# Rocky Fork 7/1 thru 7/4



## rlawson (Jul 12, 2012)

Fished Wed. evening 7/1 had two keeper 16.5 and 17.5 several ring perch and several white bass. There was a lot of floating dead weeds and gunk. While trolling found an area with a lot of perch and decided to target them. We kept about 50 or so between 8" and 9.5 "over the next couple days fishing a couple hrs each day. Some on worms and tried minnows and they worked better but caught a lot of under size saugeye on them. Overall considering the heat was a great July 4th camping/fishing trip. Saugeye and some ring perch on bottom bouncers with gold harness 24" long. After locating perch used spreaders 7 to 9ft deep near ledges.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Sounds Great, way to beat the heat.
Enjoy your perch dinner 
Good luck and good fishing


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## Wally Diver (Aug 27, 2006)

rlawson said:


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> Fished Wed. evening 7/1 had two keeper 16.5 and 17.5 several ring perch and several white bass. There was a lot of floating dead weeds and gunk. While trolling found an area with a lot of perch and decided to target them. We kept about 50 or so between 8" and 9.5 "over the next couple days fishing a couple hrs each day. Some on worms and tried minnows and they worked better but caught a lot of under size saugeye on them. Overall considering the heat was a great July 4th camping/fishing trip. Saugeye and some ring perch on bottom bouncers with gold harness 24" long. After locating perch used spreaders 7 to 9ft deep near ledges.


I've been wanting to catch some perch but I only catch 2 or 3 when I fish there for them. What part of the lake were you fishing? I have had some luck around the island in 8 to 10 feet.


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## rlawson (Jul 12, 2012)

Wally Diver said:


> I've been wanting to catch some perch but I only catch 2 or 3 when I fish there for them. What part of the lake were you fishing? I have had some luck around the island in 8 to 10 feet.


When targeting perch at Rocky fork I'll usually troll or drift for saugeye on flats in 5 to 15 ft. If I catch a perch or get the peck,peck,peck I mark them on my GPS. After several passes its pretty clear where the schools are. We then anchor or hold with the trolling motor and fish with spreaders or a single gold hook with 1/4 to 3/8 egg sinker We typically fish any of the flats from North Beach, South beach towards fishermans wharf. Seems like they are usually congregated within 20 yds of a drop off. Boat control and staying in their depth is critical.


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

I got into some the other day. Noticed a pyramid stack of fish over some cover on the sonar and it was perch. That was off the south beach point.


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## rlawson (Jul 12, 2012)

I have caught some nicer ones but not as many where the sail boats tie off on the three bouys in the cove up by the island. 12 ft deep surrounded by 21 ft. have caught them on top and on the side of the drop off fishing with minnows for crappie spider rigged style.


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## Wally Diver (Aug 27, 2006)

rlawson said:


> When targeting perch at Rocky fork I'll usually troll or drift for saugeye on flats in 5 to 15 ft. If I catch a perch or get the peck,peck,peck I mark them on my GPS. After several passes its pretty clear where the schools are. We then anchor or hold with the trolling motor and fish with spreaders or a single gold hook with 1/4 to 3/8 egg sinker We typically fish any of the flats from North Beach, South beach towards fishermans wharf. Seems like they are usually congregated within 20 yds of a drop off. Boat control and staying in their depth is critical.


Thanks for the info. I may try next week if we get some cooler weather


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## Wally Diver (Aug 27, 2006)

rlawson said:


> I have caught some nicer ones but not as many where the sail boats tie off on the three bouys in the cove up by the island. 12 ft deep surrounded by 21 ft. have caught them on top and on the side of the drop off fishing with minnows for crappie spider rigged style.


I like fishing near the weeds around the island for them.


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## Wally Diver (Aug 27, 2006)

The wife and I msde it down to Rocky Fork Tuesday.
We caught 11 perch of which 8 were keepers also some short saugeyes around 10 inches long and 1 bullhead catfish. It was a very nice day. Water was 83.
All fish caught on minnows 8 to 12 foot deep on the bottom.


