Below OH - Sauger?

[JKTrevecca]

Going out tomorrow morning. My brother in law wants to target Sauger below OHD. I'll catch some shad because I'll want to catch striper while we're sauger fishing but I'm looking for tips on targeting sauger.

TVA is showing 2+ generators from 7am - 11am. Should I just drift with the current bouncing the bottom with sauger jigs tipped with minnows or small shad? Any other pointers? I have planer boards for stripers. Would letting jigs bounce the bottom behind boards be reasonable?

Thanks in advance! Wish me luck!

[notorious]

Fish the eddy right adjacent to the boils with shiners/shad in a vertical presentation. Make sure you can swap on the trolling motor in a quick pinch to keep from being launched down the river. Once your out of the eddy it is almost hopeless to fight the current with the trolling motor. The south side ramp can generate some shady characters so be careful.

[thehick176]

Don't rule out the lock area. Fish minnows and jigs on the bottom up against the walls. I haven't been down there for Sauger yet this year, just Smallmouth.
I did catch a Sauger last weekend up river from the steam plant on the edge of the river channel.

[TNBronzeback]

My all time best sauger tip in the slack water:
Bare hook and split shot about 12" above the hook. Lively shiner. Toss it along the wall and just slowly creep it back. Letting the shiner do all the attracting. Keeping the split shot in constant contact with the bottom.
That super slow technique has worked great for me year round. Plus you can up the shot size a little, put the trolling motor on 1 and just barely cruise around the lock area.
Hot tip: not all the fish are against that wall!
Those tips work for all dam areas too, not just O.H.

Ive found in my experience, the wall/lock area is best when there is more current flow.
My best experience was when that dam looked like a mini niagra falls and the water was way way up the steps.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by TNBronzeback

My all time best sauger tip in the slack water:
Bare hook and split shot about 12" above the hook. Lively shiner. Toss it along the wall and just slowly creep it back. Letting the shiner do all the attracting. Keeping the split shot in constant contact with the bottom.
That super slow technique has worked great for me year round. Plus you can up the shot size a little, put the trolling motor on 1 and just barely cruise around the lock area.
Hot tip: not all the fish are against that wall!
Those tips work for all dam areas too, not just O.H.

Ive found in my experience, the wall/lock area is best when there is more current flow.
My best experience was when that dam looked like a mini niagra falls and the water was way way up the steps.

Same deal below Pickwick...very productive.

Regards

[TNBronzeback]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Same deal below Pickwick...very productive.

Regards

I grew up during the original In-Fisherman days and those guys all preached you dont HAVE to have live bait for game fish like walleyes, saugers and even panfish, which holds very true and i catch the bulk of those species on artificials, but im a firm believer in live bait will always put fish in the boat in most cases over artificials. Ofcourse there are alwais exceptions, but since im not a paid, endorsed tv fisherman who doesnt get paid to advertise, i hit the water to put fish in the by all means neccessary.....even if it means swapping crappie minnow water ever 30 minutes in july and august.
Lol, if im going after a table fair species, im taking live bait.

[JKTrevecca]

Thank you all for the pointers. I will be sure to buy shiners next time and try the technique mentioned above. Saturday was a disaster. No shad anywhere below the dam that I could find. Caught 1 skippie and got impatient so went up above the dam and fished darkest creek. 10 hours of fishing and ended up with several bluegill, several huge shad caught above the dam, a drum, a yellow bass, and almost had a largemouth but lost it beside the boat and the skippie. Only the 1 yellow bass came via rod and reel. Everything else was in the cast net while looking for shad. To say my upper body was tired is an understatement. I was throwing an 8 foot radius 1.5 pound per foot net. Ended the day bass fishing with a Texas rigged worm out of pure boredom and desperation. Best part of the day was seeing several deer, about 15 turkey, a groundhog, and the scenery was awesome with the fall foliage. Grace and peace. Looking fwd to trying the shiners 'm ext time.

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk

[wormdunker]

Don't feel too bad. I went below the next dam in the line (Cheatham) and seemed to be similar conditions. After abot 40 minutes of casting a jig while drifting a minnow on rod #2 with nary a nibble, , I decided to rig up something else on another rod, leaving the minnow pole still in the water. Well of course-then I got a bite- a big one that pulled the minnow rod over the gunwale and into the water. I quickly reached into the water for it but was only able to touch it going down. There were many Gar swimming around I suspect it was one of them that stole the rod. I don't know why I have not learned my lesson on this, it has happened before! After fishing for another couple of hours, only caught a small bass (on a sauger jig) and one small skipjack. I did foul hook a 14 1/2 inch walleye too, but yes, seemed like yesterday was not happening below the dam- at least for us. I did notice that even though there were 2 generators going, the water level was pretty low. I think things might get better with some more rains. Good luck next time!

[TNBronzeback]

Its all gonna turn around for the toothy critters real soon. Let the water temp drop a little more.
I know alot of magazines and local places say to fish around the dams for saugers and walleyes, but remember, them fish are currently migrating TO those dams....they arent there yet, so focus your efforts down stream around some likely haunts: holes, creek mouths, hard channel bends, gravel bars, ect.
You might be pleasantly surprised.
Then you can actually follow the fish upstream to the dams as the water temp drops.
Similar concept to what striper guys are posting here. As fall/winter sets in, they are following the fish downstream.
Sauger guys follow em upstream.
Another good tip, if there isnt much current, dont jig them whopper 1 oz. Plus heads, save your arm and really downsize, plus it looks more natural.
Thats john's helpful sauger tip #254. LOL.

[wormdunker]

Thanks, TNBronzeback, that's good information to ponder on.

[TNBronzeback]

Originally Posted by wormdunker

Thanks, TNBronzeback, that's good information to ponder on.

No problem!
hit your bigger creek mouths around 60 degree water temps and keep searching. If they arent immediately there, they will be close.