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Ohio Fishing Reports
| Fishing Reports for Ohio. If you have a report for your area send it to us at reports@bobberstop.com. Please put "Fishing Report" in the subject line of your e-mail and please don't forget to include the location. |
** Last Update was made on 7 - 9 - 08 ***
OHIO FISHING REPORTS - LICENSES - REGULATIONS - MAPS.
LAKE ERIE - Western Basin - Over the past week walleye fishing was slow for anglers that were
casting. Trollers are still catching fish, but the action is a littler slower than past weeks. West of the
islands the best fishing has been between West Sister Island and the turnaround buoy of the
Toledo shipping channel, between the northern cans of the Camp Perry range and West Sister
Island, and NE of Niagara Reef. Around the Island area KelleysIsland has been best with most of
the fish being caught from NW or NE of the Island. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm
harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons
with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.
The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.
Yellow perch reports have been few and far between recently. Try the green can W of Catawba,
the airport reef E of Kelleys Island, Lakeside or Cedar Point for summer yellow perch. Perch
spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Central Basin - Walleye fishing has been very good N of Cranberry Creek marina in 32’ of water, on
the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, NW of the Chagrin River in 56 to 62’ of water, NW of
Wildwood State Park in 60 to 62’ of water, N of Fairport Harbor in 60 to 72’ of water, NW of Geneva
in 60 to 72’ of water, and NW of Ashtabula in 60 to 72’ of water. Trollers are using crankbaits or
spoons and worm harnesses off jet divers, dipsy divers, planer boards and downriggers. The best
action has been 20’ down and the best spoon colors have been chartreuse, silver, orange, green
and pink.
Yellow perch fishing has been good NW of Edgewater State Park in 43 to 47’ of water, NW of
Chagrin River in 38 to 44’ of water, NW of Fairport Harbor in 45 to 55’ of water, and N of Ashtabula
in 50 to 60’ of water. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce
the most fish. Fish have ranged from 7 to 12 inches.
Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in 5 to 20’ of water around Cleveland, FairportHarbor,
Ashtabula and Conneaut harbors. Fish are being caught on watermelon, pumpkinseed and green
tube jigs.
Steelhead fishing is picking up and fish are being caught off ChagrinRiver, Fairport, Geneva and
Ashtabula. Anglers are catching steelhead on spoons while trolling for walleye.
Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 70 off of Toledo and 69 off of Cleveland.
Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device
while boating.
OHIO RIVER - Meldahl Dam (Clermont County) Anglers are reporting clearer waters with slower
flow. They’re having success on hybrids, sauger and smallmouth bass. Smallmouth bass are being
caught on firetiger Rapalas. Most reported catches at the mouth of the creek and not at the dam.
Devola Dam (Washington County) Excellent fishing, anglers are reporting striped bass and walleye
at the pool on the Devola side. Striped bass are being caught on plastic shad, shadrap and flukes.
Lock may be closed for repairs; call for current info: (740-674-4794)
CENTRAL REGION - Alum Creek Lake(DelawareCounty) – This 3,192-acre lake north of Columbus
can provide fishing action all summer long. As water temperatures have increased, fish have
moved to deeper water. Largemouth bass are being caught off of main and secondary points with
crankbaits and spinner baits. Trolling worm harnesses or crankbaits close to the bottom along
points can produce saugeye, especially at dawn and dusk. Muskellunge can provide good action
this time of year; troll crankbaits along the points and dam.
Kiser Lake (ChampaignCounty) - Largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, and sunfish are all active
now in this western ChampaignCounty lake. Largemouth bass up to five pounds can be caught
around aquatic vegetation and wood using plastics and crankbaits. Hybrid striped bass are still
present; use chicken liver fished on the bottom. Sunfish are found throughout the lake, but can be
concentrated on the north shore. Try night crawlers, wax worms or crickets under a bobber for
relaxing summer fishing. No motors allowed.
