# East Fork



## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

Saw this yesterday. 









Avoid water at Harsha Lake, county says


Water sampling found high levels of toxins associated with a harmful algae bloom, state records show




www.fox19.com


----------



## MuskyFan (Sep 21, 2016)

Maybe all this rain will flush it out.


----------



## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

Pretty sad this is a yearly occurrence for a public resource. I was there end of May and the water looked bad.


----------



## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

It will continue to be bad unless something is done to reduce/eliminate the nutrients (pollutants) into the watershed. But since that would impact people's lives and business it will never happen. Too bad: Harsha is a pretty lake. 

You know it.


----------



## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

A few months ago on the radio I heard about some project that is supposed to help with the runoff problem. Since this thread came up I was curious to see if I could find some info on it. When I initially heard about it I thought it was on a larger scale already but that isn't the case. Here is a quick write up on it.









Farm 'Treatment Train' May Be Key To Preventing Algal Blooms At East Fork


Even the U.S. EPA is noticing Clermont County's innovative approach in efforts to prevent toxic algal blooms. Its Undersecretary has visited the site. The…




www.wvxu.org


----------



## Treble (Mar 27, 2017)

burnsj5 said:


> A few months ago on the radio I heard about some project that is supposed to help with the runoff problem. Since this thread came up I was curious to see if I could find some info on it. When I initially heard about it I thought it was on a larger scale already but that isn't the case. Here is a quick write up on it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



_Thanks for Posting - Eastfork is my "home lake ", I just bought a 2021 Tracker Targa DeepV 18WT with 150 HP and I couldn't be more disappointed in this situation _


----------



## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

It's a great disappointment. I did some hiking there 2 weekends ago and even last weekend. The water looked like an oil tanker holding bright green paint spilled. It looks like some kind of environmental disaster happened. I was optimistic to think earlier they were making progress towards preventing the annual blooms. But guess not. Man!


----------



## pauldmt (Jan 25, 2009)

I sometimes wonder about taking my kayak there then see this.


----------



## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

pauldmt said:


> I sometimes wonder about taking my kayak there then see this.


There's a parking area on the righthand side just as you enter the southwest entrance to the dam off 222. Park there and walk over to the edge looking over that small creek arm and you'll see the bloom in all it's glory.


----------



## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

burnsj5 said:


> A few months ago on the radio I heard about some project that is supposed to help with the runoff problem. Since this thread came up I was curious to see if I could find some info on it. When I initially heard about it I thought it was on a larger scale already but that isn't the case. Here is a quick write up on it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I wonder how long it will take the Usda to approve the system, especially if it has worked in other states


----------



## AEFISHING55 (Jan 19, 2016)

The water still looked terrible yesterday. I wonder how long it will take to clear up.


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

The water looks as bad as I’ve ever seen it. 
I bet it takes until fall turnover before it clears.


----------



## Bassky (Oct 7, 2008)

crappiedude said:


> The water looks as bad as I’ve ever seen it.
> I bet it takes until fall turnover before it clears.


Today Wednesday July 27th any more reports on current algae bloom


----------



## AEFISHING55 (Jan 19, 2016)

__





BeachGuard







publicapps.odh.ohio.gov


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

I took this pic last week at the Tate Ramp. 
Now the lake doesn’t always look like this, it depends on which way the wind is blowing as to what you see sometimes. Mostly the water looks like pea soup.


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Signs like this are up and red warning signs are located at the beach. Unbelievably some people are still swimming and lots of little kids are in the water. A few guys are still out fishing but usually it’s only 3 or 4 boats out each ramp.


----------



## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

I had hoped it had improved from all the rain we had early last week. Doesn't look to be the case.


----------



## Tree_Beard (Jan 13, 2021)

Leaky septic, sanitary overflow, livestock, soaps and detergents, fertilizers… too much phosphorus and nitrogen input for one lake to handle. This Stuff has to be taken care of way upstream first. Everyone hates vegetated swales, think they are weedy, swampy, unsightly messes. Much better to put in a culvert pipe and move that water out, or spray down all the “weeds” to bare dirt. But vegetated swales are nature’s filters, and thousands of points of pollution will only be fixed with thousands of points of filtering.


