# Rocky Fork Lake



## YakNinja

I'm thinking of heading back to Ohio first week of September and try to catch a saugeye. Would a black head jig with black body work well at Rocky Lake or a chartreuse color head and white curly tail? Do you guys put minnows or crawlers on the back of the lure?
Also does anyone troll for saugeyes up there with a harness rig or crankbaits? 
I went to Cowan Lake a few weeks ago and only caught white bass. 
Would Rocky Lake be better for saugeyes or another lake north of Cincinnati? I'm coming from Lexington, KY and wanted to spend a day at a good saugeye numbers lake to increase my chances and not waste a trip.


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## Southernsaug

I was on Rocky Fork yesterday for 4 hrs and not one Saugeye, only 3 white bass. There is usually a fall bite that starts around the first week of September, but it may be later this year. If they're in shallow you can catch a bunch, but there is a 15" length limit and 9 out of ten have been short all summer. Maybe fall will be better. I'll be out every few days the next two weeks. I'll post if it starts producing. I usually troll cranks in the fall, but worm harness and worm tipped jigs work too. I tried it all yesterday.


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## YakNinja

Southernsaug said:


> I was on Rocky Fork yesterday for 4 hrs and not one Saugeye, only 3 white bass. There is usually a fall bite that starts around the first week of September, but it may be later this year. If they're in shallow you can catch a bunch, but there is a 15" length limit and 9 out of ten have been short all summer. Maybe fall will be better. I'll be out every few days the next two weeks. I'll post if it starts producing. I usually troll cranks in the fall, but worm harness and worm tipped jigs work too. I tried it all yesterday.


Please let me know SouthernSaug. Its a 2 hour drive for me plus $11 one day out of state fishing license for me so I'd like to catch a saugeye or two when I come up in September.


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## mrdcpa

I would drive the other direction. It’s a transitional time of year. Was out on Cowan the other day and managed a few crappie no Saugs. I’d take one of your KY lakes or the drive to TN any day over driving up here this time of year. Best fishing here now is creeks and streams. Can do ok or better in smallies


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## YakNinja

mrdcpa said:


> I would drive the other direction. It’s a transitional time of year. Was out on Cowan the other day and managed a few crappie no Saugs. I’d take one of your KY lakes or the drive to TN any day over driving up here this time of year. Best fishing here now is creeks and streams. Can do ok or better in smallies


I'm headed up to Brookville Lake for a chance to catch some walleyes. From the guys in Indiana this is the place to catch walleyes on the regular and a good to very good population. 
Wish me luck.


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## garhtr

In another month and a half or maybe two the saugeye will be jumping in your boat 
I'll be fishing the last two hours of light and first two hours of dark on both Cowan and Rcky-frk.
Good luck and good fishing !


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## Southernsaug

It


garhtr said:


> In another month and a half or maybe two the saugeye will be jumping in your boat
> I'll be fishing the last two hours of light and first two hours of dark on both Cowan and Rcky-frk.
> Good luck and good fishing !


Its starting to pick up a little now. I have got 4 keepers the last couple days, one 22"


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## YakNinja

Southernsaug said:


> It
> 
> 
> Its starting to pick up a little now. I have got 4 keepers the last couple days, one 22"


I had a good day at Brookville Lake


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## Fish Ohio

YakNinja said:


> I had a good day at Brookville Lake


How did you fish it? I went there twice this year on my Hobie and got skunked both times.


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## YakNinja

Fish Ohio said:


> How did you fish it? I went there twice this year on my Hobie and got skunked both times.


Trolled cranks after talking to some guys on the lake. They wouldn't touch a jig and crawler the day. Can't wait to go back but its a 150 mile jaunt from my house.


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## DeepvJoe

Southernsaug said:


> It
> 
> 
> Its starting to pick up a little now. I have got 4 keepers the last couple days, one 22"


Any tips you can share?! I am going up there next weekend and am completely unfamiliar with that lake! Was going to try to get on some crappie but wouldn't mind snagging a 20+" saug or two!


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## YakNinja

DeepvJoe said:


> Any tips you can share?! I am going up there next weekend and am completely unfamiliar with that lake! Was going to try to get on some crappie but wouldn't mind snagging a 20+" saug or two!


Flats in less than 10 ft of water. Caught most of mine around Kent's Harbour. Best advice I could give you would be to join the Brookville Lake facebook group. Everyone on there was very helpful to me. I know they have a big walleye tournament coming up soon so you'll definitely want to avoid fishing that weekend.


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## DeepvJoe

YakNinja said:


> Flats in less than 10 ft of water. Caught most of mine around Kent's Harbour. Best advice I could give you would be to join the Brookville Lake facebook group. Everyone on there was very helpful to me. I know they have a big walleye tournament coming up soon so you'll definitely want to avoid fishing that weekend.


