# sandusky river (fremont)



## Walleyekingjr (Mar 26, 2014)

Hello all ogfer's fishermen! Hoping for a better year than last meaning better water conditions which means better fishing! I'm gonna give it a try next Monday! Let this snow melt and everything pass by this week to set it up for next week! Next week fellas I really feel that we have a chance to start catching some walleye! Good luck to all and if anything changes from here on out I will post results!


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

I am not all that familiar with the river run 'eyes.....

If i was a betting man, i would put my money on the river being blown out by next week. Again, that is just a guess!


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

Its still pretty frozen i say at least 10 days , i have the fever also .


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

not a chance! i live across the street from the river and still 10 inches of ice. downtown only has tricles of open water. at least 10 days. and thats not factoring in the flooding that is going to occur with all the ice jams. after the water goes down then it will be ready


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## fisherboy (Sep 17, 2012)

Still ice fishing in Mich & maybe Orlander.


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## Walleyekingjr (Mar 26, 2014)

Well that just ruined my next two weeks! Guess I'll go play around with some saugeye until then! If I find some that'll keep me occupied until the walleye turn on!


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## DoubleHooked (Oct 15, 2014)

tdl9092 said:


> not a chance! i live across the street from the river and still 10 inches of ice. downtown only has tricles of open water. at least 10 days. and thats not factoring in the flooding that is going to occur with all the ice jams. after the water goes down then it will be ready



How long does the walleye stay in the river at Fremont! A friend and I went last year and it appeared we missed it by a 1/2 day. By the time we got there, fisherman was carrying out their limits and we sat there till late afternoon with 1 walleye...


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

truthfully usually by now most years we are catching limits. the last week of february and first few weeks of march are usually good for actually catching fish. then when the water warms all the fish want to do is spawn and all people do is snag away at them. about mid april thru the first week or so of march if the water is right after they spawn out they bite great up behind the parks in the deeper water. this all depends on weather and water conditions. ive lived on this river my whole life.


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

ya know none of us have ever tried ice fishing the turnpike or rte 20 bypass. last year them fish still came in under the ice. there are fish in the river right now. knowone has ever tried it. nor has anyone ever tried jigging for them in the shipping channel in the bay at sandusky. the fish have to come thru there. who knows maybe they are staging in there right now just like they are doing north of the reefs


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## Walleyekingjr (Mar 26, 2014)

I agree with tdl there are walleye in there now and they usually stay all the way up until May! It's just that the water conditions are not fishable! Soon as water conditions get to pretty much normal you'll be able to know instantly that they're in there! Start off by the bridges with the tressel first and follow the fish down to the park area around mid April and finish it out there until the white bass move in


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## tmorrow (Feb 26, 2008)

If we get this rain Friday and Sat. like they are predicting i will be there wetting a line when the river crests. Won't be long now!


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

Whats new tmorrow


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## Walleyekingjr (Mar 26, 2014)

Sure won't be long! Just gotta check it day by day! The high water because of the rain and ice melt should bring in a big school of walleye! And once it settles down it's on!


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

I got that thursday and friday off for maumee


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

just crossed the bridge on the sandusky river still no open water. it will be a week at least.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

Level came up 2 feet in a day..... Hydrologic Prediction Service

Ice is not going to hold long. Creeks & ditches are already jammed up in a few places between Tiffin & Attica so lots of warm water going to be flowing in quickly. I'd be happy if it didn't thaw so quick or else i am going to be spending time at work pumping the river out of our basement.


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## tmorrow (Feb 26, 2008)

PM sent jonpeck


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## tmorrow (Feb 26, 2008)

Ice is breaking up and and flowing in Tiffin. Water heading towards Fremont.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

water is flowing onto south river road in fremont by the reservoir and bridge!!! Only the beginning lol


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## zoowelder (May 19, 2011)

Fished the river this morning and this afternoon between bridges. Water height and flow is perfect at the moment but this is quickly changing as the river is coming up. Biggest problem is all the damn leaves that latch on the line every cast. According to the USGS site water gage is at 12'....not in Fremont yet, but I guessing in the morning we may see it.


