Algae warning signs at Burr Oak State Park and Stonelick State Park have been removed as tests have shown the water is now safe for swimmers, the Columbus Dispatch reported Tuesday. Officials also said Cutler Lake at Blue Rock State Park and Lake LaDue are now safe for boaters, although people are still cautioned not to touch the water.
Six public lakes and two Lake Erie beaches could still pose health threats due to toxins released by blue-green algae blooms.
As expected, cooler temperatures have been causing the blooms to dwindle.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Tappan park, marina accessible
Construction on Ohio 250 east of Tappan Lake has apparently created some problems getting to lake facilities. For those thinking of going there, this release may ease your concerns:
"Tappan Lake Park, Tappan Marina and other facilities at the lake are open as usual while improvements are made to Rt. 250 east of the lake over the next two months.
"Both lanes have been closed on a two-mile stretch of Rt. 250 from just east of the former Coultrap’s store to just west of the former Mallernee’s Market for the work. The Ohio Department of Transportation project is expected to take about 45 days and includes new concrete pavement, new culverts, new guardrail and signs.
"While a detour for traffic has been established around the construction zone onto Rt. 151 and Rt. 9, Tappan Lake area businesses and attractions are reminding visitors that they are open as usual. Drivers traveling from east of the construction project on Rt. 250 who access Tappan Lake facilities such as the Tappan Marina, boat launch ramp across Rt. 250 from the marina and Tappan Lake Park, can still reach those destinations along Rt. 250. Signs will be posted.
"For details and additional travel information contact Tappan Lake Park at (740) 922-3649 or tappan@mwcd.org, or Tappan Marina at (740) 269-2031 or tmarina@tusco.net.
"For more information about the MWCD, visit www.mwcd.org.
"Tappan Lake Park, Tappan Marina and other facilities at the lake are open as usual while improvements are made to Rt. 250 east of the lake over the next two months.
"Both lanes have been closed on a two-mile stretch of Rt. 250 from just east of the former Coultrap’s store to just west of the former Mallernee’s Market for the work. The Ohio Department of Transportation project is expected to take about 45 days and includes new concrete pavement, new culverts, new guardrail and signs.
"While a detour for traffic has been established around the construction zone onto Rt. 151 and Rt. 9, Tappan Lake area businesses and attractions are reminding visitors that they are open as usual. Drivers traveling from east of the construction project on Rt. 250 who access Tappan Lake facilities such as the Tappan Marina, boat launch ramp across Rt. 250 from the marina and Tappan Lake Park, can still reach those destinations along Rt. 250. Signs will be posted.
"For details and additional travel information contact Tappan Lake Park at (740) 922-3649 or tappan@mwcd.org, or Tappan Marina at (740) 269-2031 or tmarina@tusco.net.
"For more information about the MWCD, visit www.mwcd.org.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Shawger wins at Alum
Like most people who have fished Alum Creek Lake for bass recently, the members of Y-City Bass Club found keeper bass hard to come by Sunday. Out of 24 members competing, 16 brought a total of 37 fish to the scales and only one five-fish limit was recorded.
Winner Tyler Shawger was the only angler to boat a limit, his five fish weighing 5.93 pounds. Taking second was Drew Allen, who had only three fish, but his .02-pound catch included the big bass of the tournament, a 3.08-pound fish.
Ryan Boyer placed third with three bass weighing 4.21 pounds, Kenny Simpson was fourth with three fish weighing 3.96 pounds and Wesley Hammer finished fifth with four bass weighing 3.81 pounds.
The club's final regular tournament of the season will take place Sept. 26 at Hoover Reservoir.
With only Hoover remaining, Wesley Hammer is in first place in the club standings, leading the Angler of the Year race by 26 points over Ryan Boyer and 35 over Mike King. Although it is theoretically possible for someone to catch Hammer, it is unlikely. I think Y-City uses a 100-point scale (plus some bonus points), so if Hammer simply catches one keeper he would have to finish 26 places behind Boyer to fall out of first! Of course, if he bombs, there could be a dramatic change at the top.
