Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Ohio River Downtown Cincinnati- no hunt 01-13-2010 12:21
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
I drive over the Ohio river at downtown Cincinnati (mile 470) every morning and nite. This morning there was ice in downtown Cincin. It has been frozen from bank to bank above Meldahl (mile 436) since last sunday. I have hunted the Ohio above Cincinnati for 43 years now, and back in the 60’s and 70’s the Ohio was never at pool stage during duck season. Pool stage at Cincin. is 24′, and the river never droped more than 30′ all winter long. Now it is at pool stage all winter long. The problem is when the big O is at pool, there is no current, so when it gets cold- ice. You cant float hunt with Ice or decoy hunt, which sucks. Pray for rain and a little warmer weather, then 1 more cold snap.
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Ohio River below Foster Ky 01-11-2010 12:51
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 10-20 Degrees – Open Water
Duck Hunt 1-10-10
My partner Jim could not make it today, he is having some minor health problems. (the man is 79). I had to work all week as well as Saturday, but got up at 6:30 and was going to drive to Rome mile 384 Ohio River. I was a little concerned about the ramps, the transmission is out on my 97 chev pickup , so I took the 97 Suburban, both are 4×4 (and 265,000 miles, yes I said 265,000) because the suburban has conventional tires and gets stuck in a heavy dew. I took the skiff, River at pool, no wind low last nite 11. I stopped and got coffee at the mentor marathon and decided to drive up Route 8. As I passed the river below Foster, it was clear, no ice. With the Ohio at pool stage for 3 weeks now and the low temps. I was surprised to see open water. But above the Dam was solid ice, from bank to bank. The normal Red full size chev was parked 1 mile below Snag creek. I crossed over at the new Maysville Bridge. I had a great breakfast at the Yum Yum and had a spirited conversation about Avartar, you all must see it and in 3D. As I drove east out of Aberdeen, it looked bad, river was still solid ice. I don’t think I saw trucks at the Maysville ramp.
Drove up to Manchester, and saw that it was hopeless, solid ice. Drove back and put in at Foster. Mile 438. Ramp was salted by the commercial fisherman out of Mentor. I was first at 10:00 am. Started the C motor after 20 pulls, (still waiting for parts for the A motor) Started up the Ky bank. Ran up to just below Bear Creek and Crossed over to the Ohio side. With no high water, I decided to putt down spotting ducks with the glasses. A decoy hunter ran up my bank and stopped at the new ramp across from Foster, to pick something up because 5 minutes he headed back down. I watched all of this though the Binoculars. Since he scared up the Ohio bank, I switched to the Ky bank, putting down slow. There was about 100 Geese between barges at Black River (mile 441.5) I passed them because I will not shot a goose next to a barge. I went over to say hi to the decoy hunter on the Ohio bank across from Black River. They said they had 1 but did see a lot of Geese. I switched back to the Ky bank. Below Black River, I spotted about 50 geese about 1/8 mile below the last barge. I paddled very slow with the almost non existent current. There were two just above about 50. I got right up on them and got one goose. I pulled in the bank and had a cup of coffee. I headed on down. I screwed up on about 10 mallards at the second set of barges below Zimmer on the Ky bank. I putted down next to the barge, and they saw me while they were 1/8 mile DS. I pulled into the bank to let them settle down. I pushed off and never did get close to them, they took off while I was maybe 300 yds away.
I spotted 2 ducks below me and floated right up on them. They were fish ducks, and I thought they were Canvasbacks, I got right up on them and dropped the drake. At this point I am across from Point Pleasant, and I look up and here comes a runner (bored decoy hunter) up my bank and crosses over at Point Pleasant. Since the bank below me is disturbed, and there really are not many ducks, I decided to head home. I ran up the Ohio bank, spotting with my binoculars as I ran up. Very easy to do when there are sand banks. Across from Black River I spotted 4 mallards. I ran across the ky bank, and up and above these ducks, and crossed over again. As I was running up I saw 3 bald eagles, 1 had a white head and tail, but the other two did not. They were too big for hawks. I floated down right on the mallards. At this point the sun is out and it is very pretty. The mallards are walking at the waters edge, and have no clue that I am not a big log. I dropped a drake and missed a hen. I started back up the Ohio bank and spotted 4 blacks about a mile above Moscow. I crossed over ran up about .5 mile and crossed over and floated down. I had spotted them below a down tree. As I was floating down , crows were sitting on the bank below me taking baths at the water edge. I don’t recall seeing that before. They would duck their heads in the water and splash it on their backs. I spotted my 4 blacks, and headed down. I was maybe 20 yards from the bank. I got within 25 yards and they decided to swim out, but at a non-alarmed pace. We chased each other for maybe 100 yards when I decided to take them, two shots and nothing. Headed back to Foster and was home by 4:00.
