Going to try a new lake tomorrow - Clendening Lake

[CybrSlydr]

I think I'm going to drive out to Clendening Lake tomorrow and try some fishing along the dam.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Clendening+Dam+Park,+Milarcik+Rd,+Tippecanoe,+OH+44699/@40.2694481,-81.2777883,735m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sClendening+Lake!3m4!1s0x883658e177352d6f:0x9fe0b699d53ff3bf!8m2!3d40.2680943!4d-81.2782073

My first thought was to drop shot.  Go pick up a 1/4oz bag of weights and some drop shot hooks and maybe a bag or two of plastics.  Think about 1ft from weight to hook?  Maybe more?

Weather doesn't look so great - "Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will give way to occasional showers in the afternoon. High 41F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.".  Was thinking of getting there around 8am and give me about 4hrs or so to work the dam before the rain might move in.

Any other suggestions on presentations to try?

[CybrSlydr]

Here's the Navionics data - https://webapp.navionics.com/#boating@15&key={gxtFxnaoN

 

Anything there look good for a bank beater?

[Sam]

Cyber, the weather will be on your side. When a front moves through your area the bass start to feed.

 

Only problem I see is that with cloudy skies the bass will be spread out and may not be holding to any cover or structure which makes finding them and a strong pattern difficult.

 

Just keep experimenting with your techniques and baits until you find the pattern and then have some fun until the pattern fizzes out.

 

Hit the dam area hard with plastics and moving baits such as square bill crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, and spinnerbaits, and your favorite jig and pig.

 

Let us know how you do.

 

And may I suggest in the future you post your requests for fishing specific bodies of water in the Ohio fishing section of the Forum so more guys in your area can see it and give you more precise advice.  

[CybrSlydr]

14 hours ago, Sam said:

Cyber, the weather will be on your side. When a front moves through your area the bass start to feed.

 

Only problem I see is that with cloudy skies the bass will be spread out and may not be holding to any cover or structure which makes finding them and a strong pattern difficult.

 

Just keep experimenting with your techniques and baits until you find the pattern and then have some fun until the pattern fizzes out.

 

Hit the dam area hard with plastics and moving baits such as square bill crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, and spinnerbaits, and your favorite jig and pig.

 

Let us know how you do.

 

And may I suggest in the future you post your requests for fishing specific bodies of water in the Ohio fishing section of the Forum so more guys in your area can see it and give you more precise advice.  

I would have posted it in the Ohio forums, but two things - I was hoping for generic advice on how to fish around dams, not this specific one and secondly, those specific forums hardly get any action, so I posted it here.  lol

 

Appreciate your help - tried some of your suggestions but didn't get any bites.

[Sam]

Jordan, if you tried some of my suggestions and did not get a bite the bass were not in the area you fished.

 

Who knows where they decided to go. And who knows if they gouged themselves as the front approached.

 

Keep trying. Sooner or later you will find them. Merry Christmas!

[5by3]

Don’t be discouraged! The water temps here in Ohio are hovering just above freezing and the lakes were frozen just last week. It can be a very tough time to fish until spring comes around.

 

I fish blade baits and jerkbaits pretty much exclusively this time of the year. Blade baits tend to work better for me when the water becomes frigid. I fish them vertically from a boat or cast them with short hops along the bottom. Less is more with these baits. A lot of people tend to jerk them too aggressively, but I’ve often found that raising the rod tip about 6” or just enough to feel the bait’s intial vibration and letting it fall back to the bottom can be deadly. Don’t be afraid to let the bait sit on the bottom for a few seconds or more. Bass will often pick it up while it’s just sitting there.

 

The fish are going to be slow and lethargic, so we have to adjust our presentations accordingly. Good luck out there!

 

 

 

 

[CybrSlydr]

On 12/23/2018 at 6:14 PM, Sam said:

Jordan, if you tried some of my suggestions and did not get a bite the bass were not in the area you fished.

 

Who knows where they decided to go. And who knows if they gouged themselves as the front approached.

 

Keep trying. Sooner or later you will find them. Merry Christmas!

I'm pretty sure there just weren't any fish there.  If nothing else, it's nice getting out of the house. 

 

Don't worry about me getting discouraged folks - I've been doing this for a couple years now.  If I was gonna give up, it would have been before I spent $250 on a reel and bought a $260 rod.  lol

 

I'm looking to double-down and pick up a kayak this spring.  See if anything good comes up on Craigslist.

[Big Rick]

12 minutes ago, CybrSlydr said:

I'm looking to double-down and pick up a kayak this spring.  See if anything good comes up on Craigslist.

Save some $$ by buying during the off-season. Come spring the market will be full of buyers and fewer sellers. 

[CybrSlydr]

1 minute ago, Big Rick said:

Save some $$ by buying during the off-season. Come spring the market will be full of buyers and fewer sellers. 

I looked in the fall and there weren't any in my area.    Was hoping for a Feel Free or a Wilderness Systems ATAK to come up, but all I saw were Sun Dolphins that couldn't hold my butt and gear without swimming.  lol