Turnout still good at Buckeye

The fishing continues to be tough in the Tuesday evening bass tournaments at Buckeye Lake, but participation is still good. Last week (Aug. 17), 28 anglers showed up and this week (Aug. 24), 30 anglers participated.
This week, Dave Mocks and Fran Tippton won with two fish that weighed 4.75 pounds and took big bass honors with a 3.69-pound fish. Shaun Magers and Dana Moran finished second with two bass that weighed 3.01 pounds.
Joey dams ad Jim Kughn placed third with two bass that weighed 2.24 pounds, Doug Bennett and Dave Hinerman took fourth with a 2.08-pound fish and Ty Nauer and Rod Stufflebean were fifth with a 1.58-pound fish.
On Aug. 17, Randy Swihart and Bob Conaway took first with two bass that weighed 2.88 pounds, while Scott Clark was a close second with two fish that weighed 2.54 pounds.
Mike Gitting finished third and took big bass honors with a 2.01-pound fish, Chuck and Ryan Davis placed fourth with a 1.64-pound bass and Wayne and Dusty Baker were fifth with a 1.15-pound fish.
The action may be slow at Buckeye, but the turnout's still good. I think organizer Robin Cross is probably right when he says the 100 percent payback is attractive. I have heard a couple anglers comment that they prefer tournaments where the fishing is tough for everyone because they know they can get in the money with only a couple bass. On the other hand, if everyone is catching fish, they know they have to have a "kicker" as part of a limit catch to hope to get in the money.
Frankly, the bass fishing has been tough at most area lakes, not just Buckeye, although I expect it to start turning around soon. However, I've heard the rivers are a different story. I haven't been to any of the smallmouth spots I like, but I've heard the spotted bass were hitting on the Muskingum Rver at the Rokeby Lock pool (Gaysport) last week and I expect the rest of the river is producing similar activity.
If anyone has any reports, let me know at seoangler@gmail.com

Dillon off warning list

There is good news for visitors to Dillon State Park, Lake Loramie and Lake Hope. The Columbus Dispatch reported Tuesday that warning signs posted at those three lakes have been removed after two weeks of testing showed no signs of the nerve and liver toxins that can be produced by blue-green algae. State officials said the three lakes will continue to be closely monitored and warning signs could go back up if the toxins are detected.
Although those lakes have been cleared, the 32-acre lake at Mount Gilead State Park has been added to the list of places (now at 15) where visitors are being warned to keep contact with the water at a minimum.
Alum Creek State Park and Delaware State Park are on the list of warnings, but the bodies of water affected are not the main lakes, but rather ponds located within the parks.
When I was at Delaware last week, I did see an unusual patch of what looked like algae, but it was gray, not any of the blue-green shades associated with the algae people are on the lookout for. However, I don't know what it was.
For information on harmful algae blooms, check out this article from the Ohio Department of Health.
For pictures of both the dangerous blue-green algae and of common harmless algae, check out the link at the end of the article. There are also links to the Ohio EPA and ODNR informatin on blue-green algae.

Blue rock campground reopens
BLUE ROCK -- Good news for fans of Blue Rock State Park: Water is being trucked in and campers and park visitors are welcome once again to use Blue Rock State Park, located south of Zanesville near the Muskingum River, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
According to the announcement I found on the ODNR website, the campground and store at the park are now being supplied with water which is being trucked in, replacing the normal water supply from Cutler Lake. Drinking water is available at water fountains and the shower house in the campground has been re-opened. The park’s water treatment station was recently shut down after an algae bloom was observed in the lake.
The next special event at the park is the Annual Fall Camp Out on Oct. 2.
For more information, contact the Dillon State Park Region office at 740-453-4377.

