# ODNR Fishing Report 4/26/06



## Big Daddy

Here you go!!!

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife

The Fish Ohio Report

April 26, 2006

CENTRAL OHIO
KISER LAKE (Champaign County)  Try fishing the shoreline for crappie or bluegill at this 387-acre lake. Bluegill will measure between six and eight inches and will bite on wax worms, mealworms, small earth worms and tiny plastic tubes suspended below the smallest bobber possible. Use minnows or plastic crappie grubs suspended below a slip-bobber to catch crappie ranging from seven to nine inches. Hybrid striped bass, a cross between a female white bass and a male striped bass, are stocked at this lake and can be caught on chicken livers fished along the lake bottom. Some of these fish will be 26 inches long and weigh 13 pounds. Areas where aquatic plants are emerging from the water are good spots to fish for largemouth bass. No motors of any kind (including electric) are permitted at this lake.

OSHAUGHNESSY RESERVOIR (Delaware County)  The Scioto River north of the reservoir, all the way to Prospect, is the hotspot for white bass and crappie fishing. White bass can be caught on in-line spinners in green or chartreuse or on green, chartreuse, or white twister tails. For catching crappie, try fishing minnows shallow with a bobber both in the reservoir and above it. Also in the reservoir, bluegill can be caught on insect larvae or small worms under a bobber. The best places to find largemouth bass are near fallen trees and underwater brush on the western bank using crankbaits or plastic lures. 



NORTHWEST OHIO
Maumee River (Wood and Lucas Counties) - The water temperature is 58 degrees and is at a normal level. Anglers are catching many limits of walleye (mostly males 16-20). Early mornings continue to be the best time. The best areas are at the Flats between the I-475 bridge and Jerome Road and around Blue Grass Island. Anglers are using floating and lead head jigs with bright colored twister tails in red, green & yellow. White bass are also being caught by tight lining with shiners off the bottom. The outlook for this week should be good, giving anglers the opportunity to catch both white bass and walleye.

Sandusky River (Sandusky County)  The water temperature is 60 degrees and the river is fairly clear. Anglers are taking white bass using minnows under bobbers. The best area is around the Sand Docks.

Anglers are still catching some walleye using lead head and floating jigs with chartreuse and pink colored twister tails. The best areas are around Roger Young Park and the State Street Bridge.

The outlook for this week should be good, giving anglers the opportunity to catch both white bass and walleye.

Reminder: 15 minimum size limit for walleye for entire season. The daily bag limit has increased to 4 this year from March 1 through April 30. The limit increases to 6 after April 30 when the prime spawning period is over for walleye. Single hook restrictions have changed in Maumee Bay and Sandusky Bay. Map showing the boundaries for the single hook regulation may be found on the Division of Wildlife web page at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/default.htm or simply do a search for Ohio Division of Wildlife. See the 2006-2007 Ohio Fishing Regulations brochure for a complete listing of all fishing regulations. New 2006 fishing licenses are required as of March 1, 2006.

Auglaize River (Allen County) - The water is clear and at normal levels. Rock bass are being taken on crappie jigs near the Agerter Road access.

Lima Lake (Allen County)  The water is clear and at normal level. Crappie and bluegill are being caught in good numbers. Crappie jigs and minnows fished under a slip bobber are working the best.

Killdeer Pond #30 (Wyandot County)  Largemouth bass are being caught in the mornings and evenings. Flathead minnows fished under bobbers are working well. Fishing is good from all shorelines.


NORTHEAST OHIO
Tuscarawas River (Stark and Summit counties)  Anglers are catching two to three pound northern pike and good-sized smallmouth bass using minnows floated in the current. Pike are feeding aggressively and bass are preparing to spawn in gravel and rocky areas of the river. The best access point is about two miles south of Butternut Road near Massillon in Stark County. Anglers are encouraged to determine if stream banks are public or private property. Please obtain permission if stream banks are privately owned and please do not litter. This is an all too common reason why many landowners do not allow fishing. 

Punderson Lake (Geauga County)  This 82-acre lake is one of the most popular in northeast Ohio for catching rainbow trout. Catchable-sized trout (10 to 12 inches) were released into these waters earlier this month. This lake is one of the few where trout have been known to survive throughout the year. Either a 1/32 or 1/64 sized jig tipped with a maggot is the bait of choice. Recipes for this tasty trout can be obtained at www.wildohiocookbook.com

Findley Lake (Lorain County)  Channel catfish are biting aggressively at this 82-acre lake located in Findley State Park on State Route 58, two miles south of Wellington. The usual night crawlers or chicken livers are bringing the best results to anglers fishing at night. 

SOUTHWEST OHIO
Grand Lake St. Marys (Mercer and Auglaize counties)  Channel catfish are being caught using a long shanked hook baited with a crawdad, leech, shad, or an earthworm. Fish in areas near the shoreline. Using a slip bobber keep the bait about one to two feet off of the bottom or fish tightline along the bottom. Let the bait drift with the current or use a slip bobber. Use a #8, 1/0, or 2/0 long shanked hook. Bluegills are being caught using a #10 sized hook baited with redworms or waxworms or jigs with chartreuse plastic bodies. Fishing is good on the south side of the lake. Cast into channels, along the pier, and from the shoreline into areas with rocks or brush. Keep the bait about one to two feet deep. Crappies are being caught using jigs with plastic bodies, curly tails, live minnows, or waxworm as bait. Good color choices for artificial lures are white, red, pink and chartreuse. Use a #8 fine wire hook when fishing with live bait. Fishing is good on the south side of the lake. Cast into channels, along the pier, undercut banks, and from the shoreline into areas with rocks or brush. Keep the bait about one to two feet deep. 

