Licking River?

Has anyone ever tried for crappie in the Licking river? I have never really given it any thought, but there is a ramp about 5 min from my house and was wondering if it would be worth a shot come warmer weather.

which area of the licking are you talking about? If you're talking about the area between kenton and campbell counties it is pretty much a dead sea unless you're into small channel cats.

I know ceratin parts of it hold crappie. I've never caught any big ones out of there but they are in there. At least in my area.

the ramp i am talking about is the one in wilder

Don't know much about that end, but the Mason/Fleming stretch has crappie in it. I would think they would have to be in there as it dumps into the Ohio river. Why wouldn't it be like any other river tributary.

That's what I was thinking, but to launch I'd $10 and a year is $50 hate to throw that kind of money away to just try. But I guess that's why they call it fishing

I'm curious about this myself... I've done well this past year fishing a few creeks (Big Bone mainly) along the Ohio within a 1/2 mile from the mouth of the main river. Nice crappie too - 11-12 inch common - around structure. I have never been up the Licking River in a boat but if there are some brush, laydowns, etc. along the banks within a mile or so of the mouth of the Ohio, I'll bet there are some nice ones in there. I was thinking of trying this next year.

You said it. Find the brush, stumps & laydowns and they will be there.

I commonly fish gunpowder creek, and big bone. Personally I do better in gunpowder, bit I was thinking about the licking because of the bridge pilings. I also have a stupid question, does anyone know what the cove is called that is off the Ohio if you go down 42, the ramp is on the left, you launch go under 42 to the river turn right and head upriver about a mile or so. There is a house right on the point and they used to have white stakes to mark the channel heading into the cove.

I live on the Licking River, about 12 miles up stream from Wilder ramp, Campbell Co. I have caught crappie in the spring near mouths of creek around any laydown or isolated cover, like small bushes, stumps,etc. We have a creek that runs through out property to the river. When the river is up some it backs up into our creek and crappie can be found in the creek, sometimes or near the mouth, just out of the current. Best bet is to move around alot, dump minnows on structure and keep moving around until you find them. They are in there but hard to find.

It might be Sugar and Little Sugar Creek. ???

I believe it is called Big Sugar Creek Ramp. I remember seeing it marked on one of Kentucky Fish & Wildlife's map. I stopped there a few weeks back when I was scouting some fishing possibilities for 2014. I pulled into the parking lot, on the left, going down 42 just before the overpass. I don't remember seeing a single sign that said what it was but I'm sure it was the state's ramp. It looked kind of run down and filled with debris but the ramp looked solid.

Further down, past Warsaw, is Craigs Creek - ramp on the left. Never fished there but it looked really nice and will definitely try it next spring.

thanks, thats the name of them. in regards to the licking, how much current is there when the level is not up?

Craig's has a nice ramp with plenty of parking. That bay should hold some fish. It's always been a good place for largemouth. It's a good access point when the river is wild and wooly.

Current is pretty slow on the licking at normal water levels. Where I live is in between 2 riffle areas about 4 miles above Decoursey Pike/Park ramp.

not to change the subject but has anyone seen the bait store that is on Monmouth in newport? I didnt get a chance to see the name this morning since it was dark, this would be nice if their prices are resonable, and they have minnows. I plan to check it out this afternoon.