# ODNR Fish Report 8/23/06



## Big Daddy

Wildlife News
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife

The Fish Ohio Report

August 23, 2006


CENTRAL OHIO
Kokosing Reservoir (Knox County)  This is a 149-acre lake in Knox County that offers fishing opportunities for largemouth bass, crappies, and channel catfish. Largemouth bass can be taken at the drop-offs along the old creek channel and near downed trees and other cover. Use soft plastic baits such as tube baits and shad colored plastic worms, small spinner baits, deep running crank baits, and live bait (worms, minnows and crayfish) during the early morning and evening hours. Channel catfish can be caught by fishing along the bottom with cut baits, prepared baits, and night crawlers. In September, an additional 3,725 yearling catfish will be stocked here. There is a 10-horsepower limit at this reservoir.
OShaughnessy Reservoir (Delaware County)  This 845-acre lake in the northwest area of Columbus is an excellent largemouth bass fishery. Try spinner baits, buzzbaits, tube baits, creature baits, and live bait (worms, minnows and crayfish) along the brush and fallen trees of the shoreline. If shad are present in the shoreline vegetation, try a small, slow-rolled spinner bait along the edges and openings. Shoreline cover all around the lake offers good opportunities for anglers to catch bluegills. Most of these fish measure six to seven inches and can be taken in shallow water when using meal worms, red worms, and larval baits. Fish along the shoreline and upper lake mud flats with traditional baits like night crawlers, shrimp, or cut baits, when seeking channel catfish. Remember, 86,880 fingerling saugeye were stocked last May as part of a continuous stocking program.

NORTHWEST OHIO
Fostoria Reservoirs 3, 5 and 6 (Hancock County)  or Lake Lamberjack, Lake LeComte, and Veterans Memorial Reservoir. These reservoirs are located in and around the City of Fostoria in the Northeast corner of Hancock County. Some really nice channel catfish are being caught using worms and shrimp, while either drifting or trolling during the morning or evening. In addition, in Lake LeComte, and Veterans Memorial Reservoir, yellow perch are being caught with worms and shiners using the same methods. If cast fishing is more to your liking, try fishing the shoreline using rubber worms or crawdads for largemouth bass in either Lake Lamberjack, or Veterans Memorial Reservoir during the evenings.

Findlay Reservoirs 1 and 2 (Hancock County)  These two reservoirs are located on the east side of the City of Findlay in central Hancock County. Here again fishing is dominated by bottom fishing for channel catfish and yellow perch with worm, while drifting or still fishing in the mornings and evenings.

Barton Lake/St. Joe River Wildlife Area (Williams County)  Anglers are taking Fish Ohio-size carp using a combination of canned corn and dough balls fished on the bottom. Use a #6 treble hook to hold the bait. Fish the bait without any weight on your line, and keep your bail open so you don't lose your rod and reel when the carp take the bait.

Maumee River/Independence Dam State Park (Lucas/Wood Counties)  Anglers are taking channel catfish and flathead catfish on a variety of baits fished on the bottom. Use live creek chubs or bluegills for the flatheads and night crawlers, chicken livers, or shrimp for the channel catfish. The Maumee River is producing catfish from the Indiana line to the mouth of Lake Erie. Other good areas include Mary Jane Thurston State Park and the Toledo Metro Park access sites along the river.

Oxbow Lake/Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area (Defiance County)  Anglers are taking good numbers of largemouth bass by slowly crawling Texas rigged plastic worms with 1/8 ounce bullet sinkers. 

NORTHEAST OHIO

Guilford Lake (Columbiana County) - Crappies ranging six to 13-inches (catching a 13-inch crappie qualifies for a Fish OHIO! award) are biting on live bait and white twister tails at this 328-acre lake located four miles northwest of Lisbon on State Route 172. Black crappie is the dominant species in these waters, but white crappie can be caught as well. Largemouth bass, three to five pounds on average, are hitting on rubber worms. Bass anglers are having the most luck along the docks, but anglers seeking crappie should check out the fishing pier on the south side of the lake. Wheelchair accessible shoreline facilities available, 10-horsepower limit.

Tuscarawas River (Tuscarawas County) - The Tuscarawas River is great location to catch a large diversity of fish. Smallmouth bass, saugeye, channel catfish, and flathead catfish are all being caught by anglers with a variety of baits. For eight to 14-inch smallmouth, anglers should target rocky structure just out of the main current with jigs or crayfish fished on the bottom. Saugeye are also hitting on jigs and curly tails fished in the deeper pools of water near structure, such as woody debris. Anglers should try tipping jigs with minnows or earthworms. A fair number of saugeye averaging between 10 and 17-inches are being caught. Channel catfish and flathead catfish are ranging between 10 and 16-inches and 12 to 25-inches respectively and are being caught in better than average numbers. It is suggested that anglers should fish tight-line on the bottom with cut bait, stink bait, chicken liver, earthworms or live minnows in the three to five inch size. Fishing these baits near undercut banks or wooden debris piles has enticed both catfish species. The best access is the Dover Dam off of State Route 800 to points south (public access). Note: Most of the land along the river is in private ownership and access from shore is limited. A public boat ramp has been constructed east of Tuscarawas, Ohio on Tuscarawas Road. Anglers should get permission from the landowner to access private shorelines. Canoe and boat anglers are experiencing excellent catches of fish. 

SOUTHWEST OHIO

Acton Lake (Preble County)  Channel catfish are biting on creek chubs or night crawlers fished along the bottom or between eight to 19 feet of water. Best times are during the late evening or early morning hours. Fishing for channel catfish is productive throughout the lake. Bluegills are being caught by anglers using wax worms or night crawlers as bait. Saugeye are biting on a variety of lures fished greater than eight feet deep. Anglers are having success catching saugeye by using soft bodied lures colored pumpkinseed or chartreuse, minnows, or night crawlers in bottom bouncing rigs.