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## trapperjon (Mar 11, 2008)

be patient my friends, water temp needs to come up before they will come up in any numbers, I personally start hitting Fremont when river temps hit 40, which as a general rule the Maumee is usually 1to2 weeks after that. heavy rains can put a damper on that also.


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

the river did break up today. all open and very high between the bridges. lots and lots of ice flows though. there probably are walleye in there.


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## snappedLine (Oct 9, 2013)

So with all that being said are we looking toward maybe the week of the 22nd


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

yep looks like by the weekend people will be trying it. not sure how long before the water goes down?


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## trapperjon (Mar 11, 2008)

tdl9092 said:


> yep looks like by the weekend people will be trying it. not sure how long before the water goes down?


Looking at the forecasted rain I dought it'll be fishable or even warm enough to bring some eyes up from the lake,


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## HatersGonnaHate (Jun 4, 2013)

Yeah people are getting way too impatient. If this was febuary like any other year people would not be out there


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## SaltyHD (Aug 12, 2014)

With the forecasted rain coming and all the ice still flowing and water temps. I'm thinking by late next week giving it a try. At least until I can get the boat out and on the reefs! The Sandusky starts just east of here and is a small river behind my house. There is still a lot of big ice flows coming down here so will be awhile before that is ready there! Would be nice if they took that last dam out up there so I could walleye fish behind my house! lol.


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

dont get us started on that subject here in fremont. not sure if the walleye will ever go that far though. that god dam dam was supposed to be gone already but our corrupt mayor has wasted millions in tax payer money trying to save it!!!!!!!!!


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## jbo (Apr 24, 2014)

Guess while waiting on the river to get right for walleye I'll try to figure out how to make floating jigs with polystyrene.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

SaltyHD said:


> ......Would be nice if they took that last dam out up there so I could walleye fish behind my house! lol.


I don't think the 'eyes could make it up over the dam at the Pioneer Mill restaurant, aka Tinkers Dam. That dam is in bad shape though, can see it breaking loose just with a flood.


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## johnsfishing2 (Nov 13, 2014)

There were people trying it yesterday from shore about 6 people did not stop and talk


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## Fishguy777 (Jul 8, 2012)

Not to stray off topic but I believe the fish will come into the river with the rising water. They may not be spawning or as active until the water temp comes up a bit IMO. Can't wait to get the line wet!


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## snappedLine (Oct 9, 2013)

I really think Next weekend will be a good timetable


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Too cold, too muddy, too fast, too high....patience!!


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## ejsell (May 3, 2012)

AtticaFish said:


> I don't think the 'eyes could make it up over the dam at the Pioneer Mill restaurant, aka Tinkers Dam. That dam is in bad shape though, can see it breaking loose just with a flood.


 And there's still another dam between Ella and 224 in Tiffin.


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

ejsell said:


> And there's still another dam between Ella and 224 in Tiffin.


There is, but think i would consider that a low head dam? It is short, i know that. There is another at Indian Mill too. Right now the ice is jammed in above that little dam in Tiffin pretty bad. Ice is backed up almost all the way to the bridge at 224. For those North of there, there will be another large ice flow once it lets loose.


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## gearhead0307 (Jan 13, 2013)

yesterday it was still froze at old fort and behind the ballville dam with this rain its going to get nasty


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

It broke up this morning...... getting close to 9' here in tiffin today.


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

When the water goes down should be game on .


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## hogheadjeremy (May 28, 2010)

Hey guys tell me your thoughts? When the ballville dam is takin out (which it is suppose to happen this summer, right?) seriously how far do you think the walleyes will make it up river, soya think past old fort bridge at all? Thanks for you thoughts and God Bless


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## zoowelder (May 19, 2011)

As I recall another damn is located just beyond the current damn and isn't going to be removed as it will save some $$. Unless ODNR decides to install a fish ladder, my guess would be no.

This damn situation has been a nightmare and until all is said and done, I wouldn't believe anything as nobody seems to know for sure what it going to happen to date.