NORTHWEST REGION - Van Wert Reservoir #1 (Van Wert County) – Bluegill and sunfish are being
caught in this reservoir in good numbers. The best method for catching these is to fish night
crawlers 5-10 feet below a bobber or on the bottom.
Maumee River…Turkeyfoot Area (HenryCounty) - Channel catfish are being caught by still fishing
worms on the bottom. Daytime is producing the best results.
Maumee River…Independence Dam (HenryCounty) – Flathead catfish are being taken by still
fishing worms or minnows on the bottom during the daytime.
Clear Fork Reservoir (Richland County) – Good catches of bass are being taken by fishing spinner
baits and deep diving crankbaits. Fish these lures down in about 14-20 feet of water. Bluegill and
sunfish are being taken by fishing worms on the bottom. Good results from fishing along the
shoreline. Fair catches of catfish are being reported as well. Fishing shrimp and chicken livers
from the bottom near bridges is working great for these catfish.
Pleasant Hill Lake(RichlandCounty) – Fair numbers of Saugeye in the 22 inch size are being caught
at Pleasant Hill. Drifting worms on the bottom or casting jigs and night crawlers in 8-10 feet of water
are working great.
NORTHEAST REGION - TuscarawasRiver (Stark County) - Catfish near the low head dam area off
of Third Street or near the Cherry Street Bridge can be caught when weather conditions are
appropriate. Chicken livers, shrimp, or stink baits are the most popular baits. One lucky angler even
caught a stray rainbow trout which may have been an escapee from the LockFourCanal stocking a
while back.
Berlin Reservoir (Mahoning, Portage, and Stark counties) – Anglers visiting this 3,321-acre lake are
catching walleyes while drifting the humps between the RR tracks and SR 224. Popular baits include
crawlers on pink, white, or orange jigheads. In the latter part of last week, anglers picked up ‘eyes
while trolling crankbaits as well. Yellow perch, firetigers (a crankbait adorned in an assortment of
colors), and chartreuse patterns have been working well for walleyes, crappie, and catfish. Please
call ahead to the Army Corp of Engineers for water conditions – (330) 547-5445.
SOUTHWEST REGION - Great Miami River and Twin Creek (Montgomery County) -Smallmouth are
still hitting in areas of good habitat along length of the river. Successful anglers are wading shallow
areas and casting craw colored tube baits near shore around riffles and other structure. They will
occasionally catch hungry channel catfish using this technique. Fishing at the dams during flooded
or higher than normal times is when local experts catch the most (all species). Use good judgment
as safety is very important during these times. Twin Creeki s also producing great numbers of
smallmouth using the techniques listed above. Fish Twin when it is at normal pool or slightly
stained. It recovers fairly quickly from flooding but, avoid it when high as you won't catch much.
LakeLoramie(ShelbyCounty) – Channel and bullhead catfish are being caught by anglers using
chicken livers, cut bait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers as bait. Cast from the shoreline and into areas
with deeper water around the east end of the lake. Fish the bait under a bobber, keeping the bait
between three to six feet deep. Anglers are catching largemouth bass using crankbaits, spinner
baits, small top-water lures, or surface lures. Keep the bait about four to six feet deep and along
the rocky bottom areas near woody debris. Successful anglers are fishing early morning or late
evening.
PaintCreekLake(HighlandCounty) – Bluegills and sunfish are being caught by anglers using red
worms or wax worms as bait. Fish the bait under a slip bobber and keep the bait about three to four
feet deep. Look for good fishing in the creek channels in the upper end of the lake known as
Rattlesnake and Paint Creek. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers,
crawdads, stink bait, or night crawlers as bait. Fish the bait along the rocky bottom areas.
Largemouth bass are being caught by anglers using jigs with plastic bodies, spinner baits, small top
water lures, or plastic worms as bait. Choose an artificial lure or jig colored black or pumpkinseed.
Cast into area with woody debris or rocks along the creek channel banks. Fish the bait slowly along
the bottom in water about four to five feet deep.
