# ODNR Fishing Report 8/24



## Big Daddy

Here you go!!!

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife



The Fish Ohio Report





August 25, 2004



Tip of the Week - Avoid the gooey mess. Soft plastic lures can melt other items in the tackle box like bobbers and other plastic lures. Sort all plastic lures by color and store in worm proof compartments or plastic bags. For more information on fishing, check us out on the web at www.ohiodnr.com. Enjoy.

CENTRAL OHIO
Buckeye Lake (Fairfield County) - The boat channels are good places to fish for channel catfish at night. These cats may weigh up to 20 pounds. Anglers fishing at night may also catch flathead catfish when using small sunfish and large chubs as bait. Use prepared baits, doughballs and night crawlers fished near the bottom around shallow water areas that have aquatic vegetation when fishing for carp. Look for hybrid striped bass chasing baitfish along the surface. The Cranberry Marsh and Clouse Cove areas are good locations to fish for largemouth bass using top-water baits, small spinners, soft plastic baits, and live bait during the early morning.
Knox Lake (Knox County) - Fishing for largemouth bass is difficult in August due to abundant forage fish availability. The woody shoreline cover and areas with aquatic vegetation present the best opportunities to fish for largemouth bass. The best times to fish this lake are early morning and evening. Use live bait, soft plastic baits, small crank baits, and top-water lures. Channel catfish up to ten pounds provide good fishing action at night using night crawlers, chicken livers, and cut baits. Over 10,000 yearling channel catfish were stocked in 2002. 10 horsepower limit.



NORTHWEST OHIO
Bucyrus Reservoir #1 (Crawford County) - Crappies are being taken in this reservoir. The best spot seems to be just north of the boat ramp along S.R. 98. Crappies 8 to 11 inches in size are being taken there using night crawlers.

Bucyrus Reservoir #2 (Crawford County) -- Largemouth bass are being caught in good numbers. Fish at the boat ramp or the shoreline by the spillway. Channel cats are being taken as well.

Maumee River (Henry County) - The river by Mary Jane Thurston State Park has been a hot spot for channel catfish. Worms have been the best bait fished in holes along the river bottom. Day or night will work. White bass are also being taken there during the day. Minnows or jigs are working well. The best spot is below the dam. Some gar have been caught here as well. Use minnows under a bobber during the daylight hours. 

Findlay Reservoir #1 (Hancock County) - Yellow perch are being caught in good numbers. Minnows fished at a depth of 12 to 15 feet during the day is working the best. The northwest corner is the best spot.



NORTHEAST OHIO

Lake Erie- Lorain shoreline (Lorain County) -- Limits of walleye and perch are being caught by anglers just north of Lorain. Working spreaders and minnows 2 to 5 miles offshore will bring in 6 to 11- inch perch. Drift fishing with downriggers will pull in mostly 10 to 11-inch walleyes, although anglers are catching the occasional monster at 28 inches. (This size qualifies for the Fish Ohio! award by the way.) White bass are also biting on minnows and flies near the Avon Lake pier. Remember that the daily limit of walleye is six now through February (minimum size is 15 inches) and the daily limit for perch is 30 with no size limit. Please see the 2004-2005 Ohio Fishing Regulations for more information or call 

1-800-HOOKFISH.

Atwood Lake (Carroll and Tuscarawas Counties) -- Shoreline anglers are catching 8 to 15+ inch channel catfish on all sorts of baits in this nearly 1,600-acre lake. Shrimp, liver (chicken or beef), cheese balls, dough balls, and Wheaties are excellent choices to pull in these cats. The rainstorms aren't hindering their appetites (they are helping actually), so on a rainy day, grab your raincoat and head out to Fish Ohio! An updated lake map is available at our website: http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Fishing/lakemaps/lmaps.htm or by calling the District Three office at 330-644-2293. This lake is located on State Route 212, two miles south of New Cumberland. Please use caution during periods of high water.



SOUTHWEST OHIO
Rush Run Lake (Preble County) - From I-75 to Rt. 4 to Germantown, follow SR 725 west to Gratis. Continue west on SR 725 another 3.7 miles to Wayne Trace Rd. Turn left (south), and follow Wayne Trace Rd. 3.5 miles to Northern Rd. Turn right (west), and follow Northern Rd. one mile to Pogue Frazee Rd. Turn right (north), and follow Pogue Frazee Rd. about 0.7 miles to the main parking lot for Rush Run Lake. Bluegills and sunfish are being caught by anglers using wax worms, crickets, or mealworms as bait. Crickets are the best choice. Fish the bait from a boat, pier, or shoreline and under a bobber or slip bobber. Keep the bait between 8 to 10 feet deep. Use a #6 or 2/0 long-shanked hook and size 7 sinkers. Cast from the shoreline or around the piers. If you are trying fly-fishing, explore using top water poppers. Largemouth bass are being caught by anglers using crankbaits (crawfish colored), spinner baits (white or chartreuse), top water baits (baby bass or frog colored), live minnows, surface poppers, or plastic worms as bait. Place the bait onto a 2/0 worm hook. Cast into areas with structure such as fallen trees and brush. Keep the bait under a bobber and between three to five feet deep. Work the baits off of the points and dam area of the lake. Top water lures are working well around the edges of the lake. Twitch these lures lightly to entice the bass to bite. 