Yak I am sorry I meant for Rocky fork lake! I'm actually not too far from Brookville lake so I fish they're pretty much. I'm glad you found some fish at Brookville though sometimes that place is like the Dead Sea!


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## YakNinja

DeepvJoe said:


> Yak I am sorry I meant for Rocky fork lake! I'm actually not too far from Brookville lake so I fish they're pretty much. I'm glad you found some fish at Brookville though sometimes that place is like the Dead Sea!


Never fished Rocky Fork. I made the decision to fish Brookville over Rocky Fork once learning about the walleye population. I may try and fish Rocky or Cowan once it gets a little colder. I got skunked on Cowan for saugeye a month ago.


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## Southernsaug

deepvjoe,
Mid lake is best for Saugeye on RF, around both beach areas. Flats of 7-10 feet produce most of the Saugeye. The point of the island on the east end is hot at times as well. Just about anywhere you can find a hump or flat coming up out of deeper water will get you Saugeye. I have not been on the lake for a week. I was getting a few then the heat came and it slowed. I spent two days at Lake erie and that was off as well. The last couple evenings I've got a few out of the creek. Fall is about to pick up but the heat is making later.


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## YakNinja

Southernsaug said:


> deepvjoe,
> Mid lake is best for Saugeye on RF, around both beach areas. Flats of 7-10 feet produce most of the Saugeye. The point of the island on the east end is hot at times as well. Just about anywhere you can find a hump or flat coming up out of deeper water will get you Saugeye. I have not been on the lake for a week. I was getting a few then the heat came and it slowed. I spent two days at Lake erie and that was off as well. The last couple evenings I've got a few out of the creek. Fall is about to pick up but the heat is making later.


I’m assuming once the water temps lower a bit the saugeye will be ready to eat?


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## Southernsaug

YakNinja said:


> I’m assuming once the water temps lower a bit the saugeye will be ready to eat?


Yup, but the shorter days help as well. Like I said I'm getting a few out of the creek where 10 days ago it was nothing. That's a sign it's close. Pick a cool overcast or rainy day and I bet you could get a few. I like the water temp to get down to 68-70 then hit em. It was 74-76 then this heat drove it right back to 78-80.


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## YakNinja

Southernsaug said:


> Yup, but the shorter days help as well. Like I said I'm getting a few out of the creek where 10 days ago it was nothing. That's a sign it's close. Pick a cool overcast or rainy day and I bet you could get a few. I like the water temp to get down to 68-70 then hit em. It was 74-76 then this heat drove it right back to 78-80.


Let me know if the bite is starting to warm up.


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## Southernsaug

yakninja, Won't be reporting for a while. Heading to South Dakota ( gonna spend some time around lake Ohae and Black hills) and won't be back until around October 1st. I have picked up a couple nice Saugeye in the creeks the last few days. So it's getting close. On shallow running cranks, like shad raps, shadow raps, xraps and swimin image shads. The head of riffles and fast water just below shoots and riffles.


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## DeepvJoe

YakNinja said:


> Let me know if the bite is starting to warm up.


Yak,
I'll be up there Sunday for my club tournament so I'll let you know how it goes..


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## TheKing

Fished some and explored depths some for 4 hrs mid-day yesterday. It was a day after the cold front moved through. Transducer temperature at 75-76 degrees. Did relax and still fished after catching this one close to shore.


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## Southernsaug

As far as I know the lake is still not doing well. However, the creek has been pretty darn good to me the last month. I have caught some very nice Saugeye. I have 4 that measured between 24 and 26 inches and several between 20 & 24". I'm fishing all areas I can't reveal in the creeks (Paint & Rocky Fork) that is controlled, so sorry can't disclose locations. I was hoping for a good fall bite on the lake, but it hasn't developed.

Maybe I should of entered that Saugeye Brawl thing LOL.....my three best equal 74". Oh well they all went in the freezer, so I'm getting my prize.


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## AndOne

Anyone have the water temp? Trying to plan a trip later in May, just like to know when based on water temp.


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## bass

Low 50s a couple of days ago


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## AndOne

bass said:


> Low 50s a couple of days ago


Thanks,

Might try next week pending my schedule. Hopefully things stabilize with the weather and can sneak down for a few hours.


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## AndOne

Fished yesterday.

Had some boat issues, battled the wind, fought through the crowd, and when the smoke cleared we did not do very well. Did find a lot of the small fish. Water temps ranged from 55 - 60 most of the day. Not sure what they were prior to the cold from this week. This weekend probably will not help either. 

Fishing pressure is what I would say we normally see towards the end of May. A lot of Crappie poles were out yesterday.


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## Carter Crappie Crew

My dad and his friend caught 80+ crappies on Thursday but only only 7 keepers. Blue back shad grub and minnows just no size. Not sure exactly where as he didn't say and I don't know that lake that well.