Cowan Lake(ClintonCounty) – Channel catfish are being caught at night by anglers using chicken
livers, cut bait, shrimp, nightcrawlers, or sunfish as bait. Keep the bait just off of the bottom and in
about three to six foot water depths. The best areas are near the dam off of State Route 380, or
the shoreline fishing piers near the park office. Bait and boat rentals are available at the marina on
the south shore near State Route 380.
Bluegills provide additional fishing opportunities. Use red worms, wax worms, and larval baits
beneath a bobber.
CaesarCreekLake (WarrenCounty) – Muskie anglers continue to be successful. Anglers report
catching 30 to 40 inch muskie with numerous follows. Try casting large bucktail spinners, jerk baits,
or crankbaits around standing or fallen timber in coves or along main lake shorelines. If you catch a
muskie, please report it to the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Musky Angler Log by going to http://www.
ohiodnr.com/muskielog/welcome.aspx . Try trolling crankbaits or inline spinners tipped with a night
crawler, and casting a jig tipped with a night crawler to catch saugeye. Try fishing the island area
between the buoyed hazard area and the campground boat ramp. A few crappie are still being
caught by anglers fishing deep water woody structure with minnows under a bobber and small hair
or tube jigs in white or chartreuse. Bluegills are being caught in the coves around woody structure.
Try using wax worms or redworms fished under a bobber. Use spinner baits and crankbaits around
shoreline cover for bass early in the morning or late in the evening.
SOUTHEAST REGION - AEP Recreation Lands (Morgan, Muskingum, and Noble counties) – Angler
pressure has been light and few fish are being caught. Successful anglers are catching bluegill in
the six to eight inch range using wax worms suspended under a bobber. Some largemouth bass
have been caught using topwater or spinnerbaits.
LakeLogan(HockingCounty) – The best fishing in this 317-acre lake has been for catfish. Anglers
along the shorelines have been catching channel catfish in the 10 to 20 inch range. Successful
baits include night crawlers or cut baits. Some crappie can be caught using minnows fished with a
jig or twister tails. The bluegill bite continues to be fair, with several smaller fish being caught using
the traditional worm fished under a bobber.
Report By: ODNR
OHIO FISHING REPORTS - LICENSES - REGULATIONS - MAPS.
LAKE ERIE - Western Basin - Over the past week walleye fishing was slow for anglers that were
casting. Trollers are still catching fish, but the action is a littler slower than past weeks. West of the
islands the best fishing has been between West Sister Island and the turnaround buoy of the
Toledo shipping channel, between the northern cans of the Camp Perry range and West Sister
Island, and NE of Niagara Reef. Around the Island area KelleysIsland has been best with most of
the fish being caught from NW or NE of the Island. Drifting with bottom bouncers and worm
harnesses or casting mayfly rigs has been productive. Trollers have been catching fish on spoons
with divers, or worm harnesses fished with inline weights, snap weights, bottom bouncers, or divers.
The best spoon colors have been pinks and purples.
Yellow perch reports have been few and far between recently. Try the green can W of Catawba,
the airport reef E of Kelleys Island, Lakeside or Cedar Point for summer yellow perch. Perch
spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Central Basin - Walleye fishing has been very good N of Cranberry Creek marina in 32’ of water, on
the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, NW of the Chagrin River in 56 to 62’ of water, NW of
Wildwood State Park in 60 to 62’ of water, N of Fairport Harbor in 60 to 72’ of water, NW of Geneva
in 60 to 72’ of water, and NW of Ashtabula in 60 to 72’ of water. Trollers are using crankbaits or
spoons and worm harnesses off jet divers, dipsy divers, planer boards and downriggers. The best
action has been 20’ down and the best spoon colors have been chartreuse, silver, orange, green
and pink.
Yellow perch fishing has been good NW of Edgewater State Park in 43 to 47’ of water, NW of
Chagrin River in 38 to 44’ of water, NW of Fairport Harbor in 45 to 55’ of water, and N of Ashtabula
in 50 to 60’ of water. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce
the most fish. Fish have ranged from 7 to 12 inches.
Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in 5 to 20’ of water around Cleveland, FairportHarbor,
Ashtabula and Conneaut harbors. Fish are being caught on watermelon, pumpkinseed and green
tube jigs.
Steelhead fishing is picking up and fish are being caught off ChagrinRiver, Fairport, Geneva and
Ashtabula. Anglers are catching steelhead on spoons while trolling for walleye.
Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 70 off of Toledo and 69 off of Cleveland.
Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device
while boating.
OHIO RIVER - Meldahl Dam (Clermont County) Anglers are reporting clearer waters with slower
flow. They’re having success on hybrids, sauger and smallmouth bass. Smallmouth bass are being
caught on firetiger Rapalas. Most reported catches at the mouth of the creek and not at the dam.
Devola Dam (Washington County) Excellent fishing, anglers are reporting striped bass and walleye
at the pool on the Devola side. Striped bass are being caught on plastic shad, shadrap and flukes.
Lock may be closed for repairs; call for current info: (740-674-4794)
CENTRAL REGION - Alum Creek Lake(DelawareCounty) – This 3,192-acre lake north of Columbus
can provide fishing action all summer long. As water temperatures have increased, fish have
moved to deeper water. Largemouth bass are being caught off of main and secondary points with
crankbaits and spinner baits. Trolling worm harnesses or crankbaits close to the bottom along
points can produce saugeye, especially at dawn and dusk. Muskellunge can provide good action
this time of year; troll crankbaits along the points and dam.
Kiser Lake (ChampaignCounty) - Largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, and sunfish are all active
now in this western ChampaignCounty lake. Largemouth bass up to five pounds can be caught
around aquatic vegetation and wood using plastics and crankbaits. Hybrid striped bass are still
present; use chicken liver fished on the bottom. Sunfish are found throughout the lake, but can be
concentrated on the north shore. Try night crawlers, wax worms or crickets under a bobber for
relaxing summer fishing. No motors allowed.
NORTHWEST REGION - Van Wert Reservoir #1 (Van Wert County) – Bluegill and sunfish are being
caught in this reservoir in good numbers. The best method for catching these is to fish night
crawlers 5-10 feet below a bobber or on the bottom.
Maumee River…Turkeyfoot Area (HenryCounty) - Channel catfish are being caught by still fishing
worms on the bottom. Daytime is producing the best results.
Maumee River…Independence Dam (HenryCounty) – Flathead catfish are being taken by still
fishing worms or minnows on the bottom during the daytime.
Clear Fork Reservoir (Richland County) – Good catches of bass are being taken by fishing spinner
baits and deep diving crankbaits. Fish these lures down in about 14-20 feet of water. Bluegill and
sunfish are being taken by fishing worms on the bottom. Good results from fishing along the
shoreline. Fair catches of catfish are being reported as well. Fishing shrimp and chicken livers
from the bottom near bridges is working great for these catfish.
Pleasant Hill Lake(RichlandCounty) – Fair numbers of Saugeye in the 22 inch size are being caught
at Pleasant Hill. Drifting worms on the bottom or casting jigs and night crawlers in 8-10 feet of water
are working great.
NORTHEAST REGION - TuscarawasRiver (Stark County) - Catfish near the low head dam area off
of Third Street or near the Cherry Street Bridge can be caught when weather conditions are
appropriate. Chicken livers, shrimp, or stink baits are the most popular baits. One lucky angler even
caught a stray rainbow trout which may have been an escapee from the LockFourCanal stocking a
while back.
Berlin Reservoir (Mahoning, Portage, and Stark counties) – Anglers visiting this 3,321-acre lake are
catching walleyes while drifting the humps between the RR tracks and SR 224. Popular baits include
crawlers on pink, white, or orange jigheads. In the latter part of last week, anglers picked up ‘eyes
while trolling crankbaits as well. Yellow perch, firetigers (a crankbait adorned in an assortment of
colors), and chartreuse patterns have been working well for walleyes, crappie, and catfish. Please
call ahead to the Army Corp of Engineers for water conditions – (330) 547-5445.
