# Winter Tusc river pike?



## ztmdodge (May 10, 2013)

Hi all, I just moved back to Ohio from Texas. I’m still looking to do some fishing this fall and winter. Has anybody had luck in the Tusc for pike during colder weather?


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## Tekneek (Jul 23, 2009)

They'll hit all winter long. Slow presentations and live/dead bait are the ticket as the water temp keeps dropping. They're VERY active right now though. Get out there!


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## PIKEMAN (Apr 14, 2004)

Listen to Tekneek… he speaks the truth! From now right up until the river freezes you can catch northern pike in the Tuscarawas River, Cuyahoga River, and many of their tributaries.

Buy yourself some Rapala husky jerks "HJ14". When the water is stained, use a firetiger pattern. When the water is clear, go with blue and silver. Fish this lure with slow twitches behind any laydown in the river that blocks the current. Below lowhead dams or even regular dams like the big one in Dover are also excellent places to fish; stay of out the fast water and look for the slow moving pools and you will find pike. Another "sure thing" is fish where any tributary enters the main river.

Good luck!

Dave


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## kozak (Jan 31, 2005)

PIKEMAN said:


> Listen to Tekneek… he speaks the truth! From now right up until the river freezes you can catch northern pike in the Tuscarawas River, Cuyahoga River, and many of their tributaries.
> 
> Buy yourself some Rapala husky jerks "HJ14". When the water is stained, use a firetiger pattern. When the water is clear, go with blue and silver. Fish this lure with slow twitches behind any laydown in the river that blocks the current. Below lowhead dams or even regular dams like the big one in Dover are also excellent places to fish; stay of out the fast water and look for the slow moving pools and you will find pike. Another "sure thing" is fish where any tributary enters the main river.
> 
> ...


Where are some good access areas from shore? Thanks.


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

kozak said:


> Where are some good access areas from shore? Thanks.


follow the tusk south and fish below some of the dams that empty into it. there are usually access points.


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

What’s the average depth of the tusc? 
Was thinking of taking my Kaboat and a 9.9 on the back. 
Never fished there before but I’ve been wanting to


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

depends on where you go, you would probably have enough water. Some places have the depth to launch a bass boat.


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## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

I've hit it with a depth finder from canal Fulton to Bolivar and I'd say the average is 2ft. Lots of 4 inch deep ripples in-between. There are a few people who hit those stretches with a 9.9 but I'd say it cost em a prop. Even further south is still jet boat territory to me at least.


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## fishless (Sep 18, 2014)

winguy7 said:


> I've hit it with a depth finder from canal Fulton to Bolivar and I'd say the average is 2ft. Lots of 4 inch deep ripples in-between. There are a few people who hit those stretches with a 9.9 but I'd say it cost em a prop. Even further south is still jet boat territory to me at least.


You can catch them in Dover on the sewage plant side of the low head dam or across the river off Washington Street


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## ztmdodge (May 10, 2013)

Thanks for the info everyone that is extremely helpful! Im just picking up fly fishing and wanted to try to target some pike with big pike streamers. This might not be the most effective technique for pike in the cold but I’d like to give it a shot.


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## PIKEMAN (Apr 14, 2004)

For shore access on the Tusc, there is plenty right in downtown Massillon. A good place to park is right at Ernie's bike shop (135 Lake Ave NW, Massillon, OH 44647). From there, you can fish the east bank of the river quite a ways downstream. If you cross the river and park on the other side, Newman Creek enters the Tusc maybe 1/4 mile downstream from Ernie's. This spot is fished pretty heavily, but still produces some nice pike.

I've seen a jet boat operating in the Massillon & Navarre areas of the river, but I would definitely not run a 9.9 hp standard outboard anywhere upstream of the dam in Dover. Downstream of the Dover dam, there is a private boat launch and I've seen 16' boats with 40hp outboards running the river from the stretch between there and the lowhead damn just south of Tuscarawas street. There are a couple of areas in this stretch where it is shallow and caution must be used to prevent prop damage, but I've fished it a few times with my 14' and 9.9 Johnson; it's a pretty good stretch for pike.

Dave


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I have a friend who went out with a guide on Friday. He has a big jon boat with a jet motor. Launched at Gnadenhutten ramp. He sent me a couple pics of some nice pike 35" being the best. He was fly fishing for them.

Anyone know who this guide is?


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Lewzer said:


> I have a friend who went out with a guide on Friday. He has a big jon boat with a jet motor. Launched at Gnadenhutten ramp. He sent me a couple pics of some nice pike 35" being the best. He was fly fishing for them.
> 
> Anyone know who this guide is?


You should ask your friend!


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I know. He's more of a customer who I go to Columbus to see several times a year.
l'll see him next month and ask him then.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Here's the northern. (edited to protect his identity). Not bad for the Tusc!
I like the banana sticker. He must be a Lake Erie fisherman.


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## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

That's a nice fish. There's a lot of em that size in the tusc, some are twice that.


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## captine37 (Oct 17, 2014)

ztmdodge said:


> Hi all, I just moved back to Ohio from Texas. I’m still looking to do some fishing this fall and winter. Has anybody had luck in the Tusc for pike during colder weather?


They are there. Just caught a nice one on a Mepps !


ztmdodge said:


> Hi all, I just moved back to Ohio from Texas. I’m still looking to do some fishing this fall and winter. Has anybody had luck in the Tusc for pike during colder weather?


Caught a couple nice ones recently near Bolivar on a gold Mepps.
Good Luck!


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

winguy7 said:


> That's a nice fish. There's a lot of em that size in the tusc, some are twice that.


70" northern? The fish in the pic is somewhere in the 35 inch range . Mid 20s to mid 30s is a very common fish in the tusc with some fish clearing 40 on the rare occurrence but not twice the size of the one in the pic


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

DHower08 said:


> 70" northern? The fish in the pic is somewhere in the 35 inch range . Mid 20s to mid 30s is a very common fish in the tusc with some fish clearing 40 on the rare occurrence but not twice the size of the one in the pic


I think he meant weight, not length. Probably an estimation that there are a few 20lbers swimming around out there.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

You're good DH! That fish was a 35 incher. I too think he meant weight, not length.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

You guys are probably right I'm so use to talking length when it comes to pike and musky it never even crossed my mind to talk weight ! And after catching thousands of northerns in Canada I can usually guess the lengths pretty close


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

DHower08 said:


> You guys are probably right I'm so use to talking length when it comes to pike and musky it never even crossed my mind to talk weight ! And after catching thousands of northerns in Canada I can usually guess the lengths pretty close


Lets just blame it on a lack of coffee! Those 830 posts always get me!


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## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

Lol, I figured that was coming. Yes, I meant weight. That one was prob 7-8lbs and a nice fish.I've seen a couple that were at least 15.


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## thephildo0916 (Mar 4, 2009)

Lewzer said:


> I have a friend who went out with a guide on Friday. He has a big jon boat with a jet motor. Launched at Gnadenhutten ramp. He sent me a couple pics of some nice pike 35" being the best. He was fly fishing for them.
> 
> Anyone know who this guide is?


It's Josh Mcqueen from Mad River outfitters. He's the go to guide for river Pike in Ohio.


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