FISHING FOR SKIPJACKS
UPDATE DECEMBER 2010 Meldahl Dam Is under going a MAJOR construction project!! This project will last at least 2-3 years on the Kentucky side of the dam. During this time fishing for skipjacks will not be possible at the DAM. When the project is done then it should be possible to fish from the bank, hopefully the skipjacks will return. Word has it there will be better way of fishing from a walk way that is to be built. But for for now YOU can fish off the SAND bar below the dam. There is a small parking lot that give good access to the sand bar. The big question is when the Skipjacks are there to catch since they come and go form day to day!!
I have published an E-book with tips and information to help YOU catch more catfish on your furture trips. Just CLICK on the photo and it will connect you to the Amazon book store! So check it out, it cost less than a dozen night crawlers at the bait shop.
Be ready for YOUR fist fishing trip buy the FISHING TACKLE you NEED at MY STORE FOR YOUR CATFISHING & FISHING SUPPLIES
My brother drove us up to Meldhal dam to get some Skipjacks for catfish bait. It took about 40 minutes to reach the Kentucky side of the dam from Cincinnati. There were a number of guys already fishing for skipjacks as we walked down the hill. Some of them were up on top the dead wall. Four or five were at the corner of the bank and wall. It was too crowded there so we walked down to the rocky area to try our luck.
The back eddy current from the dam had that area all messed up with drift material. We tried fishing at that spot for around 30 minutes. I then noticed some of the guys on the dead wall were leaving.. The guys in the corner area had been catching some skipjacks as I was watching them. The schools of skipjacks would come in and jump all over for about 10 to 15 minutes, then move out. During the lull, I moved up to the top of the dead wall. On top of the dead wall you get a great view of the fish moving around chasing the Shad. The water was much clearer in the corner section than down by the rocks.
Right next to the dam gate wall a guy by the name of Dennis was fishing from his chair. I kept casting time after time with no hits. Dennis was catching a skipjack or 2 about every third cast whenever the schools of fish were in that area. He gave me his catch instead of throwing them backing the river. I was amazed by the size of those fish. They were averaging over 12 inches. The longer ones went 14 1/2 to 15 inches long.
I noticed my brother had moved closer to the wall. He did finally catch a few skipjacks. I did NOT catch one fish with all my efforts of trying all different lures and rigging. In the mean time Dennis just kept on pulling them in. His rig was a string of 4-5 1/8 oz. jigs with white grub tail. I did not have such a rig in my fishing bag.
My brother finally came up by us and he did catch a few skipjacks. Then we finally packed it in for the day. When we got home, the total was around 30 fish. I would say Dennis gave us over 20 of them. I cleaned 6 of them in to chunks for catfish bait. I only had space in my freezer for that much bait.
I did use a small package of the skipjacks the next morning. Caught one blue cat that weighed in at 5.4 pounds. Also had 2 very hard bait clicking runs, one got my line wrapped around a snag and lost him. The second dropped the bait and just did not come back for it.
Odds are once the Ohio River settles back down, my brother & I will be back at Meldahl. I will also get those rigs that Dennis had in my fishing bag when I cast my line up there again. Tight lines to all.
UPDATED 07-05-13
My Favorite Web Sites
Easy FAMILY VACATION shopping for YOU at !
SHOP WITHOUT DROPPING LINKS
My Favorite Catfishing Information And Supplies Web Sites
Email: 