# Good cat lakes.



## Stampede

The wife and i take the boat out and fish for channel cats more than flats .What lakes,mostly in southern to mid ohio,do you consider good channel cat lakes.We fish eastfork and do good there and like going to different lakes.Also like to find some good bluegill lakes.


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## Salmonid

if you have a 9.9 or less motor, Cowan has some big channels and a few flatheads as does Acton Lake, Acton has more numbers and the average fish there is around 2lbs. 
I have never done very well at Ceasers but Im sure in the spring, the action would be great in the upper end. Deer Creek has a lot of nice channels as well with an average there of about 1.75 lbs. Paint creek is a numbers lake and Rocky Fork is a great lake for bigger fish in the spring but after that they get tough to locate. I hope this helps
Salmonid


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## poloaman

A little north but grand lake st. Marts is good


Polo
Outdoor Hub mobile


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## poloaman

Sorry st. Mary's


Polo
Outdoor Hub mobile


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## Shaun69007

DIllon has some big cats but its harder to fish. Buckeye is your best bet for numbers most fish are around the 2-5 pound range


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## timmyv

I personally love Hoover. I think it is one of the best cat lakes in the state. They just stocked Blues in there last fall so in the future it will become even better. Try the north end of the lake as most of it is one big flat. It's also a 9.9 lake which enhances your fishing experience with no crazy boat traffic. I've caught lots of large channels.


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## TomC

Indian lake. Good numbers and all sizes


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## Dr.Outdoors

Kiser Lake has always been my bread and butter. Good numbers and size. I would not recommend using nightcrawlers or shrimp. The reason why is sometimes it can be a bullhead feast. The bullheads will come up and nip on your bait every 5 seconds. You can still catch channels on nightcrawlers and shrimp its just sometimes the bullheads can be a pain. I recommend using bluegill heads for bait. You can catch them all over the lake, just make sure you have your pole in your hand or a rod holder. I have chased many on their way to the water.


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## SeanStone

I will let you in on a little trick, it's not going to land many state records, but I'd bet there are a few fish ohio's that can be had. Try fishing smaller lakes.....those guys that like to run trotlines and jug, you know the same ones who sell them to paylakes...they don't hit the small lakes, they cant get the numbers. Let them think that. If its bigger than 25 acres, personally i'd give it a shot. You'd be surprised at the size of some of the fish that come out of small lakes. When we try a new lake for cats, we usually leave the live baits at home at first and use cut bait the first couple trips. Just to establish that catfish are present, then we might bring some 6-10 inch creek chubs and use them live. Both channels and flathead love them. Just my opinion. 

Were getting a small jon boat to fish waters where it's unlikely trotlines get set in the spring. Hopefully this will increase our flathead catch rate. Last year we didn't do so hot. Some one tell ODNR that the flathead are an endangered species. Lol


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## Stampede

Thanks,gives me some new places to look at.And i've often thought of some of the smaller lakes,i'll have to check into them.


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## spfldbassguy

CJ Brown located near Springfield has numbers and some size when it comes to Channel Cats. There's also some Blues and Flatheads in there ( even though people with the state doesn't think so) and can be had. Might not catch a state record but you can most certainly have some fun fishing for cats there.


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## Stampede

I like the small lake idea.The ones that are electric motor only and even ones with no boats .What i'd want to know is how the camp grounds are and the fishing ,so any recomendations on small lakes that you've tried?


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## wave warrior

not small and might be out of your way but saltfork and seneca are both full of nice channels and have nice campgrounds


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## SeanStone

Stampede....

Each park is managed slightly different from the next. Some lakes allow tents to be placed bankside on 90 percent of the shoreline, others don't allow camping at all. Same thing goes with fires, some lakes allow them, others don't. Best thing to do is head out in the early spring and evaluate your potential spots, and when you see a park ranger wave him down and ask what you can and can't do.

We once fished a "park closes at 11" lake and for a while we'd fish from 5pm until 1050pm and we had pretty decent luck. This went on for a couple months until we spoke with a park ranger and he told us we could fish and camp all night, we just couldn't use the boat ramp/have a boat on the water after 11. Hope this helps.


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## Stampede

That's why i asked for recomendations,if anyone's been to one and would know how it was.


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## pendog66

Salmonid said:


> *if you have a 9.9 or less motor, Cowan has some big channels and a few flatheads as does Acton Lake, Acton has more numbers and the average fish there is around 2lbs. *
> I have never done very well at Ceasers but Im sure in the spring, the action would be great in the upper end. Deer Creek has a lot of nice channels as well with an average there of about 1.75 lbs. Paint creek is a numbers lake and Rocky Fork is a great lake for bigger fish in the spring but after that they get tough to locate. I hope this helps
> Salmonid


What Mark said here sums it up for Acton. The lake is littered with nice channels and you can catch them pretty much wherever you decide to throw a line in the water. In May i would watch the Bass guys catch 4-6 pounders on Buzz Baits in 15ft of water


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## Stampede

So anyone know of any smaller lakes or any lake, where you can camp up close to the lake / shore , have a fire.


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## Salmonid

perhaps you should be looking at a few of the quasi public stretches along the Ohio River? right along the banks you typically can have a fire assuming you can get down to the bank and can find enough wood to burn, just need to make sure your on a place along the bank where your not trespassing but I see alot of these types of places where everyone goes and has fires all night etc. from my boat. 

Salmonid


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## TomC

Check out Indian and st marys. Their camp grounds are right near the lake and many of the camping spots/cites back up right at the main area of the lakes.


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## zaraspook

Another vote for Grand Lake St. Mary's. GLSM always known for good numbers of channel cats and you can catch occasional flattie. State campgrounds on northeast side are right on the water and camping rates reduced at least 25% at State Park. Not sure about fires on banks.

zaraspook


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## Stampede

Wanted to bring this thread up again because i'm really interested in the small lake ideal.Leave the boat home one weekend ,camp and fish ,so any recomendations on the small lakes that have no boats.


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