Winner Tyler Shawger was the only angler to boat a limit, his five fish weighing 5.93 pounds. Taking second was Drew Allen, who had only three fish, but his .02-pound catch included the big bass of the tournament, a 3.08-pound fish.
Ryan Boyer placed third with three bass weighing 4.21 pounds, Kenny Simpson was fourth with three fish weighing 3.96 pounds and Wesley Hammer finished fifth with four bass weighing 3.81 pounds.
The club's final regular tournament of the season will take place Sept. 26 at Hoover Reservoir.
With only Hoover remaining, Wesley Hammer is in first place in the club standings, leading the Angler of the Year race by 26 points over Ryan Boyer and 35 over Mike King. Although it is theoretically possible for someone to catch Hammer, it is unlikely. I think Y-City uses a 100-point scale (plus some bonus points), so if Hammer simply catches one keeper he would have to finish 26 places behind Boyer to fall out of first! Of course, if he bombs, there could be a dramatic change at the top.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Fulks wins at Delaware
With one tournament left, Kenny Fulks could probably skip it and still win the Southern Ohio Bassmasters Angler of the Year title. I'll have to wait and see the point totals the see if that is actually right, but Kenny cemented his hold on the top spot by winning the club tournament Sunday at Delaware Reservoir.
Kenny had five bass weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces to edge out Eric Woodrow, who had three bass weighing 6 pounds, 7.2 ounces. Eric also had the tournament's big bass at 3 pounds, 12.2 ounces.
The rest of the top five had five-fish limits. Tom Sherfy finished third ith 5 pounds, 11.2 ounces, Greg Montgomery placed fourth with 5 pounds, 4.6 ounces and Mike Baughman took fifth with 4 pounds, 12.6 ounces.
Out of 22 members fishing, 16 weighed in 48 keeper bass.
The day started out nice enough: It was overcast and I even felt a few rain drops as sped up the lake after the blastoff. Unfortunately, the skies cleared and the wind soon picked up and blew all day.
I should have taken advantage of the early overcast and worked some topwater lures, especially the popper I had tied on one rod, but maybe because I missed a fish early on the hand-poured senko-type bait I thought was going to work, I never did.
I can be amazingly hard-headed when I'm fishing and I persisted with the stickbait despite the wind, although I did lose what might have been a keeper on one of Bob Mathie's cut baits. With the combination of wind and sun I probably should have spent more time throwing a spinnerbait, but instead, when I wasn't stubbornly throwing the plastics, I threw a variety of crankbaits. In my defense, those have usually been productive for me on Delaware.
I wound up with just a few small bass caught on the stickbait and was one of the six members who failed to weigh in a fish.
We have one regular tournament left, on Sept 26 on the Muskingum River. Maybe I can at least regain some confidence there.
Open reminder
Sunday, Sept. 19, is the Chuck Murrey Memorial Fund Raiser bass tournament at Dillon. For an entry form, you can visit the Southern Ohio club website or you should be able to find entry forms at tackle shops and bait stores in the Zanesville and Newark area. Teams can also enter at the ramp. Blastoff is at 7 a.m.
Kenny had five bass weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces to edge out Eric Woodrow, who had three bass weighing 6 pounds, 7.2 ounces. Eric also had the tournament's big bass at 3 pounds, 12.2 ounces.
The rest of the top five had five-fish limits. Tom Sherfy finished third ith 5 pounds, 11.2 ounces, Greg Montgomery placed fourth with 5 pounds, 4.6 ounces and Mike Baughman took fifth with 4 pounds, 12.6 ounces.
Out of 22 members fishing, 16 weighed in 48 keeper bass.
The day started out nice enough: It was overcast and I even felt a few rain drops as sped up the lake after the blastoff. Unfortunately, the skies cleared and the wind soon picked up and blew all day.
I should have taken advantage of the early overcast and worked some topwater lures, especially the popper I had tied on one rod, but maybe because I missed a fish early on the hand-poured senko-type bait I thought was going to work, I never did.
