# Sandusky and Maumee River 3/14



## rutnut245 (Jan 18, 2009)

I fished in Fremont today,1-4p.m.,not exactly prime time.I foul hooked two walleyes.I had one legal walleye and lost it at the net.Yes floaters will work in the Sandusky river too.The river is still dropping and will be right where I like it by tuesday.

I was at the Maumee in the early morning but didn't fish.That river should also be at a good level by tues. morning.Prolly about 583 or a little above but going down,perfect in my book.I had a couple friends down there that hooked four but nothing legal.If we don't get any rain you might be able to get on Bluegrass Island by Wed.


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## walleyeguy19 (Mar 13, 2011)

Just got back from the sandusky no walleye caught but I give it a week an then it should be pretty good. Seen a few people wading today a little to high for me!


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## walleyeguy19 (Mar 13, 2011)

has anybody cought anthing on the sandusky if you did were did you catch it? And when did you catch it? And what color jig did you use?


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## Eye Spy (Sep 14, 2006)

I don't fish the river, and not trying to be a smarta$$, but based on the huron river, I would think the Sandusky and Maumee both have to be very dirty. Do the fish actually "bite" it that dirty water? I know on the lake, it is nice to have a stain to the water, but not pure mud.


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## guppygill (May 8, 2004)

Walleyeguy, I put an "X" on my spot, fish it with some doughball, them walleye are eating it up...heehee


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## rutnut245 (Jan 18, 2009)

Eye Spy said:


> I don't fish the river, and not trying to be a smarta$$, but based on the huron river, I would think the Sandusky and Maumee both have to be very dirty. Do the fish actually "bite" it that dirty water? I know on the lake, it is nice to have a stain to the water, but not pure mud.


There was about 4-5" visability today,I've caught biters when there was less.A few years ago in Fremont I asked a biologist,who was shocking fish,how the fish could possibly bite when the vis. was zero.Her answer was, they are predominantly low light feeders and also rely heavily on there lateral line to detect fish/bait.


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## Eye Spy (Sep 14, 2006)

Guess that makes sense. I just thought as fast as the river has to be moving combined with the water clarity, there would be very little chance to hook one legally. I didn't figure there was even that much visability.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

rutnut245 
very good report,nice to reed.thanks.

snag


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## walleyeguy19 (Mar 13, 2011)

Does anyone know were I can get fishing reports for the sandusky?


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## rutnut245 (Jan 18, 2009)

walleyeguy19 said:


> Does anyone know were I can get fishing reports for the sandusky?


Bernie has a recorded message on his answering machine at Anglers Supply.He gets so many calls this time of year that he usually doesn't answer.The number is 419-332-6071.


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## walleyeguy19 (Mar 13, 2011)

rutnut245 said:


> Bernie has a recorded message on his answering machine at Anglers Supply.He gets so many calls this time of year that he usually doesn't answer.The number is 419-332-6071.


thanks......


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> I don't fish the river, and not trying to be a smarta$$, but based on the huron river, I would think the Sandusky and Maumee both have to be very dirty. Do the fish actually "bite" it that dirty water? I know on the lake, it is nice to have a stain to the water, but not pure mud.


Same can be said for the jig bite on the reefs. I know they hit the blade baits once the water warms, but there is a reason that stingers are so effective. 

I look at it this way. When I used leadheads in the Maumee some 20 years ago, 7 out of 10 fish I landed were not hooked anywhere near the mouth. You would get 'em in the back, the tail, the head, the side..etc. etc. Switched over to floaters and this plain and simply stopped happening. I honestly can't remember the last time I've drug a fish in backwards, save maybe the occasional fish inadvertantly hooked underneath a pectoral fin. A group of us were eating lunch yesterday and to a man, we all agreed that the snagging and keeping thing has pretty much gone away. 

Yes, the water is dirty, and yes, the current is swift. If it was plain out and out a snagging fest, then everyone would be landing fish on every cast. If you have ever been down there to try it, you will agree that it is not "slam dunk idiot-proof" fishing.

I might also add that this fishery lasts a maximum of 8 weeks per year. Access via foot to some great fishing does not come around all that often for folks who do not have the means to purchase a boat or pay for charter trips. Yes, there are days when thousands of walleyes leave the river..but those days are NOT the norm. Compared to catch rates out on the lake, it is a drop in the bucket in the grand scope of things.


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## rutnut245 (Jan 18, 2009)

Very well put BFG.Could you imagine the screaming that would go on if there were giant dumpsters at the river overflowing with walleye carcasses,like the ones behind Wild Wings last year during the jig bite?


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Yep...one calm day on the lake in mid-April will see more walleyes go to the cleaning table than a whole month from the river. 

