# Creekin'



## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

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## tpat

Nice work for november creekin'. Saugs are going to be where they can find some food or hide out, just like other species. Going to be tough when the water is that clear. Sometimes they will be in shallow water where you least expect them but hit the usual spots, esp deeper spots below riffles.


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## RiparianRanger

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## fishmeister

Find the deepest water and fish it slowly. Also, think low light conditions and cloudy water.


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## RiparianRanger

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## FOSR

This thread is a perfect example of why I'm on this board. You guys are like reporters. I forwarded some of this to the people who are developing the local water trails. AFAIK none of them fish so this gives them a view of a stream from a fisherman's perspective.


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## RiparianRanger

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## dre

BronzebackFanatic said:


> So I'm guessing swim baits are on the menu? Can't see fishing a Vibe or other blade bait in a creek slowly without getting hung up.


Don't be afraid to try Vibes in a creek or river. Makes sure to use light 1/8 or 3/16 oz Vibes, cast the down stream, keep your rod tip higher than usual and hop it back to you. You may be surprised..remember light weight Vibes, anything heavier than 3/16 will definitely snag up in the Big Walnut.


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## RiparianRanger

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## fishslim

Not moving fast if you get the hopping motion down. Learn your depth your fishing and get a rythm going that allows blade bait to just slightly touch as you bring it in. But yes a light jig head 1/16th and a Josh swim brought back on a slow,steady reel can be deadly.


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## dre

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Had I replied without reading beyond the first sentence I would have asked "are you crazy?" My kneejerk response was, I'm going to get hung up every cast. Thanks for the tip. I will have to make a trip to the tackle shop. Only have 1/4 oz. Vib-E in the ol' tacklebox at the moment.
> 
> I'm guessing standard chrome and shad (black & silver) color in the BWC? By the way, what exactly is likely to hit a Vibe in the creek this time of year? I think we all view Vibe as a walleye and saugeye bait. Same thing for BWC? Just hard to imagine a lethargic smallmouth in 40 degree water chasing a fast moving bait like a Vibe. I could be wrong though.


I would go with Firetiger and Silver. The Firetiger color can really be killer. Chartreuse Tiger is good color too. One suggestion is to clip off the very front hook of the front treble to help reduce snags. Also, I caught a decent smallmouth a few winters ago in the Scioto on a Vibe when the air temp was literally 2 degrees.


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## RiparianRanger

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## allbraid

Have not posted in some while, but you questions on wintering holes is a real interest of mine. People always think deep water for a wintering hole, but this is only one part of the equation. 
More important is current, or truly the lack of current at all levels and flows. The winter smallmouth must find a current break that will protect it during winter high water events, it reduced metabolic rate does not allow it to fight current. 
Look for anything that will break current at all levels. As an example the down stream side of an island, 90 degree bends. Go out during high water and walk the banks and look for these slack areas. 
My go to baits for winter smallmouth are big joshy swims and small tubes.


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## RiparianRanger

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## allbraid

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Thanks, Allbraid. Good info.
> 
> Any thoughts on the importance of stream substrate given your reply above? Reason I ask is most of the areas in the lower BWC I've encountered with current break are sandy/silty or even riddled with leaf sediment - not what I've become accustomed to viewing as smallmouth habitat. Sadly this is at least in part a byproduct of it being a suburban stream i.e. stormwater runoff. Much of the traditional rocky areas are riffles, runs, and headwaters of pools, although there are a few favorite pools I typically target with stone/boulders on bottom but thus far this year they've been low producers (insufficient depth?).
> 
> A few additional words on yesterday's outing: I took two rigs - the first is described in my previous post where I was throwing a shallow running shadrap (SS07) with suspendots to help the bait get down - in some deeper pools a jointed suspending rapala was employed. This was the primary rig when "on foot." However, when staking out a location much like what you described with a significant current break (stone point) in a slackwater pool I tossed upstream a float-and-fly set 3.5 ft. deep and let it float down into the shielded area with slight twitches (raising the fly approximately a foot and letting it fall) every minute or so. Otherwise I was working the shadrap both with the current and against it at pool headwaters and tailwaters. Most pools were relatively shallow and with this shadrap rig I was nicking bottom most of the time. Flow was rather brisk making action on upstream retrieves rather muted. Working downstream had better action as I could let the lure more or less sit still in the flow and the flow imparted action on the lure while I retrieved very slowly. But alas, no luck with either setup. Air temp was just above freezing. Water temp I imagine was in the upper 30s perhaps low 40s. I did notice some slush, dare I say ice, forming on the eyes on my rod if that gives any idea as to the air temps.


I am almost exclusively a jig fisherman in the winter. 1/16 oz and Up. Joshy swimbaits and small tubes. I generally cast cross current or slightly up current and allow the jig to fall to the bottom and slowly work down stream with the current. These winter cold water smallmouth don't want to chase. You need to bring the lure to them. Again I want to bring up the current. This IMO is the key to finding concentrations of wintering bass. Look at your current breaks and decide if they would offer protection if there was 4 more feet of water, if you answer yes then you are fishing in the right spot. Bottom composition IMO ranks far below the need to avoid strong winter high water current.


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## RiparianRanger

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## streamstalker

Bronzeback, I'm not sure how long you have been on here, but allbraid is one of the worst fakers and trolls this board has ever seen. He goes so far as to take pictures of himself with frost on his beard next to a tiny patch of open water on a creek while holding big pike and smallies to perpetuate the myth. Like he said, he hasn't posted on here in a while. That's because it's been about 40 degrees too warm to make his stories believable. 

BTW...he never posts what creek he is supposedly catching these fish on. I guess the secretiveness adds to his mystique... Maybe doing the same would add to your reputation.


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## allbraid

streamstalker said:


> Bronzeback, I'm not sure how long you have been on here, but allbraid is one of the worst fakers and trolls this board has ever seen. He goes so far as to take pictures of himself with frost on his beard next to a tiny patch of open water on a creek while holding big pike and smallies to perpetuate the myth. Like he said, he hasn't posted on here in a while. That's because it's been about 40 degrees too warm to make his stories believable.
> 
> BTW...he never posts what creek he is supposedly catching these fish on. I guess the secretiveness adds to his mystique... Maybe doing the same would add to your reputation.


LOL!!! Thanks streamstalker! Feeling the love!
And yes BBF slow your retrieve way down.


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## RiparianRanger

Some info on riverine smallmouth seasonal depth and habitat courtesy of Minnesota DNR (pps 27-28 for tables, otherwise pps 11 and 15 provide shortcuts):

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/montrose/mississippiriversmbtelemetry.pdf


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## allbraid

A few decent representations of the Bronze species, with a couple of bonus fish. All from wintering holes over the past few weeks. Jigs with Joshy swims. This recent cold snap will concentrate the river fish nicely. My favorite time to fish for smallmouth. Also you might try a fluorocarbon leader to reduce line visibility. Sorry no frozen mustache pic yet.............Also great reading the study you posted, very good information, thanks.


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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

Need a little help identifying this one.

Took advantage of a January day in the mid-40s (overcast) and hit the stream at noon for a couple hours. Water could be described as a mix between normal and dirty using the Big Joshy scale (i.e. it rained the day before, in fact the pavement was still wet). Was using a version of the float'n'fly rig with a white and chartreuse streamer fly (shown in first image). I've seen versions of the float'n'fly technique suggest using a three-way swivel. I find that setup has too much propensity to get tangled during casts so I prefer to simply rig it like a drop shot with a slip bobber. 