Cowan Lake (Clinton County) - Located nine miles southwest of Wilmington on SR 730. Access points from S.R. 350 are Beechwood Road or Yankee Road. Access points from S.R. 730 are Sprague Road and Osborn Road. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers, cut bait, shrimp or earthworms as bait. Cast from the pier area. Keep the bait off of the bottom and about three to six feet deep. Use a #5 baitholding hook.



SOUTHEAST OHIO

Burr Oak Lake (Morgan County) - Bass, crappies, and warmouth are the fish to go after this week at this 664-acre lake located along State Routes 13 and 78 northeast of Glouster. Bass 10 to 15 inches in length can be caught on rubber worms, either red bug or June bug in color. The 17½+ inch crappies and warmouth seem to like this bait as well. Water conditions at this lake are clear and normal with water temperature around 73 degrees.

AEP ReCreation Lands (Morgan County) - Bass 2 pounds and larger in size are hitting a variety of spinner and buzz baits. The best bass fishing is experienced in those ponds where a short hike is required to access the pond. Located nine miles northeast of McConnelsville along State Routes 78 and 83, this area affords family fun for all outdoor enthusiasts. Camping facilities are available. For more information on AEP ReCreation Lands and to download a user's permit, check out www.aep.com.

Scioto River (Scioto County) - River conditions are excellent right now for catching catfish at night. Fish underneath the State Route 348 Bridge at Lucasville. Anglers standing on the west bank can catch channel catfish 12 to 18 inches in length by using night crawlers in bottom rigs. Use ½ to ¾ ounce sinkers to hold the bait on the bottom. Another good area of the right for catfish is the sand bar that is located about ¼ miles above the State Route 348 Bridge. Use night crawlers and chicken livers when fishing in this area and wait until the catfish come in to feed in the evening.



LAKE ERIE
The 15-inch walleye minimum size limit remains in effect for the entire season.

Surface temperatures are around 70 degrees.


Western Basin - The best walleye fishing has been in the area near the US/Canada border where "F" can was, around Kelleys Island shoal, and the Toledo shipping channel near the harbor light. Drifting mayfly rigs and trolling spoons or worm harnesses produce the most fish. Walleye hatched in 2003 (ranging in size from 6 to 10 inches) are already being caught. Please handle these sub-legal fish as gently as possible and quickly return them to the water. Yellow perch fishing has been best from Ballast Island to Gull Island Shoal, and around "C" can of the Camp Perry firing range. Fish just off the bottom using perch spreaders tipped with shiners. The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around the Bass Islands, Kelleys Island and Sandusky Bay.



Central Basin -- The best walleye fishing has been around the Ruggles Reef area, north of Lorain along the east side of the sandbar, 6 to 8 miles north to northwest of Ashtabula in 68 to 70 feet of water, and 8 to 10 miles north of Conneaut in 70 feet of water. Trolling spoons or worm harnesses using divers or downriggers has produced the best catches. Yellow perch fishing has been best 1 to 2 miles north of Vermilion, 4 to 5 miles north of Eastlake in 48 to 52 feet of water, 3 to 4 miles northwest of Fairport Harbor in 50 to 52 feet of water, and 5 to 6 miles north of Conneaut in 60 feet of water. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up. The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around Ruggles Reef and Avon Point. Tube jigs have been the most productive lures. Steelhead have been caught by anglers trolling spoons 6 to 8 miles north to northwest of Ashtabula in 68 to 70 feet of water. Target areas with schools of baitfish where walleye are also being caught. White bass have been caught by anglers using shiners at Edgewater and the Cleveland lakefront in 15 to 30 feet of water, and 4 to 5 miles north of Cleveland in 48 to 57 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
Washington County - A catfish tournament this past weekend conducted by the League of Ohio Sportsmen had a large number of participants. Lots of "cats" were caught with several weighing over 30 pounds and a couple were 40 pounds in size. Best fishing for the "cats" is off the island and the Belpre boat ramp. At the Lock 18 area, a largemouth number of channel catfish ranging 6 to 7 pounds in size can be caught on shad or bluegill under slip sinkers.


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