# CC bonus fish



## Weatherby (May 27, 2005)

There have been many discussions about muskie stocked in a lake and their relation to other species as far as "hurting" a fishery. This post is not intended to start a flame war. It is (hopefully) to open discussion to get a better understanding of the impact or lack there of with muskie in a system.

ALL of these fish were caught by SOMA members while muskie fishing. 






































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I have more to be posted later.


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## Bluebuster6912 (Jul 30, 2007)

I agree Weatherby but it seems people need to have a reason to blame poor fishing outing on. I personally thanks Ceasars Creek is a great lake muskys being it are a bonus most of the people I know who have fished it longer than I have say the fish you catch seem to be getting bigger ever year. Ceasars Creek has a lot of water and I have always heard 80 percent of the fish are in 20 percent of the water. I have yet to have caught a musky at Ceasars Creek all the times Ive been their in the last 3 years. So in my opinion their dont even seem to be that many in their to keep people as upset as they get over them being in their.


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

That was a beautiful eye!!!!


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## CO_Trout (May 10, 2008)

Whoa!!!!

This tells me that I better get out a try to catch Muskie.
I should would hate for to tell someone I caught a 8lb bass by _"MISTAKE"_


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## smallieguy (Apr 7, 2004)

Thats a geat walleye, congrats to the man.
A smallie hitting a bucktail........who knew


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## Weatherby (May 27, 2005)

Thanks for the replies everyone.



> most of the people I know who have fished it longer than I have say the fish you catch seem to be getting bigger ever year


I believe this to be true also. I firmly believe that the fishery has gotten and continues to get better every year.

Now some more eye candy:

Once again caught while muskie fishing.


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

I also think that CC is getting better. I have fished it for 3 years now, and this past year is the first time that I really started to catch some fish and some nice ones at that. With my new boat I should be able to get out more and into some water I haven't touched yet. That is one hell of a nice 'eye that guy caught.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I know the average size of the carp is getting bigger there...I assume from having all those zebra mussels to eat....Early in the yr We see alot of muskies a night while we are bowfishing there. I won't go on there after april or early may though


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## OhioHuntr02 (Jan 2, 2006)

What a great eye...some nice bass mixced in there too.


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## bassnick513 (Jun 23, 2008)

Alright, I'm convinced. CC isn't that bad after seeing those pictures. I guess I just need to throw musky baits!


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## Weatherby (May 27, 2005)

> I guess I just need to throw musky baits!



This is a topic I wanted to touch on a bit.


I cannot sit here and say that muskie stocking does not have an affect on the rest of fishery, however I do not believe it is a negative affect. When muskie were first stocked almost all of the fish were caught on bass size lures. Now it seems it has turned 180 degrees for several species. As you can see by the photos muskie, bass, saugeye, catfish are caught on muskie lures. 

Does anyone have a theory as to why this is happening?


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

I think George can catch larger, more, and different kinds of fish whenever and wherever he wants.He catches some Big fish. Muskies do eat plenty of other fish besides Shad,especially when they meet in transition in the Spring and Fall.They can tear a crappie school up.They love Big Gills and so do those Lunker Bass and maybe Monster Catfish.:B


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## cincinnati (May 24, 2004)

these guys are too modest to show their mega-drum pics!


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## TeamPlaker (Jul 5, 2006)

Weatherby said:


> Does anyone have a theory as to why this is happening?


My theories aren't really worth much but my guess would be that it occurs just because it is something different. Obviously before muskie were stocked in CC the other fish didn't see any muskie lures. In the research I've read on LMB they typically won't hit the same lure twice... so a bass caught on a white spinnerbait is less likely to be caught on a white spinnerbait again. You throw new lures with different sizes, motions, and gadgets into the equation and it's a new ballgame. Not to mention a lot of muskie lures have a different style of movement than traditional lures.
So long story short... my guess is that it is something different that the fish haven't seen before and either decides it looks like a big, tasty meal or goes to investigate and since fish don't have hands that investigation ends with a hook in their lips.
But... what do I know?


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

I've had Bass and Muskies hit my bait and miss and came right back and get hooked with the same bait they missed the 1st time.And then the next time you go fishing they hit the same bait again.I have a nice Drum photo that will try to put on.!%


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## Nightprowler (Apr 21, 2004)

Please don't tell the LMBass , that there not suposed to eat my white buzz bait more than once.


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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

dam nice walley where was that one caught?? I catch more muskie throwing a colorado blade spinnerbait, fishing for bass, than i do bass sometime. I think the musky run the bass out of the 'BASS' spots if you will. do to feeding habits. in return the bass don't feed as much and don't grow as big.