----------



## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

I was out walking trails this last Sunday, and from what I saw, the water was in much better shape than Crappiedude's photo. The algae looked more broken up and splotchy for a lack of a better term. The shad appear to be gobbling it up. Tons of shad on the surface. However, I wasn't at the Tate ramp so no clue what it looked like there. I was hiking trails toward the southeastern portion of the main lake.


----------



## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Tree_Beard said:


> vegetated swales are nature’s filters,


Governor DeWine Announces $5 Million in H2Ohio Grants for Ohio River Basin Wetland Projects
Here's a start, hopefully someone takes advantage of it.
Good luck and good fishing !


----------



## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

crappiedude said:


> View attachment 473440
> 
> 
> I took this pic last week at the Tate Ramp.
> Now the lake doesn’t always look like this, it depends on which way the wind is blowing as to what you see sometimes. Mostly the water looks like pea soup.


C-dude....photo is very similar to bloom areas at GLSM this year for about 4 weeks starting first week of July. Like you say, very much dependent on wind direction. Mostly gone now. 

GLSM is normally pea soup every summer. It's not as bad this year as most, and held good clarity deeper into the summer. Unfortunate.


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

zaraspook said:


> C-dude....photo is very similar to bloom areas at GLSM this year for about 4 weeks starting first week of July. Like you say, very much dependent on wind direction. Mostly gone now.
> 
> GLSM is normally pea soup every summer. It's not as bad this year as most, and held good clarity deeper into the summer. Unfortunate.


I've heard from of few people that the lake is starting to look better. I've also heard the fishing is pretty slow. I have been tied up in moving (buying/selling) for the last month so I haven't had any time to see what the fish are actually doing. Normally summer fishing is good at all the SW Ohio lakes, it's usually a numbers game. I just like feeling the tap and setting the hook so I don't care much about size. Odds are it's going to be tough to get bigger fish but you can get plenty of fish up to 10 1/2" if you look for them.
Hopefully I'll have a lot more time after this week is over and can go look for myself.

Most lakes around here you can find good number of fish in 12-15 fow. Caeser's Creek is a little different in that the fish seem to favor deeper water so I'd start the search in 15-25 fow.

Last few times I shore fished my bank spots the were pretty dead. It won't be long until the water starts to cool and the fish move shallow again.


----------



## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

crappiedude said:


> I've heard from of few people that the lake is starting to look better. I've also heard the fishing is pretty slow. I have been tied up in moving (buying/selling) for the last month so I haven't had any time to see what the fish are actually doing. Normally summer fishing is good at all the SW Ohio lakes, it's usually a numbers game. I just like feeling the tap and setting the hook so I don't care much about size. Odds are it's going to be tough to get bigger fish but you can get plenty of fish up to 10 1/2" if you look for them.
> Hopefully I'll have a lot more time after this week is over and can go look for myself.
> 
> Most lakes around here you can find good number of fish in 12-15 fow. Caeser's Creek is a little different in that the fish seem to favor deeper water so I'd start the search in 15-25 fow.
> ...


I share same passion for that tap and hook set. Just biding time for those cooler water temps around the corner. Fish for 30-60 minutes when I need a break.


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Okay who put the white perch in East Fork?









We caught 5 or 6 of them today. These were the 1st ones I've ever seen there and I've fished it since it was impounded back in the 70's.


----------



## AEFISHING55 (Jan 19, 2016)

Haven't caught any of those yet but have been getting plenty of catfish while crappie fishing there


----------



## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

crappiedude said:


> These were the 1st ones I've ever seen there


I started a thread a year or two ago about E-frk W-perch. We caught a few below the spillway and a few above the lake, I wondered where they came from also and I remember "House" stating he had caught a few decent ones trolling on the main lake. 
No one every came up with a answer on how they got there ?????
Good luck and good fishing


----------



## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

Good to see a fish pic from EF. What kind of shape is it in ? May drive down one day next week. Been busy bush-hogging & working here at home and on the farm. Haven't been out since last month & that was bass (green/brown carp) fishing on the river. LOL

I'm more than ready for Fall fishing.


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

kycreek said:


> What kind of shape is it in ?