Was standing at a point and casting downstream into a forty-foot wide pool with riffles on one side and a shallow eddy on the other side of the point. Pool was 4-5 feet deep at the deepest point in the center channel. Had the float stopper set to ~3.5 ft with the fly 8 inches up from the sinker. Casted to various targets including the center channel and let the current carry the fly to the eddy area. Also cast to the bank in 2-3 FoW and reeled the fly into the center channel. This fish hit on the latter type of retrieve and he sure lit that thing up as the float shot across the water surface five feet or so before I could get the slack out of the line and begin the retrieve. 

Fish measured 15.5". First assessment is we are looking at a juvenile pike but some are suggesting it could be a tiger muskie (pike-muskie hybrid). I hear muskie smell. Beyond being a bit slimy this fish didn't smell any different than most fish. 

In hindsight the habitat is decent for this type of fish as there was a grass/weed bed maybe 50 feet downstream providing good ambush cover. 

The fourth image below is looking upstream to the point with the riffles on the right and eddy on the left. The pool where this fish hit is in the foreground on the left.


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## acklac7

Freshly stocked muskie that came down from Alum this year. Congrats!


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## allbraid

Wow, that is way cool!!! Congrats on a Jan fish. Good looking animal.


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## percidaeben

That is way cool!!! One heck of a journey!


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## acklac7

percidaeben said:


> One heck of a journey!


Not really when you think about it.

During significant high water events (which we had multiple times this year) it's nothing for Alum to be scooting along at 1000+ cubic feet per second. All those fish have to do is "ride the wave" downstream (picture a kayaker floating the river when its ripping, all he has to do is navigate bends in the river).

And you won't catch me mentioning this that often, but there is a significant population of Muskie (Big Muskie  ) in the Big Walnut and Scioto. They should begin making their pre-spawn migrations here in February....


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## allbraid

acklac7 said:


> Not really when you think about it.
> 
> During significant high water events (which we had multiple times this year) it's nothing for Alum to be scooting along at 1000+ cubic feet per second. All those fish have to do is "ride the wave" downstream (picture a kayaker floating the river when its ripping, all he has to do is navigate bends in the river).
> 
> And you won't catch me mentioning this that often, but there is a significant population of Muskie (Big Muskie  ) in the Big Walnut and Scioto. They should begin making their pre-spawn migrations here in February....


Big walnut flow from Hoover.
Alum creek flows from Alum creek reservoir. They meet on the south end of Columbus.
That muskie swam a long way...


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## acklac7

Or "Floated" a long way. In no way was I trying to minimalize the distance traveled, just saying the amount of effort required to make such a journey is significantly reduced during significant high water events, of which we've had dozens in the past two years.


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## allbraid

acklac7 said:


> Or "Floated" a long way. In no way was I trying to minimalize the distance traveled, just saying the amount of effort required to make such a journey is significantly reduced during significant high water events, of which we have had dozens of in the past two years.


Agreed!


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## RiparianRanger

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## acklac7

BronzebackFanatic said:


> We've all seen the photos on here of muskellunge being pulled out of Alum Creek (lake). And if I recall correctly, there are even a few pics circulating of good size specimens in the creek itself. But this fish was caught 12 linear miles north of Three Creeks Metro Park. Is it conceivable the fish floated down Alum then swam back up Big Walnut that far with all the rock and structural impediments along the way? Any chance it came from Hoover? Or, perhaps it is member to a, well maybe not natural population, one that has existed for years due to a stocking many years ago?


North of Cherry Bottom Dam? That'd be interesting.

South of Cherry bottom Dam? Wouldn't surprise me if it was an Alum fish. We see (Alum) Muskie up at Greenlawn on a fairly regular basis.

Keep in mind it is nothing for Sauger, along with Stripers/Wipers, to migrate 20-40 river miles in a season


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## RiparianRanger

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## acklac7

BronzebackFanatic said:


> I've been up close to the Hap Cremean dam. The roller dam is close to as tall as a man. Tough to imagine anything scaling that waterfall.


I believe thats also referred to as Cherry Bottom Dam, although I could be wrong (admittedly not a Walnut "nut")

We're you fishing North of there? If so, thats definitely interesting...


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## RiparianRanger

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## acklac7

Someone Correct me if im wrong, but im pretty sure the Hap-Creman dam is the last significant (5ft +) Dam on the Walnut? If so I could easily see Muskie coming all the way upstream in one season. Keep in mind some of these piscivorous predators (Muskie, Saugs, Wipers) only relate to certain spots in a Stream/River; they'll just keep roaming until they find said spot(s).


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## RiparianRanger

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## seang22

There are Muskie occasionally caught in Hoover as well.


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## RiparianRanger

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## acklac7

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Likely not a "natural" fish as there is little to no documented reproduction within Ohio outside of Lake Erie watershed and Grand River in NE Ohio.


They're reproducing in the Scioto, I guarantee it .


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## dre

acklac7 said:


> They're reproducing in the Scioto, I guarantee it .


AJ, I'm sure you're still tear up the fish on the rivers, but I haven't seen any reports from you forever? You just get tired of posting reports?


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## acklac7

dre said:


> AJ, I'm sure you're still tear up the fish on the rivers, but I haven't seen any reports from you forever? You just get tired of posting reports?


Not getting out nearly as much as I used too in years past, have had a ton going on both personally and with Family. Probably going to completely miss the early spring S-eye bite, but should be ready to rock and roll by the time them Wipers show up in May 

Getting old sucks. Bigtime.


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## dre

acklac7 said:


> Not getting out nearly as much as I used too in years past, have had a ton going on both personally and with Family. Probably going to completely miss the early spring S-eye bite, but should be ready to rock and roll by the time them Wipers show up in May
> 
> Getting old sucks. Bigtime.


I understand man. Hope things ease up for you a bit soon. I missed out on a lot of last spring's fishing for various reasons...Getting old does suck..a lot!


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## percidaeben

Haha! It's not the getting old...Its the dang responsibility crap!


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## Smallie95

Hey bronzeback, i live really close to BWC right about where youre talking about and i was wondering, do you know anythin about the river upstream from the damn near the water treatment plant?


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## RiparianRanger

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## reyangelo

BronzebackFanatic said:


> I've been as far upstream as the dam (before you ask, no I didn't fish it - camera and signs everywhere) but not north of it. It looks enticing on a map and the water is supposedly deeper which passes the logic test given the water plant is drawing at the dam. I've wanted to check out the big bend where the creek turns and flows east-west but that park you see on the map is closed to vehicular access. If you are within walking distance or biking distance and check it out, please report back.


I hit upstream and downstream of the dam your indicating. There are wider areas on the North end near the park and it does seem deeper. Got a couple quick bumps but no takers, might be a good area to hit up around spring time. There is plenty debris so may get snagged more than other areas (looks like debris/tree limbs-trunks/garbage front the North end up on these bends). Lost 2 swim baits and no fish to show. On the flipside, I hit up some areas South of the dam (hiked several miles) and found a new honey hole (cannot disclose how far south). Hooked some SMBs on suspending lures (Smithwick), had to keep one (picture) as it had swallowed it. Will probably try the North area again in a couple weeks and post an update. Goodluck and Tight lines.


