# Spring Valley Marsh



## Whiskers (Aug 11, 2004)

Anyone been to spring valley lately, and if so are the lillys too thick to paddle around a 10' jonboat? My friend and I are going to hit the lake this weekend, and just wondering if anyone could share about the current water level and lilly situation. 

I found this place and went last year a few times late in the summer. Getting around the lake was tough, but had a blast catching a bunch of small LM. 

Wish I had tried getting down their earlier in the season...but just settled into a new home and had to chip away at my honey do list.


----------



## Sleprock (Dec 16, 2005)

check it out for ya maybe before sat morning, are boats alowed there
?


----------



## whitetail (Apr 16, 2006)

yes boats are alowed but i am not sure if you can use a trolling motor. I have fished it as a kid growing up 2 miles from it. It used to be pretty good but they drained it to fix the drain the bever in there plugged it up and I was told that they stocked bass back in and as always there is carp. the bank out to about 40 yards is about 7 foot deep and in the middle about 3 foot hope this helps


----------



## Whiskers (Aug 11, 2004)

The DNR office out of Xenia indicates that trolling motors are allowed. Although, a trolling motor is really no good once the vegetation is at full bloom. It only helps when you can find those holes in the veg., which are few and far between. Thanks for the info Whitetail. 

Sleprock, IM me or post a reply if you get a chance to make it out there and can give me some info. I'm just hoping for a visual discription of the lake right now. When I was there last summer, about 85% was covered with vegetation and the water was real low. This was late in the summer after a dry spell, and I'm hoping the lake is a month or so away from the coverage I witnessed last year. If you could discribe the veg. and tell me what you can about the water level, it will help be prepare. Thanks in advanced.


----------



## TimJC (Apr 6, 2004)

Is it possible to bank fish for carp there this late in the year or are the weeds to thick? Does anyone know how big the carp might be in there?


----------



## Whiskers (Aug 11, 2004)

Just spoke to DNR office in Xenia again. Since 2004, they stocked
1500 LM
1600 Channel Cat
1200? Bluegill - I thought at first he said 12,000...but didn't seem right consider the numbers he gave me for the LM and Cats. 

The DNR didn't say word for word all the LM drained out when they repaired the dam, but he seemed to agree with me that all LM in the lake are pretty much below regulation and from stocking since 2004. 

They plan to review the success of the recent stocking, and then determine if they will continue stocking on regular bases.


----------



## whitetail (Apr 16, 2006)

TimJC

Yes you can fish for carp but make sure u use heavy line just in case, there were huge carp in there before they drained it when they dug the dam out allot of carp ect. Washed into the little Miami river and after the done that I went to look at the marsh and there was the smell of dead fish and I walked over to were the dug it out and seen hundreds of dead carp from 4pounds to about 35-40 pounds because the creek that flowed to the river was about dry I suppose the carp were looking for fatter water because the water that was left in the marsh was skinny about 2-3 foot and was sure to be too hot for any o2 temps in the 85 and 90's when they done it but the next year they had to do it all over again so it is hard to tell if any big ones made it through one draw down let alone two times as hot as it was.


----------



## Sleprock (Dec 16, 2005)

well whiskers its like this, the pads are thick as a nice lawn, saw maybe 6 holes 10 ft around about 40 to 60 yards out from the pioneer campground park, maybe saw some water on far side but that ain't a promise. i don't think i would try to put my canoe in there without a push pole. how determind are you lots and lots of lillys, no way to cast from the bank on wendsday night. let us know how you do if you go. depth always looks the same to me. if your a light guy walking my be easyier just go from pad to pad.better go with good line pretty heavy at least 12 test. looks like jigging to me.


----------



## Whiskers (Aug 11, 2004)

Thanks Sleprock. How determined am I...pretty determined at this point. Of course, if it looks to dismal from shore my friend and I may head over to CC. But, we'll see...I'm pretty stubborn!

Sounds similar to the coverage I experienced last August. I do have a push pole and appreciate the suggestion. I'm hoping those 10 foot holes look smaller from shore. We fished in holes more like 20' wide last August, and it worked out for us. 

I'm bring the digital camera so, I will post results. Going on Monday the 3rd. Thanks again.


----------



## Bluegillmaster (Apr 1, 2006)

I think I'd rather deal with working my way around a bunch of lilly pads, then work my way around a bunch of idots at the CC boat ramp.


----------



## whitetail (Apr 16, 2006)

Isnt that the truth, maybe when these guys buy a boat/jet ski they need to go to school to learn to back a trailer or at least some common sense?


----------



## Whiskers (Aug 11, 2004)

Everything we caught was recently stocked. We hit the holes in the center of the lake early, and then headed to the shady shoreline when the sun came out. Caught a bunch, but nothing with any size. Here one of the bass and bluegills we caught. My friend was super syked about his trophy largemouth.  

















Couple other guys where out there in kayaks. One said he had a few hits, and we saw the other pull in a 1.5 LM. I believe that one fish was all they caught for the day. Seemed to us like all the bass with any decent size where bured in the cover. We spooked a nice size bass paddling to another hole. He looked to be regulation and snaked right down into the cover. 

The holes were small (20-25 feet wide), but big enough to make a short cast. Here's some shots of the lake. 


















Notice you can see the cover 1-1.5 feet below the water line. This was typicall of most open areas on the lake. We did find a 3 foot hole (from water line to cover) on the shore line next to the bike path.

I got to try this place in the fall. Hope the cover dies down fast or at least retreats a foot or two once the temps start dropping.


----------



## Sleprock (Dec 16, 2005)

thanks for update might give it a try on canoe didn't think them holes was that big.


----------

