Just went by it about 1 hour ago- YES it is still rolling fast!! Looks like at least a few more days, before it would be fishable.

 

it wont even be then, more rain coming this weekend that will cause more flooding. looks like fishing rivers and creeks will be out of the question, even ponds will be tough, went to the D-Bends over the weekend and it had a wake lol (mainly b/c of wind), very hard to fish, not even a bite. could not feel the bite.

 

I strongly disagree about using the term "fishable". Any body of water is always fishable.

I've finally been catching em below Griggs the last 4 days, as the water has been raging. These times are when I do my best. Rain and fast water require new fishing tactics and safety measures, but the fish do still bite...Actually got my PB saugeye, 27", two days ago down there.

Just because it is unfishable for someone else, don't rely on an internet board for someone who simply drove by to tell you it's not fishable. You can't see the fish eating by driving by.

Just went by it about 1 hour ago- YES it is still rolling fast!! Looks like at least a few more days, before it would be fishable.

 

ultralight: you have been fishing and catching at griggs last 4 days and you did not let me know? And i am sitting at home and dreaming every night about finally catching a fish? You can expect a pm from me in just a second.

 

I strongly disagree about using the term "fishable". Any body of water is always fishable.

I've finally been catching em below Griggs the last 4 days, as the water has been raging. These times are when I do my best. Rain and fast water require new fishing tactics and safety measures, but the fish do still bite...Actually got my PB saugeye, 27", two days ago down there.

Just because it is unfishable for someone else, don't rely on an internet board for someone who simply drove by to tell you it's not fishable. You can't see the fish eating by driving by.

Ultralight doesn't know what he's talking about....You can't catch S-eye when the waters up ...Looks like it's going to be another 3 weeks before the Scioto is fishable.....

 

Sounds like this could get a bit ugly.

When I originally posted this thread, I just didn't want to make the trip down to the spillway to check it out. I'm only 10 minutes away anyhow, but thought someone may have been down there to see it. I had been checking it and it had been rolling pretty darn good.

I don't take advice from this internet board. I already know how to catch fish. There are a lot of opinions out there as to what lures when, how etc to catch fish. Saugeye fishing is not even my top priority, it just gives me something to do this time of year other than making jigs and tinkering around with tackle till spring time. Casting into rolling muddy water isn't really up my alley, I'll just sit back relax and wait till it's green and brown fish time.

If you must, go ahead and continue the argument about catching fishing in rolling muddy water, but I'm out of it.

 

And I might add that if you think S-eye are hard to catch this time of year, Griggs isn't the place for you...If you put in 10-15 hours or so you might catch one. Good thing about Griggs is that one fish you catch is typically a PIG. Very small number of large fish in that section of the Scioto. Didn't use to be that way, the DNR needs to beef up stockings on the Scioto! Starting in 2001 the DNR decreased the Oshay' stocking by 40,000 fish...and man is it evident. I already emailed them about it, and they said they would assess the situation...Maybe some more emails will help

 

How ya doing buddy? Give me the address that you e-mailed the DNR about the saugeye population. Is it a specific address/person or just the DNR site "contact us" address that just some secretary answers and tries to pacify our questions?

Thanks

 

gofeesh,
I'm not suggesting you were looking for advice, however DaleM offered up a thought that I disagreed with. I was responding to that thought, as I hope that is what these boards are for.

Yes, the river is up a lot and muddy and brown and you have to retrieve fast. It's also a little windy - which makes casting suck. You decide if you want to fish. I like this weather, so I'm out there.

Just sent an email to ODNR regarding the stocking program. They do need to up the population.

On another note - is anyone excited for the largemouth bass spawn???

Cheers,
ULTRA

 

that the "spawn" is going to be late again this year like it was last year. I was still catching LM Bass spitting eggs in June for crying out loud.

Who knows, maybe the seasons are going to turn around?

 

Personally im dying for the spawn. Its like a month long Christmas time for me.

 

Piggy to those secret places you told me about :>) come spring. Hope you got your box stocked up by then? Did you lose just a Saugeye bag or was it your whole fishing bag? :<)

 

Oh it was everything but my live bait stuff and Erie specific crap. The worst part was the camera. I keep thinking someone is looking thru the memory and thinking "damn this guy can stick some pigs" hehe.

 

Are Bass fishable during Spawn???

 

oh no! you just...


....


...


opened a can of worms!!!!



sorry couldn't resist the fishing pun

 

How ya doing buddy? Give me the address that you e-mailed the DNR about the saugeye population. Is it a specific address/person or just the DNR site "contact us" address that just some secretary answers and tries to pacify our questions?