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Ohio River Mile 397 date 1-3-10 01-07-2010 11:08
Cloudy, High Winds – 10-20 Degrees – Open Water
Duck Hunt 1-2-10
I decided to take the skiff to Manchester today mile 397 Ohio River. Low last nite was 17 river at 29, which is really to low to float, and high wind. I had a great breakfast at the Dairy Yum Yum. At water by 9:00. I picked this stretch because it is not as bad when the west wind blows, and it was already windy at 9:30. I had to clear brush off the bottom of the ramp, which was not easy, there were some big logs across the ramp, plus the assortment of 2”x4” with nails. My regular 10 hp is still waiting for parts, so I tool my C motor, my 10 hp 1959 Johnson. It did not want to start, but finally did. I started up the Ohio bank until the Island then ran to Ky bank. Since there is no current I putted down slow looking though the glasses. I screwed up on a black and then 2 mallards, they were already swimming out when I saw them. The wind seemed to be blowing from my right side, so I decided to switch to the Ohio bank. As I was motoring over to the Ohio bank I jumped up a Bald Eagle from a tree below Manchester, very cool. Putted on down and spotted some fish ducks and 1 goose. The goose got out of the water and walked up to a barn for protection, unreal. By now the wind calmed a little, so I went back to the ky. Bank which I like better. (better cover and no houses) I spotted some ducks and cut the 10 hp and started paddling. I looked at the bank and there was maybe 10 mallards walking along the bank, and they appeared to be eating the weeds. I got right besides them, got 1 drake and the rest crossed the sun, and I was blinded and did not shoot. Picked up my one and pulled into the bank for coffee and a cupcake. Started back down. Wind started picking up so I tried the Ohio bank, but it was worse. By now it is really blowing. Decided to call it and day and had a fun run US in the 3’ white caps. (luckily I was going with the wind) .I ran up the Ohio bank but out far due to low water. At Isaacs creek I saw about 4 blacks and 5 mallards at the mouth, but it was too windy to run up and float down. Pulled out and had chili at the yum yum . Home by 2:30
Posted By:
Al-Faber
Field Editor
Central Ohio 12-25-2009 14:47
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Fields in central Ohio still doing very well and producing great early morning hunts.
Big water still productive as well. Geese everywhere. Find’em at night, set up next morning – hammer’em.
Small ponds were froze last 10 days but may start to open up with higher temperatures.
Look for good numbers of mallards North of Columbus and NW of Delaware.
Public hunting has slowed dramatically, Delaware marsh not hunted much since deer season.
Time to start looking at Southern counties towards the Ohio River starting next week.
Be safe, teach a youngster to hunt & respect the great outdoors…and pass on the hens…!
Posted By:
Darron Baker
Field Editor
S. Ohio 12-21-2009 19:48
– – –
Hunted 12/19 in an area I seen several flights go into during our last hunt. Set up 6 floaters and a robo. Found a nice hide and waited for shooting light. Not too many birds seen, but the birds that we did see came in feet down to our spread. Ended the morning with 8 mallards, 2 blacks (1 was banded) and a goose.
I hit the road today and scouted several areas and nothing to excited about. A few birds scattered around, but nothing worth dragging the field dekes out for. Every year we get a stretch when things freeze over night and open back up in the day. I wish it would get cold and stay cold.
Was hoping to get out tomorrow, but I think I will sleep in since the scouting turned up nothing. Buddy and I are hitting the road tomorrow. Hopefully we can put something together for Wed and Thurs.
Posted By:
Darron Baker
Field Editor
S, Ohio 12-17-2009 07:32
– – –
Opening morning of the second split was very slow. Hunted a flooded field that was holding birds two days before, but the ice machine turned on and they boogied out. Ended the morning with 3 ducks.
After the hunt I found a nice pile of birds located on another property my buddy and I have permission on. It was a miserable morning in the rain, but we ended with 9 mallards, one of which was banded. The low ceiling had them flying all morning and it was steady action about every 30-45 minutes.
I plan on doing a little deer hunting Saturday morning on my property in SE Ohio and will be back after webfooted critters Sunday since I have two weeks off.
Until next time….
Posted By:
Shawn-Philbrick
Field Editor
Mitchells Bay 11-16-2009 07:54
– – –
Been up in canada the last few weeks. There’s a ton of birds staged up there, but they aren’t moving till we get some weather. They have been educated, and fly into the bay at night to feed, and out to the open lake during the day. Unless we get some weather, and push them down, Ohio’s first split won’t see them….lots of reds and bills….
Posted By:
Al-Faber
Field Editor
Central 11-02-2009 20:13
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Finished the 1st southern split limiting on mallards in a small pond located next to grain field. Lot’s of geese in the area for the remainder of the week.
Spotted tons of Geese on larger lakes up north over the weekend, not a hunter in sight… What’s up with that?
Weather this week looks like Wednesday and Thursday as the best days…
We’ll see!
Be safe, teach a youngster to hunt & respect the great outdoors…and pass on the hens…!
Posted By:
Anthony-Santoli
Field Editor
11-02-2009 13:28
Cloudy, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted Sat AM for a few hours. Had some divers in the dekes 10′ away at first shooting light. Let ’em swim around for a while…then away they went. Extremely windy 50MPH from the West/Southwest. Tough to decoy birds. The ones that started lower to the water would work right in though. Shot 3 Mallards, 2 plump Ruddlers and 1 Beauty of a Drake Wigeonas (for the wall). Good amount of birds,,(not a ton, but enough to keep it interesting for a couple hours). Most were sitting tight in the surrounding marshes out of the wind. Easily a couple/few thousand in my direct area. Had several nice sized pods Flying High overhead coming either off of Erie or heading down from St. Clair. Looks like a couple of large arctic fronts brewing. One to the NW and 1 from the NE.
I’ll keep you posted.
Out
[Edited By Anthony-Santoli on 2009-11-02 13:30]
Posted By:
Al-Faber
Field Editor
Central Farm Pond 10-28-2009 21:29
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 50-60 Degrees
Woodies in and out quick this morning, but we limited. A few mallards flying, and LOTS and LOTS of Canada Geese in the area moving back and forth all morning.
Did not even lay out any goose decoys, took them standing in a woodline as they flew by.
Great morning!
Wet weather in the area until Saturday should make for continued good shooting up to the close of the first split.
Then we will have to pray for a big push from up North where Anthony is…
Al