I can be amazingly hard-headed when I'm fishing and I persisted with the stickbait despite the wind, although I did lose what might have been a keeper on one of Bob Mathie's cut baits. With the combination of wind and sun I probably should have spent more time throwing a spinnerbait, but instead, when I wasn't stubbornly throwing the plastics, I threw a variety of crankbaits. In my defense, those have usually been productive for me on Delaware.
I wound up with just a few small bass caught on the stickbait and was one of the six members who failed to weigh in a fish.
We have one regular tournament left, on Sept 26 on the Muskingum River. Maybe I can at least regain some confidence there.
Open reminder
Sunday, Sept. 19, is the Chuck Murrey Memorial Fund Raiser bass tournament at Dillon. For an entry form, you can visit the Southern Ohio club website or you should be able to find entry forms at tackle shops and bait stores in the Zanesville and Newark area. Teams can also enter at the ramp. Blastoff is at 7 a.m.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Sediment study at MWCD
Sedimentation is a major problem at some Ohio lakes. Actually, it's almost inevitable. After all, when you interrupt a stream's flow, it will drop the sediment it carries in the new pool that is formed. How bad it gets depends on the nature of the land the stream drains and how big the stream is.
The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District has lakes that at 70 to 75 years old. They have, nd still are, doing an excellent job of mitigating flood damage in the Muskingum River drainage system. BNut the lakes are also a valuable recreational resource and accumulating sediment is hurting those recreational uses, especially boating and fishing. Of the MWCD lakes I am familiar with, Wills Creek and Charles Mill are the worst. From what I have read, Beach City may be even worse.
Anyway, about a month ago, I received the following release from MWCD about an agreement with the Civil Engineering Department at Ohio University to organize all the available information on sedimentation patterns at the MWCD lakes, a valuable step in developing dredging plans at the lakes. I meant to pass it along sooner, but it slipped my mind. Here it is:
OU-MWCD agreement
Ohio University will assist the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) in development of dredging plans for the MWCD reservoirs.
In an agreement approved recently by the MWCD Board of Directors, graduate students and staff members from the Civil Engineering Department of the university at Athens will research the MWCD reservoirs to inventory all existing sediment information and prepare for future erosion modeling. The Ohio University study, scheduled to be completed by early next year, is not expected to cost the MWCD more than $50,000.
“Ohio University previously assisted the MWCD with a sediment study at Charles Mill Reservoir in preparation for the dredging project that occurred there in the 1990s,” said Boris E. Slogar, MWCD chief engineer. “The study then was performed under the direction of Dr. Tiao J. Chang from the university’s Civil Engineering Department, and Dr. Chang again will oversee this study on all 10 of the permanent MWCD reservoirs.”
The MWCD reservoirs to be studied by Ohio University are Atwood, Beach City, Charles Mill, Clendening, Leesville, Piedmont, Pleasant Hill, Seneca, Tappan and Wills Creek. Those are the reservoirs with permanent pools of water, or lakes, located behind dams as part of the flood-reduction system constructed more than 70 years ago in the Muskingum River Watershed.
Understanding sediment deposit characteristics and patterns at each reservoir will permit MWCD staff to plan and prioritize the sediment removal (or dredging) operations, Slogar said. In addition, identifying the prominent sources of sediment from each reservoir’s watershed will permit future conservation program efforts to focus on problem areas and potentially partner with other agencies and groups for solutions.
“We look forward to working with Ohio University and Dr. Chang, and receiving this information that will be very valuable to the MWCD for years to come,” Slogar said.
The MWCD also has taken a step toward finalizing an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for planned rehabilitation work at Bolivar Dam located in northern Tuscarawas and southern Stark counties. MWCD Board members have approved providing the USACE with a letter of intent that the MWCD will serve as the local non-federal cost-share sponsor for the work, which is expected to begin in 2012. The project is estimated to cost more than $165 million, with the MWCD’s share to be nearly $38 million, according to the USACE.
The USACE is seeking final approval for the Project Partnership Agreement between the MWCD and the USACE for the project, and after the partnering document is approved by the Department of the Army, both agencies can sign it.