Eckert wins OBF Youth championship

Former Junior National Champion Daryk Eckert won the senior division of the Ohio Bass Federation Junior Championship held at O'Shaughnessy Reservoir Sunday, Aug. 22. There were a total of 67 youth in the two divisions of the tournament, but Eckert was the only angler to master the lake, with five bass weighing 5.88 pounds to win the 15-18 age group.
The second place angler, Johnny McKenzie of the River Valley Juniors, had only one bass, but it was the division's big bass at 2.94 pounds.
Haleigh Caldwell of the Gallipolis Junior Bass Busters finished third with two bass weighing 2.68 pounds, Jarrett Martin, also of the Gallipolis club, was fourth with two bass weighing 2.56 pounds, and Max Kaufman placed fifth with a 2.47-pound bass.
Kaufman and Eckert are listed as belonging to the "CJB" club, but OBF Youth Director Mick Sturgill tells me Eckert is a member of the Renegades, sponsored by the Perry County Anglers. As for "CJB" I haven't figured out whether it stands for Columbus or Cincinnati Junior Bass Anglers.
Over in the 11-14 age group, Tristian Walters, also of "CJB" won the division with two bass weighing 3.91 pounds, including a 2.15-pound bass that took big bass honors.
Alex Connor of the SS Minnows finished second with a 1.3-pound fish, A.J. Bright of Tri-County Junior Bass Masters placed third with a 1.14-pound bass, Reese Eddleblute of the Perry County Renegades took fourth with a 1.07-pound bass and Kyler Bennett of Wlnut Springs Fishing Club was fifth with a 1.06-pound fish.

Alum Creek looking better

I think the bass fishing is starting to pick up at Alum Creek. Most of the reports I've heard during the past few weeks have been of slow action and a tough time finding keepers.
But that's been true almost everywhere in the oppressive heat we were enduring.
I didn't have any plans to go to Alum any time soon since it's not my favorite lake and I don't have a tournament there this year. Delaware is where I hope to spend more time soon (more on that in a minute).
Anyway, Wayne Hanley called me Saturday morning and asked if I wanted to go to Alum with him that afternoon. He is getting ready for the Cranberry Marsh Bass CLub tournament there Sunday and wanted to check out some areas.
I had no plans, so I said sure, grabbed some rods and tackle (and my rain suit) and we got to the lake about 11 a.m.
Without giving away any of the places we fished or how he caught his fish, I will say that after two heavy rains and six or seven hours of fishing, Wayne had put nine or 10 bass in the boat, at least three of which were solid keepers. Unfortunately, I only put one keeper in the boat. I did miss several fish, but we were fishing deeper and slower than I usually fish and my timing was way off.
I suspect that with the more reasonable temperatures predicted for this week, the shallow water action will be improving. I'd be more confident of that if more rain were in the forecast, but I still think Cranberry will have a decent tournament there Sunday.
I'm just glad I don't have to figure it out, as that lake is usually mean to me in tournaments, whatever the conditions.
I much prefer fishing Delaware, which my daughter, Lindsey, and I did Wednesday evening. We didn't have a good evening. I only caught one bass and missed a couple others, while she caught a sunfish on a crankbait.
I didn't know what to expect, as I had not been at Delaware yet this season, but the lake was a good color and the shad were active on the surface with some feeding activity going on. I did find bass in two of the four areas we were able to check out, so that was encouraging, and we did got to enjoy watching two osprey feed so it was at least an enjoyable evening.
Next time should be better.

Duck blind drawings Saturday

Drawing for duck blinds have been set for Saturday, Aug. 21, by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Here's the announcement from ODNR:
COLUMBUS, OH – More than 370 permits are available to hunters wishing to hunt ducks and geese from a blind at an Ohio State Park lake this waterfowl hunting season. A lottery drawing for the permits will be held at 17 state parks and two wildlife areas the morning of Saturday, Aug. 21.
Participating state parks include Portage Lakes and West Branch in northeast Ohio; East Harbor, Indian Lake, Kiser Lake and Lake Loramie in northwest Ohio; Buck Creek, Caesar Creek, Cowan Lake, East Fork, Hueston Woods, and Rocky Fork in southwest Ohio; and Alum Creek, A.W. Marion, Buckeye Lake, Deer Creek, and Delaware in central Ohio.
Interested applicants must appear in person at a participating state park office with proof of a 2010 Ohio hunting license, state wetlands stamp endorsement in the applicant’s name, and a signed 2010 or 2009 federal duck stamp. Applicants under the age of 18 are encouraged to have a parent or legal guardian present to sign the permit contract.
Applications will be taken beginning at 7:30 a.m. at most parks, with the lottery drawings at 8 a.m. at the park office, unless otherwise noted in the listing below.
Each hunter can apply for only one duck blind permit and no one can apply or draw for another person. There is a $50 non-refundable permit fee for the state park lottery winners. Most locations accept cash, checks or credit cards for payment, except for Portage Lakes where payment is by cash or check only. Lottery winners have 45 days to construct their blinds and all blinds must be dismantled by March 15, 2011.
Waterfowl hunting opportunities are also available through lottery drawings for blinds at Mercer Wildlife Area on Grand Lake St. Marys and Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area, which is adjacent to Mosquito Lake State Park. The drawings will be held at the respective wildlife area offices on Aug. 21. There is no fee for use of the blinds at these areas.
Information on waterfowl hunting seasons, locations and restrictions will be discussed by park staff and wildlife officers during the lotteries. For general information about hunting seasons and regulations, call 1-800-WILDLIFE or visit www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife.

