[Workingman]

The real question is.... did codger catch one?

 

[jholbrook]

The real question is.... did codger catch one?

I'll let @codger speak for himself. 😃

 

[codger]

Made it out a few times the last week. I've been finding saugeye in places I usually find them in October. It has been a weird season.

It was nice meeting you last night @codger-- I managed to pick up one more after you left.

Something I've been wondering: say you've got wing blowing across a point. Do you tend to start on the windward side, leeward side, or bypass the point and follow the wind until it reaches shore? I catch them in all three scenarios, just not sure what's most common.

It was nice meeting you also. I just finished working on my reel and it runs smoothly now. Amazing what a good cleaning and fresh grease will do I plan on trying again Saturday night if I can get away. It's amazing how busy a person gets after they retire. By the way, shortly after you and your buddy took off, a couple guys started doing donuts in the parking lot and stopped shortly before you returned. Wasn't you, was it?

 

[codger]

The real question is.... did codger catch one?

I'll put it this way, DW still calls me Ahab. I decided to try a different spot first, one I figured should produce some fish. I had a good hundred yards of bank to fish, all by myself (should have told me something, right?). So I spent about an hour and a half there before deciding to change spots. When I got to my second spot I saw there were already a couple guys in 'my spot' , so I stayed out of their way. The bite window seemed to be closing or closed already and they packed up soon after, and stopped to chat as they were leaving. In the next 45 minutes, I lost 2 swimbaits and one of my reels started acting up to the point that I decided to head home and live to fish another day. As always, I had a great time, but alas, no fish. There's always next time, right?

 

[Fishslim OGF]

Well this cold snap has me trading in rainy nights with jerk baits for icy evenings with jigging spoons! Found a very specific spot that had just enough ice for about a day before this wind and warm up ruins it. But I could not have asked for a better trip. Slamming saugeyes through the ice in early December, in Ohio, is not something you get to say very often. I lost just as many as I landed, most were lost at the hole trying to get them out, fish were just barley biting and the hooks were just at the tip of their mouth. I’m willing to bet I will be back out in 2 days chucking stick baits in open water again! View attachment 545558

 

[jholbrook]

a couple guys started doing donuts in the parking lot and stopped shortly before you returned. Wasn't you, was it?

Nah, not this time. I usually save that type of behavior for March, when I haven't caught a fish in open water for a month.

plan on trying again Saturday night

Based on my experience, that east wind may make things tough tonight. I am certain, however, they can still be caught in "your" spot. If you do go, I'm pulling for you to light 'em up.

 

[codger]

Nah, not this time. I usually save that type of behavior for March, when I haven't caught a fish in open water for a month.

Based on my experience, that east wind may make things tough tonight. I am certain, however, they can still be caught in "your" spot. If you do go, I'm pulling for you to light 'em up.

Yeah, seeing the forecast for east wind has me rethinking things. I don't really buy in to the wind 'from the east, fishing is least' thing since I've had good fishing in all wind directions in the past (for other species). I may decide on a different location since there's one I've only fished for crappie but think may be good for saugeye. Two things for sure, I can't catch fewer fish this time and if I stay home I know I won't catch any. At the very least, I'll get a good reading of the water temp and be able to better tune my baits, and I won't forget my lead wire this time.

 

[Craw-dad]

No harm to the saugeye population from me last night. Although I did get 6 or 7 baits fine tuned.

 

[jholbrook]

Began at an area I thought they'd be stacked up given the conditions. Caught three in short order, with two over 21".

Afterwards, after a lot of swimbait casting practice, as I got ready to leave I had a bite that fully loaded the rod, drag slipping, and I got half a headshake. Then it was off.

Gave it a while longer, then ran to a second spot.

Like the saying goes, the grass isn't always greener.

Didn't like the lack of wind pushing into shore, so bounced to a third spot in short order. Caught a 17" pretty quick, but my mind kept drifting back to spot number one. I raced back there, fished for an hour and caught one more, around 20".

Just before reaching that point in the evening the call to go home is too strong to ignore, I tied on a stick bait. Hooked up after about four casts, flashed the lamp to see my potential limit shake its head at my feet, pop the hook, and swim away looking a little dazed.

I reluctantly trudged back to the car, myself probably looking a little disappointed.

 

[codger]

Began at an area I thought they'd be stacked up given the conditions. Caught three in short order, with two over 21".

Please tell me this was Sunday night, not Saturday. I got out Sat. night, but only had a couple of hours so tried to make the most of it. The outcome was the same as Craw-dad's. I'm thinking they might have started hitting once the clouds moved in to hide the bright moon, but I didn't have time to wait. Would have gone out earlier this evening (Sunday) but DW had me too busy. For some reason she thinks the Christmas lights need to be up before Christmas Eve. Gonna try to get out Monday evening for a few hours if it's cloudy/rainy or if not, then maybe I'll get the canoe or kayak out Tuesday and then stay late for some bank action.

 

[jholbrook]

Sunday night

Rest assured, it was Sunday.

 

[Workingman]

Went out tonight (alum) for my first serious attempt for saugeye this season. Perfect conditions.. a brisk wind from the south. Caught 2 on swims and had 2 hookups on suspending jerks but both came unbuttoned. Brought home a barely legal and a fat female that measured 21"+.
Never made a move. Maybe lazy!!!

 

[Workingman]

Figured out how to get a picture to load from my phone. Been having problems for a bit. These are my alum fish from a couple of days ago.

 

[RiparianRanger]

Tried Alum yesterday evening. Dead calm. No signs of life anywhere other than a huge splash 15 feet off shore that was startled by the headlamp. Probably saw half dozen bait fish total lurking in the rocks at three different spots. Water level way down. Threw swims, sticks, and red eye shad and not so much as a bump. Curious what the OGF crew might suggest as a way to increase the odds under such conditions where there is barely any identifiable current.

 

[Workingman]

To be honest, if I'm getting ready to go and there's no wind, I usually stay home. Conversely, if I drive home and cross the lake and notice a good breeze,(especially from south) I think "I should get out there!"
I'm probably not someone who should be giving fishing advice though!

 

[codger]

I went out for a little bit this evening, but when I cast out at about a 45 degree angle and my lure landed about 15 yards away on the rocks beside me, I decided the wind was too strong 🤣

 

[HappySnag]

I went out for a little bit this evening, but when I cast out at about a 45 degree angle and my lure landed about 15 yards away on the rocks beside me, I decided the wind was too strong 🤣

use 1 oz or 11/2 oz lure ,it will cut true the wind.i am able to cast against 40 mph wind with out problem.the longest cast is directly in wind,if you cast to side you create big bow line,keep your tip close to water,limiting the wind pushing your line and lure.

 

[Saugeyefisher]

Fished mid day Saturday. Mid 80's air temp. 18"-3' of water in the back of a hard bottom cove stacked with shad. 6 saugeyes in a few hours. Burning a sexy shad 1/4 oz red eye shad through schools of shad. Missed 3 or 4 good hits. All fish 16-18" cookie cutters.