# targetting the Fish Ohio river smallie (20")



## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

This and getting my second muskie are my goals for the rest of the year. Its mid summer. How would you go about this?


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## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

heh good luck.... every river smallie ive caught was around 15".... although they dont get too big in the upper hoga..... i hear the smallies in the rocky river are decent


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

Live bait fishing in the fall is good...even though I have not caught a 20" myself I have had a few friends who have and most have came in the fall.


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## oucat (Aug 18, 2005)

I caught one on a fly rod last year right at dark, it was a blast. I think it was around the this time. But the topwater in the river right at dark has always been good to me.


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Spinnerbait or some topwater for the smallie. Fish alum enough and musky will come. I usually get 1 musky every trip bass fishing at alum. Usually no monsters but lots of 25 to 36 inchers, no secret lure just time on the water. Just use normal bass lures, crankbait, spinnerbait even tubes. I would imagine if you heave a 1/2 oz spinnerbait with double willows around the dam rocks and weed beds long enough it will pay off. Especially when the water starts to cool in the fall. Lately the muskies I have caught have been 10 to 15 feet deep. Of course all the muskies I get are while targeting bass. All yea, burn that spinnerbait fast. Good luck.


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## devildog (Jan 2, 2005)

hit the rocky around april/may there are some big ones in from the lake during this time frame. I managed a couple over 18" this year.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

Well here is the secret smallie bait we only use it in the fall but it works really well for other species too. Creek chubs, big 7" creek chubs. We went last year I picked up one of my biggest, and if you catch the creek chubs thats pretty fun on a ultra light.

Also try finese jigs and rubber crayfish.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

The way I understand Alum has a descent population of smallies.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

This has been my goal for 11 years now and I seem top top out about 19". I will ditto the nightime topwater bite for big smallies. Middle of summer/hottest part of year in the middle of the night is usually good for some nice fish.

Marshall - can you recommend any cranks to troll from a yak around the rip-rap (dam)at alum?

Thanks!


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## canoe carp killer (Apr 2, 2014)

Caught this 20.5 inch smallie on a crank in Janiary this year.









And this fat 21" smallie in December of this last year. Both were kind of surprise catches. I've actually got video of the last one on my winter kayak fishing video in another thread. I've never been into smallie fishing before this last year but now I'm addicted. I want bigger!!!


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Great smallies! Fishing the cold months paid off!

What crank for the Jan? About how deep was it where you were and about how deep was fish when it struck would you guess?

What was the Dec. smallie caught on?

Thanks!


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## canoe carp killer (Apr 2, 2014)

December was on a vibe vertically jigged and didn't put up much fight. January was on a KVD and fought like a champ! I honeslty don't remmwber depths. Just kind of tried everything till I caught fish lol.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Thanks and good to know. kvd is one of the few pros I like and I really like him(fave pro). I've seen those cranks in the stores and they look nice. I will pick one up next time I am out. Thanks again. And I forgive you/no big deal (other thread). Peace out.


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## canoe carp killer (Apr 2, 2014)

Hahaha. Thanks man lol. Yeah I'd say I've got a bit of a man crush on KVD......


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