Thanks

Doing "alright" would be doing alot better if I could catch an Eye every four hours on the river

I actually inquired about stocking #'s to the "contact us" address. Then someone emailed me back with the Stocking rates for Griggs from 95'-on.( 96'/97' 40,000 were stocked, 18,000 every year after) I then emailed him back saying things were getting really bad and asked if the DNR would consider beefing up the stockings in the Scioto. He said they would assess the situation..Last I heard from him. I still check the DNR prosepcts page hoping for an stocking update, but there has been any change to O'shay or Griggs for quite some time.

Not sure how things have been up at Oshay the past few years, but Griggs has really,really gone down hill. I know there are a number of factors. But IMO the decreased stocking rate is the biggest issue...Not the rapidly fluctuating water levels washing fish down south (as I onced beleived). The Scioto has always had issues w/high water. Sure that may play a small part, but in reality the Scioto gets "roaring" multiple times every year. So wouldn't the fishery have been poor from the start?

Im betting the decreased stockings and timimg of the stockings has reasulted in litterally 1/4 the normal amount of adult S-eye than years past (199*-2002). With all the focus on the "super fisheries" such as Indian and Buckeye I doubt the Scioto will get much attention..Unless a fair amount of people complain

 

Acklac-
Have you ever thought about making a petition to collect signatures and send to the DNR in regards to Scioto River suageye stockings. You could collect a lot of signatures by posting it at the Gander Mountain fishing counter or some of the bait stores. Just thinking out loud here, but the DNR responds best to the masses.

 

(that is the first mistake) that I will write a letter to the ODNR also and ask them about re-stocking O'Shay which in turn would also probably end up going downstream and stocking Griggs at the same time.

But I know you're right for sure. The last 2 years have really sucked at O'Shay and Griggs. I got 1 4 lb'er out of O'Shay Spillway about 3 months ago and nothing before or since. I thought someone had put a net up somewhere like they did at Hoover a couple of years ago. But now I know why. They haven't been stocking it like they used to.

 

I personally like the Scioto when the water is up(big fish, occasionally lots of them if the conditions are right). With the water at its current height (its finally starting to recede below oshay)there are very few places the fish hang. But if you find those places the fish are really concentrated (like catching good #'s of channels, occasional eyes (big usually like 24"+) and also unintentionally snagging channels, carp, some weird sucker looking fish, etc. Basically you must find "high water" spots, but once you find them, the fish will usually be there in the future when the water levels are "unfishable". I didn't used to be of this belief (I used to be of the "its unfishable" belief) until I experienced it first hand. Its all about finding the right spots and they are very few and far between.

 

You think the Scioto is going down now? Maybe a bit but the level of fishing it safely is from 4 to 6 ft from the "concrete platform" at the bottom of the hill.

Actually right now the raging water is 2 ft. from the TOP of the blacktop parking area down below the dam. That's right. where the ranger parks down there to open the valve. So, that means that the ground is probably shaking and bouncing you around if you got the guts to go down there.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=03221000&agency_cd=USGS

 

Whats mostly happening at these levels (in my opinion)are fish getting swept down to the Ohio River. It is raging. I haven't fished it this high and seriously doubt I'd catch anything (my "fish getting concentrated in holes" does not apply when its raging, I don't think but I haven't fished it this high or for that matter even 2 feet lower). However on 1-9 the date of the intial post the water was 3 feet lower and I know of one hole in particular that is IDEAL at those levels.

 

(that is the first mistake) that I will write a letter to the ODNR also and ask them about re-stocking O'Shay which in turn would also probably end up going downstream and stocking Griggs at the same time.

But I know you're right for sure. The last 2 years have really sucked at O'Shay and Griggs. I got 1 4 lb'er out of O'Shay Spillway about 3 months ago and nothing before or since. I thought someone had put a net up somewhere like they did at Hoover a couple of years ago. But now I know why. They haven't been stocking it like they used to.

LOL..I too contemplated that someone had set a gill net below Griggs!!! I went 0/4hrs on numerous days when I should have gone at least 4/4, after a year or so of this same cycle I began to really think hard about what had changed...Then I came across the little tidbit on the DNR website:

(Oshay) 92,000 fingerlings stocked in 1999, 119,000 in 2000, and about 85,000 in 2001 through 2005.

Acklac-
Have you ever thought about making a petition to collect signatures and send to the DNR in regards to Scioto River suageye stockings. You could collect a lot of signatures by posting it at the Gander Mountain fishing counter or some of the bait stores. Just thinking out loud here, but the DNR responds best to the masses.

I have considerd doing that, however there probably aren't enought dedicated river S-eye guys to sign it! Most people don't have the patience/energy required to find them bstard river eye's. IMO a phone call (or a few phone calls) to the right person is all it should take. That's what im planning on doing in the very near future. Call the ODNR, ask to speak to someone involved in the S-eye program, then rest my case. Then call again if I don't hear back

Whats mostly happening at these levels (in my opinion)are fish getting swept down to the Ohio River.