MWCD lakes not affected by toxic algae

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District issued a release Thursday announcing that none of its lakes are affected by the toxic algae that has closed down Grand Lake St. Mary's and raised concerns at numerous other lakes around Ohio. Here's the announcement:
"The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) lakes are not suffering from the potentially harmful effects of algae and continue to be safe for all routine recreational activities.
"Several lakes and bodies of water in locations around Ohio have had health advisories issued for them this summer because of the rates of potentially harmful algal blooms or toxins present in the water. The MWCD lakes are not included in those warnings and have exhibited no signs of the presence of any of the harmful toxins.
"Staff members have been visually monitoring the 10 MWCD lakes throughout the summer and have not found any unusual algae growth, said Mark Swiger, MWCD’s conservation administrator. The MWCD lakes are Atwood, Beach City, Charles Mill, Clendening, Leesville, Piedmont, Pleasant Hill, Seneca, Tappan and Wills Creek.
“There have been no signs of any of the algal toxins at the MWCD lakes,” Swiger said. “The MWCD lakes are safe for boating, fishing and swimming as permitted. There are no warnings or concerns listed at the MWCD lakes.”
"If MWCD staff members identify any signs of the toxins or other potentially harmful items, testing conducted by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) would be conducted and the proper warnings and advisories would be posted and reported, Swiger said.
"Harmful algal blooms can produce poisons (toxins) that can cause illness or irritation in pets, livestock and humans. An algal bloom is an abundant or excessive growth of algae, according to the OEPA.
"Earlier this summer, several state agencies issued warnings to eliminate contact with the water at Grand Lake St. Mary’s in western Ohio due to the level of algal toxins found in the lake. The OEPA, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Department of Health recommends people, pets and boats should not be in contact with the water, and fish caught in the lake should not be eaten.
"Since then, the state has conducted tests on other bodies of water in Ohio that have exhibited evidence of the presence of algae and other scums.
"For more information about the MWCD, visit www.mwcd.org."

Y-City has good day at Clendening

It seemed like last week, almost every report I heard was of slow, very slow bass fishing in area lakes (except one report from Apple Valley, a private lake). But something -- possibly the scattered storms that rolled through -- must have triggered some activity over the weekend. I heard a pair of local anglers had a good day at Knox Saturday and Y-City Bass Club had a very good tournament Sunday at Clendening.
A total of 28 members fished, with 21 catching 59 keeper bass. Five five-fish limits were weighed in.
Wesley Hammer took first place and big bass honors, with five bass weighing 9.04 pounds. A 2.83-pound fish took big bas honors. Dan Allen finished second with five bass weighing 6.58 pounds.
Bob Hammer placed third with five bass weighing 6.29 pounds, Ken Boyer finished ourth with four bas weighing 5.5 pounds (he had one dead fish) and Mark Delancey was fifth with five bass weighing 5.41 pounds.
The club's next tournament is Sept. 12 at Alum Creek.

