Provided by Cripple Creek Bait & Tackle of Dennison, Ohio
E-mail: tappan@tusco.net

September Fishing Report

Tappan Lake: Tappan is slow right now. The loss of more than 10 degrees in surface teperatures in less than a week put the fish off their feed for a few days but what really hurt was the continued cool temperatures, allowing the deeper waters to start cooling down. If we get some windy days to mix the water we could see an early Fall turnover. The Catfishermen and Bluegill fishermen are still doing well but the Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, and White Bass anglers are wondering where the fish went. If the cooling trend continues, look to the shallow water for Saugeyes and Largemouth. The Crappies should stay on the deep brush and get active.

Atwood Lake: This lake has been affected by the cool temperatures too but is still delivering fish to Saugeye, Crappie, and Bass anglers. The of numbers of Saugeyes are low but the fish are there and catchable. For the Saugeyes try bait rigs, crawler harnesses, or jigging spoons near the Lighthouse Marina Point, the Humps near Cemetary Bay, the area in front of the Main Beach, and the Boaters Swim Area in the daytime. In the evening or at night try trolling stickbaits over the humps or main lake points. The lake seems loaded with small Crappies with an occasional slab thrown in. The Largemouth Bass fishermen say that this year has been the best that they have seen in a while. Limits are common and the average size is up from previous seasons.

Clendening Lake: Clendenning is still slow but there have been some good catches of Saugeyes from the roadbed just out from the launch ramp at the Marina. Jigs, crawler harnesses or live bait rigs with medium to large Chubs or Suckers have been the ticket here. There have also been some good Saugeyes caught on jiging spoons along some of the banks in the lower end of the lake near the dam. Largemouth Bass are doing fair to good here with some really good fish being taken in tournament competition. Jig/pork combos, Carolina rigs off the points and flats, and spinnerbaits have been producing limits of nice fish.

Piedmont Lake: Most anglers are crying the blues at Piedmont now. The clear water has cooled down a little faster than some of the other lakes. The Smallmouth Bass have shut down for the most part and the Saugeyes are hard to find, as are the Muskies. There have been reports of a few anglers catching some good Saugeyes in the upper end of the lake, near Edgewater Park while speed trolling Rattletraps in 6 to 8 feet of water.

Leesville Lake: There are numbers of small Crappies being caught and rumors of some bigger fish coming to those who know the lake well. The Muskie fishing has slowed but the night trollers are still out there, following each other in their convoy of lights so I imagine that there are still some fish being taken but not talked about by the regulars. The Largemouth Bass here are slow right now with some fish relating to the weeds.