# Alum creek clarity?



## delaware*fish*freak (May 28, 2012)

How's the clarity in each pool? Heading there after work


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## onthewater (May 20, 2005)

Last night the south pool had about a foot of clarity so it has colored up some. We put in at Cheshire and the further south you went the better the clarity. Lots of floating debris in some areas but mostly small stuff. We were off points and never got back in any coves. I would imagine most of the coves are even dingier but not too bad. You being a Delaware Res. guy ought to feel right at home on dirty water anyway.


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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

36 and south is pretty clear but north realy does look like delaware lake...did get into the eyes the other night throwing bass minnows up against howard boat ramp on the bottom,,was pretty suprised for how muddy it was


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## Mylife614 (Apr 3, 2013)

Just got back a little bit ago, launched out of galena. Water is high, but surprised at the charity tho. 
Trolling bottomed bouncers/harnesses for eyes caught a bunch of short fish. But as we get to the first spot to set up a troll buddy castes his bouncer out waiting for me to finish rigging up, an landed a hog, 19" 2.25lb eye. 


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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

My boys and I also got into a bunch of shorts and one keeper size on bottom bouncers. Green harness with silver Colorado blades in 13 to 20 ft of water. Most bites were going down the slope and I concentrated on area where contour lines were close together. We also caught 3 yellow perch with one going 9in. All returned for someone else to catch.

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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

To answer your question water is very clear in south pool.

Also, you will get wet launching at cheshire due to high water; at Galena you will be dry.


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## Mylife614 (Apr 3, 2013)

Moke was that you in the Lund? Talked to someone with boys fishing bouncers over by the marina, buddy an I were in the Tan/green Fisher 17. 
As he said we didn't launch out of Cheshire due to high water on walkway Galena was quick and easy 


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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

yep, that was me. Swing by and say hello anytime. What were you casting?


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

What speed were you guys pulling the harnesses? I tried last fri night for about 2.5 hrs and got nothing. My speeds were between 1.6 to 2.6


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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

1.2 mph is my target. Kicker would not hold that speed for me last night. I was trolling 1.0 mph most of the time, and increasing throttle from time to time to get things moving.

When trolling for saugeye at alum my target speeds are

harnesses = 1.2mph
crank bait = 2.1mph

I fish only one type of bait at a time. Either all rods are harnesses or cranks but not a mix. I don't use weight when pulling cranks, and cranks won't dive deep enough for me at 1.2mph.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

So are you using bouncers with the harnesses? I am using the lindy no snags w mine. My wife and I hit an upgrounds last night and pulled 5 on harnesses. We were going 1.2 to 1.4 3 of the 5 were keepers and 2 throw backs. Have to say it's pretty satisfying to pull fish on something that I made my self (harnesses).


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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

yes, I am using bottom bouncers with harnesses that I make myself. And, I agree there is satisfaction in catching fish on something you made yourself. Last night my son caught his first muskie approximately 36 to 38 inches on a worm harness we made together. He was winding in fast to check his bait when it hit. He was super excited. We did not get a picture because I was trying to give the fish a breather before the photo. The fish lunged out of the net and was gone without a photo; just a good memory. He understood it was better that fish is still swimming than to have a photo and a dead fish.

Attached is a picture of my typical setup. 










My harness is about 3 feet long, and the bouncer is probably 3/4oz or 1oz. A couple of things I like about this bottom bouncer

1. coiled connector to mainline, so connection does not slide on the bottom bouncer
2. swivel when connecting to worm harness

My harness has two hooks, two floats, and a spinner for some flash. The floats help keep the hooks out of snags. I use 20lb mono for harnesses. Earlier this year, I tried lighter line, but harnesses would weaken or break with fish in the net.

I am not an expert here, just sharing what I have learned from others and what has been working for me. Your mileage may vary.


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## Bleeding Minnow (Feb 22, 2012)

Anybody get out today? I'm sure I know the clarity but wondering if anybody picking up any eyes? Thinking about a morning trip.


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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

Yep. Water was clear except where boat waves muddied the water.

Went out for a couple of hours tonight; Just got back. Missed two good short strikes casting whistler jig head with chartreuse tail tipped with worm in shallow water. Then tried some trolling harnesses but nothing to show for it. It was slow going tonight.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

I appreciate the insight moke, I will have to give you setup a try. I have been using a double blade harness with no floats so I will have to tie some with floats and give it a try. I'm using the lindy no snag sinkers but the setup is almost the same. I have a three way swivel to the main line, then about a foot to 18" on a dropper to the lindys then another foot to 18" to a snap swivel then the harness goes on the snap swivel. Haven't had much problem at all on snags, except for like extreme depth changes and then they come right out.