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## dre

reyangelo said:


> I hit upstream and downstream of the dam your indicating. There are wider areas on the North end near the park and it does seem deeper. Got a couple quick bumps but no takers, might be a good area to hit up around spring time. There is plenty debris so may get snagged more than other areas (looks like debris/tree limbs-trunks/garbage front the North end up on these bends). Lost 2 swim baits and no fish to show. On the flipside, I hit up some areas South of the dam (hiked several miles) and found a new honey hole (cannot disclose how far south). Hooked some SMBs on suspending lures (Smithwick), had to keep one (picture) as it had swallowed it. Will probably try the North area again in a couple weeks and post an update. Goodluck and Tight lines.


Very nice Smallie!! Are you guys talking about the Cherrybottom Rd. dam?


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## reyangelo

dre said:


> Very nice Smallie!! Are you guys talking about the Cherrybottom Rd. dam?


Thanks Dre. I was pretty sure he was decribing that dam, which is where I was referring to. But just a note, I was not too close to the dam itself.


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## dre

reyangelo said:


> Thanks Dre. I was pretty sure he was decribing that dam, which is where I was referring to. But just a note, I was not too close to the dam itself.


I live a couple blocks away from Woodside Green Park. I've never made it up as far as the dam though. It sounds like you can't fish below the damn anyway, correct?


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## reyangelo

dre said:


> I live a couple blocks away from Woodside Green Park. I've never made it up as far as the dam though. It sounds like you can't fish below the damn anyway, correct?


As far as I know it is not permissible. There is actually a fence blocking access (maybe for safety reasons too) plus there are signs...can't tell but the signs look to be directed at anyone on Kayak/Canoe to keep there distance (not sure how far though, but would assume ~500 feet).


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## seang22

U can park at the apartments and walk up. And or in the neighborhood. There is a lil spot to get down.


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## dre

seang22 said:


> U can park at the apartments and walk up. And or in the neighborhood. There is a lil spot to get down.


Sean are you talking to get down near the dam?


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## RiparianRanger

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## dre

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Rey - good lookin' fish. Thanks for the report.
> 
> Dre - we are all referring to the same dam. See #8 in the link below. Unfortunately the dam is not conducive to fishing for several reasons: For starters, I believe the area is restricted. I didn't press my luck by hanging around too long, but there are signs posted as well as a camera on a concrete tower near the inlet for the water plant. Further, the plunge pool itself is relatively short - maybe 40 feet or less from the waterfall to the end of the pool where the stream meanders into a narrow strip with crisscrossing limbs and trees. This limits the effective pool that you can fish once you factor in the turbulent water rolling off the dam. Access is difficult for many reasons. Lots of downed timber above the water and big mature trees overhead making casting difficult. Bank fishing looks nearly impossible due to fences/concrete walls and steep banks littered with vegetation. I waded there post-Autumn after the leaves had fallen. Can only imagine during Spring it'd be like a jungle in that area.
> 
> http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/where-to-boat/rivers-streams/sc/big-walnut-creek


Thanks for the info man, I will not press my luck there then.


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## RiparianRanger

My schedule is full so maybe someone else can put this info to good use. Got out today for about an hour early in the afternoon. Water slightly stained. 1 foot visibility. Moderate current due to rain last night but nothing I would be concerned about wading in. Shored fished a pool standing at the tail waters of a riffle pitching a big joshy downstream in 2-4" crushed limestone bottom and letting the current carry the bait under a bank cutout where there were some exposed tree roots. Started out throwing a 2.3" slush minnow (think this got thrown in my bag at the expo by accident as I wanted the 2.75"). No luck on the slush. Swapped it out for a 2.75" rusty craw. Nothing on the slow straight retrieve slightly nicking bottom. Switched up the retrieve to more of a rolling retrieve where I lift the rod tip up six inches or so and let the bait flutter and tag bottom and got a short strike about twelve feet from my shoes just as the bait entered the run. Fish gave a good tug and ran left to right for a second and spit it out. My own fault for being lazy and using the same 1/16 oz short jig head I used on the 2.3" rather than swapping out to the appropriate longer shank for the 2.75". Thought I'd save on time rather than tying on a new one. Cost me what felt like a decent bronzeback. 

So there you go, rusty craw > slush. 1/16 oz jig. And rolling retrieve > straight retrieve at least today it was.


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## dre

BronzebackFanatic said:


> My schedule is full so maybe someone else can put this info to good use. Got out today for about an hour early in the afternoon. Water slightly stained. 1 foot visibility. Moderate current due to rain last night but nothing I would be concerned about wading in. Shored fished a pool standing at the tail waters of a riffle pitching a big joshy downstream in 2-4" crushed limestone bottom and letting the current carry the bait under a bank cutout where there were some exposed tree roots. Started out throwing a 2.3" slush minnow (think this got thrown in my bag at the expo by accident as I wanted the 2.75"). No luck on the slush. Swapped it out for a 2.75" rusty craw. Nothing on the slow straight retrieve slightly nicking bottom. Switched up the retrieve to more of a rolling retrieve where I lift the rod tip up six inches or so and let the bait flutter and tag bottom and got a short strike about twelve feet from my shoes just as the bait entered the run. Fish gave a good tug and ran left to right for a second and spit it out. My own fault for being lazy and using the same 1/16 oz short jig head I used on the 2.3" rather than swapping out to the appropriate longer shank for the 2.75". Thought I'd save on time rather than tying on a new one. Cost me what felt like a decent bronzeback.
> 
> So there you go, rusty craw > slush. 1/16 oz jig. And rolling retrieve > straight retrieve at least today it was.


So by rolling the Swimbait you mean you were lifting/dragging dragging it up off the bottom then letting it fall back to the bottom?


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## RiparianRanger

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## dre

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Correct. Cast out and let it fall to the bottom. Reel in the slack and then execute what otherwise might be considered a shallow hop, where by shallow I mean the amplitude of the path of the bait. The pause on the bottom was very short - a second or less. Conceptually my goal was to mimic a bait fish foraging on the stream bed.
> 
> Performing this same pattern near the shore where I can see the lure, I've noticed there is significant tail flutter when I lift the rod tip. In the end I doubt this is anything revolutionary. It's just that today the typical straight line retrieve was not working regardless of speed. Wasn't working in the middle of the water column. And it wasn't working the usual way I fish where I occasionally let it tick the bottom. Perhaps the 30 degree air temps caused the water to be a tad cooler than it was earlier this week. My thinking was if the fish were lethargic the up-down flutter motion might appear like an easier meal than a healthy shad hightailing it from point A to point B.


Thanks man, appreciate it.


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## RiparianRanger

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## bigfinn

Try using Slider Jigs. I personally have never used them on swim baits but I dont see why you couldnt!


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## RiparianRanger

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## bigfinn

Here are a few images. Once rigged it's weedless, I use braid so when fishing in brushy/rocky areas I hope to bend he hook out getting my baits back versus loosing them.
















Hope it helps!


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## RiparianRanger

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## percidaeben

Nice post bigfinn.


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## Smallie95

BBF, ive had that same problem alot with the big joshys. Theyll hit a stick or log or something and roll sideways so the hook digs into the wood. But thank you for describing that way of jigging the bait, maybe thatll help me catch the one that got away!! Also, do you know if BWC is any good at woodside green park or is it either upstream or down?


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## gch41

Smallie95, I was at woodside green tonight and got a couple smallies under the bridge using joshys. I do okay there but there are better spots. My issue there is kids throwing rocks where I'm fishing or dogs getting loose in the creek.


