# ODNR Fishing Report 7/13/05



## Big Daddy

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources- Division of Wildlife


The Fish Ohio Report


July 13, 2005

Tip of the Week- Fin Tips  For the best fishing success, fish in the early morning and late evening hours. Fishing for catfish is good right after a hardy rain or in the late evening. Fish the bait along the bottom and where a stream enters another body of water. Channel catfish like chicken liver, bullheads like earthworms, and flatheads like cut bait. For more information on fishing, check us out on the web at www.ohiodnr.com. Enjoy.



CENTRAL OHIO
GRIGGS RESERVOIR  This 361-acre lake in Columbus has a very good largemouth bass population. Fish the steep shorelines in the upper end north of the island with crankbaits, spinner baits, soft plastic, and live baits during early morning and evening. Night fishing is very productive along the east shoreline for anglers seeking channel catfish. Use shrimp, chicken livers, and night crawlers fished along the bottom. Most of these fish will measure 12 to 20 inches. Saugeye fingerlings (18,000) were stocked in early June.

KNOX LAKE  Largemouth bass and channel catfish fishing remains good in July at this 468-acre lake in Knox County. Largemouth bass can be caught by anglers using crank baits, Carolina rigs, and spinner baits near brush cover or downed trees. Channel catfish can be caught with prepared baits or cut bait fished at night. 10 horsepower limit. Over 5,000 yearling channel catfish were stocked in 2004.


NORTHWEST OHIO
Sandusky River (Sandusky County)  Anglers are catching a variety of fish including bass, catfish, and bluegill below the Ballville dam. Worms, minnows and shrimp fished under a bobber or by casting is working well. Twister tails and spinners have been working great as well.

Portage River (Sandusky County)  Whitebass have been taken in good numbers recently in the Portage River at the end of the Port Clinton pier. Minnows fished under bobbers or twister tails being cast have been working well during the last few hours of daylight.

Bucyrus Reservoir #4 (Crawford County)  The water temperature is 77 degrees and the water is very clear. Channel cats in the 2 to 5 pound range have been taken this past week. Chicken liver fished on the bottom is the best bet near the north east corner or next to the boat ramp.

Riley Reservoir (Crawford County)  Good sized channel cats are being caught here as well. Fishing minnows or chicken livers on the bottom near the backside of the reservoir will bring productive results.

Willard Reservoir (Huron County)  Channel catfish are being taken after dark on shrimp and cutbait. The best results are near the boat ramp.

NORTHEAST OHIO

Spencer Lake (Medina county) - Anglers are taking nice-sized channel catfish fish from shore in the early morning hours. Chicken livers fished on a single hook and sinker, while tight-lined on the bottom is working best for anglers. Alternate-year stockings of about 1,800 yearling catfish (9 inches) have proven successful with an occasional surplus stocking during even years. Largemouth bass anglers continue to have limited success pitching weighted twister tails (green is most productive) from shoreline. Access: Spencer Lake off of State Route 162 (Black River). Wheelchair accessible shoreline facilities available, electric motors only. 

West Branch Reservoir (Portage County) - Walleye are hitting in good numbers in 16 to 18 feet of water. Anglers are using small, brightly colored floating jigs tipped with minnows or night crawlers. Place a small split shot on your line about a foot to 18 inches above the jig and bounce the split shot off the bottom. This method is working well in the fishable area around the dam. Wheelchair accessible shoreline facilities available, unlimited horsepower.

Turkeyfoot Lake (Summit County) - Panfishing is heating up this nearly 500 acre lake that lies in the Portage Lakes area. Bluegill are biting wax worms, which are a perfect bait to help teach a young angler how to bait a hook. Dont forget snacks, sunscreen, insect repellent, and above all, patience. Tangled lines and baiting hooks are a small price to pay when introducing a child to a first fishing experience. A smile from cheek to cheek will make it all worthwhile! 