I use 12lb for my harnesses and haven't had any problems, yet but have been toying withy the idea of going to a heavier line just in case. Has there been any specific colors that are working better than others for you? I have had good luck so far with orange and chart blades with orange beads and hammered gold blades with red and chart beads. I will try and post some pics of some of them later.


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## Bleeding Minnow (Feb 22, 2012)

No action for me this morning on a modified bottom bouncer but I did manage a few fish including this smallie on a crank.











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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

Nice fish. I will have to give cranks a whirl next time.

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## moke11 (Apr 15, 2004)

fishintechnician, I went back and looked at my log at ifishlog.com and found that about a month ago (the one picture previously) was hammered gold spinners with gold floats and catching fish. Recently, silver blade with yellow floats, and silver beads. here is the silver and yellow/green.


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## onthewater (May 20, 2005)

I've been dragging Harnesses for the last 3 weeks over there. Have tried several different colors of blades and they all worked well. My floats are Chartreuse. I tie my own using 12 lb. mono. Bouncers are 1.5 oz. and my Reel is pooled with 30 lb. braid. I think that about any color combo will work as long as you don't forget the Nightcrawler.


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## Bleeding Minnow (Feb 22, 2012)

Admittedly I don't stick with harnesses very long at alum. I have picked up quantities of perch, white bass and catfish but can't seem to find the quality saugeye or bass unless I run a crank. Maybe I'm not running my bouncers in deep enough water? I'm gonna try playing with it a little more this summer as you guys have my wheels turning.


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## Draggin along (Nov 8, 2012)

Good info guys. Looking forward to dragging the harness. My biggest problem with the harness is knowing when to start pulling them faster. I have read that water temperature makes a big difference.


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

Appreciate all the info guys, I will put it to use if I can find time to get out now


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

I would follow the advice of these guys manyni am talking to are having sucess alot of dinks though. Especially Moke11 he has been on fish all season he knows his stuff. Moke saw you buzzing acrossed lake other night while i was walking shoreline fishing around some closed areas


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Looking to leave work early today and hit up Alum this afternoon.

Is it worth my time after last nights storms?

I will primarily just be tossing and trolling cranks for SM's and S-eyes.


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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

3 inch white twister tails during the day and bass minnows on the bottom at night. Howard rd area


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## avantifishski (Apr 8, 2012)

good luck probly worst lake in Ohio....

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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

Not a bad lake at all..you just got to know how to fish it


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## avantifishski (Apr 8, 2012)

no it fishes u

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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

I can take anybody out and guarantee they catch a nice saugeye


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## avantifishski (Apr 8, 2012)

1 saugeye dont a. good lake make

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## avantifishski (Apr 8, 2012)

1 saug dosnt a. good lake make

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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

everybody has there lakes they like and dont like i guess,,,


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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

i like em all if it involves fishing,,aint much always bout catching fish as it is just getting away


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Alum has beat me up plenty. Hard work and persistence pays of is all I can say! Haven't caught many true hawgs out of there but I catch enough to enjoy myself and keep my freezer stocked. That being said, I don't eat a wholeot of fish either. Few meals a month Id say. Hard for me to go to any other lake actually. Hoover would be competition if it weren't for the hp restriction..


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## avantifishski (Apr 8, 2012)

it just seems like to look at it that it would be this great lake or fishery but it just constantly skunks ppl more often than not...

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## Cajunsaugeye (Apr 9, 2013)

Because it's a big lake.You gotta be able to eliminate unproductive water before you even pull in.If you don't do any work and just expect to launch and fish,you're not gonna do well at all.Studying a good lake map and focusing on structure(whatever type known to hold fish you're targeting) can eliminate a LOT of water.Points,ledges,old culvert,bridges,etc.Not the visible points EVERONE hits but underwater,more hidden stuff is your ticket on that lake(and any other,really).

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## Ron418 (Jun 29, 2014)

Cajunsaugeye, your post is sure true for anywhere you fish. It also helps when fellow members help with info for out-of-town guys coming in for a day or few days.