Rocky Fork Lake (Highland County)  Crappies are being caught by anglers fishing live crappie minnows. Fish the bait at least 18 feet deep. Use a fine wire hook in the size range of #6 to 8. Bluegill and sunfish are being caught by anglers using wax worms or night crawlers as bait. Place the bait on a #6 fine wire hook and cast into areas with submerged trees and brush or along the docks. Keep the bait under a bobber or slip bobber and between two to eight feet deep. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken liver or night crawlers as bait. Use a #8, 1/0, or 2/0 long shanked hook. Keep the bait under a bobber and off of the bottom. Fish the bait close to the shoreline. Largemouth bass are being caught by anglers fishing around the boat docks, into the coves, along the shore, or in water that is eight to 10 feet deep. Soft craws and glow-in-the-dark night crawlers are working very well as bait.

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Lake Logan (Hocking County)  Several nice largemouth bass were caught over the weekend in the two to three pound range with some fish weighing up to four pounds. Spinner baits were the lure of choice with most anglers fishing the shorelines from a boat.

Seneca Lake (Noble County)  Fishing for catfish at this lake is best along the south end of the lake near State Route 147. Cast along the shoreline with chicken liver, night crawlers, or shrimp to catch catfish in the one to three pound range. Boat fishermen should fish in the channel areas of either Wills Creek or Beaver Creek.

Muskingum River (Coshocton, Morgan, and Washington counties)  Catfish anglers are still active and are successful with some quality catches of fish during water rises after rainfall events. Anglers continue to catch flathead catfish using live suckers, goldfish, and sunfish. Channel catfish anglers have been most successful using night crawlers, chicken livers, and cut bait from the river. Most channel catfish were reported to be in the weight range of four pounds to six pounds. The Muskingum River has individual flathead catfish up to 50 pounds as indicated from past netting surveys. Most flatheads were in the 12 to 18 pound range. The most productive sites continue to be at any of the low-head dams and at the mouth of larger tributary streams. Water conditions are low and clear but are subject to the influence of local watershed events from sudden thunderstorms. 

LAKE ERIE
**The walleye daily bag limit is six (6) fish. A 15-inch minimum size limit for walleye remains in effect for the entire season. The Lake Erie daily bag limit for yellow perch is 40 fish. The daily bag limit for black bass on Lake Erie is five (5). The minimum size limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 14-inches. The steelhead trout bag limit is five (5). The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12-inches.**

Western Basin - Walleye fishing has slowed down the last few days. The best areas were N of B and C cans of the Camp Perry range, NE of West Sister Island, and W of Middle Island. Drifters are using mayfly rigs or weight forward spinners, while most trollers are using worm harnesses or spoons with jet or dipsy divers. The best spoon colors have been patterns that include gold and purple or red. Yellow perch fishing is improving in the western basin and should continue to improve as we head into fall. The best areas have been Little Cedar Pt., "B" and "C" cans off Camp Perry, SW of Kelleys Island, S of Rattlesnake Island, NW of Green Island, and NE of Ballast Island. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. White bass fishing has been excellent off of the Cedar Point breakwall and foghorn. 

Central Basin - Walleye fishing in the central basin has been very good. Fish have been caught on the S end of the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, eight to 10 miles out N of the Cleveland Crib in 60 feet of water, 12 miles N Eastlake in 68-70 feet of water, 10 to 12 miles NW of Geneva in 70 to 72 feet of water, and 10 to 12 miles N of Ashtabula in 70 to 72 feet of water. Fish have been caught on worm harnesses or spoons (colored in white/red, purple/black, or copper) trolled with dipsy divers or jet divers off planer boards. Some anglers are also drifting worm harnesses. Fish are suspended and anglers are fishing down 35 to 50 feet. Yellow perch fishing is improving in the central basin with good catches reported one-half to two miles off Vermilion, Lorain and Avon Pt., four miles N of Bratenahl in 39 feet of water, four miles N of Eastlake in 42 feet of water, less than two miles NW of Fairport in 40 to 50 feet of water, and less than two miles N of Ashtabula and Conneaut in 35 to 55 feet of water. Fish have ranged from seven to 11-inches. Perch rigs with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent on Ruggles Reef between Huron and Vermilion, and along the shoreline from Fairport Harbor to Conneaut in 15 to 29 feet of water. Fish have been caught on goby color tube jigs, goby color drop shot rigs, jigs tipped with minnows or leeches, or by trolling crankbaits. The best white bass fishing has been one-half mile N of Eastlake CEI power plant. Anglers are using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails. Shore anglers are catching white bass at the Eastlake CEI, Mentor Headlands lighthouse, Wildwood State Park, Rocky River, Avon Lake and Lorain piers using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails or small spoons.

Lake Erie surface temperatures are around 73 degrees.

To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?file=forecasts/marine/great_lakes/le/lez160.txt 

OHIO RIVER

Greenup Dam (Scioto County)  Water levels have been low and slightly cloudy throughout the past week. Angler success for hybrid striped bass as well as white bass has been fair; most anglers have been fishing the concrete walkway on the Ohio side of the dam. For hybrid stripers, try skipjack, both live and cut as well as white three and a half inch twister tails on a jig. Anglers are having success fishing on the bottom at night for catfish using cut baits and chicken livers.


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## soroker74

Thanks I will be going out literally all day for perch and walleye. So, I guess central basin would be the place to be for both species of perch. We apreciate the reports and updates of the active and most effective spots of the most tastiest lake erie fish out there.

soroker74 :B


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