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

knowone seems to know for sure how far they will go or what the river will look like? ive never heard of another dam being behind that one? maybe there is. all i know is the dnr gave us a 5 million dollar grant specifically to go twards the dam dam being taken down that must be paid back if it isnt destroyed! this whole thing is caos. 2 different mayors city councilmen with personal adjendas . all corrupt as hell! this city has wasted millions on this whole thing so to your point who knows when it will finally come down. ive heard the possibility of steelhead being stocked in the river to once its out which would be pretty awsome


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

hogheadjeremy said:


> Hey guys tell me your thoughts? When the ballville dam is takin out (which it is suppose to happen this summer, right?) seriously how far do you think the walleyes will make it up river, soya think past old fort bridge at all? Thanks for you thoughts and God Bless


I am assuming they will make it up to the dam behind Pioneer Mill restaurant in Tiffin..... no other obstructions that i know of. I have kayaked and walked a lot of the river between Tiffin and Old fort and think that as for spawning habitat, the best areas will be around Steyer Nature Preserve. From there South, there is a lot of gravel bottom areas that will suit them. As far south as Tiffin is mainly bedrock. Used to catfish with some friends (many years ago) closer to Old Fort and remember mostly mud bottom. Not really familiar with the river from OF north.

I've have posted this picture in the past. I work in Downtown Tiffin and it sits under the counter by the register. Story i was told to go with it is that it was taken BEFORE the dam in Fremont was ever built and these fish were taken from near the OLD dam at Huss Street in Tiffin. If you look, there are walleye along with other species on the line. As the story goes.........


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## madgabfar (Dec 6, 2010)

My father in law said some old timers said fort Seneca was a hot spot before the dam. Wonder if the Sandusky would be spawning ground for sturgeon. Think only good will come from the dam coming down.


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## zoowelder (May 19, 2011)

Here is a link to the other dam (Tucker Dam) that I was referring to that lies on the other side of the Ballville Dam. 
http://archive.thenews-messenger.co...S01/110280302/Ballville-Dam-removal-discussed


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## CleoSpooner (Jan 11, 2009)

The state decided to take out the St.Johns dam some time ago. Now it's the St'Johns drop off.
I'm sorry but this topic really P**ses me off !!!
They spent all that money stocking tiger musky then destroyed the fishery.
I owned a home above the dam. 3miles one way and a mile the other was the best bass and crappie fishery in the state GONE NOW.

Next point: The dams also hold back top soil. The top soil that the state claims that is covering the walleye eggs. The same dirt that's full of Nitrates that the algae in lake Erie love. The same nitrates that they are digging up in Maumee bay,,,,, and dumping out into the lake.
But hey,,,,,, let's just blame farmers !


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

just fished for the first time this year. water is still real high. saw no walleye aat all what so ever. i still think its to cold. still lots of ice on the bay and i wonder if the ice ipiled up at the mouth of the river. lots of big catfish. buffalo carp and alligator gar though. it was a fun time messing with them fish though


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

thats pretty interesting to here about that other dam. it will be interesting to see if its still there


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

Where did u try and fish?


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## Captain Kevin (Jun 24, 2006)

CleoSpooner said:


> The state decided to take out the St.Johns dam some time ago. Now it's the St'Johns drop off.
> I'm sorry but this topic really P**ses me off !!!
> They spent all that money stocking tiger musky then destroyed the fishery.
> I owned a home above the dam. 3miles one way and a mile the other was the best bass and crappie fishery in the state GONE NOW.
> ...


The state is well aware of the top soil concern, and it is my understanding wanted to blow that dam out under high water conditions to help push it on through to the bay.


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

Nice of you to chime in captain kevin , long time .


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

thats a pretty cool pic


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

north of state st. on the rocks by anthonys bar. they are always there first when water is high. i think we need that ice jam at the mouth of the river to break up and start flowing to get them in here. i never even saw a walleye roll. the water might not quite be warm enough yet either .


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

Im goin to try there in the morning , u must be fairly local to know that spot i fish there early and when the water is high


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

um yes very local as in born and lived here my entire life. i know every single hole in that river. i fish it almost every day. especially when the HUGE crappie start biting.


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

Same here , lol maybe we can meet up and get some fish someday


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Loose lips sink ships! LOL

IMO....another 10 days and fish will be caught.