Mosquito Lake (Trumbull County) - Anglers are catching decent numbers of walleye at this 7,000+ acre lake one mile west of State Route 46. While the best fishing occurs mid-April through early June, dropping a worm harness about 15 feet deep just after dawn will bring the best results. Wheelchair accessible shoreline facilities available, unlimited horsepower. 

Little Beaver Creek (Columbiana County) - For an angler itching to catch a nice smallie, Beaver Creek near Beaver Creek State Park is the place to go for smallmouth bass. Fishing slow pools in 2 to 3 feet of water with a popping bug or a small crankbait will have you reeling in high numbers. While a Fish OH! smallmouth (20 inches) is tough to catch, many smaller sizes will keep you busy. Anglers are reminded that a 15-inch minimum length limit is enforced as well as a daily bag limit of one fish (from the OH/PA border to S.R. 7). 

SOUTHWEST OHIO
Great Miami River (Montgomery and Warren counties) - Remember to ask permission before entering private property. Montgomery County access to the river is near the low-head dams of West Carrollton along Hydraulic Road and Monument. Also, try the Miamisburg Dam at Shepherd Road and Dayton Cincinnati Road. For best results, fish below the dams because fish tend to concentrate below the dams looking for an easy meal as disoriented bait fish come over the dam. Channel catfish and flathead catfish are being taking by anglers using night crawlers, chicken livers, bluegill, goldfish, dough baits, or creek chubs. Fish the bait off of the bottom. There is a lot of current at these dams and heavier sinkers are necessary. The river is full of rocks and snags that will test your patience and knot tying ability. Generally, after dark is the best time for fishing for catfish at this time of year. Access to the Great Miami River in Warren County can be gained along SR 73 between Franklin and Middletown. Anglers are catching channel and flathead catfish by using chicken livers, cut bait, earthworms, night crawlers, or live goldfish or bluegill for flatheads. Cast from the shoreline and fish the bait slowly along the bottom or just off of the bottom. Also, try fishing the bait tight line along the bottom. Use a #1/0 heavy, long shanked hook.
East Fork Lake (Clermont County)  Located east off of 275 to 32 east to Half Acre Road exit. Hybrid striped bass are being caught by anglers trolling or jigging shad colored crankbaits or spoons in 5 to 7 foot depths. Also, try slowly trolling with live gizzard shad. Shore anglers have been successful using nightcrawlers and chicken livers. The best area to fish is around the main state park public swimming beach. Anglers are catching good numbers of sub-legal fish with some fish caught up to 19 to 22 inches in length. REMEMBER all hybrids less than 15 inches long must be immediately released back into the lake. Also, anglers can only keep a daily limit of 4 hybrids. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using crawdads, live minnows, or earthworms as bait. Cast into the areas under undercut banks or near submerged trees and brush. Keep the bait off of the bottom and about five to eight feet deep. Use a #1-3 sized baitholding hook.

C. J. Brown Reservoir (Clark County) - Walleye are being caught by anglers using crankbaits, jigs with plastic bodies or curly tails, small spinners, or live minnows, leaches, or nightcrawlers on a #6 long shanked hook as bait. Good curly tail color choices are white, orange, pink, or chartreuse. Fish by slowly trolling or drifting baits in 10 to 15 foot depths. Walleyes are being caught in the main lake river channel and around structure. Fishing is best in the early morning and early evening hours. Most walleye are undersized fish but some legal fish are being caught. REMEMBER all walleye less than 15 inches long must be immediately released back into the lake.


SOUTHEAST OHIO

Burr Oak (Morgan County)  Water temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit with clear conditions and normal water elevation. Largemouth bass are being caught on black plastic worms. Productive areas for largemouth include the Twin Bays area and along submerged weed beds or woody cover in six to 12 feet of water. Submerged structure maps of this lake can be obtained by contacting the Division of Wildlife District Four office in Athens at (740) 589-9930. Channel catfish are being caught on night crawlers fished along the rocky shoreline to the left of Dock Four.

