# ODNR Fish Report 9/29/04



## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Go get "em!!!!!

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife 
The Fish Ohio Report 

September 29, 2004 

Tip of the Week - Some lakes may be starting to experience fall rollover. This is a natural process during which water of different temperatures mix up and cause a muddy appearance in the water. If your usual fishing hole is experiencing rollover, just try moving down the lake a bit. Different parts of lakes may rollover at different times.

CENTRAL OHIO
Griggs Reservoir (Franklin County) - This is a great time for bass fishing and smallmouth and largemouth bass are becoming more active now in shallow water. Spinner baits and shallow running crank baits are preferred lures. Most bass will measure 12 to 16 inches. Anglers should expect to find largemouths in the upper end of the reservoir north of the island. Fish the steep shoreline and try to get out there before many leaves start falling off the trees. Night fishing is productive along the east shoreline when seeking channel catfish. Fish with night crawlers and chicken livers on the bottom of the lake. If we get any storm events from the recent hurricanes, try saugeye fishing in the tailwater area. 

Indian Lake (Logan County) -- Saugeye fishing is picking up now that the water temperatures are dropping. Anglers are trolling crawler harnesses and minnow-type crankbaits along the rip rap shorelines and through the dredge cuts near Old Field Island on the west side of the lake, and in the areas south of Dream Bridge. Crappie fishing is HOT throughout the lake, especially near submerged cover using jigs tipped with wax worms and minnows. Bass fishing has been consistently good all year in the old game preserve and all around shoreline cover lake-wide. Largemouth bass will start using shallower cover and feed heavily on the young gizzard shad. Most bass measure 12 to 18 inches. Night fishing with minnows near the bridges is the best method for taking white bass. Night fishing in areas with moving current can produce good catches of channel catfish when using chicken livers and night crawlers. Best fishing lake-wide is during the week when boat traffic is lightest.



NORTHWEST OHIO
Sandusky River (Sandusky County) - White bass in the 15-inch range are being taken. Small twister tails and spinners seem to work the best. The best spot to fish this week seems to be below the Ballville Dam.

Paulding Reservoir (Paulding County) - Bluegills are being taken in the mornings and evenings. Fishing crickets under a bobber is the best method.

Maumee River (Paulding County) - Flathead catfish are being taken at night using night crawlers fished under a bobber. Anglers say the best spot seems to be the Sharlow Bridge.

Auglaize River (Paulding County) - Crappies are hitting on minnows fished under a bobber. Morning is the best time. According to local anglers, the best spots seem to be the 5 Span Bridge and at Oakwood.



NORTHEAST OHIO
Fairport Harbor (Lake County) - "Steelheaders" get your poles! Action is warming up near the break walls so some easy casting with silver and blue or silver and green spoons will do the trick. Daniels Park Dam (Chagrin River near Willoughby) is also providing good steelhead fishing with anything resembling baitfish (spoons, spinners, or crankbaits). Expect to catch fish ranging from an average 25 inches or 8 pounds. The dam is located near State Route 84, five miles east of State Route 91. Anglers will find adequate shoreline access along the park's edge. 

Mosquito Reservoir (Trumbull County) -- Anglers fishing at night are catching crappies off of the State Route 88 causeway. Fish 8 to 12 inches in size are hitting on minnows suspended 5 to 7 feet under a bobber. Fish concentration devices were introduced in the spring of 2003 along the southeast side of the causeway in 7 to 10 feet of water. Shore anglers and boat anglers should target this area for these tasty pan fish. Follow State Route 88 to State Route 46 (Mecca). Unlimited horsepower is permitted at this 6,550-acre lake.



SOUTHWEST OHIO
East Fork Lake (Clermont County) - From 275 take 32 East to Half Acre Road. Crappie are being caught by anglers using live minnows or 1/32 ounce jigs with plastic chartreuse colored tubes tipped with a live minnow or crappie bits made by Berkley. Fish in and around structure, such as brush piles and fallen trees. Keep the bait between 6 to 8 feet or greater than 12 feet deep. Largemouth bass are being caught using plastic worms or spinner baits. Cast into areas near woody debris, undercut banks, and submerged trees and brush. Keep the bait greater than 12 feet deep. Use a #3 sized hook. Texas rigged plastic worms are working well around submerged structures.

