# Below Griggs/Hoover



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

A buddy and I hit up the Griggs spillway yesterday afternoon for some eye action. There were a decent amount of dying shad floundering around, so that was a good sign. No hits from fish, only from snowballs. 

I just checked out the spillway at Hoover too. Plenty of dead shad on the rocks, and a few guys casting at the glory hole just north of Central College. I asked a guy going down there if he had done any good this year. He was pretty tight lipped...that could mean something:B Anyone else give it a try yet?


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

I've been down there a couple of times this year and a bunch of times last year. I have never gotten a fish below Hoover. EVER. I will still keep trying though. I'm waiting for some more water though.

I did talk to a couple of people who have gotten a few fish out of there this winter.


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## BigBen (Oct 7, 2008)

I have a few TRUE glory holes (for smallies) down big walnut a ways, but that one that everyone and their mother goes too sucks. Yes, I have caught smallies from there but they are TOO smart to bother with. I need to put the waders on and head out soon. I'm feenin' to get out...........


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Yeah that hole is pretty fished out for everything but saugeye, crappie, white bass. Pretty much anything that is in the reservoir can be found there though, big ones too.


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## tchrist5 (Jun 29, 2008)

that hole is good it just takes alot of effort.


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## BIGWALNUT SMALLIE (Feb 3, 2009)

big walnut creek is an awsome creek for wading. i've pulled several smallies out of my honey hole over 15 inches. these creek fish are strong. what a fight on light gear. thinking of getting a kyak to throw in there, spend the day floating down stream. anyone have any experience/tips on doing this? i fish a little ways south of the dam.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

It's a very nice stretch of stream all the way to the confluence. There is a water supply dam north of Morse Rd. Be careful of that.


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## Dandaman (Apr 29, 2006)

Big walnut is the best kept smallie secret! I used to live in Whitehall And I would wade underneath the broad street bridge. Lots of 2 plus pound bronzebacks.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Hit Griggs up yesterday evening: Not a hit (also saw a few struggling shad).

Griggs can be a nightmare to fish during winter as the Saugeye are hanging just off-current and aren't really in the mood to blast a bait. That means you basically have to teeter the jig/crank right in front of there face in order to get them to strike. Only problem is it's damn near impossible to "slow roll" a jig/crank right along the (snag-laden) bottom in/around heavy current. It can be done, but it takes a lot of finesse/concentration (and a lot of $$$).


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## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

fished below hoover tonight from 6:30-8:30, hooked into a nice one but lost it. other than that nothin. very slow. probably still a little too early


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## Bubba bass bigfoot (May 8, 2006)

the walnut is a great creek to fish. I've got some spots along the creek that rival my Darby spots.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

I_Shock_Em said:


> fished below hoover tonight from 6:30-8:30, hooked into a nice one but lost it. other than that nothin. very slow. probably still a little too early


I smell something...could it be bulls...???


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

Not a big Eye guy(even though I have always wanted to hit them more) but could they be getting fat on all the lame shad around???


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## Character Zero (Jan 6, 2005)

A buddy and I have fished it several times(hoover) and never pulled anything out, it just felt nice to throw some jigs. I am new to wading streams, and am asking for someone with experience to let me tag along. I dont eat fish, so you can have all the ones I catch. PM me if you can help....I have some strip ponds that hold some 4lb'ers. . . .


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

Was at Hoover for 2 hours last night. Got out my new waders and wading shoes. No bites in 2 hrs. Water was up a little and it was flowing fairly good. A few other fishers but nothing caught. It was good to get out and good to know the new equipment is ready for my spring trout fishing trip.


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## trofybassinassasin (Aug 4, 2008)

I haven't waded Big Walnut, but now that I hear it is loaded down with smallies I probably will. Do you suggest wading north toward morse road from Main street bridge or south from broad street toward confluence and three creeks park. Also if no one minds me asking what have you had success with fishing these creeks. I know back home I used rooster tails or small spinners and shallow cranks typically for small river/creek situations.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

trofybassinassasin said:


> I haven't waded Big Walnut, but now that I hear it is loaded down with smallies I probably will. Do you suggest wading north toward morse road from Main street bridge or south from broad street toward confluence and three creeks park. Also if no one minds me asking what have you had success with fishing these creeks. I know back home I used rooster tails or small spinners and shallow cranks typically for small river/creek situations.