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## tedtami

Caught this near campground
In a cove , and a few more


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## Bandy




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## Bandy

This dude came just off the boat ramp yesterday morning.


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## T-180

How bad is the lake going to be blown out after all this rain ?? My son wants to bowfish Saturday night, but I'm concerned that it will be really muddy & the 1.75 hour drive will be a waste. Thanks


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## crankbait09

I was out there today. Little rain off and on. 5-10mph winds, choppy water. air temps were in the low 60s. I was fishing down at the end where the dam is. Visibility was a good 2-3ft. Not horrible. We threw crankbaits, worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and caught nothing. I saw one guy flipping a creature bait and landed a good 1 pound bass. But he was the only one I saw catch anything (bass). There were a few other boats but they were crappie fishing. I wasn't near them long enough to see if they caught any. Definitely a rough day for bass fishing.


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## Hughesjrm

Looking to go out there this weekend with my son if it’s not to busy. Haven’t been to this lake yet since I moved up here but excited to try it out. How’s the bass fishing. Would the north section be better or down by the damn. What would good lures be to try?


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## crankbait09

Before I moved to the center of the 275 loop, I used to go to RF all the time. I'd launch the kayak at the campground ramp, and stick to that half of the lake. But with all the rain we've had, I would definitely go towards the dam. Visibility is much greater, and water is definitely deeper. I fish for bass, and that lake has always done well for me. Pretty much all Bass lures will work.


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## Hughesjrm

crankbait09 said:


> Before I moved to the center of the 275 loop, I used to go to RF all the time. I'd launch the kayak at the campground ramp, and stick to that half of the lake. But with all the rain we've had, I would definitely go towards the dam. Visibility is much greater, and water is definitely deeper. I fish for bass, and that lake has always done well for me. Pretty much all Bass lures will work.


Thank you, I appreciate the info. Is there any grass or lily pads in the lake? Looking on satellite images, looks like there is on the north side.


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## crankbait09

There is a lot of vegetation at this lake. I don;t know all the names of types of grass, but you have it all. Being more familiar with the campground half of the lake, you will definitely find lilly pads on that half. In mid summer, they seem to be EVERYWHERE. I can't speak for the dam half though. As I mentioned, I was there yesterday and we pulled in a lot of grass, and and other vegetation. I don't recall seeing any lilly pads at that end.


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## redhawk fisherman

With Paint Creek lake blown out, I bet Rocky Fork will be even more a zoo than it would have been with the holiday weekend.


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## BMustang

Seems to be a lot of shovelheads being caught this spring.
I always considered them a welcome surprise when throwing a plug, and usually caught a few via bait-and-wait with small rock bass for bait in June-July when the river was on the rise.


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## crappiedude

I took a trip out to Rocky Fork today with a friend. 
We caught 3 saugeye, 1 bluegill, 3 white bass, 3 largemouth, 4 ring perch and maybe 25 crappie. It was a pretty mixed bag and the action was never fast paced but was rather spread pretty evenly through out the day. What I was more impressed with was of those 25 crappie, 11 were really nice size running between 11" to just under 13".
Both jigs and minnows had their moments but deep (12-15 fow) was the key to the bigger fish.


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## Southernsaug

Hey crappiedude, I was ON Rocky fork today too. We caught 3 saugeye (1- 16"), 1 bass, 1 white bass. We never even attempted any crappie. Pretty slow day.


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## crappiedude

It looked like quite a few guys were fishing for saugeyes to us. We were wondering if they were doing any better than we were. 
We don't get to Rocky Fork often, maybe 3 or 4 times a year. We almost always get at a few nice eyes but just couldn't connect today.
All those better crappie were tight to the bottom.


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## Southernsaug

I spoke with a buddy of mine on the lake and he had hit the crappies pretty well too and he had 1 keeper Saugeye. I saw some good schools over structure on the sonar that I assumed were crappies. The Saugeye have not showed up good on the humps yet. It's been a tough couple years on Rocky Fork. I think it's went down hill ever since the length limit was set. We tried deep jigging, trolling and casting swim baits/jigs in shallow water....they just weren't active. 

Next time you head this way, drop a PM or post here and if i'm gonna be on the lake, maybe we could meet for a howdy do. R.F. is my home lake and I'm on it at least 1 day a week and usually 2-3


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## crappiedude

Southernsaug said:


> Next time you head this way, drop a PM or post here and if i'm gonna be on the lake, maybe we could meet for a howdy do. R.F. is my home lake and I'm on it at least 1 day a week and usually 2-3


Will do. I wish I knew the lake a little better.
I'm 10 minutes from East Fork so I fish it a lot but I try to make a trip to Cowan, Rocky, Paint or even the Ohio River maybe once a week if I can hook up with a partner for the day. 
As summer starts to warm the waters a little I'll replace some of the bigger lakes for smaller lakes like Stonelick or Grant and will hit some streams or smaller rivers.


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