Fred Snyder
04-11-2001, 08:52 AM
A few day ago questions were posted about unidentified fish marked above the artificial reefs offshore of Cleveland and Lorain. The reefs were constructed in the 1980s and 1990s as part of Ohio Sea Grant's artificial reef program. We initially thought they would be great walleye attractors. While they do attract some walleye, particularly in early spring, our underwater video assessments gave some surprising results.
These reefs have proven to be outstanding smallmouth bass attractors, often holding bass at 40 to 60 times the density of bass counted at control sites. (Control sites are areas one kilometer from the reefs in identical depths, having identical bottom substrate). 93-95 percent of all the fish we observed on the artificial reefs throughout the year were smallmouth. We ran videotapes of the reefs at our booth at the Cleveland Sports Show for many years to let anglers see for themselve.
Several years of video observation conducted by SCUBA divers showed that smallmouth have a seasonal abundance pattern on the artificial reefs. In early spring, smallmouth suspend above the reefs, a typical behavior on deep structure. By mid-May, most bass are gone, having moved to shallow water to spawn. By late June they begin building up on the reefs, increasing in number through late fall. From Aug-Oct, SCUBA diving there is unbelievble - like being in the guppy tank at an aquarium store, except that all the fish are big bass!
Smallmouth nearly always suspend above the artifical reefs. The most productive tactic is to anchor and drop crayfish or shiners straight down, although jigs with scented or salty tails also work well. Most anglers fish catch-and-release here, maintaining high fishing quality.
Contact me at snyder.8@osu.edu for GPS coordinates of the artificial reefs. See you on May 16 in the Walleye Central Chat Room.
Fred Snyder
Ohio Sea Grant Extension (Port Clinton)
The Ohio State University
These reefs have proven to be outstanding smallmouth bass attractors, often holding bass at 40 to 60 times the density of bass counted at control sites. (Control sites are areas one kilometer from the reefs in identical depths, having identical bottom substrate). 93-95 percent of all the fish we observed on the artificial reefs throughout the year were smallmouth. We ran videotapes of the reefs at our booth at the Cleveland Sports Show for many years to let anglers see for themselve.
Several years of video observation conducted by SCUBA divers showed that smallmouth have a seasonal abundance pattern on the artificial reefs. In early spring, smallmouth suspend above the reefs, a typical behavior on deep structure. By mid-May, most bass are gone, having moved to shallow water to spawn. By late June they begin building up on the reefs, increasing in number through late fall. From Aug-Oct, SCUBA diving there is unbelievble - like being in the guppy tank at an aquarium store, except that all the fish are big bass!
Smallmouth nearly always suspend above the artifical reefs. The most productive tactic is to anchor and drop crayfish or shiners straight down, although jigs with scented or salty tails also work well. Most anglers fish catch-and-release here, maintaining high fishing quality.
Contact me at snyder.8@osu.edu for GPS coordinates of the artificial reefs. See you on May 16 in the Walleye Central Chat Room.
Fred Snyder
Ohio Sea Grant Extension (Port Clinton)
The Ohio State University