The work at Bolivar Dam – which primarily will involve the installation of barriers and other methods to address seepage at the dam – is the second of the priority projects to be conducted by the USACE in the system of dams and reservoirs in the MWCD region. The USACE, which owns and operates the dams in the system, plans to award a contract later this year for work at Dover Dam in northern Tuscarawas County. Other priority projects are planned at Beach City Dam in northern Tuscarawas County, Mohawk Dam in Coshocton County and Zoar Levee located behind Dover Dam in northern Tuscarawas County.
The priority projects are estimated to cost up to $660 million with the MWCD’s share expected to total up to $138.6 million, according to the USACE.
For more information about the MWCD, visit www.mwcd.org.
The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District has lakes that at 70 to 75 years old. They have, nd still are, doing an excellent job of mitigating flood damage in the Muskingum River drainage system. BNut the lakes are also a valuable recreational resource and accumulating sediment is hurting those recreational uses, especially boating and fishing. Of the MWCD lakes I am familiar with, Wills Creek and Charles Mill are the worst. From what I have read, Beach City may be even worse.
Anyway, about a month ago, I received the following release from MWCD about an agreement with the Civil Engineering Department at Ohio University to organize all the available information on sedimentation patterns at the MWCD lakes, a valuable step in developing dredging plans at the lakes. I meant to pass it along sooner, but it slipped my mind. Here it is:
OU-MWCD agreement
Ohio University will assist the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) in development of dredging plans for the MWCD reservoirs.
In an agreement approved recently by the MWCD Board of Directors, graduate students and staff members from the Civil Engineering Department of the university at Athens will research the MWCD reservoirs to inventory all existing sediment information and prepare for future erosion modeling. The Ohio University study, scheduled to be completed by early next year, is not expected to cost the MWCD more than $50,000.
“Ohio University previously assisted the MWCD with a sediment study at Charles Mill Reservoir in preparation for the dredging project that occurred there in the 1990s,” said Boris E. Slogar, MWCD chief engineer. “The study then was performed under the direction of Dr. Tiao J. Chang from the university’s Civil Engineering Department, and Dr. Chang again will oversee this study on all 10 of the permanent MWCD reservoirs.”
The MWCD reservoirs to be studied by Ohio University are Atwood, Beach City, Charles Mill, Clendening, Leesville, Piedmont, Pleasant Hill, Seneca, Tappan and Wills Creek. Those are the reservoirs with permanent pools of water, or lakes, located behind dams as part of the flood-reduction system constructed more than 70 years ago in the Muskingum River Watershed.
Understanding sediment deposit characteristics and patterns at each reservoir will permit MWCD staff to plan and prioritize the sediment removal (or dredging) operations, Slogar said. In addition, identifying the prominent sources of sediment from each reservoir’s watershed will permit future conservation program efforts to focus on problem areas and potentially partner with other agencies and groups for solutions.
“We look forward to working with Ohio University and Dr. Chang, and receiving this information that will be very valuable to the MWCD for years to come,” Slogar said.
The MWCD also has taken a step toward finalizing an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for planned rehabilitation work at Bolivar Dam located in northern Tuscarawas and southern Stark counties. MWCD Board members have approved providing the USACE with a letter of intent that the MWCD will serve as the local non-federal cost-share sponsor for the work, which is expected to begin in 2012. The project is estimated to cost more than $165 million, with the MWCD’s share to be nearly $38 million, according to the USACE.
The USACE is seeking final approval for the Project Partnership Agreement between the MWCD and the USACE for the project, and after the partnering document is approved by the Department of the Army, both agencies can sign it.
The work at Bolivar Dam – which primarily will involve the installation of barriers and other methods to address seepage at the dam – is the second of the priority projects to be conducted by the USACE in the system of dams and reservoirs in the MWCD region. The USACE, which owns and operates the dams in the system, plans to award a contract later this year for work at Dover Dam in northern Tuscarawas County. Other priority projects are planned at Beach City Dam in northern Tuscarawas County, Mohawk Dam in Coshocton County and Zoar Levee located behind Dover Dam in northern Tuscarawas County.
