# Happy President's day on the Hoga!



## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

Fished the Hoga from 10am til noon. Didn't have the time to run up north to the Chagrin so I stuck to my hole in the Hoga that usually produces a steelhead or two. Never hooked more than 2 in this spot though. Tried drifting a small yellow jig with a yellow crappie nibble and got nothing. Switched to a bare hook and a plastic orange egg and got nothing. Tried a gulp minnow drifted on a jig and got nothing. Switched to a small blade bait that I had caught steel on before and got one nibble. Then, I cast in the spot again and felt a snag. Then, the snag started moving and it was game on! The fish gave me quite a battle. Flopping on the surface, running into deep water, trying to run under some sharp rocks, then bolting for the fast water and doing a nice jump! Finally slid it into shore, and it did one more flop and somehow wrapped the line around a rock a broke off! Gotta bring the net next time! Though things are too slippery to grab! It was a nice one, about 24". 

Everyone should go buy a Johnson's blade bait, 2" long, silver with blue and orange. I've caught 3 steel and numerous smallies on it in a small about of time trying it. I need to get to the store and buy another before I go again!


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

That's a good story and they always seem to find the sharpest rocks. Sometimes you can grab them by the tail and get them in but that may also get them to make one last ditch run for freedom.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

bdawg said:


> Fished the Hoga from 10am til noon. Didn't have the time to run up north to the Chagrin so I stuck to my hole in the Hoga that usually produces a steelhead or two. Never hooked more than 2 in this spot though. Tried drifting a small yellow jig with a yellow crappie nibble and got nothing. Switched to a bare hook and a plastic orange egg and got nothing. Tried a gulp minnow drifted on a jig and got nothing. Switched to a small blade bait that I had caught steel on before and got one nibble. Then, I cast in the spot again and felt a snag. Then, the snag started moving and it was game on! The fish gave me quite a battle. Flopping on the surface, running into deep water, trying to run under some sharp rocks, then bolting for the fast water and doing a nice jump! Finally slid it into shore, and it did one more flop and somehow wrapped the line around a rock a broke off! Gotta bring the net next time! Though things are too slippery to grab! It was a nice one, about 24".
> 
> Everyone should go buy a Johnson's blade bait, 2" long, silver with blue and orange. I've caught 3 steel and numerous smallies on it in a small about of time trying it. I need to get to the store and buy another before I go again!


Great play by play but why did you wait 4 months to tell us about it? Columbus Day was back in October.. LOL


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Ha ha ya it's true, Presidents' Day was Monday good catch


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

Snakecharmer said:


> Great play by play but why did you wait 4 months to tell us about it? Columbus Day was back in October.. LOL


Why the hell did I type in Columbus Day!? I meant President's Day!!!

Though, I might have caught one in the same hole on Columbus Day too last year! That's about the time that they come into the river.

Never have found a good way to grab those fish. They are so darn slippery! I feel like a bear without claws trying to grab a salmon!


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

LOL> Sometimes you need to pounce on them like a bear!

Good deal though, was gonna hit ti Sunday, but I thought the river was still too high though.


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## slashbait (Jun 26, 2008)

Checked out that blade. Is it the 1 3/4. Or 2 1/4? And do you no name of that silver blue orange combo color? Thanx


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

How'd you get the title changed? I never has been able to fix mine when I screw up...


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

When you edit your thread it gives you an option to edit title or post


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I have several colors of that bait. Planned to use for jigging thru the ice. How in the world did you use it for some many fish? I'd snag and loose that in one cast into a river!


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

creekcrawler said:


> LOL> Sometimes you need to pounce on them like a bear!
> 
> Good deal though, was gonna hit ti Sunday, but I thought the river was still too high though.


It was too high on Monday for my liking. Couldn't fish the opposite side of my hole because of the fast water in the middle. Water was clear enough though.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

slashbait said:


> Checked out that blade. Is it the 1 3/4. Or 2 1/4? And do you no name of that silver blue orange combo color? Thanx


It was the Johnson Thinfisher blue silver color, 1-3/4" I believe. I'd buy both sizes though. Larger size would work better in faster or deeper water. The blue silver color has orange on the bottom of the nose. I haven't tried the other colors yet.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

c. j. stone said:


> I have several colors of that bait. Planned to use for jigging thru the ice. How in the world did you use it for some many fish? I'd snag and loose that in one cast into a river!


I don't use it around wood structure. With rocky structure you can usually get it loose. The blade will sink if you give it some slack. I try to jig it across the pool just above the rocks. Also, I know this pool very well and know where the snags are.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

c. j. stone said:


> I'd snag and loose that in one cast into a river!


True that. I could snag one of those in the Cuyahoga in 10 seconds or less, lol.

I stick with curly tails/tubes and jigs mostly, otherwise I'd be even broker . . . . 
When I'm feeling rich, I throw a spoon occasionally.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

This blade bait has really treble small hooks which reduce the snagging. Making shorter casts also helps. I hooked this one almost vertically jigging the base of a waterfall. It hit on the fall.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

bdawg said:


> one almost vertically jigging the base of a waterfall


Hmmmm. There's only one waterfall-like structure I know of on that river. . . . .


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## GrandRiverBassman (Mar 26, 2016)

Care to share?


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I was thinking the old dam at rt 82. Was informed that I was wrong though.


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## Robert Unversaw (Feb 21, 2017)

Needed some fire line!


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

GrandRiverBassman said:


> Care to share?


Not on a public forum...

You guys have enough info here as far as lure type, location in the pool and presentation technique.


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## hailtothethief (Jan 18, 2017)

Ive lost a ton of blade baits. Definately my most productive lure when water heats up. Gets to the bottom quick, shines bright and has vibration. I also like flatfish - they dont sink fast so no snags and great vibration.


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