Two weeks ago we started fishing the Ohio River exclusively, particularly the stretch of water downstream of Brush Creek near Manchester, Ohio. We have fished the Ohio River before with some success, but we typically fish proven spots that get fished quite a bit. This time around we decided to find new spots on new water.
After scoping out a 2 mile stretch of river we found that there were countless options to fish, including multiple barge mooring stations (and associated log jams), barges, an island, mouth of Brush Creek, power plant water discharge, etc. We have fished the river four times since last week and have had a shaky start.
Our first trip we ended up fishing the bank just downstream of Brush Creek struggling with only a few small fish to show for our efforts. On our second trip we ventured even further down the river and found a few better looking spots. We found the discharge from the Killen Power Plant and managed to catch a few skipjack herring. We then fished a set of tied off barges and caught a few small blues and a 5lb channel.
The third trip we hit the discharge and got our bait quickly and then fished a log jam at the head of a barge tie off. This was the first time we had fished this spot and Amanda got to fish the better looking spot, the shallow side of the snag, and caught the first shovelhead from the river, at 9lbs 4oz.
The fourth trip we hit the water discharge and got some bait, and ended up catching a few dinker channel cats. We then traveled even further and scoped out Brush Creek Island, but it seemed to be heavily fished, limb-lined, and trot-lined, so we decided not to fish it. Instead we decided to return to the same log jam that Amanda caught her shovelhead a couple nights earlier. Rylan was anchored closest to the bank, Amanda was in the middle, and I had to fish the deep water on the outside of the logjam.
About an hour after dark, I managed to catch a 3.5lb channel. I re baited and within five minutes my rod had loaded again. This time I managed a new personal best freshwater drum at 9lbs 10oz and 26". It happens to be my fourth Fish Ohio Trophy, and makes me a Master Angler for the third year in a row.
Shortly after I lost my hotspot and found a good snag three casts in a row. Rylan managed to catch a few channel cats on the bank. Around midnight we moved to the mouth of Brush Creek. Rylan had a couple of bites, and Amanda got her nightly fish while she was fast asleep. The channel went four and a half pounds. Needless to say, we had a rough start but things are starting to shape up. Hopefully in a couple weeks we can find some larger fish. When fishing large bodies of water like the Ohio River anythings possible.
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