The priority projects are estimated to cost up to $660 million with the MWCD’s share expected to total up to $138.6 million, according to the USACE.
For more information about the MWCD, visit www.mwcd.org.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Fishing report
With the arrival of Labor Day, my fishing enthusiasm starts building again. Some of the best fishing of the year will occur in the next two months and I hope to take advantage of it.
And if we have a warm season, I might still be fishing Thanksgiving weekend. Last year, I was fishing in shirtleeves on Nov. 21 and I can remember another fall when I was catching bass on crankbaits at Dillon the weekend before Thanksgiving.
I have known people who hang their rods up when September arrives because hunting seasons start, but, not being a hunter, I have never understood why. Why not do both?
Anyway, it means less fishing pressure on the water and, best of all, less pleasure boat and waterskiing traffic.
I've been out twice so far this month. Gary Frazier and I hit the Muskingum River above Zanesville the afternoon of Sept. 1 and had a decent trip. The river was low and there was no surface activity, but we managed t boat 13 bass, a mix of smallmouth, spotted bass and largemouth.
The largest was a 15 1/2-inch smallmouth I caught on a black/blue flake senko-type bait. We also caught fish on crankbaits, jigs and craw worms.
If you want to have fun catching bass and you don't care if they're not trophy fish, I recommend the McConnelsville and Rokeby Lock pools. Fish for spotted bass with surface lures, small crankbaits and spinners, as well as worms and jigs, and you can have a lot of fun.
Especially watch for spots chasing baitfish around sandbars and throw a Pop-R or Baby Chug Bug to the action.
On Labor Day (Sept. 6), my daughter, Lindsey, and I headed to Delaware Lake, where I have a tournament this Sunday. The lake was a little low, but not enough to be a problem, but the water color was odd. Although not bad in the lower lake or in te river, it was murky at mid-lake.
But that wasn't a problem. What was a problem was the strong south wind blowing constantly out of the south. It was a pain to work against it and it moved you too fast to work with it.
Also, the schools of shad you normally see on the surface this time of year were not in evidence. (They were there, just not on the surface or being chased by bass.)
We only caught one bass each, but I have a good idea what I'm going to do Sunday. I just hope the weather cooperates.
We did spot some osprey and an eagle, so it was still a good day on the water.
And if we have a warm season, I might still be fishing Thanksgiving weekend. Last year, I was fishing in shirtleeves on Nov. 21 and I can remember another fall when I was catching bass on crankbaits at Dillon the weekend before Thanksgiving.
I have known people who hang their rods up when September arrives because hunting seasons start, but, not being a hunter, I have never understood why. Why not do both?
Anyway, it means less fishing pressure on the water and, best of all, less pleasure boat and waterskiing traffic.
I've been out twice so far this month. Gary Frazier and I hit the Muskingum River above Zanesville the afternoon of Sept. 1 and had a decent trip. The river was low and there was no surface activity, but we managed t boat 13 bass, a mix of smallmouth, spotted bass and largemouth.
The largest was a 15 1/2-inch smallmouth I caught on a black/blue flake senko-type bait. We also caught fish on crankbaits, jigs and craw worms.
If you want to have fun catching bass and you don't care if they're not trophy fish, I recommend the McConnelsville and Rokeby Lock pools. Fish for spotted bass with surface lures, small crankbaits and spinners, as well as worms and jigs, and you can have a lot of fun.
Especially watch for spots chasing baitfish around sandbars and throw a Pop-R or Baby Chug Bug to the action.
On Labor Day (Sept. 6), my daughter, Lindsey, and I headed to Delaware Lake, where I have a tournament this Sunday. The lake was a little low, but not enough to be a problem, but the water color was odd. Although not bad in the lower lake or in te river, it was murky at mid-lake.
But that wasn't a problem. What was a problem was the strong south wind blowing constantly out of the south. It was a pain to work against it and it moved you too fast to work with it.
Also, the schools of shad you normally see on the surface this time of year were not in evidence. (They were there, just not on the surface or being chased by bass.)
