20,000 Bluecats released in Hoover Res. Ohio

[Smoothkip]

20,000 Bluecats were recently released in Hoover Res. Hoover is located in central Ohio close to Columbus. The fish that were stocked were in the six inch range. Last year around this time they stocked them in dillon lake but fisheries manager said it was a total bust. Most if not all fish went down river in the spring high waters. Hoover is impounded and the fish will not be able to escape. There looking into continuing stocking resavoirs across the state through the next few years.

[Seanstone]

It'd be nice to get out and chase a few reservoir blues in times like this....waters to cold for anything else , and rivers way too high to fish for them. Glad to hear that there going to give it another shot.

[Catfishrollo]

I agree, Nice to see they are gonna try them in other impoundments. Thanks for the report bro. But, I find it hard to believe that they are saying that the majority, or if all escaped! Dillon isn't a big lake, influenced by the Licking River, but for them to say that is pretty bold in my opinion. If that were the case all small fish would end up downstream each year out of Dillon. Esp. the last few years. Dillon gets very high water during most late winters and springs. .. rollo

[Smoothkip]

I guess they radio tagged a lot of them. There's been reports of them already in the Ohio river. I have to agree with you Rollo, dillon is loaded with baitfish and 17000 blues is a lot for all of them to escape.

[Catfishrollo]

We all knew that they would end up in the lower portions of the Muskingum River eventially and Ohio. Wonder if we can find out how many exactly got radio tagged? That does interest me for sure. Me and you both thought they would strive in a lake like Dillon. Sounds like someone is making that project out to getting flushed down the jon for whatever reasons true or false...LOL... rollo

[rcbbracing]

Don't know what everyone else's thoughts are but I am hoping some of those blues make the muskingum their new home... sucks a bunch left Dillon but sure would make a neat surprise to find some trophy blues come out of the muskingum!

[Seanstone]

All it takes is a dozen or so to set up shop in a deep hole somewhere below a low head dam or under a bridge, and a few years you might have a spawning population. As long as people put them back when they catch them....I wouldn't be surprised to see some 10s and 20's in the next 5 or 6 years. Worst case scenario, they get blown down my way. We'll take all the blues we can get.

[katfish]

Hoover should make a fairly good fit for the blue cats with lots of deep water for them in Winter. I was thinking C J Brown might be the best lake for them in Ohio since the depth is varied with deep water for winter.

[Smoothkip]

True Robby! I also think Alum Creek would be a good lake. Lots of shad and some good deep water. I read an article awhile back which I can't seem to find now but it was saying that in 73 or 74 that blues were stocked in alum creek but were too small and never survived. Has anyone else heard this?

[Seanstone]

Hate to use another forum, but there really isn't any other way around it here. You can kill this post after you read it if you want.

www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/archive/index.php/t-50487.html

Toward the bottom one guy mentions that odnr responded to his email asking about blue cats in alum, and they replied:

Alum Creek -
September 16, 1975: 36,800 bluecatfish fingerlings
October 13, 1977: 12, 222 bluecatfish fingerlings

[Smoothkip]

Thanks Sean! Guess I heard right. Wonder if there is some monsters in that lake?