The Fish Ohio Report

Updated Weekly April through October

May 22, 2013

CENTRAL OHIO

Hargus Creek Lake (Pickaway County) - Crappies are active in coves and around woody cover.  Use minnows or jigs suspended under a bobber.  A good number of bluegill and redear sunfish up to 8 inches can be caught on wax worms in shallow areas this time of year.  A large population of largemouth bass from 12 to15 inches inhabits this lake with fish over 20 inches present.  Largemouth bass can be caught on crankbaits, plastics tubes and creature baits, target points with cover.  Note: Special bass regulation: anglers can possess 4 bass, two under 15 inches and two above 15 inches, electric motors only.

Kokosing River (Knox County) - Ohio’s first water trail, this scenic river in Knox County offers paddlers and anglers access to 28 miles of river fishing.  Smallmouth bass and rock bass can be caught on small crankbaits, tubes and jigs.  Sunfish, crappies, and catfish are present and offer good fishing.  Maps and information are available from the Department of Natural Resources at www.ohiodnr.com.  

NORTHWEST OHIO

Resthaven Wildlife Area, (Erie County) – Resthaven Wildlife Area is located just outside Castalia on State Route 269. The area has 444 acres of water contained in 10 different ponds. Bluegill fishing is usually very good this time of year. Try casting wax worms, small jigs, and spinner baits throughout the pond edges. Ponds 7 and 8 should be doing the best right now. Pond 8 has a boat ramp and handicapped accessible fishing pier. Boats may be used on the other ponds; however, no ramps are available. Gasoline motors up to 9.9 horsepower may be used on all ponds.

Killdeer Plains Reservoir (Wyandot County) - Located 10 miles southwest of Upper Sandusky along State Route 67, Killdeer Reservoir features a new floating boat ramp and 241 acres of fishable water. Smallmouth bass should be biting this month. Try fishing the rocks along the island and the south shore. Cast the shoreline using crayfish or leeches under a slip bobber, set just off the bottom. Also, try casting dark colored tube jigs or crankbaits along the shore. Crappie should also be biting right now. Try fishing the south shoreline using live minnows fished under a slip bobber, or 1/8 ounce jigs with a twister tail tipped with a minnow. There is a 10 horsepower limit on the reservoir.

Barton Lake (Williams County) – Barton Lake is located on the St. Joseph River Wildlife Area, along CR J, West of CR 10, southwest of Montpelier. It is 19 acres in size and now is an excellent time to pursue crappie in the lake. Try fishing the inlet near the fishing access off of CR J. Minnows fished under a slip bobber usually produce the best results. A ramp for small boats is available. There is a limit of 10 sunfish area wide, and only 5 bass, which must be 18 inches in length, may be kept..

NORTHEAST OHIO

Tappan Lake (Harrison County) - The white bass bite is firing up.  Anglers are catching exceptional quality fish around the dam.  Live gizzard shad have been a hot bait, while crankbaits are also delivering consistent action.  Crappies continue to be taken on minnows and jigs near shore, and wax worms under a bobber are producing sunfish.  The bass bite has picked up somewhat, with soft plastics producing some good fish along the shoreline.

Deer Creek (Stark County) - Crappie have moved up along the shoreline of this quiet electric only lake.  Anglers are taking numbers of fish on minnows fished about three feet below a bobber.  Similar setups tipped with wax worms are producing nice sunfish.  Daytime catfishing has also been good.  Fish night crawlers off the bottom for these tasty eaters. 

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Veto Lake (Washington County) – Crappie, sunfish, catfish and largemouth bass should all be biting at this 160-acre lake.  For crappie, fish a minnow under a bobber at two-feet off the bottom along woody vegetation.  For sunfish, try small worms, wax worms, or minnows fished under a bobber.  The best locations are generally near the picnic shelter and the boat ramp.  Fish for largemouth bass using green-colored crankbaits.  Cast out along banks, quick drop-offs and vegetated areas and reel in slowly.  Channel catfish can be fished for at night using cut baits, chicken livers and night crawlers. 

Hanging Rock Ponds (Lawrence County) – 50-75 ponds of various sizes can be found on this recreation area operated by the Wayne National Forest and surveyed and stocked by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.  Some of the ponds can be driven to by vehicle, some by ATV (with Wayne NF Trail Permit), and some are walk-in only.  Spring is a great time to catch bluegill as they gather in shallow water to spawn, which makes these ponds a great destination.  During this time bluegill become aggressive and can be fairly easy to catch.  Both the novice and experienced angler will enjoy fishing for bluegill since these fish can be caught with just about any tackle, will take a great variety of baits, are not particularly wary, and fight well for their size.  Once you locate a bed, cast a piece of worm, jig, or other bait beyond the bed and slowly retrieve it through the nesting area.

