can some one give me an idea where they might be and do the sauger hang out around them?


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## whodeynati (Mar 12, 2012)

zack2345 said:


> So I'm thinking about takin my boat up to meldahl dam soon and Never taken my own boat up there... I've read there is a few sand bars are these things like something I need to watch out for as far as damaging my boat or are they just shallower structure.....? Regardless can some one give me an idea where they might be and do the sauger hang out around them?


I bottomed my boat out on the up stream side of the Neville ramp. Had the wife pick me up on the bank and we bottomed out about 15 yards off the bank. Just fyi. That was 3 years ago and it may have changed?


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

whodeynati said:


> I bottomed my boat out on the up stream side of the Neville ramp. Had the wife pick me up on the bank and we bottomed out about 15 yards off the bank. Just fyi. That was 3 years ago and it may have changed?


Was it sand ? Or rocks? How many of these things are there lol


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## whodeynati (Mar 12, 2012)

I honestly don't remember. It was our 1st trip on the Ohio and the wife and I just sort of panicked. We rocked the boat while gunning it to get out...?


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## lark101_1999 (Apr 12, 2004)

if you put in at Neville ramp you have to go straight out if not a little down river there is a hump you will hit if you try to turn up river to soon . that's at norm pool no biggie I think half the people that put in there hit it


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

Is there anything over on the ky side I need to be aware of? I'll probably be moving a lot till I find some fish


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## catcrazed (Jan 15, 2008)

zack2345 said:


> Is there anything over on the ky side I need to be aware of? I'll probably be moving a lot till I find some fish


All you need to do is back the boat in the water and keep motor trimmed up. pull directly away from the ramp with motor trimmed. Once you get into the middle of the river your good to go in 20-30 ft of water all the way up to the dam. your not going to bottom your boat out anywhere besides right by the ramp unless you don't use your head and motor feet from the bank. the ohio side stays shallow all the way to the dam just stay in the middle man and your good. Up by the dam you will never bottom out anywhere unless you beach yourself on the bank on the huge sandbar which is visible on the ky side. more than likely if you go to the dam on a weekend day just look for the other boats on the ohio side. more than likely that will be locals that know where the fish normally are. 

As stated before you have nothing to worry about once you get out to the middle of the river. Its deep all the way to the dam.

As far as you "moving a lot", I doubt that. the ohio side will be the only thing fishable more than likely. That place has a silly amount of current on the ky side of the river. Really hard to fish it unless the river is waaaaaaay down and there hardly pulling the water at all. good luck


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## whodeynati (Mar 12, 2012)

Just wondering is anyone gonna brave the cold and fish tomorrow 12/31? I should be around in a blue tracker deep v. Let me know!


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

I'll be goin Thursday probably


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## strongto (Apr 1, 2013)

I was thinking about getting down there to fish from the wall, I've never fished the dam so I was wanting to get out there and try it but I figured I'd probably be better off not testing it out with my little Jon boat.


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## lark101_1999 (Apr 12, 2004)

iv heard a couple stories about the game warden writing tickets for being tied off to the wall. so far iv heard this twice in the last few weeks. so take it for what its worth not trying to scare anyone off just wondering if anyone else has heard or seen this


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

Game warden can't give you a ticket I think the coast guard or like water craft police have to be there... I fished there the other day and the lock master told every one to get off the wall then later a few boats kinda went back past the end of the wall including me... Not tied off but still a little past it... And when we got back the the ramp the man was waiting for us ha ha I figured it would happen... He was cool tho he said the lock master called him about some boats being past the wall. He said look that guy is a dick but you have to follow the rules I can't wright you a ticket but don't do it again... Checked our fish and license, we talked for about ten min and left... Just don't be stupid up there it's dangerous


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## lonewolf (Mar 4, 2010)

I've be told that the division of watercraft has been making appearances at the dam lately and writing tickets. I have quit going down since last year. I found it better to just go straight across from the ramp


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

lonewolf said:


> I've be told that the division of watercraft has been making appearances at the dam lately and writing tickets. I have quit going down since last year. I found it better to just go straight across from the ramp


Yea that's a good spot but if some one is fishin from the bank there it kinda sucks


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## lonewolf (Mar 4, 2010)

Ya its small . If I'm going I idle over there before the sun comes up. Half to be there early for sure.


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

They've gone completely overboard in protecting us against ourselves at Meldahl.

I understand that a few non-conformists have created the situation, but to penalize everyone, and closing off fishing waters, is over the top.

Same for not allowing sea-worthy craft past the end of the lock wall. Put size/hp restrictions in and prohibit anchoring, tying off, or fishing within 100 yards of the lock discharge area. The guys who caused this can of worms eons ago were fishing from jon boats, tied up inside a dam gate.

I fish the Kentucky Lake and Pickwick Lake (TN) tailwaters all of the time, and similar regulations in those fisheries would cause a massive upheaval. They have "Danger" signs prominent, and ask you to excercise good judgement. Most do.


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## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

Penalize all of us for the actions of a few.


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## zack2345 (Dec 22, 2010)

So did any one fish the meldahl this weekend ?


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