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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

correct witch is what this forum is about,,,is you are having a hard time finding fish just ask what the other guys are useing and what tactics are producing..dontthink u will find exact spots but rather point u in the rite direction


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## avantifishski (Apr 8, 2012)

this lake is very deep and has alot of different structure down there.but fish numbers are way under what they should and could be

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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

stay 36 and north and u wont have to worry aout deep,,,most of my biggest fish have come from that part of te lake..i dont bass fish at all strictly cats,eyes,and crappie...and if i want a muskie i go below the spillway,,and i have no boat,,but i know were points are that i can wade 80 yards off the bank..is a pretty exiting way to fish


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## Bleeding Minnow (Feb 22, 2012)

Alum is my home lake so I will fish it regularly as long as I live 5 minutes from the launch. It can be tough for sure but at times can be very rewarding. Just curious, if Alum is really that bad then what are the better central ohio lakes? Or is Alum the worst?


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

I love alum, jut don. Get to fish it as much as I'd like as I'm about 45 mins away from there. I think it had plenty of fish and a lot of above average size fish as well. It can be a difficult lake to fish but if you put in time it will be rewarded. I would bet my bottom dollar there is a state record saugeye in there somewhere


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Spring & Fall the lake is awesome. Don't fish it much during the summer - way to many crazy boaters for me.


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## avantifishski (Apr 8, 2012)

Snyd said:


> Spring & Fall the lake is awesome. Don't fish it much during the summer - way to many crazy boaters for me.


almost left out the pleasure boaters they make it even better..lol

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## Bleeding Minnow (Feb 22, 2012)

Totally agree. My schedule has been a little off as of late so only been able to get away the last two Sundays. Between the pleasure boaters and the bass tourney guys it makes for a pretty tough day if you are trying to put something together. 


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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

alum did have the record saugeye fron 2002 till 2005 was a 12 pound beast lol,,the one that beat it came out of antriim was over 14


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

I will concead all the pleasure boaters suck. Not bad at all if you can hit it during the week.....or after dark


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Well was on Alum this afternoon 2 till 7 fished for eyes with crankbaits 4 to 7 foot of water found a area close to 10 to 12 foot of water with wind on it and had a party. Got around 30 eyes counting dinks and one muskie around 22". Sexy shad flicker was the ticket. We ended up keeping 10 eyes latest was 23" smallest we kept we decided would be 16" and we threw back some 15" ones. I was out by myself first and called my neighbor to come jump on for last couple hours. He got 2 right away trolling and ended up keeping 4. Middle day bite was ticket slowed towards evening. Water was foot clarity and boat traffic north was not bad was surprised. Was a awesome afternoon on water. We lost 5 really big eyes that just tore off flicker shad hooks are not the best for big fish opened them up some and it helped. 

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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

thats awsome glad to hear you tore into them!!


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## Hoover 4 Me (Jul 30, 2013)

Snyd said:


> Spring & Fall the lake is awesome. Don't fish it much during the summer - way to many crazy boaters for me.


I love hitting Alum early for crappie. It definitely seems to offer a better quality fish than Hoover early on. Once it warms up I tend to stay away. I've got a pretty good saugeye program, especially this year, for Hoover so I tend to hang out it there. My biggest issue is the pleasure boaters. I've been thinking about getting a 30-40hp motor for my boat as that might coerce me to fishing Alum more. Maybe one day...


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## Bleeding Minnow (Feb 22, 2012)

That does sound like a party Troy. Nice work as usual.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Troy how was the boat traffic yesterday?


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

South of 36/37 was normal holiday craziness north was comfortable not to much activity water clearing up. Here is a live well picture of our 10 we kept.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Sounded like a great afternoon/evening! After all the rains and flooding, the fish have to be ready to put on the feedbag! Great job!


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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

thats one yummy lookin pic,,lol


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Lol the large plate of grilled eyes we had tonight was a even tastier view. Man they were good


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## river..rat (Jun 27, 2014)

i havent ben doing so hot on them here the past couple weeks,,,im ready for fall seems to produce alot ore thattime of year


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Stopped on lunch today with stratos,i hit a 12" smallie and lost a PIG smallie probaly 20+". Xr8 blue on windy rocks...


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

I was thinking the windy side of the lake may have the fish stacked up. Its blowin' something fierce right now. I wish I had my rods with me, I would hit it up after work before heading back north to D'ware.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

MDBuckeye said:


> I was thinking the windy side of the lake may have the fish stacked up. Its blowin' something fierce right now. I wish I had my rods with me, I would hit it up after work before heading back north to D'ware.


Yea i fished small pocket of wind. Wish i had more time to fish more spots... may try to sneak out this afternoon...


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## Sampy67 (Oct 24, 2008)

Moke11 thanks for sharing your worm harness set up. I tried using a floating jig. But couldn't keep it of the bottom enough.


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