Salt Fork Resevoir

[loanwizard]

Salt Fork Resevoir is located off of SR 22 near Cambridge Ohio. It has a good population of channel catfish and Shovelhead (Flathead) Catfish. I know personally of a 55, a 42, several in the 30-35 range that were caught in the spring of 2005. There is a good population of bluegill, and shad for bait and food. There is no horsepower restriction. As of August 14, 2005 there are only two launch pads available for a good size craft and those are located at Salt Fork Marina.

[Netmanjack]

OK, we now know where it is,BUT how did your new boat do and did you get into any fish.;)

[teaysvalleyguy]

I still have not made it out there to fish this year. Do they have the dam fixed or is it not causing any problems to the fishing??? I would like to meet up out there and show everyone how it is done. LMAO

[ryang]

Matt I dont believe it has been fixed yet I think I remember reading something might have been on the DNR site where they said it hasnt.

[loanwizard]

They are allowing the lake to fill naturally as of 7/15/05. Of course we have had no rain and it is actually worse than what it was. The new boat is great, runs 70mph plus, just built rod holders (can hold 11 rods) and it's ready for wednesday. 40 gallon gas tank, figure that @ $2.50 a gallon :eek:

[Netmanjack]

OK, the bullheads are comming along too, if thats ok. lol ;)

[Abu]

Hi loanwizard. Thanks for clearing up the leaking dam. I talked to a guy two days ago and he thought it was still leaking because the water level was so low. That explains it, no rain, no water. Don't think about the price of gas for your new boat, best $2.50X40 you can spend is on gas for the boat. Easy for me to say when I have a 9.9hp Jon Boat, takes me a little while to get where I am going. :) John

[tcphs]

The Southeastern part of the lake is empty. They are going to fix the dam next spring. The DNR is pulling money from other projects to fix it.

[Netmanjack]

Went out with Loanwizard Wednesday,thought some of you that haven't seen the lake might like a peek.Its hard to believe that so many big fish were caught in this area.

:sad:

[BigKatWilly]

Has anyone been out?Did the storm this week help out any with the water or lack there of? :0a28: :0a28:

[loanwizard]

I was out last night. The water is still down as it will be til next year. However, the water is cooling. I have been fishing it over the last 30 days 2-3 times w/ absolutely no luck. Last night got out about 4 with goldfish, caught some bluegill and some 8-9 inch shad. 3 bites 1 @ 8:15 1 @8:30, 1 @ 10:15 left @ 10:48 Nothing on Goldfish

6lb channel on live shad
1 heckuva run on live bluegill... forgot I had a big river hook and not a circle grrrr!
1 real nice fish that spit the hook soon after "hookup" on Live shad. (was absolutely over 10 lbs, felt like my 20 and my 32 or more, just kept the drag screaming never slowed down.)

Actually may be a good spot for a gathering or get together as there is excellent shore access or drop off points for a boater to drop you off.

[Netmanjack]

Glad you had some luck Shawn,I wish I could have been there.The food tasting party was a bust, birthday party not much better.:sad: Cat fishing beats every thing.lol

[Baitkiller]

Loanwizard

Nice to hear some reports from us in Eastern Ohio. Next spring I'll be asking for some help from some of the guys here to get started on the lakes.

Just something I try to do for my self .......K.I.S.S.....to easy for me to make too many mistakes otherwise.

<><Baitkiller><>

[loanwizard]

I also aim to make a trip up there with you, with or without a boat. I'd like to try your style though I may cuss you if you get me into too many snags lol

[Baitkiller]

Loanwizard

Anytime I can brother :D ! Not to worry about ALL THE SNAGS there, I'll keep you in sinkers and hooks if need be.

I do believe its easier to come across a 50#er in our lakes but I believe the average Flathead has been around 18-20#s this year at pre-spawn @ "Old # 9".

I sure hope the guys post more here in Ohio, I miss seeing what all were doing. Now "being over the road" It will be next year before I get much any fishing in again :glare: .

<><Baitkiller><>

[BassMassey]

lock number 9, is that the Philo lock on the Muskingum??

[loanwizard]

Ohio River north of Steubenville.

[BassMassey]

ok, ive never fished the Ohio YET..........i love the muskingum, i found a really nice spot close to the philo lock, any of u familiar with the Philo lock??

[jason454ci]

been there a time or two. mostly fish the y bridge area of the muskingum.