We only caught one bass each, but I have a good idea what I'm going to do Sunday. I just hope the weather cooperates.
We did spot some osprey and an eagle, so it was still a good day on the water.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Cranberry Alum Creek results
I was wrong about action at Alum Creek picking up -- at least in time for the Cranberry Marsh Bass Club tournament there Sunday, Aug. 29, a hot, sunny day with a lot of boat traffic.
Out of 30 members participating, 15 caught a total of 24 keeper bass. Bub Cooksey had the most success, winning the contest with four bass weighing 4.65 pounds. He was followed by Otis McCloud, who had two fish weighing 3.2 pounds, including a 1.9-pound fish that took big bass honors.
Neil Butt finished third with three bass weighing 3.18 pounds, Brett Richards was fourth with two bass weighing 2.23 pounds and Jerry Mossman placed fifth with two bass weighing 2 pounds.
Mossman's finish was not only enough to keep him in first place in the club standings, he increased his lead over the second-place angler. He has a 12-point lead over Neil Butt, 15 over Dick Bowman, 17 over Brett Richards and 18 over Bub Cooksey.
The club uses a 50-point scoring system, so Mossman is in good shape heading into the final tournament Sept. 26 at Delaware Lake. It's not impossible for someone to pass him, but if he catches fish in the last tournament (which he has done consistently all season), it will be difficult. Butt, for example, would have to finish 12 places ahead of Mossman just to tie.
The location of the club championship tournament will be determined after the Delaware contest.
Mega Bass results
The Ohio Mega Bass Tournament TRail was also at Alum Creek Sunday, with better results than Cranberry. Jami Norman and Kevin Ward topped the 41-boat field with 5 bass weighing 10.09 pounds. M. Smith and Larry Hall were second with five bass weighing 9.31 pounds.
John and Cody Dawson finished third with 8.52 pounds. They only had two fish, but one weighed 6.26 pounds and was big bass for the tournament.
Scott Newlon and Kevin Collins placed fourth with five bass weighing 7.68 pounds and John and Rich Wisenbarger were fifth with three bass weighing 6.88 pounds.
Thirty-three teams weighed in a total of 90 bass. For the complete results, visit the Ohio Mega Bass website.
Out of 30 members participating, 15 caught a total of 24 keeper bass. Bub Cooksey had the most success, winning the contest with four bass weighing 4.65 pounds. He was followed by Otis McCloud, who had two fish weighing 3.2 pounds, including a 1.9-pound fish that took big bass honors.
Neil Butt finished third with three bass weighing 3.18 pounds, Brett Richards was fourth with two bass weighing 2.23 pounds and Jerry Mossman placed fifth with two bass weighing 2 pounds.
Mossman's finish was not only enough to keep him in first place in the club standings, he increased his lead over the second-place angler. He has a 12-point lead over Neil Butt, 15 over Dick Bowman, 17 over Brett Richards and 18 over Bub Cooksey.
The club uses a 50-point scoring system, so Mossman is in good shape heading into the final tournament Sept. 26 at Delaware Lake. It's not impossible for someone to pass him, but if he catches fish in the last tournament (which he has done consistently all season), it will be difficult. Butt, for example, would have to finish 12 places ahead of Mossman just to tie.
The location of the club championship tournament will be determined after the Delaware contest.
Mega Bass results
The Ohio Mega Bass Tournament TRail was also at Alum Creek Sunday, with better results than Cranberry. Jami Norman and Kevin Ward topped the 41-boat field with 5 bass weighing 10.09 pounds. M. Smith and Larry Hall were second with five bass weighing 9.31 pounds.
John and Cody Dawson finished third with 8.52 pounds. They only had two fish, but one weighed 6.26 pounds and was big bass for the tournament.
Scott Newlon and Kevin Collins placed fourth with five bass weighing 7.68 pounds and John and Rich Wisenbarger were fifth with three bass weighing 6.88 pounds.
Thirty-three teams weighed in a total of 90 bass. For the complete results, visit the Ohio Mega Bass website.
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