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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

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## Redoctober

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Second Cast Smallmouth Bass...
> 
> Well, closer to tenth+ cast, but it was the second cast after switching out the swim bait. Tossed a few perpendicular to the shore in a 3 ft. deep pool about 30 feet downstream of a riffle with a straight, slow retrieve ticking bottom. Not sure when it happened as it was low light, but I lost the tail on the 2.75" rusty craw as seen below. That was the last one in the pack. Stuck one on in gizzard shad and suckered this ten incher (maybe eleven with a good stretch) on the second cast. Felt good to get into the bronze quickly had a few minutes after an evening appointment and had my tackle in the truck. Ran down to the water's edge and threw the first cast around ten after 8 PM. Didn't stay much longer after I tossed this guy back. Little fella put up a good fight on ultra light tackle.
> 
> Feel like I catch the same fish over and over. The creek seems to be littered with 10-12" smallmouths. Any pointers on how to target the larger specimens? New Year's resolution is to bring a 20 incher ashore.
> 
> Conditions:
> Air temp in the low 70s after hitting 82 for the high.
> Water temp in the 60s.
> Stream was normal to full pool. Moderate current.


Fish the scioto there are some 20s in there


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## RiparianRanger

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## kayaker189

I know one way to reduce you catch rate is to post the Flow you are fishing on all the time, with pictures and very detailed descriptions. Anyway i think it is a good sighn to catch rock bass that lets me know i am near the smallies. To me it seams they usually are not to far away from each other .


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## percidaeben

I love Rock Bass. They keep the action going. Growing up, folks had place up on Kelleys Island and had blast catching them. They are fine table fair also.


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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

Was able to get out this evening and test out a new setup. The largest and smallest of the day are shown below. The 15-incher looked to have eye damage and a wound on the right side. Doesn't appear to have impeded survivability as she felt hefty for the size. The 8/9" dink hit on a lure about half the size as him. Went aerial twice. Also got into some crappie. Not once, but twice flopped off the line before I could snag a photo.


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## dre

Nice job man! I got out this evening too on the Big Walnut and slayed the Smallies and Rock Bass. The biggest Smallie was pushing 14 inches but couldn't get any bigger. The Rock Bass were feisty as ever and fat! All caught on a 5 inch Kalins jumbo grub that is brown with green and blue glitter. On an 1/8 plain Joshy jig head.


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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

Stumbled across the following on the interwebs discussing what colors to choose under certain conditions:

http://www.americaoutdoors.com/fishing/features/tfg/color_line_2.html

http://www.bassresource.com/beginner/Choosing_Colors_selection.html

http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/tips/post/understanding-water-clarity

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## percidaeben

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Stumbled across the following on the interwebs discussing what colors to choose under certain conditions:
> 
> http://www.americaoutdoors.com/fishing/features/tfg/color_line_2.html
> 
> http://www.bassresource.com/beginner/Choosing_Colors_selection.html
> 
> http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/tips/post/understanding-water-clarity
> 
> After yesterday's morning t-storm dropped an inch of rain, a stroll down to the creek revealed it was quite muddy although the current was not as swift as I would have thought. As of this morning, visibility is 1 foot or better, with a slightly above average current. Put another way, in a section that is mid-calf deep I can see the bottom. However in an adjacent pool that is chest deep I couldn't see beyond a foot, if that.
> 
> The first link above suggests natural colors for clear water, including bottom hugging baits. In muddy or stained water, the same article says to use dark colors for bottom hugging baits and bright colors, such as fire tiger, for baits up in the water column.
> 
> Question: If I am going to pitch an imitation craw or tube given the conditions today, would you suggest using a darker color such as black with blue flake or would you opt for something more natural in our region like green pumpkin?


I'd try both. See what happens. Also a shallow Shad Rap in classic silver and black.


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## HappySnag

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Stumbled across the following on the interwebs discussing what colors to choose under certain conditions:
> 
> http://www.americaoutdoors.com/fishing/features/tfg/color_line_2.html
> 
> http://www.bassresource.com/beginner/Choosing_Colors_selection.html
> 
> http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/tips/post/understanding-water-clarity
> 
> After yesterday's morning t-storm dropped an inch of rain, a stroll down to the creek revealed it was quite muddy although the current was not as swift as I would have thought. As of this morning, visibility is 1 foot or better, with a slightly above average current. Put another way, in a section that is mid-calf deep I can see the bottom. However in an adjacent pool that is chest deep I couldn't see beyond a foot, if that.
> 
> The first link above suggests natural colors for clear water, including bottom hugging baits. In muddy or stained water, the same article says to use dark colors for bottom hugging baits and bright colors, such as fire tiger, for baits up in the water column.
> 
> Question: If I am going to pitch an imitation craw or tube given the conditions today, would you suggest using a darker color such as black with blue flake or would you opt for something more natural in our region like green pumpkin?


I divide the color to dark and light.
cast 20 minutes with dark than switch for 20 minutes to light color.
the fish will tell you what they like,
every day is deferent,you can have same situation and the fish respond to deferent color.
it is trial and error.
it depend on ,in what mood the fish is.
fish mood,negative,neutral and positive.


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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

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## Bubbagon

So you're onto it. SOMETIMES, when there are tons of crawdads out like now, a craw imitation is often not the best thing to toss. There are so many craws out, and the fish are fat and happy. I've heard many guys say that tubes will out fish a perfect craw imitation. (But if you stick with a craw, try clipping off one of the pinchers off before you throw it.)
But more times than not, pissing the fish off and getting a reaction bite is what draws strikes. 
Here is my summertime thinking: Fish are either kind of chilling, or they're actively feeding. In the heat of the day, most actively feeding fish will be feeding near fast water. Push water, in the seams below riffles, or just flat out right in the middle of the riffles, with the smaller fish being in the middle of the riffle. Fast moving, noisy baits is what I toss to get their attention. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, RattleTraps...
In the holes above and below riffles, or just a good solid hole with depth and some overhang, I'll toss more subtle, natural colored, plastics...tubes, Ikas, craws, etc.. Biggest fish will usually be in the best holes. And you can make a spinnerbait work here too. Toss like a tube, let it flutter down, and start cranking fast.
Mornings and evenings all bets are off. But bigger fish will probably be in the current with the little guys, or cruising tailouts and push water. And again I'll go with noisy reaction baits.
Just a general way I look at sections of the river at different times of day. Of course the fish don't always get the memo.


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## RiparianRanger

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## ttipul

Last night was out at the North Branch of the Kokosing, caught 5 small SM question is when approaching a large pool what do you start with and then go to, clear water probably 6-8 ft. I caught my largest SM out of there but nothing since....


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## RiparianRanger

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## Deazl666

ttipul said:


> Last night was out at the North Branch of the Kokosing, caught 5 small SM question is when approaching a large pool what do you start with and then go to, clear water probably 6-8 ft. I caught my largest SM out of there but nothing since....


If the water is clear, match the hatch: crayfish imitations, swim-baits, tubes, etc., four-inch stick-worms. Start with natural colors, cast close to the banks, visible structure, etc.


