Spring Warmwater Fishing 3.29.2025

I had intel today about a dam in the Ohio River Basin that had some fish chasing bait up to it. I decided to take my eggbeater and head south.

I got up at 0200 and made breakfast for the little road trip. I headed out with my thermos full of freshly blended coffee. I have become so addicted to blending my own beans and grinding them. The tastes that come out of them have been spectacular to say the least.

After navigating deer alley I made it to the dam. One truck was there and I did not see any other signs of human life. Well, it helps because at this point it was around 0600.

This larger tributary to the Ohio River was low, but still very fishable.

I enjoy keeping it super simple when using my eggbeater. My old faithful St. Croix Avid Steelhead/Salmon stick is not really made for this type of fishing. I enjoy the soft tip and the bottom of the blank has good back bone but chucking 1/2oz lead and a 3” paddle tail swim bait its under gunned with a strong river current when it comes to fighting fish at times.

I use a Daiwa Ballistic MQ LT 4000. It’s been a great reel well until today at least. I took it to Maine last year and the anti-reverse would fail sporadically while fighting fish. So, that sucked to say the least. I dropped the reel off for repair on Saturday.

Let’s get back to fishing. I knew with the weather forecast that a lot of people would show up today.

I landed my first fish before the sun came up. This first fish was a scrappy White Bass.  I had to push my casting limits to get to the fish.  An hour later I hooked up with my first Wiper. It was 2-3 pounds and not happy to have 4/0 hook in its mouth.

See the video below

The third fish came about an hour later. I would not land this fish, but at least I got to see it.

It was a large Buffalo Sucker (Buff) with my swim bait in its mouth! It gave my rod all it wanted.  The Buff was I guessed over 10 pounds and nearly had my rod flat.  After a few epic short runs, it found a rock and cut my line.

I greatly appreciated the gentleman to my right who let me attempt to land the fish near him.

I walked back to my pack and rigged another set up.

I would connect with another fish, and it was a Large Mouth Bass.  When I initially hooked it I thought that was a strange hit.  It did not run but sat in the current a minute. I though O God please not a Catfish on this rod!

I pulled him out of the current and realized as I skated him across the top of the water it was a Largemouth!

See the video below

I turned around and I saw the hoard of people that had shown up! I decided that it was time to go. I bid my new friends good by and headed home.

Be well folks,

Sonder