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Bass Chasin in Ohio Fishing visitor articles  Site comments: We found this, without a
doubt, the best commentary on Hinckley Lake in the Metro Parks Emerald
Necklace we have seen. Note
comments on the trout derby for kids and his thoughts on
keeping egg filled bass in spring and undersize fish.WE AGREE! ENJOY From: jonelajr@notes.udayton.edu To: basschasininohio@aol.com Hello, I just found this site, and I think its great! I was reading the reports and there were a couple about Hinckley that caught my eye. This is because I work there and I know the lake really well, I fish it 3 to 4 times a week. First of all, one gentleman was talking about how it has filled in quite a bit where the river flows in. To fill you in, from what I've heard around at the boathouse, the park management was looking to dredge, but it would be way to expensive. The water back there is less than a foot in some areas, and a couple feet in other and is infested with huge carp and snapping turtles, but it hasn't hurt the fishing by any means. Wildlife is thriving back there so I think its going to be left untouched. Sediment is pouring into the lake really fast, probably due to development in the area, and this makes fishing really tough after rain. There has been a a lot of mussels stuck to our rental boats, so someone from out side must have brought them in. Also, below the damn there are goby's from what fishermem have told me. But I must say Hinckley lake is not dead by any means, if anything the lake has come alive in the past couple years from my experience. The schools of forage fish are in huge numbers, although some shad are too big to be eaten, I've caught 10+ inch shad when fishing roostertails for big crappie in the spring. In you go in the evening, you can see these schools of shad busting the surface off of the shore at the boathouse from time to time. While I'm talking about the spring I should also add, even though pike are no longer stocked, there are still there, and there are some big northerns. Numbers aren't high, but there were a couple fish ohio northerns taken last spring on spoons and creek chubs. Try fishing the shallow areas in the upper end of the lake. As far as crappie, there are good numbers, to the point of over population, and they are stunted at 6-7 inches. Fish small jigs with minnows or small spinners to get the larger crappie, I've seen them up to 14 inches. If channel cats are your fish of choice, there are plenty at HInckley, they are stocked twice a year. And if you want big channels, last year there were more than a couple caught exceeding 32 inches up to 36 or 37 inches if i remember correctly, you almost need a broom stick for those!!!! There is a picture of the largest one in the boathouse if you need evidence, it weighed roughly 28 to 29 pounds. All the cats that I saw registered for fish ohio were released last year! thankyou fishermen! Unfortunately I cannot say the same for the bass, last year i saw too many females full of eggs being dragged out to the parking lots. But for those who do realize how important these fish are in the spring, and put them back after a picture or two, thankyou very much, at this point in time there are no length limits on bass at Hinckley, and I would like to see something done about that. I mainly fish for largemouth, and I release every bass. Fishing pressure is very high out there, making for some tough fishing at times. I almost forgot! Every spring the lake is stocked with lots of trout, as some of you may know. Last year I organized a trout derby for the kids, as well as adults and it was a lot of fun. The weather didn't cooperate that well, the lake was really muddy, but we had a lot of people show up and a lot of fish weighed in. This year I am going to try to do the same, If possible I'll get it put in the paper and info will be at the boathouse closer to the date. Most likely, it will be around the first week of April. So keep that in mind, lots of easy fish to catch for the kids too. Well, I think I've talked long enough, maybe too much, but if you want to know more or just want to talk fishing, email me at jonelajr@notes.udayton.edu or MM101514@aol.com. If you go out to Hinckley this summer, stop by the boathouse and say hi, if I'm not there you'll probably see me out on the lake. Goodluck Fishing! If anyone has any info on local open tourneys, please let me know, my dad and I don't have the time to get involved in a circuit or series anymore, but we love to fish tournaments from time to time. Thanks. AND THANK YOU Practice catch and release its easier to take photos to work! HOME |