# Allegan



## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Thinking pretty seriously about taking the drive to the dam today after reading that an 11 pound walleye was picked up there not long ago. Anybody been down there recently? I will be starting at the dam and walking the trail if i cant find fish close. Water levels? Ice?


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

The thing I dont like about Allegan Dam, other than it is the Kalamazoo river, is that it is about 45 minutes from me. If I drive out there I want to know if they have any of the turbines open. Having that knowledge would drastically change where I fish on that river, but I never know headign out there. Plus it smells of soot and poo.


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

tannhd said:


> The thing I dont like about Allegan Dam, other than it is the Kalamazoo river, is that it is about 45 minutes from me. If I drive out there I want to know if they have any of the turbines open. Having that knowledge would drastically change where I fish on that river, but I never know headign out there. Plus it smells of soot and poo.


I live in Kzoo and it is almost the same distance for me. I like fishing the Kzoo. Its full of the species i enjoy targeting and honestly it doesnt smell any worse than the Grand did this summer (deer corpses) but really a lot of its stretches run clear and dont seem too toxic haa


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

The turbine info would be valuable to me as well. As would other conditions


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

Catfish keats said:


> I live in Kzoo and it is almost the same distance for me. I like fishing the Kzoo. Its full of the species i enjoy targeting and honestly it doesnt smell any worse than the Grand did this summer (deer corpses) but really a lot of its stretches run clear and dont seem too toxic haa


It's almost the same distance because we live in the same city.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

you guys are bros now.


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## Grizzyaries (Jan 10, 2005)

Another kazoo guy here. Mostly I steelhead the tributaries down river or the tributaries by PAW PAW, (no names)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JFritz (Mar 10, 2009)

I try to fish by the damn. usually in a boat.

i'm usually the guy coming off with 0 fish. But at least I got out there!


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## Julez81 (Feb 6, 2009)

Caught a brown a steel and a eye there today. Water is settled to near 3' vis but still up a couple feet from norm. Slow steady rise all day of about 4 inches helped, I think. Launch was in better shape than the driveway to it, didn't even have to use 4wd. Mag size Hot n Tots ruled the day, standard kzoo river colors.


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## JFritz (Mar 10, 2009)

Julez81 said:


> Caught a brown a steel and a eye there today. Water is settled to near 3' vis but still up a couple feet from norm. Slow steady rise all day of about 4 inches helped, I think. Launch was in better shape than the driveway to it, didn't even have to use 4wd. Mag size Hot n Tots ruled the day, standard kzoo river colors.



I couldn't get out with Julez.... But I got to help clean them!

Thats almost as good!


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## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Anyone been out there in the last week? Got alot off runnoff i would think now
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ChuckNorrisBareHands (Jan 15, 2012)

any fish at or near the dam? thinking of trying this coming weekend with the warm weather. pm me if ya like.


_Posted from Michigan-sportsman.com App for Android_


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## Ten_Tines (Dec 8, 2009)

In regards to the dam, lunker Walleyes are still hanging about; spawning/getting ready to. Not much for Steel.


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## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Anything around 10lbs? Just wondering if the guys i were talking to were tellin the truth..said they each cought eyes around thelat size...and would you mind sharing what there hitting on?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Steve_D (Mar 8, 2011)

The reason it smells is due to decaying organic matter. Don't let the smell repel you.


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## Ten_Tines (Dec 8, 2009)

steelheader32 said:


> Anything around 10lbs? Just wondering if the guys i were talking to were tellin the truth..said they each cought eyes around thelat size...and would you mind sharing what there hitting on?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


One of the females was pretty hefty, around 8lbs. Fat as can be, albeit nearly popping with eggs. Just using Waxies or Spawn.


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## Julez81 (Feb 6, 2009)

There are definitely lots of fish in the river right now. Fishing at the damn imo for steel and eyes is good, personally i like some spots downriver though. It may be cold out but the days are getting longer and the fish are full ready skeins.


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Ten_Tines said:


> One of the females was pretty hefty, around 8lbs. Fat as can be, albeit nearly popping with eggs. Just using Waxies or Spawn.


You describing a walleye or steel?


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## Ten_Tines (Dec 8, 2009)

Walleye.


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## Kayakfisherman (Feb 8, 2013)

Hi guys,

I'm Planning on taking my first trip up to the Allegan dam I'm pretty clueless on what type of set up I would need to catch me some steelhead. 

Any help is greatly apprecatied.

Thank you.


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## JFritz (Mar 10, 2009)

The kinds that you can change quickly.

I've done well on shiny hot'n tots
Done OK on store purchased spawn, either drifting it or letting it sit.

Plenty of snags too!





Kayakfisherman said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm Planning on taking my first trip up to the Allegan dam I'm pretty clueless on what type of set up I would need to catch me some steelhead.
> 
> ...