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## tmorrow (Feb 26, 2008)

USGS has the water temp at about 43° and water level going down. There will be fish caught there by the end of this week. IT IS HERE!


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## mrw2713 (Mar 30, 2014)

anyone ever fish near the 80 90 bridge? ive got a couple spots i have permission to fish, just wasnt sure if it would be better to stay down town with the rest of the pack?


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## Northern Reb (Jan 3, 2012)

I've been checking the water temp and levels and this morning the level down over 4 ft between 9:30 and 10:30. Do you think this was an error? Or could it have been an ice jam that let go? Just curious what your thoughts are.


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## SaltyHD (Aug 12, 2014)

Sounds to me like an ice jam let go. What is the water temp. at Fremont?


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## zoowelder (May 19, 2011)

water temp is at 43 deg, flow dropped from 25,500 to 10,000, gage height dropped from 11' to 6' all within an hour......I might have to go play in the chocolate milk for a bit 

Gage must have been wrong due to ice. River has only dropped 6" and flow is the same. Those that know the sandusky, water level is at the walkway on the rock wall.


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

Went this morning and caught a few gar. Water is coming down and more clear then i thought , back at it in the morning good luck boys were real close.


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

the ice is still jammed up at the mouth. water is warm enough for them to be in. ive always caught them in high water. not sure whats up. i know the bay is still totally iced up. not sure whats going on here.


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## Larry Winkelman (Mar 29, 2012)

I just looked and no reports of them biting yet up there. People are trying but they aint in there yet


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## tdl9092 (Jan 11, 2015)

i just gave you a first hand report larry. i live across the street from the river on pc road. been there the past 2 days. havent seen a walleye at all. plenty of junk fish though. ill keep people posted . i stop at the river pretty much every night.


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

I will be back in the morning and give a update


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## nomansland4404 (Apr 26, 2010)

tdl9092 said:


> just fished for the first time this year. water is still real high. saw no walleye aat all what so ever. i still think its to cold. still lots of ice on the bay and i wonder if the ice ipiled up at the mouth of the river. lots of big catfish. buffalo carp and alligator gar though. it was a fun time messing with them fish though



Alligator gar? I'd love to see some pics of them


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## AtticaFish (Nov 23, 2008)

nomansland4404 said:


> Alligator gar? I'd love to see some pics of them


No alligator gar up here........... they would be long nose gar.


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## nomansland4404 (Apr 26, 2010)

AtticaFish said:


> No alligator gar up here........... they would be long nose gar.



Kind of what I figured. Haha


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

Water has come down alot, had somthing bigger then a gar today just couldnt land it. Have to work over tomorrow so wont hit it again until friday . Good luck .


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## freshwaterexperience (May 23, 2014)

What you catch the gar on?


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## jonlpeck922 (Jun 3, 2012)

They have fine bones inthere jaws hard to actually catch , essy to snag tho.


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## cbutz (Aug 23, 2013)

nomansland4404 said:


> Alligator gar? I'd love to see some pics of them









idk if this an aligator gar I don't really keep up on those kind of species but I got that gar last year during the white bass run


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## nomansland4404 (Apr 26, 2010)

cbutz said:


> View attachment 108660
> idk if this an aligator gar I don't really keep up on those kind of species but I got that gar last year during the white bass run



Longnose Gar.


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## cbutz (Aug 23, 2013)

nomansland4404 said:


> Longnose Gar.



Oh cool thanks really have no idea about them only caught a couple I don't like them I know that loll


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## nomansland4404 (Apr 26, 2010)

cbutz said:


> Oh cool thanks really have no idea about them only caught a couple I don't like them I know that loll



Haha they are a wicked looking fish! Pretty neat


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## cbutz (Aug 23, 2013)

nomansland4404 said:


> Haha they are a wicked looking fish! Pretty neat



Yea I took y step son last year and we just happened to snag one so u know he got a kick out of it not a fish u get out of water much and if u do more than likely snagged they're pretty hard to get them hooked in mouth like u or someone else said earlier but hey on a white bass day it was a little more fun on the light action set up I had on so I won't complain!


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