CENTRAL OHIO
Deer Creek Lake (Fayette and Pickaway counties) – This 1,287-acre lake southwest of Columbus provides good largemouth bass and crappie fishing. Fish shoreline cover and riprap for largemouth bass; throwing creature baits, tubes and crankbaits is popular. When crappie fishing use a minnow suspended under a bobber for best results. Crappies must be nine inches or longer to keep. When fishing for catfish using cut shad, shrimp or catfish baits can be productive.
O’Shaughnessy Reservoir (Delaware County) – Saugeyes are being caught trolling worm harnesses and small crankbaits in the south end of the reservoir. Bluegills are being caught in the north end and on shallow flats of the lake using wax worms and night crawlers. Largemouth bass are being found lake-wide around shoreline cover. Also fish secondary points and riprap areas. Try crankbaits, spinner baits, and tube baits in morning and evening for best results.
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NORTHWEST OHIO
Shelby Reservoir #3 (Richland County) – Excellent catches of bluegill and sunfish are being taken at Shelby #3. Fishing wax worms or pieces of night crawler under a slip bobber is working great. Mornings and evenings are the best times. Near the dock or the boat ramp is the best spot.
Black Fork River (Richland County) – Excellent catches of catfish are being reported. Fishing night crawlers, shrimp or liver on the bottom is the best bet. Fish any of the bridges or the access areas…these fish are being caught everywhere along the river.
Charles Mill (Richland County) – Good catches of bass are being reported at Charles Mill. Casting crankbaits and spinners are working great. Fair numbers of catfish are being taken here. Fishing night crawlers or shrimp is working the best. The most productive spots are near the 430 Bridge and the eagle Point Campground.
Upper Sandusky Reservoir #2 (Wyandot County) – Channel catfish are being taken in the evenings by fishing cut bait on the bottom. The beach area and the north shore are the best spots. Largemouth bass are being taken in the mornings and evenings by casting spinner baits and shallow diving crankbaits. The south and east shores and among the standing trees are the best spots.
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NORTHEAST OHIO
Tappan Lake (Harrison County) - Bass are being caught on crankbaits and Texas-rigged worms. Try shad or chartreuse patterned crankbaits around drop-offs and points. Worms can be effective in the same areas, but can also be worked through weedbeds and fallen trees. Early in the day or cloudy conditions are producing best. Wheelchair accessible shoreline fishing facilities are available.
Atwood Lake (Carroll and Tuscarawas counties) - The catfish bite has been turning on at Atwood Lake, with bank anglers catching good numbers of channel catfish and the occasional flathead. Slip-sinker rigs fished on the bottom with night crawlers or shiners have been the bait of choice, fished near the dam or the overpasses.
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SOUTHEAST OHIO
Hocking River (Athens and Hocking counties) – Anglers have been catching smallmouth bass in the river from Enterprise to Nelsonville and also at White’s Mill in Athens County. Most anglers have been fishing from canoes or shoreline and casting minnows or artificial baits including spinner baits or jigs. Cast into current or areas with submerged structure. There is a 15 inch size limit and daily bag limit of one for smallmouth bass on the Hocking River from state Route 93 to State Route 278. Channel catfish have also been biting at White’s Mill on cut baits, bluegill and minnows.
Piedmont Lake (Belmont County) – Nice catches of bluegill are still being caught in the seven to nine inch range by anglers fishing along the shore in four to five feet of water in the upper reaches of coves. Larval baits such as wax worms, mealworms, and redworms are the preferred baits. Channel catfish anglers should try fishing night crawlers using tight-line techniques in the shallow coves of the lake. Channel catfish are being caught using night crawlers and chicken livers.
Seneca Lake (Guernsey and Noble counties) –Saugeye angling success has improved this week with catches running in the 15 to 19 inch range. Most saugeye are being caught on twister jigs tipped with a night crawler and fished on a slow retrieve along the bottom. Saugeye are being caught around the upper island and in Cadillac Bay. Channel catfish anglers are having good success fishing from the shore at access points along State Route 313. Most catfish anglers are using night crawlers and chicken livers for bait.