Trofy,

In every stretch I have fished (Hoover to almost Scioto), there has been exceptional smallmouth fishing. Saugeye/sauger too. Cats too. Everything else too. You get the picture. Pick a bridge and go upstream. Roostertails are good, but I prefer a bait that has action in any water. On a rooster tail, the blade won't spin correctly in rapidly changing water swiftness. I prefer a jig and twister combo, as the tail is always spinning. Crankbaits too, small medium divers. Even texas rigged worms. Rooster tails are OK IMO in slower stretches or pools.


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## NLC25 (Jan 21, 2008)

I tried below Griggs Sunday evening...nothing but some snags for me!


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## sixtyminutes (Jan 3, 2009)

A great creek bait is the Beetle Spin. You can add a spinner arm to any jig and you have a great , almost , snag free lure for those smallies. I spent a lot of days wading Walnut Creek, Rocky Fork and Blacklick. I would never go without a floating rapala (whatever size is three to four inches long ), Jigs and twisters, Rooster Tails, Tubes, small plastic worms, and,Beetle spin type spinners. It is still very cold. Some of the first fish to start hitting in the spring are spawning creek chubs. Big ones. Colored like a rainbow trout but with nasty spikes on their heads. They build nests in the gravel and they defend them against any threat. They hit when nothing else does.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

sixtyminutes said:


> A great creek bait is the Beetle Spin. You can add a spinner arm to any jig and you have a great , almost , snag free lure for those smallies. I spent a lot of days wading Walnut Creek, Rocky Fork and Blacklick. I would never go without a floating rapala (whatever size is three to four inches long ), Jigs and twisters, Rooster Tails, Tubes, small plastic worms, and,Beetle spin type spinners. It is still very cold. Some of the first fish to start hitting in the spring are spawning creek chubs. Big ones. Colored like a rainbow trout but with nasty spikes on their heads. They build nests in the gravel and they defend them against any threat. They hit when nothing else does.


Those mound building chubs you are refering to are hornyhead chubs. An indicator of excellent water quality. Have you caught them in Big Walnut?


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## Knew2Fish (Apr 17, 2006)

I have heard of these chubs referred to as Red Chief's.. makes more sense as a hornyhead. Learned something new today! Great bait to catch below hoover and drop in the honey hole. With I knew a way to make them work better above the dam.


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## sixtyminutes (Jan 3, 2009)

Sorry for the late reply.
Yes. Used to catch those horny head chubs in Walnut but I have not fished the creek in years. Water quality should be better these days. I used to have a small streamer type fly with a tiny spinner above the fly. It was deadly on these chubs. Some of the chubs were 9 to 10 inches long. Like I mentioned, they hit when the water was too cold, seemingly, for the other fish to hit in early spring. They would be a blast on a fly rod. 

Now I'm starting to give myself ideas...

Where did I put my waders ?


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## cntfshalic (Jan 16, 2009)

Ive had good luck in darby w/rebel wee craws,black twister tails on an 1/8 oz jig and #1 or #2 meps w/yellow tail. Just a few of my favorite creek baits.


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## hogjerker (Apr 8, 2008)

I wade the Big Walnut alot. I have caught smallies in almost every stretch from Morse Rd. south to I 70. In Gahanna, there is an FOP. The creek that runs from their pond to the BW is LOADED with crawdads. I do well in that area. Also around the Morse Rd. bridge. My favorite offerings are a #2 Mepps (Agilia) - gold spinner, brown feathers, with a red tail. And a brown, flecked tube with a 1/16 bullet shot.

North of Morse, is a low head dam by the water treatment plant. Above that is a pool. At the head of the pool, it turns west. On the inside of the turn is a rocky point that sticks out into the pool. On the outside of the turn is a shale cliff. The only access to this appears to be by kayak from the north. (Google earth this. It looks incredible). I would like to try this sometime!


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## NLC25 (Jan 21, 2008)

Tried below griggs this evening. Not a single hit. Talked to a few other folks and they had the same to report.


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## bigbass365 (Mar 2, 2009)

NLC25 said:


> Tried below griggs this evening. Not a single hit. Talked to a few other folks and they had the same to report.


can anyone tell me the water conditions below griggs


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## NLC25 (Jan 21, 2008)

It is moving a little and a bit murky but back close to normal level I'd say.


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## trofybassinassasin (Aug 4, 2008)

I have only had two trips to griggs. Once in griggs fishing from docks and second was bellow the damn. Both trips never caught anything. However, I did catch above Griggs in the scioto around scioto park. On one of my trips a guy showed me a spot he said he fished for years; said that the spot would produce some good smallies. So I'm going to give it a try once I get my rooster tales. It has little current going. It looked good in December.


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