Paint Creek Lake (Highland County) - Bluegills and sunfish are being caught by anglers using earthworms, wax worms, rubber spiders, or red worms as bait. Choose artificial lures colored pink. Cast from the shoreline and fish the bait under a slip bobber and keep the bait about four to five feet deep. A good hook size to choose is a #6 long shank hook. Look for good fishing in areas with woody debris such as fallen trees or over-hanging brush. Also, try your hand at still fishing. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using crawdads, cut bait, or night crawlers as bait. Still-fish in the area beneath the dam. Keep the bait on a #2/0 bait-holding hook and keep it six to seven feet deep. Fish the bait along the rocky bottom areas.



SOUTHEAST OHIO

Piedmont Lake (Belmont County) - Located one mile northeast of Smyrna off of U.S. 22, this 2,310-acre Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District lake offers a variety of family recreation and fishing. ODNR Division of Wildlife today stocked approximately 2,300 advanced fingerling (10 to 13 inches) muskellunge. This lake is renowned for its giant muskellunge and has held the state record since 1972 when Joe D. Lykins caught the 55-pound champion. This lake has the potential to break that record.

Rush Creek Watershed Conservancy District Lakes (Perry County) -- Lakes at Flagdale, Twin Churches, and Falls Mills are excellent spots right now to catch bluegills and bass. Best time is late evening or early morning. Use top water lure, spinner baits, and rubber worms for bait. Bluegills will bite on live bait.

Tycoon Lake (Gallia County) - This 204-acre lake is located off State Route 554 northeast of Rio Grande. Although the lake is muddy and high from recent post-hurricane rains, bluegills and bass are keeping the anglers busy. Fish for bluegills with wax worms or minnows in four to eight feet of water close to the bank. Use buzz baits and crank baits to catch bass. 



LAKE ERIE 
** The 15" walleye minimum size limit remains in effect for the entire season. Anglers are reminded that the daily bag limit for trout and salmon on Lake Erie and its tributaries is 2, beginning September 1 through May 15, 2005. The minimum size limit is 12 inches.**



Surface temperatures are around 66 degrees.



Western Basin



Walleye --Most walleye fishing effort has shifted to the sandbar area between Huron and Avon. As water temperatures drop shallow near-shore areas and reefs around the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island will produce walleye. Troll crankbaits or spoons during low light periods for best results. 

Yellow Perch --The best fishing has been west of west reef near North Bass Island, around Niagara reef, on the gravel pit, near the Marblehead lighthouse, and near "C" can of the international border northeast of Kelleys Island. Fish just off the bottom using perch spreaders tipped with shiners. 

Smallmouth Bass -- Smallmouth bass fishing has been improving as temperatures drop and fish move near-shore. The best smallmouth bass fishing has been on the reefs of the Camp Perry firing range, around the Bass Islands, Kelleys Island and Sandusky Bay. Use tube jigs, drop shot rigs with goby imitations, soft craws or shiners for best results.



Central Basin



Walleye -- The best walleye fishing has been east of the north end of the sandbar, west of the north end of the sandbar, around Ruggles reef between Huron and Vermilion, and 7 to 9 miles northeast of Ashtabula in 68 to 70 feet of water. Trolling spoons or worm harnesses using divers or downriggers and also trolling crankbaits have produced the best catches. 

Yellow Perch -- Yellow perch fishing has been best 2 miles northeast of Lorain, east of the middle of the sandbar, 1 to 2 miles north of Vermilion, 2 to 3 miles northwest of Fairport Harbor in 50 to 55 feet of water, 3 to 4 miles north of Cleveland in 40 to 52 feet of water, and 4 miles north of Ashtabula in 55 to 60 feet of water. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up. 

Smallmouth Bass -- The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around Ruggles reef and Avon. Use tube jigs, drop shot rigs with goby imitations, soft craws or shiners for best results. 

Steelhead -- Steelheads are beginning to show up in the rivers. Over the past weekend fish were caught in Conneaut Creek up to the Rt. 7 Bridge and in the Grand River at the Fairport Harbor pier and Painesville Dam. Anglers are using spawn sacs and jigs and maggots. 

White Bass -- White bass have been caught by anglers using shiners or agitators with jigs at Edgewater and the Cleveland lakefront in 30 to 50 feet of water.



To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS61.KCLE.html



OHIO RIVER
All river conditions remain high and muddy. Recreational boating is discouraged due to possible launch ramp damage, accumulated and floating debris, and swift-moving currents.


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