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## ttipul

Thanks for info, going out later tonight, moon phase says great fishing day...we will see


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## RiparianRanger

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## CrappieTacos

Fishing creeks is pretty straight forward. Match the hatch, throw to ambush points. If theyre not there, throw everywhere until you entice a bite. Speed up, slow down. If it's muddy, brighter lures. Current breaks: Fish all of them. Read the water. read the fish. I've never know creek smallies to lock up unless it's unfishable water


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## Deazl666

CrappieTacos said:


> Fishing creeks is pretty straight forward. Match the hatch, throw to ambush points. If theyre not there, throw everywhere until you entice a bite. Speed up, slow down. If it's muddy, brighter lures. Current breaks: Fish all of them. Read the water. read the fish. I've never know creek smallies to lock up unless it's unfishable water


Maybe, but it's harder to catch a trophy from a stream than a lake. Also, stream smallies offer a better fight and have an uncanny ability to spit a hook.


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## ttipul

Thank for the info.


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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

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## OnTheFly

Hit the creek last night and definitely was not what I hoped for... a few small dinks on tubes and swimbaits. Nothing on top, did have a good saugeye come unbuttoned on a SSR7 and lost a hefty smallmouth on a keitech. Guess it would have been alright if i got them in hahah.


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## RiparianRanger

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## OnTheFly

Yes the big smallie was at literally the last part of the wade, quick riffle that lead into a small but deep pool that quickly drops. Knew there would be a good fish in the eddy to the side. Pitched just into the current and slowly pulled /swung the bait into the slack. Missed a strike first cast and second cast it was on. Solid weight on the hookset and then it ran straight towards me. Thought i had lost it at first but reeled until I felt him again. Went airborne about ten feet out and that was all she wrote. Made a solid thunk when it hit the water.


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## 3 dog Ed

Rock Bass are your friend.


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## percidaeben

3 dog Ed said:


> Rock Bass are your friend.


Love rock bass! Not a thing wrong with catching a few!


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## RiparianRanger

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## ttipul

Went creekin yesterday afternoon, caught a bunch of very small SM and a handful of decent ones, water very low but still a great time...


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## Deazl666

BronzebackFanatic said:


> Indicative of smallie habitat, I know. But they're just so frustrating, especially at night when sight is minimal to eliminated and you're fishing by other senses. You feel a tug or hear a splash only to set the hook at within a second know you've got a rock bass when the resistance on the line is equivalent to reeling in a plastic grocery bag.


Keep it and eat it. They taste great.


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## RiparianRanger

Got out last night. Nothing but a pair of dinks no more than 10 or 11 inches to show for about 2.5 hours of slinging top water at a couple familiar holes. So much for the full moon lunar hocus pocus. 

Pitches some top water this afternoon a different hole. Minutes before the rain started coming down this smallie hit the prop bait in the tail waters of a riffle. Admittedly an imperfect measurement due to the rod angle, but the Stanley tape measure run along the rod says 15.5". Thought it might have been bigger. Felt heavy.

Was pitching up stream into a eddy at the head waters of a pool bringing it across the current seam at 45 degrees. Hit mid stream. Luckily had the current to my advantage bringing her in.


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## polebender

That looks like a nice one! Congrats!


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## ttipul

Nice fish man....


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## RiparianRanger

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## reyangelo

Fishing is one of the best medications there is...good catch.


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## fritoking

Very nice! I'm itching to get back out and float....but, looks like I'll be stuck at work on the weekends for the foreseeable future...... we are so short handed...


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## RiparianRanger

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## RiparianRanger

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## Bucks4life

Don't usually fish them wacky, but it's hard to beat a Senko. It's worth the extra to me. Nice fish!


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## OnTheFly

i throw them no weight on a finesse wide gap hook most of the time


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## RiparianRanger

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## percidaeben

I like working a black/silver X Rap this time of year.


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## Athens_Smallmouth

The smallies are certainly changing their habits and fast...slow presentations are out, like drifted tubes and crawls, at least for me that is. I never seem to catch them this way in the start of fall. This time of year I increase bait size and retrieve pace. Look for good ambush spots at the tail end of riffles, big bass will hide here waiting for baitfish to wash in/by their cover. I love to use a double blade spinner this time of year with split tail trailers. Cast upstream into current and swim the bait right past these ambush areas. Jigging through large rocks outside of current with spinners works well for me too.


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## RiparianRanger

percidaeben said:


> I like working a black/silver X Rap this time of year.


Any particular size? And do you use the jointed or solid? I'm guessing you apply a jerk-pause technique or something more steady?



Athens_Smallmouth said:


> The smallies are certainly changing their habits and fast...slow presentations are out, like drifted tubes and crawls, at least for me that is. I never seem to catch them this way in the start of fall. This time of year I increase bait size and retrieve pace. Look for good ambush spots at the tail end of riffles, big bass will hide here waiting for baitfish to wash in/by their cover. I love to use a double blade spinner this time of year with split tail trailers. Cast upstream into current and swim the bait right past these ambush areas. Jigging through large rocks outside of current with spinners works well for me too.


Good info. Having fun throwing plugs but should the bite drop off I have plenty of spinners in assorted colors and sizes to give those methods a try.


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## Bubbagon

Double like on the spinnerbait bite right now. BIG gaudy spinnerbaits with gold blades and trailers. But don't ignore the push water; the water just above a riffle where the bottom rises.
And with a little luck, we'll get some rain and get the current running a little stronger....OH MY!


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## Bucks4life

I have (2) Lews and love them both. Once you get them dialed in with the right weight they're pretty damn nice.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Bubbagon

"Bubba- how do you approach push water, from up stream retrieving against the current or from downstream bring the lure with the current? Or perhaps from the side implementing a swing?"

From the side, and let 'er swing! They tend to hit just when it starts swinging.


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## streamstalker

post deleted


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## percidaeben

RiparianRanger said:


> Any particular size? And do you use the jointed or solid? I'm guessing you apply a jerk-pause technique or something more steady?
> 
> 
> 
> Good info. Having fun throwing plugs but should the bite drop off I have plenty of spinners in assorted colors and sizes to give those methods a try.


Usually a size 8. I vary retrieve but the twitch-twitch let current help retrieve has always been good.


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## Bubbagon

streamstalker said:


> Another good push water technique is to throw a popper straight downstream and just work it in the same spot as long as possible.


I've done the same thing with a Worden's Flatfish in the past. It's got that big, wide wobble. Just hold it in place.


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## Saugeyefisher

percidaeben said:


> Usually a size 8. I vary retrieve but the twitch-twitch let current help retrieve has always been good.


Try adding some clear silver glitter nail polish to the black/silver rapalas. You will LOVE it!


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## Saugeyefisher

streamstalker said:


> Another good push water technique is to throw a popper straight downstream and just work it in the same spot as long as possible.


I have done this with buzzbaits in fast rifles.works good!


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## Baloogala

I went tonight and used a few different things and saw a ton of what looked like shad swimming all along some rocks in the Scioto. However, I'm thinking some inexperience is hampering me--I had cast a 2" rebel crayfish and was retrieving down current when the line...well, I'm not sure. It was more a "bump, bump, bump...sorta heavy" feeling. Now, I had retrieved across a shallow flat, but when I knew I was in a bit deeper water the line still felt heavy. I jerked the rod, but left slack. Sure enough, as soon as I started reeling again, I realized I had a fish on but as soon as the line got tight again, it jumped and tossed the lure about 5 feet from me. Looked like a saugeye, but really can't be sure. 