Tough evening at Buckeye

The heat must have finally gotten to the bass at Buckeye Lake, as it took only two fish to win the Tuesday evening tournament this week. Jason Miller and Cook Mitchell were the winners with two bass that weighed 5.1 pounds. Their catch included the big bass of the evening, a 3.26-pound fish.
The rest of the top five were close together. Mark Fouty took second with two bass that weighed 2.87 pounds and Rod Stufflebean and Ty Nauer finished third with three fish that weighed 2.63 pounds.
Mike Watson came in fourth with two bass that weighed 2.37 pounds and Scott Clark and Todd Hahn placed fifth with two bass that weighed 2.08 pounds.
Tournament director Robin Cross summed up the situation nicely: "Man, the fishing was tough. By far the worst week of fish biting."
Still, the number of angler showing up remained good, with 34 enduring the heat and humidity.

Algae blooms and heat

It's been a slow week, except for algae reports from around the state, with accompanying warnings to keep contact with water at those lakes to a minimum.
The latest lakes added to the list of places being tested for the nerve and liver toxins that the algae can produce are Lake Loramie and Deer Creek Reservoir. I suspect that as long as the weather stays hot and dry, we'll keep having reports of algae blooms and the resulting concerns about toxins.
These should not be taken lightly, but we also shouldn't go overboard. Remember, the blue-green algae that produces the toxins in normally present in most lakes and algae blooms are not uncommon during hot weather like we've been having. It's just that usually conditions don't combine to make a mess like what has occurred at Grand Lake St. Mary's, or raise toxins to the levels found there.
Unfortunately, with the way the media works these days we can't have a calm evaluation of the situation. However, if we're lucky, we'll soon get some cooler nights and rain to flush some fresh water into the lakes.
Then we can go back to our normal worries about how to catch fish, and that has been tough to do lately. I think the wining weight at Buckeye Lake Tuesday was down to a bit over 5 pounds (I haven't received the results yet), Dillon and Alum Creek tournament catches have been poor and even Knox is not producing bass.
Jerry Mossman and Jim Foster went to Knox Monday and caught three small fish each. I was there Wednesday and could catch only two small bass. I couldn't even get the bluegills, which could often be seen hanging just under the surface, to hit a micro jig.
As long as conditions remain as uncomfortable as they have been, I don't feel too bad about having to hold off on fishing for a few days. I had to have skin surgery on my lower back and the doctor said no lifting, twisting or bending for a few days so the stitches don't pull out.
A few days, OK. But then I'm heading for Delaware,

Toxins detected at Dillon

Add Dillon, Lake Hope, Shawnee State Park and East Harbor to the list of places either being tested for toxic algae levels or having the toxins present at significant levels. The Columbus Dispatch reported Wednesday that warning signs are going up at Dillon, LAke Hope ad a Shawnee State Park pond. It reported in Thursday's editions that East Harbor is being tested.
The Newark Advocate reports that beaches at Buckeye Lake tested clear.
As I understand it, the blue-green algae that produces the dangerous toxins is present in almost every body of water. When conditions are right, such as with a build up of nutrient levels from agricultural runoff, the algae can "bloom" and the toxin levels build to dangerous levels, which is what happened at Grand Lake St. Mary's.
Nothing in the Dispatch stories indicates the toxin levels at Dillon are at the level of Grand Lake, but the fact is the state is erecting warning signs and you should heed the warnings and be careful not to ingest any water and keep contact to a minimum. Stay away from any obvious algae surface scum.
The signs at Dillon were to be erected Wednesday and I haven't heard whether they had any effect on the turnout for the Wednesday night pot tournaments there. I should hear something Thursday.

Hawk wins FLW Cup

California pro Kevin Hawk won the FLW Forrest Wood Cup over the weekend at Lake Lanier in Georgia. According to the article on BassFan, the tournament was critical to Hawk if he was to try top make it as a touring pro.
I'd say he'll be able to give it a fair try now.
BassFan also has an interesting interview with BASS founder Ray Scott about his hopes for BASS under the new owners (if the sale is finalized, which it is expected to be by early September. Scott had some interesting observations on why BASS was never a big success for ESPN and what he hopes Jerry McKinnis and his partners will accomplish.

