# St. Mary's "ghost"?



## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

They all say none of these exist in the Grand Lake St. Mary's, they didn't take, but don't believe everything you hear. Caught this walleye, casting - not trolling, and it was on the main lake, not in the spillway. Normally we fish for bass and crappies but went out this day looking for one or more of these.


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## Hoosier Daddy (Aug 19, 2005)

Nice catch and even nicer lid.


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## GETTIN' THERE (Apr 17, 2007)

Very nice !

What is the lake condition like? From what I've seen, not sure I would want to be on the water. Are many using the lake? Jet skies, water skiers etc.
Was up in late April and caught a few crappie and channel cats, but advisories have kept me away since.


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## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks for the kudos, and for noticing the lid. Two daughters are IU grads.......paid for the cap many times over.


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## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

Lake condition was about 74 degrees, light waves, and about normal shade of green for this time of year when the walleye was boated. Lake usage may be off but considering weekends have been cool and not conducive to recreational boating, not off much. You see more jet skis than anything, tubers are out, some water skiers. People still use the water, but limit time in it - local warnings suggest 2 hours daily is ok. Fish consumption ok but limit to once a week. Locals feel contamination no worse than before - just wasn't tested prior to 2007.

Caught fish are very healthy, best crappie season in years in both size and numbers. Bass take has been good. Channel cats very active now with lots of 2-3 pounders taken with robust bellies. Water color seems to bother people more than the fish.


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## GETTIN' THERE (Apr 17, 2007)

May have to try again. Have access to a cabin near windy point, hate not using it.


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## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

Water temp getting really warm.....79 in channels, 76 on main lake. Catch was slow this weekend. Boated only a small bass. Fishing for walleye, hooked into 2 larger fish but lost both without seeing the fish.


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## mike9smit (Feb 23, 2009)

Is that a walleye or a saugeye? Not sure if I would eat him out of that lake right now.


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## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

Saugeyes never stocked in St. Mary's until first batch of fingerlings put in 3-4 weeks ago. We assumed it was a walleye and never noticed the white lower tail tip until your message. I think the light area of tail may be sun catching the tail. Sun was quartering behind me to my right. The tail of the fish kind of flipped toward the camera while I held it and may have caught sun, same way as my right leg was catching sun. Interesting observation though. 
Like many Ohio waters, warning at St. Mary's is limit eating fish to once weekly. Blue-green algae at St. Mary's, like in many farm ponds, can produce toxin that may be absorbed in liver of fish, supposedly not in the flesh.


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## Lima Eyecatcher (Aug 13, 2008)

Zara
Nice catch. I have trolled the lake before with zip to show for it. Without giving up your spot, were you closed to Celina or St. Marys? Can you advise on bait and depth.

Thanks in advance

Lima Eyecatcher
Jim


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## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

Lima EC,
Celina side, 5-8 ft of water, on 4" swimbaits (if you can believe it). The pic posted was a 17". Since then caught another at 18.5". Lost a third just as we attempted to net it......easily a 4-5 pounder but we'll never know. All eyes caught on same swimbait....got the idea from Dan Stange from the In-Fisherman show.

No eyes last 2 weekends though I missed fish on two good strikes. Water temps very high. My son claimed lake surface temp rose to 93 Sat evening and he spotted a 20-22" eye floating dead near St. Mary's, plus a huge 30+" blue cat, floating dead. We saw some fish kill in our channel this weekend, probably the high water temp, about a dozen small bluegill. Channel temperature normally runs a bit higher than main lake.

We think walleye population in lake is better than people think, but no one fishing for them. We're just learning - hadn't fished for walleye since Lake Erie in the early 80's and Erie tactics have to be modified for this shallow lake. Let me know if you try St. Mary's and the outcome. Good luck.


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## Lima Eyecatcher (Aug 13, 2008)

Zara

Sorry it took so long to reply. Only work on computer from work, days off im fishing. 

Thanks for the info. I fished Indian this week but couldnt get much giong. Only two keepers with 5 lost rapelas. Was wandering how the stumps are at St Marys. I too have changed my Erie tactics to fit Indian but there are so many stumps the lost baits are realy starting to add up. I have marked 7 stumps in the Ski zone Monday in 4 hours of fishing.

Thanks again
Lima Eyecatcher
Jim


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## homebrew (Apr 13, 2009)

zaraspook said:


> Saugeyes never stocked in St. Mary's until first batch of fingerlings put in 3-4 weeks ago. We assumed it was a walleye and never noticed the white lower tail tip until your message. I think the light area of tail may be sun catching the tail. Sun was quartering behind me to my right. The tail of the fish kind of flipped toward the camera while I held it and may have caught sun, same way as my right leg was catching sun. Interesting observation though.


Walleye AND Saugeye have white tipped tails, it is Sauger that do not. Unless someone released it there or it grew VERY fast I'd say it's a walleye.


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## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks for clarification. As noted in one of my posts, my son and I are new to the walleye game. We're learning.


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## zaraspook (Jun 16, 2009)

Just a guess but I'd say we lose a lure every other trip......haven't felt stumps are significant issue. Last 4 trips, maybe 8-9 hours total time on lake, no walleyes taken. Hope it's water temp shutting down the bite, and not a lack of fish.


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