So...with this in mind, I got a bit more paranoid, for lack of a better word, and would set the hook at any weird tap. No further luck. This begs the question for me: it is obvious that fishing a stream is different than bank fishing for catfish (in many ways, but primarily in noticing the bite)...when do you guys know for sure you have something or is it more of a "you'll get it when you get it"?


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

RiparianRanger said:


> That has happened before when using nylon mono. Much less so with braid. Combine no-stretch braid with a fast action rod and you'll feel every grain of sand on the river bed.


Ah. Makes sense...and yes, it is 8 lb mono on the reel. A trip to the store is in order since this isn't the first time this has happened. Shoot, the saugeye and gar I caught surprised me--I wasn't 100% sure I had a fish until they were pretty close (though the gar really felt like I was pulling a log).


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## fritoking

I USED to have that issue, until I bought a quality rod. I use mono, 8 lb and can feel everything. I had a friend who has since passed, we used to go to P.A every spring for trout. We set up on a nice run entering a hole and started fishing. Paul had always fished the streams in P.A and W.V for trout and was a better stream.angler then I at that time. He always used a zebco " underspin" rod and reel, but did well on the setup. In an hour of fishing I had caught 7 to his none and he couldn't figure why , same bait standing real.close. I told him it was his rod since the bite was extremely light. He argued to the point of getting pissed off until I forced him to try my rod... first cast ,fish on. He couldn't believe it. Next trip he had bought a new rod and reel...lol. My father was the same way, but I had to buy the rod and reel for him before he believed.


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## odell daniel

fritoking said:


> I USED to have that issue, until I bought a quality rod. I use mono, 8 lb and can feel everything. I had a friend who has since passed, we used to go to P.A every spring for trout. We set up on a nice run entering a hole and started fishing. Paul had always fished the streams in P.A and W.V for trout and was a better stream.angler then I at that time. He always used a zebco " underspin" rod and reel, but did well on the setup. In an hour of fishing I had caught 7 to his none and he couldn't figure why , same bait standing real.close. I told him it was his rod since the bite was extremely light. He argued to the point of getting pissed off until I forced him to try my rod... first cast ,fish on. He couldn't believe it. Next trip he had bought a new rod and reel...lol. My father was the same way, but I had to buy the rod and reel for him before he believed.


I was casting a buzz bait in the sciota for smallmouth last night, I couldnt get a hit casting down current, so I started casting up current and retrieving the buzz bait with the current. caught 12 smallies. I have been fishing that river for 25 yrs and I dont ever recall fish only hitting one way. strange year,


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## Baloogala

odell daniel said:


> I was casting a buzz bait in the sciota for smallmouth last night, I couldnt get a hit casting down current, so I started casting up current and retrieving the buzz bait with the current. caught 12 smallies. I have been fishing that river for 25 yrs and I dont ever recall fish only hitting one way. strange year,


I was actually wondering the same thing--the only explanation I have is that since fish face upstream in current, mostly, this keeps it in their sight longer. Of course, if this has never happened before there is likely to be another factor. My best (and only) guess is temperature is making them never turn around...but I don't know much.


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## OnTheFly

Baloogala said:


> )...when do you guys know for sure you have something or is it more of a "you'll get it when you get it"?


It can really vary from a just a heavy feeling to a light tap or a rip you rod out of your hand kind of bite where the fish hooks itself. The lighter subtle bites just takes some time, once you fish a bait for awhile you can feel if something is 'off' and this is often a fish.


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## Baloogala

OnTheFly said:


> It can really vary from a just a heavy feeling to a light tap or a rip you rod out of your hand kind of bite where the fish hooks itself. The lighter subtle bites just takes some time, once you fish a bait for awhile you can feel if something is 'off' and this is often a fish.


Thanks, OTF. I went back out tonight...could only go for about 45 minutes since where I park is in a park that closes at "dark." Caught this guy on my 2nd cast (sorry for the super fuzzy pictures; I actually broke my neck in 2007 and now my hands tremble constantly. I also thought I'd have more of the rod for comparison. I'd say it was around 12 inches, but I was surprised at how heavy it was):


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

I think it is just a white bass, but the bottom lines are a bit broken. Still, if I had to say for sure, I'd say a white bass.


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## Baloogala

Baloogala said:


> I think it is just a white bass, but the bottom lines are a bit broken. Still, if I had to say for sure, I'd say a white bass.


I also want to point out Rip that you've helped me understand what to look for so I feel much more confident in what I'm doing. While the bass was the only one I caught on Friday, it was mostly because I only had 45 minutes or so. Catching him confirmed something that I thought I understood. In fact, there is an interesting pattern where I pulled this fish out (and I realize now that it was where I caught the gar last month)--there are two riffles in moderate current separated by around 20 feet or so. There are fish holding between the obstructions (though in reading, it says those below an obstruction are negative, so it's hard to pin these down!).

Anyway, thanks for sharing what you've learned and to the others who have shared as well. I really appreciate it.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

Alright...I am absolutely tickled that this thread has been here. Got out for about an hour tonight. The level is lower, the water is cooler, but moving somewhat swiftly. Never the less, got this guy on a chartreuse Rebel craw 2" long. (Oh, and Rip...I hope you don't feel I'm hijacking. I just figured this is as good a place as any to share info. This thread is terrific.) Not terribly big (perhaps 12"?), but was fun to bring up against current.


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## RiparianRanger

Congrats.

So long as you're creekin' (or riverin') the more the merrier.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

Rip, I just saw you mention the current seam...where I'm at these appear to be obvious. I'm getting some waders in a few weeks and I think this will help. The water level was way down on Monday making it easier to get out into the middle. Tonight, it was WAY up, to the point that I probably shouldn't have crossed where I did, but I did...though it was worse coming back. Chalk that one up to a lesson learned.

Tonight I had no fewer than five solid strikes...including two right after I texted my wife that I didn't think there'd be any action. I was standing on this weird foundation looking thing with the water level appearing to be up a solid 12 inches. I was casting a 2.5" big joshy glow perch down stream and retrieving slowly. When I would get up by this wall I would sort of let a little line out and sort of jig it, but mostly pull it against current and then let it go back down. Twice in a row something hit it but I was too stunned to do much.

Later, I had a couple more strikes, but I have a feeling this is where I just need more experience. Upon reflection, I do think the lure was heavier and I didn't notice that there was something on until too late. Oh well, live and learn. I'll be back out on Saturday, I'm sure.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

I was a bit surprised, but the Scioto was a bit higher tonight. Can't see much detail on the water, still tried for a bit, but no luck at all. Want to go Saturday morning, but I'm thinking I likely will not. May have to wait another week or so, though my plans on the 15th are to hit a lake back from my home area. Allegedly, on this lake if you throw a vibee or crawler harness near a bridge that crosses a narrow part of the lake, there are saugeye. The only thing I've ever caught there are channel cats, bluegill, and exactly 2 largemouth, but they were teeny.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

RiparianRanger said:


> Casting upstream and working the jig around some large rocks my line went slack. A fleeting moment of confusion set in when a few quick turns of the reel and its 6.0:1 gear ratio and 33" line retrieve per crank failed to appreciably bring up the slack, which quickly gave way to fish on as I lifted the rod tip over my head and set the hook on this 17 inch bronze specimen. A brief drag peeling battle ensued as I worked her ashore for a couple photos before nursing back to her senses and she swam off unharmed.