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Kayakfisherman said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm Planning on taking my first trip up to the Allegan dam I'm pretty clueless on what type of set up I would need to catch me some steelhead.
> 
> ...


I have caught about a dozen steelhead this year below the dam almost all have been taken on spoons. Orange has caught 90% of my fish. Although, fishing with lures here can get expensive. I swear some days i lose halfmy box, other days i lose most haha. Although, i bet spawn is more productive this time of year. Hot n tots and arctic spinners also work


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Honestly, your best bet is to walk downstream. This time of year not many are willing to walk the bank farther down


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Ten_Tines said:


> One of the females was pretty hefty, around 8lbs. Fat as can be, albeit nearly popping with eggs. Just using Waxies or Spawn.


Dont tell me you kept her?!! But thats cool that you caught it steelheadin. Bet that was a pleasant surprise. I cant seem to get an eye over 17"


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## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Kayakfisherman said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm Planning on taking my first trip up to the Allegan dam I'm pretty clueless on what type of set up I would need to catch me some steelhead.
> 
> ...


If your gonna drift u will see most guys on the stairs....doesnt mean thats where all the fish are at. Hot n tots spinners and wiggle warts are good choices right now in orange and gold colors good luck and bring extra everything!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ten_Tines (Dec 8, 2009)

Catfish keats said:


> Dont tell me you kept her?!! But thats cool that you caught it steelheadin. Bet that was a pleasant surprise. I cant seem to get an eye over 17"


I didn't catch her, but unfortunately the guy that caught her did keep her. My husband netted it for him and tried to dissuade him from keeping her. But he kept her of course... :\

Gotta let the breeders go!


@Kayakfisherman: I agree orange has been pretty hot, though every day is different. And yeah, be ready to lose lots of tackle if fishing the wall, lol.


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

In all honesty, how successful is the spawning in the Kalamazoo? 

Every year those eyes pile up, but are they actually contributing to the local population?


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## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

I would have to think they spawn succesfully seeing as they keep coming back each year...right around the season closer into a week or 2 after its closed u will see them cought everywhere from the mouth to the tail on just about anything..they get pretty thick up there..seen plenty of em foul hooked when steelie fishin the wall
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JFritz (Mar 10, 2009)

Ten_Tines said:


> Gotta let the breeders go!


Doesn't it take a male to lay sperm to eggs??

Or is it like 500 males to 1 female and thats why no one wants to let females go?

I just don't get it.

You need 1 male for 100's of sperm + 1 female for 100's of eggs.

You keep all the males...You don't get new fish either.


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Ten_Tines said:


> I didn't catch her, but unfortunately the guy that caught her did keep her. My husband netted it for him and tried to dissuade him from keeping her. But he kept her of course... :\
> 
> Gotta let the breeders go!
> 
> ...


I can see the temptation of keeping a trophy fish tht size but a lot of good pictures and measurements will allow you to get a replica mount. Theres no better feeling than releasing a fish to swim another day. That guy should have realized shes only that big cause shes full of eggs. Sad story imo. I cant wait to fish the kzoo hard when i get home from florida. 5 days before the closer. Good luck everyone. This forum has been very informative


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Ive also heard big walleyes like that dont even taste very good. If theres such a large run each year than they are obviously doing something right. I know for a fact that there has been more juvenile eyes 6-8" fish caught in the kzoo than past years


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## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Anyone going this weekend? Planning on getting there either early before day break or just before dusk
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Why would you want to keep something that's lived that long in the Kalamazoo River? Keep the 15-20" eaters and leave the chemically laden fish to spawn.


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## Catfish keats (Jun 16, 2012)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Why would you want to keep something that's lived that long in the Kalamazoo River? Keep the 15-20" eaters and leave the chemically laden fish to spawn.


Very good point. Although, the kind of person to eat a spawning eye of that size probably is ignorant of any of these facts that would likely discourage more educated anglers. Personally, i think if a spawning female was snagged, and then put on a stringer i would be making a call to the dnr


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## rieverr (Dec 7, 2010)

JFritz said:


> Doesn't it take a male to lay sperm to eggs??
> 
> Or is it like 500 males to 1 female and thats why no one wants to let females go?
> 
> ...


 

:fish2: Millions of eggs are fertillized by only a few males in the DNR hatch plants ..:fish2: ..u tube it ...pretty cool


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## steelheader32 (Feb 27, 2013)

Anything of any real size from the kzoo unless its steel or trout wont taste well anyways i agree...complete nonsense but he will get what he has coming...he keeps it up especially at allegan n he will get cought..ive seen dnr pop up from nowhere before up there..and ive also seen pure stupidity when they have there truck parked at the top and u see guys doing illigal stuff n bam..here comes an officer...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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