That is what I used to think, however after some serious thought I have changed my mind. IMO when the water is this high fish may migrate within the mild currents of a reservoir, but once they get over the dam (any dam) it's a different story. Once those fish get into a raging riverine enviornment they are looking to do one thing and one thing only: Get out of the current!

After the water receeds they may move farther downstream, if they don't find suitable habitat. Habitat is what it's all about, and the Scioto has plenty of it. With the exception of the last 2-3 years the U.Scioto has been a stellar S-eye fishery since the state started stocking them. High water is nothing new to the Scioto, it gets "rolling" multiple times every year. Lets assume that every time the water comes up Saugeye do partake in a mass southernly migration. If that were the case the U.Scioto never would have been a successfull fishery from the start: The majority of the S-eye would have migrated south and the chances of someone catching one would be slim to none. But that isn't the case at all.

While S-eye do migrate into/out of reserviors I firmly believe that they will stop and take up residence if they find the right habitat. This notion is supported by the presence of large adult S-eye (or "Hog-eyes" ) throughout the Scioto. Taking everything into account: the water levels haven't really changed, the habitat hasn't really changed, but the stocking rate has changed...And what do you know? Starting in 2001 a decrease of 40,000 S-eye, starting in 2004, really crappy S-eye fishing. Think theres a relationship?

 

You sure hit the nail on the head as far as I am concerned. I know you do your homework all the time.

Now tell me where to go to catch my limit will ya huh?????? You know what Wayne and I used to do at Griggs. You've seen it first hand. Where the heck are the fish or what's left of them now. I think they are far and few between. Besides, I wouldn't eat anything out of Griggs Spillway anyway. Sure I love to catch them, BUT!!!!! I love to eat them too.

Catch ya later bro.

 

Just thought of something more,

Fishing Licenses went up, Boat Registration is up, Gas is up, where is the money going? They haven't hired any more personal to patrol the counties. If I am paying more for these services I would like to know where the raises are going. I don't think they are going to buying more Saugeye fingerlings to stock? Sooo, What the heck am I fishing for besides 1 to 2 lb bass and the elusive 17" Crappie? I want to eat Saugeye without having to drive 140 miles to Erie.

Darn I'm going nuts sitting here everyday for the last 11 months with this broken elbow. Well they are going to operate on it Feb 20th. It better heal FAST after that so I can use the boat. Or you guys are going to be coming over my house and hooking it up for me and going fishing with me.

 

Just thought of something more,

Fishing Licenses went up, Boat Registration is up, Gas is up, where is the money going? They haven't hired any more personal to patrol the counties. If I am paying more for these services I would like to know where the raises are going. I don't think they are going to buying more Saugeye fingerlings to stock? Sooo, What the heck am I fishing for besides 1 to 2 lb bass and the elusive 17" Crappie? I want to eat Saugeye without having to drive 140 miles to Erie.

Darn I'm going nuts sitting here everyday for the last 11 months with this broken elbow. Well they are going to operate on it Feb 20th. It better heal FAST after that so I can use the boat. Or you guys are going to be coming over my house and hooking it up for me and going fishing with me.

I dunno what I would do if I busted my elbow...Man 11 months with no fishing/fishing in pain, seriously that has to suck!!!

On the subject of the DNR, I believe they recorded a record gain in 2006. I think they are also trying to purchase more land across Ohio, at least they say they are...Who knows where the money is really going..

On the subject of S-eye fingerlings, it seems as though the DNR is starting to establish a "super Eye" trend. I.E. the will super stock lakes like Indian and Hoover with massive amounts of Saugeye (close to a Million in Indian last year).

My guess is they decreased the stockings in the Scioto because they are worried about over stocking it with S-eye. Too many S-eye will likely put a strain on the Bass population, especially in the Fall when everything is gorging on shad. I'm betting that they don't realize how bad things have gotten. If someone higher up got word of the problem im betting the stocking rates would increase in a jiffy. I mean what is 40,000 more fingerlings when your stocking close to a million into other lakes?

The other problem might be the timing of the stockings, I've read where they have delayed stockings due to high water. Maybe a change in management over the last few years has resulted in a change in the time/stocking conditions? I believe either you are Jason (have you heard from him lately ) noted that a ton of fingerlings were DOA when they stocked Oshay one year.

What the heck am I fishing for besides 1 to 2 lb bass and the elusive 17" Crappie?

I completely agree with you, the Scioto has a much different feel to it with the chances of catching a good sized eye slim to none. And the whole driving factor too, the Scioto is in my back yard, I don't to drive all the way out to Indian in order to be guaranteed a Eye. Hopefully things will change