Jackson City Reservoir (Jackson County)  Small channel catfish are being caught on night crawlers and chicken livers on the park side of the lake near the shelter house. The lake is down about three feet due to the dry conditions. 

Jackson Lake (Jackson County)  Water level is slightly below normal and clear. Numerous small bluegill are being caught below the dam using night crawlers and wax worms. Good numbers of channel catfish are also being caught from State Route 279 by anglers using chicken livers and night crawlers. Most channels are running in the one pound range.

Muskingum River (Morgan County)  Channel catfish and flatheads are being caught at the Stockport dam and tailwater from the mill side of the river. Preferred baits are chicken liver, shrimp and night crawlers. 

Seneca Lake (Guernsey County)  Flatheads are being caught from the shore using live bait and cut baits. Flatheads can be caught on a variety of live baits, but most anglers choose to use live chubs, shad or bluegill. Both tight line and float fishing techniques work well on this species. Tight line angling is where the bait is fished off the bottom using a ½ to 1 ounce sinker and cut or live baits. Float line fishing involves fishing live fish or cut bait below a bobber or catfish float at a preferred depth of the bottom. Many float fishermen allow their float to drift free over embayments and other shallow water at night. Saugeye angling success continues to be good this week with catches running in the 15 to19 inch range. Saugeye are being caught on bottom bouncing jigs tipped with night crawlers fished in eight to 10 foot depths. Saugeye anglers have also been successful trolling crank baits in eight to10 feet of water. Hot spots for saugeye include the area around the upper island and in Cadillac Bay. 


LAKE ERIE
Western Basin

Walleye
Walleye fishing is improving in the western basin of Lake Erie. The best walleye fishing has been W of West Sister Island, on the gravel pit seven miles N of Wards canal, and around the Toledo water intake. Drifting or trolling worm harnesses and trolling spoons produce the most fish.

Yellow Perch
Yellow perch fishing has been slow. The best areas have been NW of Kelleys Island, around Gull Island Shoal, and N of Niagara Reef. Fish just off the bottom using perch spreaders tipped with shiners.

Smallmouth Bass
The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around the Bass Islands, Kelleys Island and Sandusky Bay. Largemouth bass have been caught in Sandusky Bay, East Harbor and West Harbor.


Central Basin

Walleye
Walleye fishing continues to be good in eastern Ohios waters of the central basin. The best fishing has been seven to nine miles N off Fairport Harbor in 65 to 72 feet of water and seven to nine miles N of Ashtabula in 65 to 72 feet water. Trolling 30 to 50 feet down with spoons or crawler harnesses using planer boards, dipsy divers or jet divers, have produced the best catches. The best spoon colors have been confusion, watermelon and black/silver. Fish have ranged from 15 to 28 inches.

Yellow Perch
Yellow perch fishing has been best one mile N of Euclid in 30 feet of water, two to four miles N of Ashtabula in 40 to 55 feet of water, and two to four miles N of Conneaut in 40 to 55 feet of water. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up. Fish have ranged from 7 to13 inches.

White Bass

The best white bass fishing has been from the shore at the Eastlake CEI wall. Anglers are using agitators with small spinners and twister tails. Fish have ranged from 8 to 14 inches.

Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass fishing has been good on Ruggles Reef and around the shoreline and harbors in 15 to 30 feet of water around Fairport, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Jigs tipped with shiners, tube jigs, jerkbaits and crankbaits have been the most productive lures.

Steelhead
Steelhead have been caught by walleye anglers in the same areas mentioned in the walleye report. Fish have ranged from 22 to 28 inches.

Lake Erie surface temperatures are around 75 degrees. To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS61.KCLE.html


OHIO RIVER

Belmont County - Water temperature is 81 degrees Fahrenheit and conditions are clear and low. Channel catfish success continues to be good in the Hannibal Pool of the Ohio River. Most channel cats are being caught on the bottom using tight-lining techniques with cut bait, night crawlers, and chicken livers.


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