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## rlawson (Jul 12, 2012)

Nice, They are there and in decent numbers and size they just move around a lot. Every time I think I figured them out they move. Good luck and thanks for the report, plan on trying again this week. I tried last Saturday but the wind was to strong for my anchor and I kept slipping caught quite a few but not much size.


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## rlawson (Jul 12, 2012)

Rocky Fork, Trolled worm harnesses Saturday Aug. 29th from about 10am till 2pm then the sun came out and very small white bass took over. Very windy was white capping at times. West wind and saugeye were stacked up on break facing the wind. Caught over 25 but none over 15". One catfish about 6 lbs and one about 2 1/2 lbs . No ring perch.


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

rlawson said:


> Rocky Fork, Trolled worm harnesses Saturday Aug. 29th from about 10am till 2pm then the sun came out and very small white bass took over. Very windy was white capping at times. West wind and saugeye were stacked up on break facing the wind. Caught over 25 but none over 15". One catfish about 6 lbs and one about 2 1/2 lbs . No ring perch.


Shhhhh, now just tell everyone they were all white bass. Heading up there here in a couple hrs, and hoping the fall bite is starting to line up. Was out last thursday and caught a few shorts as well, no keepers.


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

kind of slow this evening. Two Saugeye, one 17", a white bass, a perch and a largemouth.


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## rlawson (Jul 12, 2012)

Labor day at Rocky fork a few years ago. Saugeye were about 7ft deep 90+ degrees bright blue skies a skier cut my trolling pass off and put me off the break and into shallow water and bam a double. Not sure why they were shallow at 2pm on a hot sunny day unless the boat traffic had stirred it up enough to cause the frenzy. Was a great day with my son.


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## rlawson (Jul 12, 2012)

Southernsaug what saugeye technics do you usually use at Rocky fork?


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

rlawson said:


> Southernsaug what saugeye technics do you usually use at Rocky fork?


Gosh, Do I divulge my secrets or not....hmmmm. Heck, I don't have any secrets.

My no.1 method is trolling shad raps and flicker shads -Favorite colors natural shad, chrome and pink lemonade

I will drag worm harnesses in july and August

In the spring to July, I like jigs with twister tails, sometimes I tip with worms. White, smoke and chartreuse are top picks.

Big Joshy smoke and white

Jigging spoons are good in april and May as well.

Don't overlook weight forward spinners like erie deeries

And my last favorite.....naww not sharing that one

Mostly we concentrate on water 7-9 feet, but I catch a fair number in 10-14 too. In the spring shallow water 3-7 feet on warm sunny days is prime.


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## rlawson (Jul 12, 2012)

Thank you, I like to compare methods and learn new things. We pull homemade two hook harnesses usually gold #4 or #5 blades. My mother 90yrs old has fished for years with me and this is the only method she can still do. She holds her line counter rod as we troll with big motor usually with 3 oz bottom bouncers back 50 ft. (runs about 9ft deep). Later in the evening will use the electric motor with 3/4 oz weights and fish the last hour of daylight on top of the flats. Fish about like you except seldom us crankbaits because of weeds and getting hung with uneven bottom depths. I do like them at Brookville though. I'm in a white 19 ft sylvan elimantor say hey if you see us out there.


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

rlawson, 

Early in the year I troll cranks unassisted back 75-100, but after the weeds come I use trolling weights so I can shorten up my lines and the line clip catches a lot of the weeds that go down the line. I usually have a 1/2 oz weight 6 ft above lure and run it between 30-40 feet back. That usually puts me bumping bottom in 10 feet and really digging in 8. I will use bottom bouncers but never get above 1/2-3/4 oz. and set the trolling motor on 5-6 . when trolling lures I use the big motor and run 2-2.75 mph. 

I have a 16' black tracker pro guide deep v side console with a red stripe. I'll keep an eye out for you. Thought about going out today, but clear blue sky and hot isn't my ticket. I'll probably go tomorrow though, it's time for the fall bite to start showing.


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