Very nice! I'm going to try to hit the Scioto and a couple spots on the Creek this weekend if I can. For sure my normal spot on the river, not so sure on Big Walnut. My buddy told me of a hole that he said is the best smallmouth spot he knows of around this part of town.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

RiparianRanger said:


> Be sure to stay tight lipped. Good holes can quickly get trashed by the less considerate among us. I've noticed an uptick in garbage at two spots I frequent. Found a couple jerry rigged craw traps that had been left there for days along with the usual worm buckets, Newport cigarette packs, and Faygo bottles. I try to remember to bring a Kroger bag to clean some of it up but forgot the last two outings.


I hear you, man. I see it at pretty much every lake I go to. I've been lucky in that I haven't seen too much of it where I fish on the Scioto. If/when I get to this spot, I'll let you know how it is.


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## Bubbagon

Baloogala said:


> Rip, I just saw you mention the current seam...where I'm at these appear to be obvious. I'm getting some waders in a few weeks and I think this will help. The water level was way down on Monday making it easier to get out into the middle. Tonight, it was WAY up, to the point that I probably shouldn't have crossed where I did, but I did...though it was worse coming back. Chalk that one up to a lesson learned.


Please, PLEASE learn how to read the river gauges. They're updated in real time, and they will keep you from dying.
On the days you mentioned, the Scioto went from 65 cubic feet per second, to about 900 cfs. Way over a 10X increase. I kayaked/fished it the next day and the water was POWERFUL. If you're not VERY experienced with the river, that's a situation that one may not come home from.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/oh/nwis/current/?type=flow


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## Baloogala

Bubbagon said:


> Please, PLEASE learn how to read the river gauges. They're updated in real time, and they will keep you from dying.
> On the days you mentioned, the Scioto went from 65 cubic feet per second, to about 900 cfs. Way over a 10X increase. I kayaked/fished it the next day and the water was POWERFUL. If you're not VERY experienced with the river, that's a situation that one may not come home from.
> http://waterdata.usgs.gov/oh/nwis/current/?type=flow


Bubba, trust me, I realized how powerfully stupid my decision was. Even when I was crossing I kept thinking of those who have drowned/needed to be rescued from the Teklanika River (think Chris McCandless). It is not something I'm going to repeat. While I am likely going fishing on Saturday, I'm only going to a place where I don't have to wade to get to a fishable spot on the river. There are a couple of spots that if certain public access gates are open, it's not a problem. 

You are not kidding. I was pretty surprised at the current strength. I allowed my desire to get some quiet time interfere with my good judgment. At any rate, from now on before I go out I'll check the gauge or visually verify. If it's too high, I go home or go elsewhere.


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## Bubbagon

It's a double edged sword for me. Because the best fishing for me has always been when the water is up on my river. There's a very specific amount of flow that makes the fish go to all of the right spots....like they read the same book that defines where fish should be in moving water.
When the water levels are low, there's not enough current to "force" them into eddies, behind rocks, etc...


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## Fishingisfun

Congratulations on the nice CPR smallie. Im in a learning phase of smallmouth fishing so I'm happy with any fish caught and released.
Good advice Bubbagon being careful and learning to read the gauges. This morning I went out to a local flow and noticed the appearance of the flow was similar to what it looked like after the rains of over a week ago. That seemed odd to me believing it should had went down with the lack of rain recently. I went up stream with the intent to fish up and back for a short section. I was not able to make it to my up stream to my preferred location due to swift water. Turning around I found a spot to pull over make a few casts and with less than five casts it was fish on. I got it close and it flipped and got off. A smaller bass, I will guess large mouth. I caught a glimpse of a fish in the pool and made a cast and the second fish of the day was on, a ten inch smallmouth. This time it came to hand and was released unharmed. I drifted down stream and tried some slack water and the third fish of the trip was on a 6" largemouth and it was released unharmed.
At my pullout location I noticed some fish activity just a short distance down stream, I will gues under a 100 yards down stream I let my canoe drift into the ripples and quickly knew I had miss judged the speed of the flow. The water was too shallow to get a good bite with my paddle and a little too deep to wade against the current. I pushed against bottom till I found a shallow spot when I could stand on a submerged gravel bar and dragged my canoe and gear to deeper water where I was able to paddle and fight back up stream to my take out spot. That less than 300 feet paddle and drag took nearly 40 minutes. The wider spots looked tame enough it is the somewhat benign looking ripples that had this old guy sweating. FYI I had easily navigated this stretch twice several weeks back up and back with out a problem. I always wear a life vest so I did not feel I was in great danger just not prepared for the change of conditions. Be safe out there.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

I got back out today...my spot on the Scioto is definitely back to normal levels. Was able to wade out into knee-deep water (I wear shorts and water shoes for the time being). Water certainly feels cooler. At any rate, I was casting downstream and pulling along the visible seam (and trying to get behind some riffles...only succeeded in losing lures) and caught what my buddy calls a cigar fish...a small saugeye hit on a 2 inch chartreuse red rebel craw.

I'd guess this guy was around 10 inches or so...sorry for the blurry picture, looked a lot better right before I released this toothy booger.


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## Baloogala

Ah...forgot I had this picture:


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## Baloogala

Rip...I know now why the smallmouth is your favorite target. I hit three different spots on Big Walnut today and the last place I almost didn't fish, but when I saw what I was looking at I changed my mind. Second or third cast in something darn near pulled the rod out of my hand. Good little fight...and when they go airborne, that is fun! Nevertheless, banked a 17 incher on a smoke shad Big Joshy (phone is not working and my iPod was dead, so no photo), but that was something else.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

RiparianRanger said:


> 17 is a good size creek smallie. I went out today for ~30 minutes. Couldn't penetrate the sycamore leaves blanketing the surface and turned in early.


Had several other strikes...couldn't bank these guys (they were at the other hole I told you about). Apart from that, I had leaves on nearly every cast. Very frustrating.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

RiparianRanger said:


> I started with a scatter rap. Three casts in a row hooked leaves and switched to fluke. While the skin hooked rig didn't snag any leaves the surface blanket still messed with my line and retrieve. Got frustrated and went home.


Ah. I'm virtually obsessed now with swimbaits. I use them the majority of the time, though I started with a yellow twister tail (retrieved like a swimbait), and my normal rebel craw. The main irritant is that the tip of my newest rod (only 2 months old) snapped on a snag. Not really sure how to fix it.


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## fritoking

Find a piece of wire that fits inside the rod...fill the tube with some good epoxy and slide the wire in then put the broken tip on...let dry and try to wrap thread evenly over the break...a little more epoxy brushed over top and let dry


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## Baloogala

fritoking said:


> Find a piece of wire that fits inside the rod...fill the tube with some good epoxy and slide the wire in then put the broken tip on...let dry and try to wrap thread evenly over the break...a little more epoxy brushed over top and let dry


Thanks man...I'll bear this in mind. The first thing I did was reach out to a friend who works at Fisherman's and he's going to take it off my hands on Wednesday and fix it. Too nice of a rod for me to screw up.


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## fritoking

Did some creekin here around home...3 smallmouth, one largemouth and 11 nice fat trout. Lost about 8. They would not touch bait.....but spinners and small rapala type baits were the ticket. Of course all were released unharmed.


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## Baloogala

fritoking said:


> Did some creekin here around home...3 smallmouth, one largemouth and 11 nice fat trout. Lost about 8. They would not touch bait.....but spinners and small rapala type baits were the ticket. Of course all were released unharmed.
> View attachment 221978
> View attachment 221979
> View attachment 221980
> View attachment 221981


You don't have to give out spots bro...but what creeks around here have trout? This is what I grew up fishing for and generally don't get to unless I go back to the Monongahela National Forest back home!