It's not looking to bad. I fished Tuesday and had my worst day I've had all year. I knew where some fish stacked up but not much size to them so I just went looking. Most spots held nothing or just 1 or 2 fish, all small. 
Now yesterday was a different story. We went back to some more traditional water (for us) and we were on fish all day. Again size was smaller but we did have a few okay size. I don't plan on keeping anything until the weather cools off a lot more so I don't care about size, I just want to set the hook.
I only use jigs so who knows if minnows would do any better.


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

garhtr said:


> I started a thread a year or two ago about E-frk W-perch.


I must have missed it or I was so traumatized I erased it from my mind.
I hate seeing them in there and before long they'll start showing up everywhere.


----------



## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

We caught a few of them this spring. I heard they actually taste pretty good, but haven't yet tried them.


----------



## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

crappiedude said:


> I most have missed it or I was so traumatized I erased it from my mind.


  
This is the thread if anyone is interested, not much info and it's older than I thought. 
Maybe someone will know how they got in there. 
East- Fork White perch ?
Good luck and good fishing


----------



## Kyle46n (Jun 22, 2020)

The white perch are good eating. Like a smaller white bass without the blood line


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Ya just never know what you're going to catch on a crappie jig (Bobby Garland monkey milk) and 6# line


----------



## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

crappiedude said:


> Ya just never know what you're going to catch on a crappie jig (Bobby Garland monkey milk) and 6# line
> View attachment 477345


Absolutely the bomb! Awesome, c-dude. You know how much I love those monkey milk baby shad baits!


----------



## AEFISHING55 (Jan 19, 2016)

zaraspook said:


> Absolutely the bomb! Awesome, c-dude. You know how much I love those monkey milk baby shad baits!


Hooked one of those the other day and got it by the boat on 6lb line after about a half hour fight. My buddy went to lip him and the jig popped out right by him lucky it didn't hit him in the face


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

AEFISHING55 said:


> Hooked one of those the other day and got it by the boat on 6lb line after about a half hour fight. My buddy went to lip him and the jig popped out right by him lucky it didn't hit him in the face


That's exactly why I put a net in the boat. I run enough hooks in my hand to make me cautious. It's rare I lip fish anymore.










I thought I had one of these smallmouth buffalo. These are the reason I went to carrying a net. I catch 5 or 6 of these every year.


----------



## AEFISHING55 (Jan 19, 2016)

yeah I was in his boat and he forgot a net so lipping was the only option. We caught a buffalo carp close to 50lbs earlier this summer and bent the net in half. HA!


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

AEFISHING55 said:


> We caught a buffalo carp close to 50lbs earlier this summer and bent the net in half. HA!


I can imagine. That catfish didn't fit in my net at all. My friend got his head in the net and I grabbed it's tail.
Always a good time time getting these bonus fish.
Good luck with your deer hunting this year, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss those early mornings in the tree stand with the sun coming up.


----------



## AEFISHING55 (Jan 19, 2016)

Yes, love the bonus fish even when they are big cats. Looking forward to this cooler weather and trying for a big buck. My brother is in South Carolina for the crappie National Championship so it is fun getting updates from him daily. Hopefully they do well tomorrow and Saturday. Hope to see you on the lake again soon.


----------



## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

Nice flathead.


----------



## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

crappiedude said:


> Okay who put the white perch in East Fork?
> View attachment 475593
> 
> 
> We caught 5 or 6 of them today. These were the 1st ones I've ever seen there and I've fished it since it was impounded back in the 70's.


OK, help a guy out. What makes that a "perch"? Looks like a white bass to me. A white perch in my circles has always been another name for "drum" or sheephead". Enquiring minds want to know...


----------



## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

chadwimc said:


> What makes that a "perch"?











The drum is not a white perch








The white perch and white bass
3 separate species of fishes


----------



## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

chadwimc said:


> OK, help a guy out. What makes that a "perch"?


It's a completely different species from a white bass. They are an invasive species and they are pretty common anymore in Lake Erie. I think some of the southern reservoirs are pretty lousy with them. 
A few weeks ago there was an article about them in the "Ohio Outdoor News" 
Apparently from garhtr's previous post they've been in EF for quite a while. Supposedly they prefer live bait but of the 6 I've caught this year it's been an equal split between bait and jigs.
I get a ton of hits that I just can't seem to get a hook into, I'm betting they may be the culprit.


----------