Toxic algae at Blue Rock

The same toxic algae that has plagued Grand Lake St. Mary's and has also been detected at Burr Oak Lake, has been detected in Cutler Lake at Blue Rock State Park in Muskingum County, the Columbus Dispatch reported Monday. Warning signs have been posted around the 15-acre lake, telling visitors not to touch the water or take b boats onto the lake. People are also being warned not to eat fish from the lake and the park's water supply was cut off. The Mark Twain Family Fun Day Saturday was canceled.
At Burr Oak, people were urged to minimize contact and avoid swallowing water. According to the Dispatch report, the latest tests at Burr Oak did not detect any of the toxic algae and if another round of tests continues to be clear, warning signs at Burr Oak will be taken down.

Benefit bass tournament

Southern Ohio Bassmasters will host the second annual Chuck Murrey Fund-Raiser Sept. 19 at Dillon Reservoir. Proceeds will benefit the family of Chuck Murrey, a club member who died from an allergic reaction to a bee sting last year.
Entry fee is $50 in advance for the two-man team event, or $55 at the ramp. There is an optional $10 big bass pot and two big bass awards will be given. The contest will be held out of the marina ramp and hours will be 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For an entry form, check area tackle and bait shops or go to the Southern Ohio Bassmasters club website.

Dillon frustrating

Dillon was frustrating Sunday. And I wasn't the only one having a bad day as only eight out of 26 members of Southern Ohio Bassmasters managed to bring a total of 19 bass to the scales.
Kenny Fulks boated the only five-fish limit of the day, weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces. He also took big bass honors with a 2-pound, 5.2-ounce fish.
Mark Lasure finished second with four bass weighing 4 pounds, 7.2 ounces and Alan Fulks placed third with four fish weighing 3 pounds, 14.2 ounces.
Bruce Reavley took fourth with two bass weighing 2 pounds, 1 ounce and Tom Sherfy was fifth with a 1-pound, 2-ounce bass.
I believe the top three finishers all caught most of their fish in the river where, despite the mud from recent hard rains, the bass were feeding more aggressively than in the main lake. I might have had one keeper on, but he was just barely hooked on the rear treble of a crank bait and I only saw him briefly as he came off.
The club's next rgular tournament will be Sept.12 at Delaware.

Bass still hitting at Buckeye

The results of the Tuesday night tournaments at Buckeye Lake continue to surprise me. Most anglers I've talked to who have been fishing lately report having a tough time finding even a couple keepers (unless they're fishing at night or in a river), but the top teams a buckeye keep coming in with good catches.
This week, Rod Stufflebean and Ty Nauer took first with five bass that weighed 8.38 pounds. That's the kind of weight that was winning the weekly tournaments in the prime weeks of May and early June.
Anyway, second place went to Scott Clark, who had five bass that weighed 6.79 pounds and Wayne and Dustin Baker finished third with five fish that weighed 6.24 pounds.
Chris and Samantha Vansky placed fourth with three bass weighing 4.12 pounds and Dave Mockus and Frank Tipton were fifth with two fish that weighed 4.01 pounds. Mockus and Tipton also took big bas honors with a 3.36-pound fish.
A total of 38 anglers participated and 14 teams weighed in fish.

ESPN sells BASS

I just saw the announcement, posted on ESPN's website, that the sports broadcaster will sell BASS to a group of investors that includes Jerry McKinnis.
More details will, I'm sure, be available soon, but in the meantime you can read the ESPN/BASS release or go to BassFan. BassFan had the sale reported as expected, but I'm sure they'll have more, with information on what it will mean to the future of BASS, soon.

Knox Lake was tough

My daughter outfished me today at Knox Lake.
She doesn't get a lot of chances to go fishing with me these days (that happens when they grow up), so when she had this morning free, we thought Knox would be our best bet for catching some quality bass. It probably was, but since we didn't get there until 8 a.m. (I overslept), we missed the best fishing.
We wound up with two bass each. We each had a 14-incher, but while my other fish was a little one, hers was a 17 1/2-incher. Not a big fish by Knox standards, but her best largemouth to date (which equaled her best smallmouth).
She caught her fish on a black buzzbait (the 14-incher) and a black/blue flake hand-poured Senko-type bait. She also caught a 21-inch channel cat on the black/blue flake worm. That was he best channel cat to date, which makes two personal bests in one day.
That's not a bad outing, even if the numbers we caught weren't great.