I hear you on the small spinner flies and rapalas. We used Joe Flies (best one was the River Robber) and Casto's Specials (made in Elkins, WV...not sure if you can still get them) and then Rebel Teeny Wee Frog and Teeny Wee Crayfish.


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## fritoking

Baloogala said:


> You don't have to give out spots bro...but what creeks around here have trout? This is what I grew up fishing for and generally don't get to unless I go back to the Monongahela National Forest back home!
> 
> I hear you on the small spinner flies and rapalas. We used Joe Flies (best one was the River Robber) and Casto's Specials (made in Elkins, WV...not sure if you can still get them) and then Rebel Teeny Wee Frog and Teeny Wee Crayfish.


 I used to fish in Elkins...until the railroad flooded and destroyed the tracks...never the same after. Check you messages, I probably shouldn't have posted that...dumb moment of mine.


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## Baloogala

fritoking said:


> I used to fish in Elkins...until the railroad flooded and destroyed the tracks...never the same after. Check you messages, I probably shouldn't have posted that...dumb moment of mine.


No worries, I wouldn't have been upset if you said "can't give it out." The places I was at this afternoon were TRASHED so, I get it. I thought you were around Columbus.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

RiparianRanger said:


> Nice trout. There are only a few streams in this state cold enough to support trout and they are widely known.


Yes...I seemed to have forgotten about this invention of "Google." I may have to make a couple runs when I can...around HS football, school, and whatnot.

By the way, Rip--my buddy fished at the Scioto at Greenlawn the other day. Said it was treacherous but landed a 20" saugeye. He said definitely not wadeable. Nor is the spot I told you about on Walnut.


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## RiparianRanger

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## Baloogala

RiparianRanger said:


> Thanks, B. Saugeye are a nice bonus fish but not my target species. Seems north of the dam is best for what I'm after.
> 
> I saw some of the flow data. I can imagine after several days of virtually non stop rain it's probably not wise to wade.


It was weird, but when I got out today, I was expecting high water and not holding my breath on any success. Walnut was normal and very clear. And very, very cold. When I wade, for now, I wear water shoes and shorts. I think I'm done wading until I finally pick up my waders.

He tries for smallmouth a lot of times, but at this point in the year changes to the saugeye. Me...I don't really care. I'm still learning, though like I said I'm starting to like the smallmouth game.


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## onaygem

fritoking said:


> Did some creekin here around home...3 smallmouth, one largemouth and 11 nice fat trout. Lost about 8. They would not touch bait.....but spinners and small rapala type baits were the ticket. Of course all were released unharmed.
> View attachment 221978
> View attachment 221979
> View attachment 221980
> View attachment 221981


Has ODNR started stocking bows in streams again?
I thought they only did browns now, except in some ponds & lakes.


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## Baloogala

RiparianRanger said:


> 17 is a good size creek smallie. I went out today for ~30 minutes. Couldn't penetrate the sycamore leaves blanketing the surface and turned in early.


Alright...I overestimated on 17 inches. I'm horribad on things like this, but when I got to work I looked at a ruler and added 5 inches and said "nope, not right." I'm now going to say probably closer to 14, to be honest. I need to just take something along from now on.


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## fritoking

Just use mail polish and mark out 24 inches on your rod...just small marks and add the number every 6 inches......i.e.
.............6...........12...........18... Etc


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## Baloogala

fritoking said:


> Just use mail polish and mark out 24 inches on your rod...just small marks and add the number every 6 inches......i.e.
> .............6...........12...........18... Etc


That's a darn good idea...never thought of that before.


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## fritoking

We did it in everglades national park....the snook were on a slot limit...no shorter than 28 ... No longer than 32... Just lay them along the rid and check


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## fritoking

onaygem said:


> Has ODNR started stocking bows in streams again?
> I thought they only did browns now, except in some ponds & lakes.


No....just browns


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## Baloogala

fritoking said:


> We did it in everglades national park....the snook were on a slot limit...no shorter than 28 ... No longer than 32... Just lay them along the rid and check


That's a good idea. I fish a lake near St. Clairsville on occasion (and I think Ross had a similar sign, too) that has a weird bass super slot...2 fish below a size (14"?) and 1 fish above (18"?...don't quote the numbers, I'm not sure) could be kept, anything in between had to be thrown back. I caught a dink LMB and a catfish the day I saw the sign, but I usually fish this place for channels anyway.


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## Baloogala

Rip...I'll have to message you. I think I found a spot that you may want to try. Worked it the last three days. Caught the one on Sunday. Nothing yesterday, but had two solid strikes. Tonight, within a minute or two (using an ultralight rod and reel) I nailed one a bit bigger than the one from Sunday (going to be realistic and downsize my head number and say 15 to 16) and had two more get off within inches of shore. The reel was screaming. Using a smoke colored 2.5" Big Joshy. There appears to be a weedbed where they are hitting and I'm guessing there is a seam or something there that is congregating them.


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## ttipul

New to the wading stream SM fishing....is it still good to go fishing for SM, otherwise is there a time when they just slow way down, thinking about hitting the Koko Sat...


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## Baloogala

ttipul said:


> New to the wading stream SM fishing....is it still good to go fishing for SM, otherwise is there a time when they just slow way down, thinking about hitting the Koko Sat...


ttipul, if I didn't have somewhere to be tonight, I'd be at the creek. It seems to me that they're getting ready for a winter fast and have been slugging swimbaits for me. I think--and I'd bet Rip and Frito might agree--that they're still being aggressive. I'm finding them in moving water with weeds. I'm pulling across current and they are hitting hard. If they're in the water, you can probably still catch them. I've never focused on smallmouth until, really, this week and I'm having a hard time screwing it up.


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## RiparianRanger

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## fritoking

I agree about the water temp...it'll be lucky to be high 50s. I'm going this weekend, but making the trek for some fall steel.... After the rains last week the rivers should have a good amount of fish. The conneaut is at 53*.


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## Baloogala

I went last night and this morning and it appears that Rip is right--they are snoozing or something. I saw no bait fish either, so I think the water temp has switched it off. It feels wonderful out this morning so I'd bet it'll get a bit warmer later, but I'll have to miss that. I'll check tomorrow.


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## shilty

Waded the Scioto on Sunday. Caught a couple tiny smallmouth and lost a monster. He rubbed it in for another minute afterwards by jumping and dancing around on top of the water to celebrate his freedom.


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## RiparianRanger

bigfinn said:


> Here are a few images. Once rigged it's weedless, I use braid so when fishing in brushy/rocky areas I hope to bend he hook out getting my baits back versus loosing them.
> 
> Hope it helps!


Following up on the slider jigs. Picked up a 4-pack of 1/8th oz. Spider Slider Jigs. Shown below is a 2.75" Joshy rigged with one compared to ball head jig. Took it out this morning and while no takers, it did not adversely affect the signature "shimmy" of the Joshy minnow. 

I can attest to the weedless nature of the jig. Tossed it places I would not otherwise risk with a ball head including upstream of bridge pillars, into rip rap, and perpendicular across protruding laydowns. Slight hesitation when it makes contact but a little extra tug and it pops right over the timber. 

Great suggestion, bigfinn


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