Cowan Lake (Clinton County)  Anglers are catching crappie by using live minnows on a #8 fine wire hook. Keep the bait about two to three feet deep. Good fishing hours are in the early morning and late evening. Still-fish from the shoreline and into areas with woody debris. Bluegills are biting. Use wax worms on a #4 fine wire hook. Cast from the shore out about five to six feet. Fishing for bluegills is also good along the handicap and stone piers. Muskellunge are being caught by anglers fishing in the lake and spillway. Use muskie jigs or weedy bowls for these incredible fish. Saugeye are hitting below the spillway. Cast a bass minnow on a #4 baitholding hook. In fast moving waters, keep the bait along the bottom. White bass are being caught by anglers using Rapala lures. Fish along the Champline Road creek near the bridge. 

Acton Lake (Preble County)  Channel catfish are being caught in the headwaters by anglers using sucker chubs as bait. Place the bait on a #6, 7, or 8 sized baitholding hook. Use several sinkers to keep bait close to the bottom. Crappies are being caught with crappie minnows. Fish the bait four to seven feet deep from a boat close to the bank. 

Rush Run Lake (Preble County)  Bluegills measuring five to nine inches long are being caught by anglers. Fish the bait under a bobber on a #10 sized hook baited with a wax worm. Cast from the shoreline into areas with rocks or brush. Keep the bait about five feet deep and about five feet out from the bank. Trout are being caught using Berkley PowerBait (rainbow and yellow sparkle). Place the bait on a #12 or #14 hook. Fish is good along the piers and shorelines.

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Piedmont Lake (Belmont County)  A must-see for muskie this week, anglers have landed several nice muskie in the shallow waters of Piedmont while fishing for largemouth bass. Try throwing crankbait and spinnerbait into shallower water, about two to six feet deep. Crappie fishing is also picking up; try 1/16 oz jigs with chartreuse or white twisters fished near submerged structure at about a four foot depth. Water temperature ranges from the high 50s to the low 60s depending on depth. Piedmont Lake has a 10 HP limit.

Tycoon Lake (Gallia County)  Crappie fishing at Tycoon has been excellent this spring, with many fish in the 12 to 14 inch range being caught. Successful anglers have used 1/16 oz jigs with white, pearl, and chartreuse split-twister tails and paddle tails fished in two to eight foot depths near brush piles, stick-ups or old submerged fencerows. Along with an excellent crappie population, Tycoon Lake consistently produces top quality largemouth bass fishing each year. An 18-inch minimum length limit is in effect for the entire lake. Historic hot spots for extra large largemouth would include water in the northwest corner from the south dam, northwest of the south dam parking lot from near shore to mid-lake, water near the south shore of the east dam and the entire northwest shore associated with the topographic inlet. To request a map of Tycoon Lake, call the Wildlife District Four office at (740) 589-9930 or call 1-800-WILDLIFE. 

Walhonding River (Coshocton County)  Anglers fishing pools below any dams or areas where small tributaries feed into the Walhonding had good luck landing smallies last weekend. Many smallmouth bass caught were 12 to 16 inches. Smallmouth bass are hitting on creek chubs, live minnows, crayfish and artificial minnow-type lures. Temperature along much of the Walhonding has been in the low 60s.

LAKE ERIE 
* *The walleye daily bag limit is 4 fish through April 30. 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. Lake Erie black bass (smallmouth and largemouth bass) are closed to possession (catch and release only) May 1 through June 23. The daily bag limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 5 before May 1 and after June 23. The minimum size limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 14 inches. See the 2006 regulations brochure for specific hook restrictions and closed areas pertaining to tributary and bay fishing during the walleye runs in March and April. The steelhead trout bag limit is 2 through May 15 and increases to 5 on May 16. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.**

Limits of walleye have been caught on jigs in Maumee Bay, in 10-14 foot of water from Crane Creek to K can of the Camp Perry firing range, and on the reefs of the Camp Perry firing range. Purple hair jigs, chartreuse jigs tipped with minnows, and blade baits have been productive. Large walleye have been caught by trollers north of the Camp Perry firing range and northwest of Kelleys Island. Most trollers are using minnow-imitating stick baits behind inline planer boards fished in the top half of the water column, but worm harnesses on bottom bouncers are also starting to catch some fish.


Yellow perch fishing has been excellent. Limits of perch were caught south of Kelleys Island towards Marblehead and Cedar Point. Most perch have been 8 to 10 inches with many up to 13 inches. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most perch.

For Walleye Run reports on the Maumee and Sandusky rivers, visit: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/fishing/freport/walleyerunreport.htm

For Steelhead fishing information visit: http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Fishing/fairport/steelhead.htm

Lake Erie surface temperatures range from 43 to 51 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

Pike Island Dam  Anglers reported several nice catches of smallmouth bass over the weekend. Most smallies have been caught on crankbaits and jigs off the pier or the rip-rap on the Ohio side. Sauger are still hitting on the river in the early evening, successful sauger lures included chartreuse and white 3-inch twister tails on a ¼-oz jig. Water levels in the Ohio River are slightly high and muddy in some areas.


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