Buckeye Lake

[Toad]

Went down tonight to check out the ice and I think I'll give it a few more days. The ice was 2 to 3" thick and the lake was frozen from one side to the other with the execption of around the yacht club. The dam is still open and as the lake comes down and the ice sinks down it is breaking up around the edges. The weatherguesser said rain showers Saturday so thats not going to help much.

Has anyone ever fished the spillway? It's small but there is plenty of water flowing. A person would think the eyes would come thru the dam as they do at indian lake or deer creek.

[riverbottoms]

Toad,
What's your best guess, how much further does Buckeye need to drop yet to be at winter pool?
Any snow cover on the ground for pulling Shanty's?
Sounds like ice cleats might be manditory equipment.

[Toad]

The way it looked to me it should be close to winter pool unless they are dropping it for ramp repair but I haven't heard anything about doing that. There is no snow on it. If the weatherman is wrong and it stays below freezeing it should be good by sunday or monday.

[sycamoreredneck]

I have fished the spillway with no luck last year. The best luck we had was around Fairfield Beach. Whatever you do, dont waste your time around the state park off 79. We fished there all day without so much as a bite!!!

[Thunderflight]

Why do they lower the water level at Buckeye lake? I've always wondered that.

TF

[sycamoreredneck]

Flood control and boat ramp repair I guess. Also maybe to protect the cranberry bog??????

[Thunderflight]

It always seems to fill right back up.

Is there a creek or river that flows into it?

TF

[JCarp]

Toad - Thanks for the ice report, much appreciated. tI lived there for a while in the early 80's. At that time there was a dammed pool below the spillway that extended almost to 79. Seemed like everytime they shut the water off there would be a very big cat and one or two 7lb walleye taken within a few days out of the pool. The creek below the pool drained fast and locals would harvest (Not fishing) fish in that section down to the WWTP. Checked it out once and saw between 15-20 eyes taken between 3-4 lb and one 7. Few cats, kids had field day with carp. Question was whether eyes came up from river (Dillon still had some eyes) or from lake.

I know of a couple decent saugeyes and a pike (I'd bet very respectable redfin pickeral) during summer within the last couple of yrs (saw pic). Parking tough.

Fill rate & drawdown:
The water table around BL is very high, it was a swamp before it was turned into a canal lake. It has a lot of little creeks that feed it. As development continues, runoff will enter faster.

I can't think of a dammed lake that doesn't have a winter drawdown. Adding some storage for the spring thaw may be a consideration. Weed control is a consideration at some lakes (may have read about zebra mussel reduction too?). Structure protection and protecting Cranberry make sense too.

jc

[Toad]

I belive the eyes come thru the dam. I think Links r Us posted some super info on eye travel some time back. If it was him maybe he will post it again.

[PHILME]

I went out Sat. night and met zfish . I fished from 9:00 pm - 12:00 without a bite . The water was really muddy and I think it had alot to do with it . The ice was fine though .

[riverbottoms]

Friday night after hearing lake reports and looking at the weather forcast (freezing rain) I decided to pass on fishing Buckeye sat. morning. But after getting a phone call from Craig Fletcher from Buckeye sat. morning telling me that we made another inch of ice friday night, and he was marking fish, I decided to do the 2hr. drive.
Well the the 2hr. drive turn into a 3hr. drive for me. I hit the freezing rain about halfway there, 35mph the rest of the way.
When I got there the rain had turned to sleet.
Craig had already caught 6 dinks and 1 keeper saugeye before I got there.
The water looked like it was getting murkier as the day wore on the sleet turned to cold rain. Marking fish was far a few between, just lookers.
Did manage 1 scrawny crappie about 6pm. At 7 I was convinced there wouldn't be much of an evening bite.
I really believe the murky water had a lot to do with the poor bite. Hopefully when the water clears up the bite will pick up.
It was a very wet day, but being my 1st. time out this year it sure felt good being on the hardwater again!
As of now I plan to wait a few days and give the water a chance to clear before trying again.
With the added rain we got yesterday, it will probably be a week before it really clears up.

[JCarp]

Sun evening - 4+ inches off Fairfield and making ice when I left at 7:30 pm. Way more lookers than biters, no good fish. Got more interest with glow w/red than glow w/green. Tipups blanked. Wind was blowing pretty good and once the temp dropped & the ice got real noisy the bite seem to die. No snow cover.

Handfull of guys out. Some open water in the typical 2 spots back in the channel between the points.

Good Luck.
jc

[Links r Us]

~ Seems that I remem from long ago that BL had some channels with some depth off the main that held some nice size S-Eyes ~ they might even have some clear water *Wink*;)

-Bebob

[MISFIT]

ain't it funny how great minds think alike;)

the only problem is getting to some of those channels,which is a lot easier in a boat.if i was a hiker,i'd be checkin' some of those out.shore access is tough with all the private property linin' the lake.maybe i should invest in a airboat;)

[Links r Us]

Dang Bro!!!:(

In the early 90s, after a couple of poor Ice years & havin' the Ice-Sleds just takin' up room at the Fishin' Shack, I gave them to my Putnam Co Kids to use ... Now that the body is Shot ~ I sure wish from time to time that one was a-sittin' beside da Shack!!!:cool:

later Gator,
- Bebob

[Toad]

That would be a sweet way to get out to the "secret" hole .
the Ice-Sleds
If I had a ride out there I know a hump area that goes from 6' to 4' back to 6' then drops to 16'. (deep for buckeye)

Misfit and the great "warted one" will be out on buckeye for sure saturday. Sounds like it will be a nice day to limit out. :D

[zfish]

Well I was out from about 430 till 830 this evening. Fished anywhere from 5 to 10 1/2 feet... Still too murkey for the aqua vu. I did mark more fish today with the vexilar but no takers for me. Took a buddy and he landed a channel that was about a pound and a half. Seen Philme out on the ice and he was guarding some of his tip ups and the one by me went off so I caught a small crappie. Had a good time with some fellow members and look forward seeing them on the water soon. Water clarity was about a foot to foot and a half. Ice was about 5 to 7 inches thick I guess. Ice made a lot of noise right at dark but nothing unusual. Hope this helps

[Toad]

hang in there Mike your bound to hit the bite if you keep going. :D

[MISFIT]

5-7 inches?
i think you measure ice the same way you do fish and other things:rolleyes:
everyone else says there's 4 inches:D ;)

are you going saturday?

[PHILME]

I stayed until around 11:30 and ended up with 4 saugeye and 2 crappie . Fish started to bite after the winds picked up . Ice was a good 5" or more and water is still stained .

[Links r Us]

Way to Go Phil!!!:)

Those Eyes don't punch a clock & it's kinda hard to force feed them;)