# Van Wert reservoirs



## bonifas9017

Any one fish van wert reservoir 2 or 1. Need help never had any luck


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## BFG

I grew up fishing those reservoirs. Always did better in #2 than I did in #1. They started putting saugeyes in there when I was in high school (i.e. late 80's), but I caught a lot of walleyes out of there too. Best bet for me was always to fish the windy side with live bait. I would use leeches under slip bobbers with as little amount of weight as I could get. 

Used to be good amounts of white bass and crappie in there too, and I would catch those in spring/summer w/ white rooster tails and white twisters. 

Bass (largemouth and smallmouth) fishing was decent with topwater in the summer by walking the banks. 

My uncle used to do very well on yellow perch through the ice. 

Used to be some really nice channel cats that could be caught using smelt/shrimp/liver at night. Caught one that weighed 11# on the nose when I was in grade school. 

In thinking back now, there is truly no structure to those reservoirs once you get away from the bank. They are basically featureless mud flats. All of the food (with the exception of shad/shiners) lives in the nearshore rocks. This is why the early morning and late evening (and even night bite) are always the best out there. 

Best of luck to you...spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours out there as a young man with my Dad and Uncle. Remember one evening catching 10 white bass in 10 casts. Lots of fun...


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## poloaman

They are both nice if u locate the trees u can really do good on the crappies but the size is kinda small bass and Saugeyes are what we usally fish for my friend and I have caught a 9 lbs saugeye from each one I catch a 5 lbs small mouth every year from 2 and a lot of fish stack up on the old wall many saugeyes in the 3-5 lbs range are caught every year I only use artificial baits and do very well 


Polo
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## bonifas9017

Have you been there this year at all? Is the boat dock back in? 


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## poloaman

I will stop by and check on my way home tonight and let u know 


Polo
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## poloaman

Boat dock is still on ramp so no access yet unless u can carry then u can still use old one in between the two


Polo
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## bonifas9017

Ok thank. I will be home from school this coming friday I am going to try by the trees just to the left of the ramp. Any suggestion?



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## poloaman

What are u fishing for 


Polo
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## bonifas9017

Just about any thing. I would like to get some crappie and perch. And when i can get my boat in maybe some saugeye. 


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## poloaman

Well I can't help u on the perch but the crappie can be caught on small hair jigs naked or tipped with minnows under a light float. With the weather warming suspended jerk baits will take saugeye from the bank or a boat and might even land u a small mouth or two really have to work for ur catch early in the season with a lot of moving don't spend to much time in one spot unless u get in to them 


Polo
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## bonifas9017

Thanks so much



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## bonifas9017

Any location better then the other


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## poloaman

No just bring your walking shoes and keep moving unless ur targeting crappies then locate the Christmas trees and keep changing ur depth till u find them..

Upland reservoirs always take longer to warm up so keep that mind water could still be in upper 30's to low 40's so work ur bait slow long pauses on ur jerk baits.

Polo
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## SteelyDeacon

ODNR ranks these two lakes as #1 & #2 among all Ohio lakes for Smallies over 15" over the past 5 years. Anybody know anything about that by experience? If they're still around I'd like to plan a trip to test the waters.


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## bonifas9017

I know they are still in there, but I do not know about the size, last year I crappie fished and caught 20-30 10 inch smallmouth. I never fished for the big ones 



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## bonifas9017

Any been there yet. Going to try to fish the trees by the ramp. Also does anyone know where the Christmas trees are located on the second one.


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## RustyGoat

Does Van Wert still require a permit to launch a boat? I may take the kayak over there sometime.

Fished the bank one hot summer day last year and the flies were nuts. No idea where they came from but they were so bad that I cut my day short.


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## poloaman

SteelyDeacon said:


> ODNR ranks these two lakes as #1 & #2 among all Ohio lakes for Smallies over 15" over the past 5 years. Anybody know anything about that by experience? If they're still around I'd like to plan a trip to test the waters.


I catch 5 lbs every year and I fish it often as I only live 4 miles from it 


Polo
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## poloaman

bonifas9017 said:


> Any been there yet. Going to try to fish the trees by the ramp. Also does anyone know where the Christmas trees are located on the second one.
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


I know where there at but there is no real obvious landmark for me to tell u how to locate them 


Polo
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## poloaman

RustyGoat said:


> Does Van Wert still require a permit to launch a boat? I may take the kayak over there sometime.
> 
> Fished the bank one hot summer day last year and the flies were nuts. No idea where they came from but they were so bad that I cut my day short.


Yes they do it can be obtained at the parks dept. On Gleason ave. 


Polo
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