Lew almost muskie weather here!LOL

[OhioFisherman]

51F at 6:40 am? DanG!

[lew]

I can be at your place in time for supper Paul, then we'll hit the water for the nite bite

[Rich Clemens]

Send a little of that to the East would ya. It's about 30F here at 8:00am. We could hit 60 by mid-week.

[OhioFisherman]

Don`t know about the fishing Lew, I can run the base camp though.

 

CLEAR FORK RESERVOIR

Clear Fork is in Richland and Morrow counties northwest of Lexington on state routes 97 and 314. This picturesque lake is always included in any list of top Ohio muskie lakes.

 

"Muskie fishing in Clear Fork Reservoir is excellent, based on just about any standard you care to use," said Larry Goedde, fish supervisor in District Two. "Muskie catch rates here are some of the best in the nation."

 

Clear Fork is the site of intense muskie management activity. In April, biologists remove eggs from Clear Fork female muskies and use them to produce the hatchery-reared fingerlings used to stock the nine program lakes.

 

Biologists estimate that there are several muskies over 27 inches in length in the lake along with some trophy-class individuals.

 

"Female muskies frequently grow in excess of 40 inches and occasionally longer than 50 inches," said Goedde. "The longest muskie we have seen in Clear Fork Reservoir was 50 3/4 inches. The state-record angler-caught muskie was 50 1/4 inches and weighed 55 pounds, 2 ounces."

 

According to Huskie Muskie Club records for 2002, Clear Fork Reservoir yielded 293 muskies including two over 50 inches.

 

Large weedbeds, protruding points and dropoffs, many islands and depths reaching 24 feet mean excellent habitat for muskies throughout the lake. Gizzard shad are abundant and provide perfect forage for these fast-growing predators.

 

"Fishing success is consistent at Clear Fork," said Goedde. "Year after year, it is one of the best muskie producers in Ohio. Muskies of all sizes, including specimens from 20 to 50 inches, are caught at Clear Fork."

 

All shad-imitating lures produce well. Clear Fork muskies also fall for jigs tipped with 6-inch soft plastic shad bodies.

 

"Generally, July and August are good months," said Goedde. "Clear Fork muskies seem to like warm weather."

 

Clear Fork is owned and operated by the city of Mansfield. There is a strictly enforced, 8-mph boat speed limit. A small, city-owned campground is next to the marina and is usually filled with die-hard muskie anglers.

 

Shoreline access for anglers is restricted to the south side of the lake. From shore, anglers can cast to the edges of weedbeds, tapering points and dropoffs that normally only boaters can reach. There is no fishing on or off the water near the dam (buoys mark the area).

 

The water is clear with abundant submerged weed growth providing excellent habitat.

 

For more information and a map, contact Gary Johnson, the city's Clear Fork manager at (419) 884-1408, or the District Two office at (419) 429-8370.

 

About 60 miles down the road!

 

Rich it will get there soon! We got the same forecast, just run a day earlier. If it keeps up an early bass start!

[lew]

Thanks Paul, that sounds like a great spot and I'm definetely getting the itch.

 

55 pounds is an incredible weight for a 50 inch fish, it musta looked almost grotesque.......but I sure would like a chance to tussle with her some day

 

As for the weather, it's raining here right now but is sposed to clear later and head to the low 40's and then be sunny and mild for a few days after that........finally.

[OhioFisherman]

Piedmont Lake in 1972 Lew, must have been eating well to weigh that much! My uncle was a hard core muskie guy and kept a boat on Piedmont. He was pretty well known in the area as a Muskie guy.

 

I haven`t seen him in years, after the grandparents died they didn`t come around much. Lived out of state. LOL memories.

 

Hope you have a good season!