Fall is gone!! Winter is gone!!! Spring is here!! Fished today in slack water at a creek mouth. Partner caught one small(24") pike and had another one on. I was skunked( obviously not the first time). Most pike have followed the call of nature and moved into the smaler tributaries. Asap crappie fishing begins, after ice out , of course.
Fall river fishing
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Awesome job! A fishery that is overlooked in the cold. That river never ceases to amaze me. Walked the dog from Waterville to Bendview today. Saw a lot of cuts in the islands that looked ver fishy.
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What a fall. Went to the river for the first time this fall Saturday. had no luck. water was too fast for pike in the main stream. I can't remember any fall in the last 40 years( yes I'm old) that I haven't fished the river for pike before November. I could have fished before, but I absolutely hate muddy and high water.
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It wasn't a good fall for fishing the river.
Back to back record years. 2020 maybe the best ever for fall/winter river fishing and 2021 maybe the worst ever. I have not caught a fall pike. River levels have been high and terribly MUDDY. Both local rivers are above flood stage-again and again etc.!!!!!! Maybe my worst year in the last 45 or so.
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Keep at it. I really enjoy seeing your posts.
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If it makes you feel any better, every year for me is a record low for local river pike - I've caught exactly zero total.
Now is the time for river pike. Broke through ice to launch the boat yesterday. Two of us caught 15 18"-28" pike and 1 carp..Fished from bridges today(posted land almost everywhere). Caught one dink and had the resident 28" pike on twice. Shook him off both times so I didn't have to work my way down the easement to release him. (hook barbs pinched off) This is the 4th time I have had him on. No big fish yet, but the recent rain should have them on the move. Husky jerk fished slow and erratic.
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You da man. I'm with Bucket Mouth and haven't caught a pike out of the river yet. I usually can't fish in November or December due to my work schedule. It certainly looks like you have them figured out.
Hit two spots yesterday fishing from my solo pirogue. Caught two 18" or so at the first. Second spot had some active fish. One about 30". The boat has length marks on the rail,but he was released while still in the water. He hit the husky jerk 4 times before he was hooked. This time of year, pike will almost always hit a lure more than once. They slash bait and then come back to eat it.
Light East /variable winds yesterday and a north east wind today might explain the afternoon activity. Changing hooks, split rings, and resting today.
Light East /variable winds yesterday and a north east wind today might explain the afternoon activity. Changing hooks, split rings, and resting today.
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Like your toothy critter reports kanu, keep’em coming!
Launched two two person riverboat Monday. Lots of fish in the 20-28" range. Might have had to unhook 15 or so. Fast erratic retrieve seemed to be best, although one small fish tried to take the husky jerk while it was resting only half in the water. No big fish. Rain Wed. night upstream muddied the water dramatically. Might be done for a while since ice up usually occurs around Dec. 18th.
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Love the posts kanu, and I agree 2020 & 2021 were banner years for me also. 2022 was pretty much a wash for me, between 15” of snow and freezing temps keeping the creeks and streams frozen. Then spring floods blew out all the waterways. Hoping for a fishable winter and spring this year. Addicted to that Adrenalin on both ends of the line! 😁
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Curious the talk of pikes in this thread coincide with Marios post about river pikes last week. Personally never caught a pike in the river but find plenty out at the marshes.
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Do you have your own access to launch? I have been wanting to target bigger creeks now that I have a small boat, but log jams or lack of access seem to get in the way for me.
Most rivers in Ohio belong to the public. There are a few exceptions, but none in my area of NW Ohio. That means that every bridge has access as long as we stay on the right of way. County roads quite often have a 60' right of way which gives enough room to launch a small boat. I have two plywood boats. One is a two passenger jonboat that is stretched to 15'9" and has a 32" beam. I built it to last about three years, but that was in 2011. It has many patches and leaks some, but still works. *Being 32" wide, it can be paddled with 5' paddles(I want to see where I am going). We usually fish close to the bridge and take out where we put in.
No ice yet, but MUD MUD MUDDY water. Not likely to fish here for some time. Will take my collapsible rod and a spinning reel along with a few lures to Grand Cayman soon.
No ice yet, but MUD MUD MUDDY water. Not likely to fish here for some time. Will take my collapsible rod and a spinning reel along with a few lures to Grand Cayman soon.
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With this snow melt and rain the creeks and rivers are gonna blow out by the weekend. Sucks, I’d rather it stay cold! 
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I would re-study the facts on road right of ways. Yes they have utility right of ways but not trespassing. Ask any serious trapper. We must get permission to even trap under a bridge. Most properties go to the middle of the roadway except on interstates.
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That is just so awesome. I'm sure that'll be a great time! Good information about the bridges, I always have trouble trying to find the facts. Just hoping for that mud to wash out before the ice comes in thick.
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