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SOUTHWEST OHIO
East Fork Lake (Clermont County) – Crappies are being caught by anglers using live minnows as bait. When using live bait, choose a fine wire hook in the size range of #6 to 8. Cast into areas with submerged trees and brush. Keep the bait under a slip bobber and between 12 to 15 feet deep. Good fishing opportunities abound in the area around the island, Saddle dam, and near the beaches. Largemouth bass are being caught by using plastic chartreuse, black, or green colored worms on a Texas rig, or plastic lizards as bait. Cast into areas with submerged trees or brush. Keep the bait about four to five feet deep. Channel catfish are being caught using chicken livers, cut bait, or soft crawdads as bait. Keep the bait under a bobber and off of the bottom. Channel catfish are being caught off of Tunnel Mill. Hybrid striped bass are being caught in shallow water one to three feet deep by fishing with chicken liver or night crawlers as bait. Keep the bait just off of the bottom.
Acton Lake (Preble County) – Channel catfish are biting on chicken liver fished along the bottom. Fishing for channel catfish is productive anywhere in the lake. Saugeye on the Butler County side of lake are being caught by anglers using minnows or artificial bait. Keep the bait between 10 and 12 feet deep for the best results. Crappies are hitting on minnows fished six to eight feet under bobber. Keep the bait near downed trees and brush.
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LAKE ERIE
** The daily bag limit for Lake Erie walleye is 6 fish per angler. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15”. **
** The daily bag limit for Lake Erie yellow perch is 25 fish per angler in waters west of the Huron pier. The limit will remain at 30 fish per angler in Ohio waters from Huron eastward. Any boats landing west of Huron, Ohio will be subject to the 25 fish daily bag limit, while boats landing at Huron or points east will be subject to a 30 fish daily bag limit. Shore-based anglers west of the Huron pier will be subject to a 25 fish daily bag limit, while those on the pier and eastward will remain at 30 fish daily. **
** From May 16 through August 31 the steelhead daily bag limit is 5 fish. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches. **
** May 1 through June 26 is closed to possession (catch and release only) for black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) with the limit returning to 5 fish on June 27, 2009 with a 14” minimum size limit. **
Western Basin
Walleye fishing was slow in the western basin during the week of June 22. The best fishing has been five to 10 miles E of Kelleys Island shoal up to the canadian border. Farther west the best fishing has been between West Sister Island, the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel and the gravel pit. Drifters are using bottom bouncers with worm harnesses or are casting mayfly rigs. Trollers were catching fish on worm harnesses fished with inline weights or bottom bouncers, and also on spoons fished with dipsy divers or jet divers.
Yellow perch fishing has been best around Green Island and between Kelleys Island and Marblehead. Perch spreaders or crappie rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Central Basin
Walleye fishing has been good at the N end of the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, in 65-72’ NW off Edgewater State Park, 61-66 NW off Wildwood State Park, and 65-75’ NE and NW off Fairport. Trollers are using green, yellow jacket, orange, silver, and purple worm harnesses, crank baits, stick baits, and spoons off jet divers, dipsy divers and planer boards. Anglers are fishing down 30 to 40‘. The best times are in the evening and early morning.
Yellow perch fishing has been good in 28-32’ NW of Rocky River, 37-43’ NW off Edgewater State Park, 38-40’ N of Fairport, and 38-42’ NW off Conneaut. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.
Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in 10 to 25’ around harbor areas in Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Fish are being caught on pumpkinseed, green or brown tube jigs, jigs tipped with minnows, leeches, and by trolling crankbaits.
Steelhead are being caught by anglers trolling for walleye. The best location has been NE and NW of Fairport in 72-76’. See the walleye section for trolling details.
Based on the nearshore marine forecast the water temperature is 71 off of Toledo and 66 off of Cleveland.
Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating.
View the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie.
See Lake Erie boating information, safety tips, and launch ramps.
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OHIO RIVER
Monroe County - Anglers accessing the Ohio River from the Powhatan Point Wildlife Management Area (near Opossum Run Road and State Route 7) have had success fishing for Catfish using bluegill and other bait fish or night crawlers. Anglers have been still fishing from the banks along the River. To access the River by boat in Monroe County anglers can launch from old lock 15 south of Hannibal on State Route 7 or into Sunfish Creek in Clarington near the intersection of State Routes 78 and 7.
Meldahl Dam (Clermont County) – Anglers are reporting steady fishing, with catches of gar, catfish, and a few white bass. Try fishing up close to the dam. Daylight hours until dusk have been producing good numbers but early evening until dawn have been good for catfish. Try chicken liver or cut shad.
Report by ODNR