SOUTHWEST OHIO

Veto Lake (Washington County) – Crappie, sunfish, catfish and largemouth bass should all be biting at this 160-acre lake.  For crappie, fish a minnow under a bobber at two-feet off the bottom along woody vegetation.  For sunfish, try small worms, wax worms, or minnows fished under a bobber.  The best locations are generally near the picnic shelter and the boat ramp.  Fish for largemouth bass using green-colored crankbaits.  Cast out along banks, quick drop-offs and vegetated areas and reel in slowly.  Channel catfish can be fished for at night using cut baits, chicken livers and night crawlers. 

Hanging Rock Ponds (Lawrence County) – 50-75 ponds of various sizes can be found on this recreation area operated by the Wayne National Forest and surveyed and stocked by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.  Some of the ponds can be driven to by vehicle, some by ATV (with Wayne NF Trail Permit), and some are walk-in only.  Spring is a great time to catch bluegill as they gather in shallow water to spawn, which makes these ponds a great destination.  During this time bluegill become aggressive and can be fairly easy to catch.  Both the novice and experienced angler will enjoy fishing for bluegill since these fish can be caught with just about any tackle, will take a great variety of baits, are not particularly wary, and fight well for their size.  Once you locate a bed, cast a piece of worm, jig, or other bait beyond the bed and slowly retrieve it through the nesting area.

LAKE ERIE

View Lake Erie boating information, safety tips, and launch ramps.

** The daily bag limit for walleye on Ohio waters of Lake Erie is 6 fish per angler.  The minimum size limit for walleye is 15 inches.**

** The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 fish per angler on all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.**

** The trout and salmon daily bag limit is 2 fish per angler through May 15.  The daily bag limit increases to 5 from May 16 through August 31.  The minimum size limit for trout and salmon is 12 inches.

** Black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) fishing is closed to possession (no harvest) from May 1 through June 28.  On Saturday, June 29 the daily bag limit returns to 5 fish per angler with a 14” minimum size limit.**

Western Basin

Walleye fishing was good over the past week (as of 5/21).  The best areas were from the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel to West Sister Island, Niagara Reef, W of Rattlesnake Island and Green Island, and N of Kelleys Island.  Trollers have been catching fish on crankbaits and worm harnesses.  Drifters are using worm harnesses with bottom bouncers or are casting mayfly rigs.

Yellow perch have been caught N of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Central Basin

Walleye have been caught N of Lorain in 48 to 50’ of water, and off Rocky River in 53’ of water fishing on the bottom using worm harnesses.  Also nearshore off Cleveland in the early mornings and after 6:00 pm in 35-38’ of water using rapalas, husky jerks and reef runners.  Anglers are starting to catch some fish in 38-42’ of water off Mentor Lagoons.  Anglers are trolling dipsy and jet divers with worm harnesses and stick baits. 

Yellow perch fishing has been good weather permitting in 42’ of water N of Gordon Park in Cleveland, in 38’ of water N of Bratenahl, and  in 38’-42’ of water N of Mentor Lagoons.  Fishing has been very good in 40-43’ of water N of the Ashtabula and in 28-42’ NW of Conneaut.   Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.  Shore fishing has been good off the E. 55th St and E. 72 nd St piers in Cleveland.  Anglers are using spreaders with shiners and the mornings have been best. 

Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in 15 to 25’ of water around harbor areas in Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut.  Largemouth bass are also being caught in the same areas. Anglers are using drop shot rigs with rubber worms, soft-craws, leeches, tube jigs, and crankbaits.

The water temperature is 63 degrees off of Toledo and 53 degrees off of Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.

Maumee River and Sandusky River walleye fishing reports

OHIO RIVER

Meldahl Dam (Clermont County) – Channel catfish are being taken in good numbers all along the river. Try chicken livers, shrimp, or night crawlers fished on the bottom.

R.C Byrd (Gallia County) – Anglers looking for catfish should see continued success this week.  Popular baits in the past have included white twister tails and grubs, bucktails, night crawlers, minnows, and cut bait.  Hybrid striped bass may still be caught, but success will start to slow.  Try using plastic shad, shadrap, or flukes.  Sauger may also be caught downstream of the dam, try using white or chartreuse twister tails and grubs.