I was on Rocky Fork yesterday for 4 hrs and not one Saugeye, only 3 white bass. There is usually a fall bite that starts around the first week of September, but it may be later this year. If they're in shallow you can catch a bunch, but there is a 15" length limit and 9 out of ten have been short all summer. Maybe fall will be better. I'll be out every few days the next two weeks. I'll post if it starts producing. I usually troll cranks in the fall, but worm harness and worm tipped jigs work too. I tried it all yesterday.

 

Please let me know SouthernSaug. Its a 2 hour drive for me plus $11 one day out of state fishing license for me so I'd like to catch a saugeye or two when I come up in September.

 

I would drive the other direction. It’s a transitional time of year. Was out on Cowan the other day and managed a few crappie no Saugs. I’d take one of your KY lakes or the drive to TN any day over driving up here this time of year. Best fishing here now is creeks and streams. Can do ok or better in smallies

 

I'm headed up to Brookville Lake for a chance to catch some walleyes. From the guys in Indiana this is the place to catch walleyes on the regular and a good to very good population.
Wish me luck.

 

In another month and a half or maybe two the saugeye will be jumping in your boat
I'll be fishing the last two hours of light and first two hours of dark on both Cowan and Rcky-frk.
Good luck and good fishing !

 

It

In another month and a half or maybe two the saugeye will be jumping in your boat
I'll be fishing the last two hours of light and first two hours of dark on both Cowan and Rcky-frk.
Good luck and good fishing !

Its starting to pick up a little now. I have got 4 keepers the last couple days, one 22"

 

It


Its starting to pick up a little now. I have got 4 keepers the last couple days, one 22"

I had a good day at Brookville Lake

 

deepvjoe,
Mid lake is best for Saugeye on RF, around both beach areas. Flats of 7-10 feet produce most of the Saugeye. The point of the island on the east end is hot at times as well. Just about anywhere you can find a hump or flat coming up out of deeper water will get you Saugeye. I have not been on the lake for a week. I was getting a few then the heat came and it slowed. I spent two days at Lake erie and that was off as well. The last couple evenings I've got a few out of the creek. Fall is about to pick up but the heat is making later.

 

I’m assuming once the water temps lower a bit the saugeye will be ready to eat?

 

Yup, but the shorter days help as well. Like I said I'm getting a few out of the creek where 10 days ago it was nothing. That's a sign it's close. Pick a cool overcast or rainy day and I bet you could get a few. I like the water temp to get down to 68-70 then hit em. It was 74-76 then this heat drove it right back to 78-80.

Let me know if the bite is starting to warm up.

 

Yak,
I'll be up there Sunday for my club tournament so I'll let you know how it goes..

 

yakninja, Won't be reporting for a while. Heading to South Dakota ( gonna spend some time around lake Ohae and Black hills) and won't be back until around October 1st. I have picked up a couple nice Saugeye in the creeks the last few days. So it's getting close. On shallow running cranks, like shad raps, shadow raps, xraps and swimin image shads. The head of riffles and fast water just below shoots and riffles.

 

Fished some and explored depths some for 4 hrs mid-day yesterday. It was a day after the cold front moved through. Transducer temperature at 75-76 degrees. Did relax and still fished after catching this one close to shore.

 

As far as I know the lake is still not doing well. However, the creek has been pretty darn good to me the last month. I have caught some very nice Saugeye. I have 4 that measured between 24 and 26 inches and several between 20 & 24". I'm fishing all areas I can't reveal in the creeks (Paint & Rocky Fork) that is controlled, so sorry can't disclose locations. I was hoping for a good fall bite on the lake, but it hasn't developed.

Maybe I should of entered that Saugeye Brawl thing LOL.....my three best equal 74". Oh well they all went in the freezer, so I'm getting my prize.

 

Anyone have the water temp? Trying to plan a trip later in May, just like to know when based on water temp.

 

Low 50s a couple of days ago

 

Thanks,

Might try next week pending my schedule. Hopefully things stabilize with the weather and can sneak down for a few hours.

 

Fished yesterday.

Had some boat issues, battled the wind, fought through the crowd, and when the smoke cleared we did not do very well. Did find a lot of the small fish. Water temps ranged from 55 - 60 most of the day. Not sure what they were prior to the cold from this week. This weekend probably will not help either.

Fishing pressure is what I would say we normally see towards the end of May. A lot of Crappie poles were out yesterday.

 

My dad and his friend caught 80+ crappies on Thursday but only only 7 keepers. Blue back shad grub and minnows just no size. Not sure exactly where as he didn't say and I don't know that lake that well.

 

Caught this near campground
In a cove , and a few more

 

 

This dude came just off the boat ramp yesterday morning.

 

How bad is the lake going to be blown out after all this rain ?? My son wants to bowfish Saturday night, but I'm concerned that it will be really muddy & the 1.75 hour drive will be a waste. Thanks

 

I was out there today. Little rain off and on. 5-10mph winds, choppy water. air temps were in the low 60s. I was fishing down at the end where the dam is. Visibility was a good 2-3ft. Not horrible. We threw crankbaits, worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and caught nothing. I saw one guy flipping a creature bait and landed a good 1 pound bass. But he was the only one I saw catch anything (bass). There were a few other boats but they were crappie fishing. I wasn't near them long enough to see if they caught any. Definitely a rough day for bass fishing.

 

Looking to go out there this weekend with my son if it’s not to busy. Haven’t been to this lake yet since I moved up here but excited to try it out. How’s the bass fishing. Would the north section be better or down by the damn. What would good lures be to try?

 

Before I moved to the center of the 275 loop, I used to go to RF all the time. I'd launch the kayak at the campground ramp, and stick to that half of the lake. But with all the rain we've had, I would definitely go towards the dam. Visibility is much greater, and water is definitely deeper. I fish for bass, and that lake has always done well for me. Pretty much all Bass lures will work.

 

Thank you, I appreciate the info. Is there any grass or lily pads in the lake? Looking on satellite images, looks like there is on the north side.

 

There is a lot of vegetation at this lake. I don;t know all the names of types of grass, but you have it all. Being more familiar with the campground half of the lake, you will definitely find lilly pads on that half. In mid summer, they seem to be EVERYWHERE. I can't speak for the dam half though. As I mentioned, I was there yesterday and we pulled in a lot of grass, and and other vegetation. I don't recall seeing any lilly pads at that end.

 

With Paint Creek lake blown out, I bet Rocky Fork will be even more a zoo than it would have been with the holiday weekend.

 

Seems to be a lot of shovelheads being caught this spring.
I always considered them a welcome surprise when throwing a plug, and usually caught a few via bait-and-wait with small rock bass for bait in June-July when the river was on the rise.

 

I took a trip out to Rocky Fork today with a friend.
We caught 3 saugeye, 1 bluegill, 3 white bass, 3 largemouth, 4 ring perch and maybe 25 crappie. It was a pretty mixed bag and the action was never fast paced but was rather spread pretty evenly through out the day. What I was more impressed with was of those 25 crappie, 11 were really nice size running between 11" to just under 13".
Both jigs and minnows had their moments but deep (12-15 fow) was the key to the bigger fish.

 

Hey crappiedude, I was ON Rocky fork today too. We caught 3 saugeye (1- 16"), 1 bass, 1 white bass. We never even attempted any crappie. Pretty slow day.