Ohio River Trip 30 Jun-1 Jul 2008

[HURRICANEBOB]

We left from Salt River Ramp at about 6 pm. We spent some time throwing lures of all types for white bass, and Sabiki Rigs for Skipjack for about 1 1/2 hours without a nibble. Around 7:30 pm, the gizzard shad started flicking and feeding on the surface. A couple net throws under the first railroad bridge heading up Salt netted 12-15 real good sized gizzards in the 8 to 10 inch range. A couple more throws and we had 6 small gizzards in the 4-5 inch range, and 5 small 5-6 inch Skipjack . Salt River had a small amount of debris, low current, and was a stained tan color. We next went to the point of Salt and the Ohio. We nosed the pontoon to the bank, and bottom fished with a couple big gizzards, a couple small gizzards, and a couple small Skipjack. Not one bite in 2 hours of sitting there with primo bait out. We cast lines to the deep drop off, into the drop off, and to just 10-15 foot deep water with no luck. While sitting there, we got zip hits on anything we threw for white bass. From about 11 pm till sun up we fished 3 other spots, same array of baits, always anchored above a drop off or deep pool, again with some line shy of the drop, on the edge of the drop, and in the deep water. We even tried chicken, chicken livers, night crawlers on the bottom and under bobbers, and even some cut shad as the big gizzards came up dead, got sliced and headed back out to find fish as a now smellie morsel. One week pull down all night. We even free lined gizzards 40 feet back from the boat without a nibble. We fished the point at Otter Creek, on the Ky side, then 2 miles up from there on the KY side, the 1 mile up from there on the way back to Salt in the morning. Still nothing. Even Tuesday morning in the mouth of Salt we could not get anything to hit a lure from surface type clean down to 20 foot deep crank baits.

Tuesday morning the river was light brown in color, with slight debris mainly on the wind blown side, and with some pockets of a fair amount of debris, but most of small size. The current speed was on the rise Tuesday morning, as compare to Monday night.

We did get a great sunrise thru the banks of fog. And the only lost equipment was a 10 pound danforth anchor and 6 foot of chain with 30 foot of line lost when it hooked on something. We tied the line to a cleat, and pulled at it with the main engine from 6 different directions so hard the cleat nearly came out and the bow was nearly pulled under without it even budging an inch.

So, did anybody do well Monday night on the river? Was it just me, or were the catfish, gar, white bass, skipjack, drum, and even eels on an early 4th of July vacation. Did somebody call a mass fish meeting in Tennessee that they all decided to attended? Any advice would do me good. With gas up, I've been doing Salt and the Ohio more, so any help on where to find fish (other than bait) would help.

And if you find a danforth 3 mile up from Otter Creek, Ky side with a chin and 30 foot of line on it, don't even tell me you got it loose. I don't need my nose rubbed in it.

[riverrat12]

Sorry to here about the slow conditions Bob, I'm hittin Mcalpine tomorrow...Will give you a update if I get into them, but it doesn't sound promising. Good report. Chuck

[big_cat]

Sorry to hear that kind of a report Bob. I had a few nights like that last week. The only bites last week came off live bait. The blues are nestting right now, so I went flathead huntting. I target alot of brush. The flats really like hiding around trees to ambush the bait fish. We had live creek chubs and live bluegills. I would just target the flats until mid to late July. The only blue was that 42 pounder, under the **** last week. When I get off the tug, we will all have to get together and get out. You guys up for that River Rat, Boat Bum, Bob, and who anyone else.

Chris

[Tyme2fish]

I took the Mrs. out with me Tuesday below Mcalpine. Using raw shrimp I caught a 4.5 and 5 pound blue and 1 striper in about 4 hours. Sun got too hot and we left.

[riverrat12]

Water was stained to murky, fished below the lower dam for striper with rattle traps, jigs, and big in line spinners with no luck. Did pick up some shad at sh$% creek and drift fished for a while with no luck. so we pulled up below silver creek to lighten the cooler and still fish, hit a 58# blue within an hour. You could definitely tell she had dropped some eggs her belly was sunk in and fins were torn up. Like to have caught her a couple weeks ago and seen what she would have weighed. That was all we caught.... well did I mention the cooler getting lighter lol...Chuck

[big_cat]

Nice fish Chuck, it should start picking up any day ok maybe a week.
Chris