The Sandusky is one of the largest rivers connecting to Lake Erie. This river rises quickly and takes at least 4 days to start to clear up, so plan your fishing trip accordingly. The river is often silty and changes into a dark green color the remainder of the time.
Walleye:
Tackle- 6'6" Medium Spinning Rod with a Fast Tip, spinning reel with at least 10lb test line. Use an abrasion resistant line such as Trilene XT. If you decide to use a braided line, go with at least 20lb test. This will keep it from breaking off in the river and giving your fellow anglers an extra nasty snag (some people use a leader off of it as well.)
Places to buy in the area:
Anglers Supplies
319 Howland St.,
Fremont, OH 43420-4111
Phone: 419-332-6071
Early to Peak Spawn
Under the Hayes Avenue Bridge (you can park on either side of the bridge)
-On the south side of the bridge the river breaks into two main water flows, then they converge into a single flow. There is an island that is sometimes wadeable between the water flows on the that can be extremely productive during the walleye run. A word of caution, as you walk northward into the water from this small island the shale rock is extremely slippery and drops off from 2ft. to 5 ft. I have almost taken a swim many times even when using caution. Walleyes will stage in this area and during different times of the spawn will move up to the shallower water as the stream continues northward.
-Also, it is very productive along the rock wall on the east side of the river between the Hayes Avenue and State Street Bridge. The main deep part of the channel starts at 3 feet out from the rock wall on the East side of the river. Then it extends 25 feet out from the shore. Then the river raises up to a steady 4 1/2 feet until you get to the shoreline for most of the spring flow.
Late Spawn
Roger Young Park
-This area is full of large boulders of rock that you have to climb down to. The key is to find some submerged timber from the spring rains that has gotten stuck in the flow. This area was extremely productive at the end of the run in 2011.
Summer Smallmouth Bass
Tindall Bridge (River Rd. & C.R. 209)
There is parking located on the East side of the bridge.
-On the southside of the bridge about 15ft. from the bank there is a deep water channel that is often overlooked. Cast upstream along the seems of this channel for smallmouth. Use 1/16 oz. rooster tails in the chartreuse color, or 2" Rapala floating minnow in the black back and silver body.
Ballville Dam (For Now)
You have to park over by the electric plant and then walk through a path in the woods.
-This area with its highly oxygenated water from the dam is not only filled with Smallmouth, but with huge catfish, gar, white bass, and carp.
-Wade out to the center island and cast up from the shallow shale rock rapids into the main flow.
Use crankbaits: Rebel Wee Crawfish with orange bottom, Rapala 3 inch floating minnow in black back and silver, and Rapala floating deep runner in firetiger.
Inline spinners: 1/16-1/8oz. Rooster tail's in white and chartreuse.
Soft Plastic: 2 3/4" Yum Craw Papi in the green pumpkin color texas rigged with a 1/8-1/16 oz bullet weight.
Live Minnows- under a float.
