Caesar Creek Lake

[browng]

During the summer, anybody catching bass any deeper than 17 to 19 feet (seems to be the average summer thermocline depth I've encountered at the deep end of the lake)? How about early pre-spawn when it appears no thermocline is present? About 25 years ago, Caesar Creek Lake used to have a pretty heavy population of spotted bass; now, it seems to be predominantly largemouth bass, with a few more smallmouth showing up. Do you attribute that to the stocking of muskies around that time, increased pollutants (which you'd think would affect the smallmouth, too), poor water clarity (last year's water clarity was much improved), or . . . ? Apart from the better water clarity, any comments at all on the huge increase in zebra mussels last year?

Until about three years ago, I had not fished it for about two decades due to the lack of a boat. Thanks for any insights you have to offer.

[mactlman]

it is still a ditch!!

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An 105 feet deep ditch! A really tough lake to pattern, especially pre-spawn and late fall.

[mactlman]

An 105 feet deep ditch! A really tough lake to pattern, especially pre-spawn and late fall.

15 minutes form home but I would rather drive to rocky or paint creek

[General Bassin']

It's a casting lake more than a fishing lake. Words I have never heard from anyone I know that fishes there... "We had a great day at Caesar Creek"

[mactlman]

It's a casting lake more than a fishing lake. Words I have never heard from anyone I know that fishes there... "We had a great day at Caesar Creek"

It’s really a shame because that lake has everything to make a bass happy but with all the boaters and crowds in the summer, it’s useless to go fishing there

[Fish.Team.Rose]

It’s really a shame because that lake has everything to make a bass happy but with all the boaters and crowds in the summer, it’s useless to go fishing there

Agreed. Ohio has nice fish. But excluding erie, ohio in my opinion does not have trophy fishing like every state around us. I wish the ohio river was still grassy and fun.

[browng]

Up near White Oak on the Ohio River, I have fished the main river in a couple of areas where I think there are some 'shell beds'. If you have some clarity, I'm starting to think that fishing the main river is a better idea than the creeks in the summer. Bridge pilings usually hold a bass or two in the creeks, however, they're usually not large. I try to hunt down rocks in that pool. Current on outside bends seems to be key on the main river. Used to do good by fishing a blue fleck Berkley Power Pulse Worm (6") upriver of Maysville by casting upstream and allowing the current to push the worm into the hollow area under some remaining stumps. As Keith says above, grass is hard to find anymore. Keith, when I was younger, I waded many, many miles of the Great Miami River in search of smallmouth north of where you live, especially north of Dayton up to Piqua. You really have to respect the push of the current in that river while wading.

[Fish.Team.Rose]

Up near White Oak on the Ohio River, I have fished the main river in a couple of areas where I think there are some 'shell beds'. If you have some clarity, I'm starting to think that fishing the main river is a better idea than the creeks in the summer. Bridge pilings usually hold a bass or two in the creeks, however, they're usually not large. I try to hunt down rocks in that pool. Current on outside bends seems to be key on the main river. Used to do good by fishing a blue fleck Berkley Power Pulse Worm (6") upriver of Maysville by casting upstream and allowing the current to push the worm into the hollow area under some remaining stumps. As Keith says above, grass is hard to find anymore. Keith, when I was younger, I waded many, many miles of the Great Miami River in search of smallmouth north of where you live, especially north of Dayton up to Piqua. You really have to respect the push of the current in that river while wading.

It still holds many nice fish.

[Rick H]

It never fished great but did fish better before they dropped the level to put the marina in. Never really recovered after that.

If they would manage it for bass it would do better but I can't remember the last time they stocked bass. Its always Muskie.

[Fishing Flyer]

It never fished great but did fish better before they dropped the level to put the marina in. Never really recovered after that.

If they would manage it for bass it would do better but I can't remember the last time they stocked bass. Its always Muskie.

I agree with all of this, and I also think there are a couple other factors. Bass fishing was better before the marina drop and before the 15” minimum length was removed, which was around the same time. There were several years of extreme lake level rises and falls right over the spawning season. I would like to see the state stock bass to compensate for the impact of flood control on the spawn. The state’s electroshocking surveys confirm low numbers of bass compared with the state average and the numbers are much lower than comparably sized reservoirs in SW Ohio.