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## Weatherby (May 27, 2005)

Caught at Caesar Creek. The muskie could (most probably) run the bass out of typical "bass" spots at certain times of the year. I do not agree that the bass don't feed as much and don't grow bigger. The bass we have been catching are larger every year. 





Interesting theory Plaker. I agree could just be something different as far as action and size.


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

Weatherby,got any photos of those Bigger Bass that y'all has been catching?


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## Weatherby (May 27, 2005)

When I started fishing CC the bass we would catch averaged maybe 1 1/2lb at the most. Now we are catching 3lbers regularly with some fish approaching 5 -6lbs as you can see above. I do have more pics as soon as I find the discs and hook the old pc back up and get them.


On a side note. The average size bass for the "Big Bass" of the Tuesday night league in 2008 weighed 3.65lbs. If anyone from the league has information from past years it would be interesting to compare.


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## Freeze (Apr 10, 2004)

It would be interesting if anyone from the Tuesday night league has any historical data. I don't know maybe the average size has gone up but are they boating as many keepers on a per boat basis as they were before Muskie at CC?

I'm catching Muskie where I used to catch bass, especially in the fall and not catching near the number of bass as I used to catch before muskie arrived. I average fishing CC 4-5 times a month Mar through Nov and that dates back to 1997 or so, bass fishing and crappie fishing is not as good as it used to be for me at least. And I'm not saying it's because of muskie, I just haven't done as well as I used too. I blame a huge increase in boat traffic for last summer. Because of gas prices I think way more pleasure boats went to CC that would normally head south to the bigger lakes. 

I've seen many posts saying the muskie will thin out smaller fish which should make for an increase number of larger bass so I keep going  Besides I don't mind catching 30 inch muskie, whew!!!


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## Coonhound (May 12, 2008)

My parents have run the TnT's on Caesars for about 10 years now. I'll see what data mom has kept about big bass. 

I know i've seen some really good fish come out of there. But i've also seen the numbers reflecting catch rates on a weekly basis. And they have gone down in the last five years or so. There are better years than others, but the numbers are all declining. The fish off from this past year is a good reflection. 44 of the top anglers fishing for 8 hours. 6 fish weighed in. I can recall at least two nights from this past season where one fish won the whole thing. 

It seems like i personally caught a lot more short fish last year than in previous years. One night i caught so many i quit counting at 15, which is an absolute ton for CC.


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## Jackfish (Apr 15, 2004)

I always get skunked at CC, but my theory is as long as I am going to get skunked, I might as well have a chance at a 50 inch fish - that way I can blame my poor fishing on "fish of 10,000 casts"

but sure would be nice to get one (or a few) of those bonus fish!


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## cincinnati (May 24, 2004)

if you're gonna suffer, you might as well suffer to catch something worth talking about!


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## Streamhawk (Apr 25, 2008)

Well I don't do much fishing on CC, but I do fish the tail waters a lot and I can tell you that fishing the tail waters all the way down to the LMR is great fishing. I have seen the occasional musky in the tail waters along with some great smallmouth, largemouth and various pan fish. I don't think the muskies are depleting the bass or other fish in the lake, maybe with the introduction of musky, you are just not goinig to find the fish in the places you use to, they move to other locations. If muskies were the problem, then some of the lakes that I have been to in Canada would be full of nothing but musky, but that is not the case. Have caught walleye, perch, pike and other species along with musky. I think that I will have to try the lake next after viewing some of the nice pics posted here. They call it fishing, not catching so we as fishermen just have to try different tatics and try different palces. Just my opinion. Can't wait for spring to get here!!!!!!!


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## MuskieLuv (Oct 29, 2007)

Streamhawk said:


> I don't think the muskies are depleting the bass or other fish in the lake, maybe with the introduction of musky, you are just not goinig to find the fish in the places you use to, they move to other locations. If muskies were the problem, then some of the lakes that I have been to in Canada would be full of nothing but musky, but that is not the case. Have caught walleye, perch, pike and other species along with musky.!!


AMEN!!!! I wish more Bass guys could or would choose to understand this. I'm just guessing at this but I would think if a lot of Skies are cought off the lay-downs, which they are, might not be the best place to look for Bass. That doesn't mean the Bass are gone, just may be a different pattern than a lake without Muskie. I could be wrong, I don't fish for Bass much. Just when I need bait. That's a JOKE!

I think what's under the water can get along just fine, it's above the water where the problem is?????


ML


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

In the 80's and early 90's C.C. had a lot of bass and Big ones.It wasn't uncommon to catch 4lb. Large and Smallmouth.And some days we would catch some 5's and 6's.Largest one caught weighed 7lb.3oz.I've seen bigger though.The best was when we would catch one of the Big ones when the Bass tournaments were on.I mean these guys would go nuts.But now where did our Lunker Bass go?I read some time ago the State sold some of our Lunkers to out of state hatcheries.Could this be one reason we don't see many these days?I even heard that the hatchery at Cave Run Lake was one that received some of these Lunkers.It would interesting to know if this is true or not.I know some Muskies have taken over some of the spots where we have caught a lot of Bass.I have fished for Musky since 2005 and have never caught a Bass.I did net a Sow Saugeye for Lazy while we were fishing for Muskies.Biggest damn thing I've seen.It was released to eat again.So,where are the Lunker Bass?:B


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## MuskieLuv (Oct 29, 2007)

Where are the Lunker Bass???

On a wall, dead from summer tourny, Muskie food, natural cycle of a lake???

I don't think you can pick one of these and say, That's It! I feel Muskie's get the pointed finger because guys see them come and attack a struggling Bass as they reel it in. So that means they eat all the Bass, but not all Bass are flopping helplessly in the lake for the easy taking. 

ML


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## Sleprock (Dec 16, 2005)

missing bass cc, 

well i know this will start some contaversy(how ever you spell it) i have seen people keep everying they catch at cc small bluegills crappie bass stick saugeye white bass everything, and this is mostly folks who are not on this website, i seen a couple with a bunch of small crappie in a basket luck into a nice 4 or 5 pound largemouth and strait into the basket he went. the lake probably needs more wardens or water patrol. so the big menace is man, probably not get any better with the reccesion and all the people fishing for dinner.

p.s. i cant eat fish but i have brought a nice fish or two home for the wife from time to time(so i play both sides of the fence. don't like cleaning little fish.)crappies and saugeye

on the plus side i havent cought a muskie but have hooked into 2 or 3 and they sure can pull a canoe around pretty good, like hooking a log with a jet engine, cant wait to get one with a picture

and i tell ya i bet some of them people have cought muskie didn't know what it was and brought it home for dinner.Maybe we should start a rumor that carp are good to eat and sheephead.


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

Muslieluv,are you sure you know what you are talking about?I think you are shooting blind.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

where the big bass went...
boom and bust, most lakes go through a period somtime 10-20years after they are impounded where the lake has a boom cycle. the lack of established competition(other bass) give the first good couple of year classes a chance to grow to big proportions, sadly once they die off thier young have typically began to get to numbers where competition becomes an issue to the growth rates. there are several young lakes in texas that are seeing massive stringers right now because of this, and older lakes like sam rayburn are not seeing as rediculous of fish because they are through the boom cycle. cc is through the boom, and will now settle into a slow up and down in fish populations, witch is natural and healthy, but will never see anything like the 80's. the idea of the ski's was to provide a hopefully stable trophy fishery. so where have the big bass gone, they died, and naturally they wont get that big again. now the sight of the big fish caught by ski fisherman may be a sign of an upswing after the fall from the first boom.

now, why did the fish porn stop. all the picks of big fish out of cc were helping me through the winter, bring out the ski picks now!!!


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## MuskieLuv (Oct 29, 2007)

Roscoe, 

Not sure what you are getting at? These are just my thoughts on the situation. I don't remember saying I had a degree in this subject and I was right. Just giving my view on it. I think Riverking explained my natural cycle of a lake comment very well, which I happen to believe is the main issue with the Bass. 

I appoligize if my comments were so off base. If your going to say I'm shooting blind at least elaberate on why you think that. 

ML


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## Streamhawk (Apr 25, 2008)

I think that most people just don't know how to fish. Have the boat and all of the electronics, and still can't catch fish. (this is sure to put fule on the fire  )


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

If you don't like it, you can always start musky fishing.....


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## LittleMiamiJeff (Oct 1, 2005)

smallieguy said:


> Thats a geat walleye, congrats to the man.
> A smallie hitting a bucktail........who knew


I thought it interesting you'd be surprised by a smallie on a bucktail, the two pics are a 1.5 oz striper bucktail, willingly taken by a smallie and crappie, my very uneducated theory about CC is the fish are hungry and will eat big bait, do you like to eat a bunch of tiny meals a day, or one, two or three filling meals a day? 
LMJ


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

I've read a couple of opinions on this thread about the muskie chasing the bass off of the prime spots and it made me think of a scenario that happened a couple of years ago... I had a buddy who was having some success with the muskies working spinnerbaits deeper in the water column around late June and July. He was working one particular spot when he banged this 7lb LM Bass.









He was pretty jazzed about catching the huge bass, but he was even more thrilled when he caught this muskie on the very next cast to the exact same piece of cover/structure.









Makes you wonder if they only run off the smaller predators.


Here are a few more bonus fish caught while muskie fishing Caesar.


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

Here is another good one.


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