Catch 'em however and wherever you can. It's a great resource for ALL to share and enjoy.


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## bad luck (Apr 9, 2009)

I think it would be interesting to see how the fishing would be 2 yrs out, if the completely shut down walleye fishing for these 2 months of the year....for one year only, to see the effects.


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## pig (Mar 8, 2008)

what the whole lake are just the rivers our the whole system
i dont no wye people want to shut down the walleye fishing do you no what that would do to our local econome dont we have allot of people out of work


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

bad luck said:


> I think it would be interesting to see how the fishing would be 2 yrs out, if the completely shut down walleye fishing for these 2 months of the year....for one year only, to see the effects.


I doubt there would be any significant change. If I remember correctly the number of walleye that run the rivers is relatively low something like 10% and most of those fish are coming from the Detroit river, and Lake St. Claire so counting maybe half of them as resident lake Erie fish would put that number at like 5% so in the grand scheme of things, the river fisherman have at best a minute impact on the population when factoring in the numbers brought in during the jig bite and throughout the summer months from private and charter boat anglers not to mention the Canadian commercial outfits. None of this information really matters because the opinion that the river run fisherman are all snaggers has been perpetuated by those who are fortunate to own boats enabling them to fish the lake, and by those who have never actually fished the run to see for themselves first hand that a limit is not guaranteed. BFG made an excellent point about the numbers of snagged fish being lower since the adoption of the Carolina rig with a floater over the standard lead head jig. In the years since I switched to using the floater rig I can honestly say that I have foul hooked maybe 2 fish and both of those were hooked in the chin or cheek. This topic is always brought up this time every year and the same result occurs, accusations of snagging and the time wasted trying to defend ones self of said accusations. The DOW's presence it heavy during the run and they do a pretty good job of keeping any POSSIBLE violations in check.

As for closing the season during the run it would take more than one year to acquire any legitimate data to make a determination on whether it is having an effect or not. The biggest factor in the success or failure of the river run walleye spawn isn't the fisherman. It's the weather and river conditions, this has been stated numerous times over the years by fisheries biologists. But it's easier to blame a certain group for decline in fish stocks than it is to blame mother nature.


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## WATER FOX (May 7, 2008)

bad luck said:


> I think it would be interesting to see how the fishing would be 2 yrs out, if the completely shut down walleye fishing for these 2 months of the year....for one year only, to see the effects.


Alot of Walleyes come out of the lake from other places like Lake St.Clair and even further I have even heard Lake Huron(correct me if im wrong).How we know this is the tags that come out of fish.Its kind of funny fish from these clean lakes would come to the dirty Maumee to spawn but they do.Good Luck


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

bad luck said:


> I think it would be interesting to see how the fishing would be 2 yrs out, if the completely shut down walleye fishing for these 2 months of the year....for one year only, to see the effects.


The river run has pretty much zero effect on the Lake Erie fishery. The main variable thrown into the Lake Erie year class every year is the weather. A stormy spring leads to alot of wiped out walleye eggs. All the mega year classes have been the result of a mild spring on the lake. Most of the fish that run up the Maumee, oddly enough, aren't even our fish.


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## WiseEyes (Apr 7, 2010)

DeathFromAbove said:


> The river run has pretty much zero effect on the Lake Erie fishery. The main variable thrown into the Lake Erie year class every year is the weather. A stormy spring leads to alot of wiped out walleye eggs. All the mega year classes have been the result of a mild spring on the lake. Most of the fish that run up the Maumee, oddly enough, aren't even our fish.


They are not our fish? so those come from further West, or Where?


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

WiseEyes said:


> They are not our fish? so those come from further West, or Where?


The majority of these fish migrate from Lake St Clair and the Detroit River. There are some resident fish but not many. Most of Erie's walleye spawn out on the reefs.


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## normd (Jul 5, 2005)

After the fun and from summer to fall i have taken many resident fish out of the maumee. Just need to know where to find them. Throwing them #7 Floating Rapala' s in FireTiger is the ticket, also Pearl Cotton Cordel Big "O" work too.


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## BOO (Jan 23, 2009)

Hey normd, when you hitting up the walleye run, Im gonna try today. Any interest in going??


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## normd (Jul 5, 2005)

Boo, i'm out of town. BTW you stil linterested in those lures?


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## BOO (Jan 23, 2009)

oh ****, I totally for got about them!! How much for them again?


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## normd (Jul 5, 2005)

I think i said $30


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## BOO (Jan 23, 2009)

No, I dont think Im interested anymore...thanks though!!


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## normd (Jul 5, 2005)

No sweat. I'll put them back in the Plano box.


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