Fall Fishing on the Ohio River
Temperatures Drop But Action Remains
by Robb Hoff
September 21, 2012
Cooler temperatures may mark the decline of summer, but the fishing on the Ohio River doesn't have to drop. The window of activity at a spot like the downriver release of Markland Dam will still keep the cycle of baitfish and game fish in full gear, making for a fishery that will teem with action throughout the Fall season.
Overcast skies can also often help lure fish that may prefer deeper water venture a little closer to the surface or the shore, making the fishing easier in that deeper retrieves and the snags that come with them won't be quite as necessary.
The downriver release below Markland Dam is sometimes full bore; all the gates are churning current downriver, making sight fishing more difficult in the slick of broil and retrieving a little more challenging with the uptick in current.
But the rewards can be an aquatic cornucopia.
In about two hours, my son Adam and I continued to enjoy the fishing below the dam, but noticed a couple differences than the fishing we found with warmer weather, less waterflow and sunnier skies.
The hybrid striped were bigger closer to show and more plentiful.
Also, more largemouth joined their smallmouth cousins closer to shore and even some Kentucky bass were mixed among the creel. Also, the largemouth were bigger than we've caught in the past.
So as long as the water conditions and the weather cooperates, the Ohio River fishing below Markland Dam won't only be good....it will be dam good!