SOUTHWEST REGION - Great Miami River and Twin Creek (Montgomery County) -Smallmouth are
still hitting in areas of good habitat along length of the river. Successful anglers are wading shallow
areas and casting craw colored tube baits near shore around riffles and other structure. They will
occasionally catch hungry channel catfish using this technique. Fishing at the dams during flooded
or higher than normal times is when local experts catch the most (all species). Use good judgment
as safety is very important during these times. Twin Creeki s also producing great numbers of
smallmouth using the techniques listed above. Fish Twin when it is at normal pool or slightly
stained. It recovers fairly quickly from flooding but, avoid it when high as you won't catch much.
LakeLoramie(ShelbyCounty) – Channel and bullhead catfish are being caught by anglers using
chicken livers, cut bait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers as bait. Cast from the shoreline and into areas
with deeper water around the east end of the lake. Fish the bait under a bobber, keeping the bait
between three to six feet deep. Anglers are catching largemouth bass using crankbaits, spinner
baits, small top-water lures, or surface lures. Keep the bait about four to six feet deep and along
the rocky bottom areas near woody debris. Successful anglers are fishing early morning or late
evening.
PaintCreekLake(HighlandCounty) – Bluegills and sunfish are being caught by anglers using red
worms or wax worms as bait. Fish the bait under a slip bobber and keep the bait about three to four
feet deep. Look for good fishing in the creek channels in the upper end of the lake known as
Rattlesnake and Paint Creek. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers,
crawdads, stink bait, or night crawlers as bait. Fish the bait along the rocky bottom areas.
Largemouth bass are being caught by anglers using jigs with plastic bodies, spinner baits, small top
water lures, or plastic worms as bait. Choose an artificial lure or jig colored black or pumpkinseed.
Cast into area with woody debris or rocks along the creek channel banks. Fish the bait slowly along
the bottom in water about four to five feet deep.
Cowan Lake(ClintonCounty) – Channel catfish are being caught at night by anglers using chicken
livers, cut bait, shrimp, nightcrawlers, or sunfish as bait. Keep the bait just off of the bottom and in
about three to six foot water depths. The best areas are near the dam off of State Route 380, or
the shoreline fishing piers near the park office. Bait and boat rentals are available at the marina on
the south shore near State Route 380.
Bluegills provide additional fishing opportunities. Use red worms, wax worms, and larval baits
beneath a bobber.
CaesarCreekLake (WarrenCounty) – Muskie anglers continue to be successful. Anglers report
catching 30 to 40 inch muskie with numerous follows. Try casting large bucktail spinners, jerk baits,
or crankbaits around standing or fallen timber in coves or along main lake shorelines. If you catch a
muskie, please report it to the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Musky Angler Log by going to http://www.
ohiodnr.com/muskielog/welcome.aspx . Try trolling crankbaits or inline spinners tipped with a night
crawler, and casting a jig tipped with a night crawler to catch saugeye. Try fishing the island area
between the buoyed hazard area and the campground boat ramp. A few crappie are still being
caught by anglers fishing deep water woody structure with minnows under a bobber and small hair
or tube jigs in white or chartreuse. Bluegills are being caught in the coves around woody structure.
Try using wax worms or redworms fished under a bobber. Use spinner baits and crankbaits around
shoreline cover for bass early in the morning or late in the evening.
SOUTHEAST REGION - AEP Recreation Lands (Morgan, Muskingum, and Noble counties) – Angler
pressure has been light and few fish are being caught. Successful anglers are catching bluegill in
the six to eight inch range using wax worms suspended under a bobber. Some largemouth bass
have been caught using topwater or spinnerbaits.
LakeLogan(HockingCounty) – The best fishing in this 317-acre lake has been for catfish. Anglers
along the shorelines have been catching channel catfish in the 10 to 20 inch range. Successful
baits include night crawlers or cut baits. Some crappie can be caught using minnows fished with a
jig or twister tails. The bluegill bite continues to be fair, with several smaller fish being caught using
the traditional worm fished under a bobber.
Report By: ODNR