[BassMassey]

yeah there's a sandbar about 200 yards below the lock........i stumbled across it a few months ago, actually was my first experience on the Muskingum, and have been back almost every weekend after that...........i see ur profile pic looks like dillon spillway.........ive landed some nice ones outta there this summer also.........fishing on the other side down on the rocks closs to the high wall............its kinda a rough walk but plently worth it

[Catfish Huntr]

Hi everyone, I'm a new member to this forum and a Catfish addict. I come from the Buckeye Lake region and have lived here most of my life. So I have done a little bit of catfishing, but I'm allways up for learning knew ways and places. I hope to meet and fish with all of you in the future. :)

Thanks
Catfish Huntr

[BassMassey]

hey brother, just moved down south from the Newark/Heath area.........fished buckeye a lil..........but prefer the local rivers..........welcome to the best dam catfishing website around brother

[jason454ci]

Welcome aboard Catfish Huntr. Good to see a new member from the area. Buckeye is definetly a good place for channels. I also prefer the rivers. Better chance of catching those big ole flatties. Yes bass that pic is from the spillway. Fished a ton there till the water dropped and the turtles moved in.LOL. A few of us from around the area try to get together every now and again to do a little fishin and alot of B.S.ing. You'll definetly have to hook up with us sometime.

[M.Magis]

How's the fishing been under the Lumbertown bridge? Used to be a bunch of flatheads caught there in the later 90's until everyone found out about it.

[Baitkiller]

Catfishhuntr

WELCOME TO THE BOC! :D

"Join in the pursuit"!
<><Baitkiller><>

[maddcatter]

Welcome to the BOC!!

[BassMassey]

so Jason , was the spillway unusually low this summer?? say around late july early augusts?? i've never fished from up top since it is usually crowded and i dont have a drop net either........i make the walk around the top and down the other side.........i was just wondering if the rock me and my buddy usually set up on is usually under water or not???

[jason454ci]

Been really low last couple months. That rock hasn't seen much water this year.LOL. Went out there tonight for a couple hours a few nibbles on cut gill was it.

[BassMassey]

u know the rock im talking about?? i think thats the best spot on the spillway....ive sat there and caught flatties before when no one up top was cacthing nothing........off that rock if u cast right infront of u about 4 - 5 ft u can just feel ur bait drop........i think theres like a 10 ft trench there....

[BassMassey]

u ever try goldfish out there?? that is the only thing i ever bring to the spillway.........

[jason454ci]

Caught a mess of small flats 5 to 10 lbs On goldfish there this summer. I usally have my kids with me so I just fish of the top so I don't have to worry about them falling in. See a few people fish down there though.

[BassMassey]

i would like to fish the top sometime........i like how u guys use the fence like one big rod holder, lol.......the only reason i never have was because i never had a drop net, im sure if i hooked into something someone would have helped me out though....i was just wondering are there any snags inbetween the two highwalls??

[jason454ci]

Not many snangs at all. It has a concrete bottom. Occasionally you get ahold of a net or a limb. If you get a real big one you have to get it out on the end of the wall on the parking lot side and find a sucker to go down on the rocks to get it out.

[BassMassey]

....................so that's like a totally different fight from the top........i thought i saw some guys using a drop net to land their cats once while i was fishing down low.............how deep is it inbetween the highwalls do u think?? and do u think there is more to be caught from up high or down low??

[jason454ci]

We use drop nets on smaller ones those 30lb and up won't quite fit in most nets. I would say its between 10 to 15 feet depending on the discharge. I've seen just as many caught from the top as from the bottom. Somedays they hit on down the spillway, And somedays up in it. I just prefer the top as it is easy acess and a whole lot less snags.

[BassMassey]

is it usuall for anyone to fish the spillway in the colder months?? I might be coming home for x-mas........

[jason454ci]

It definetly ain't crowed in the winter. I've tried it a few times just got the urge. If you do make it up just holler I'll go freeze with ya for a while. LOL

[Mathersm]

I found some great saltfork bait by accident on a camping trip to saltfork a few years back. Those giant snails you see along the bank make excellent bait after sunning for a day or 2. I went with my buddy and his family a few years back. We had no luck the first 2 days on most conventional cat baits. I took a snail and broke the shell and used the meat. My buddies dad told me there was no way I was going to catch anything. lo and behold after ten minutes in the water i caught a monster of a cat. But since I was using my bass rod and only ten lb test once I pulled him to the surface he rolled in my line and broke off. It would have been my first and only flathead. After that we caught and released several decent sized channels all on snail.

[bullheadslayer]

i need to try fishing at saltfork

[RetiredToFish]

i need to try fishing at saltfork


YEP .... me too .... hope to as soon as the weather and water settles down ... I want to see if the catfishing is as good here as it was in Florida ... Garry- :wink: