# Suggestions for paylakes around Columbus



## mkatts (Apr 14, 2005)

Ok, I know this is a touchy subject and I have debated with myself for the past week if I should even ask this. But what it comes down to is, I want want to know. I DO NOT want to hear anyone's opinion on if I should be going to a paylake. I am going to go regardless of what you think. The intent of my post is get information about paylakes. If you want to debate if a person should fish a paylake, start your own thread. Please do not hijack mine.

I have simple question. I would just like to hear from people that know of pay lakes around central Ohio and what they thought of them. I would like target mainly bass and catfish. 

I went down to The Bait Shop Paylake in Laurelville last week end. It wasn't bad. Only caught one catfish. It got pretty crowed towards dark. They were having a tournament though. It was clean and you could drive your truck right up to the shor so I didn't have to lug my tackle to far.

Thanks


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## SwollenGoat (Apr 13, 2005)

The only one that is close to me is Rainbow Lake which is between New Albany and Johnstown. (NE corner of Franklin/Licking county.) Just follow the signs North up Rt. 62. They stock bass, catfish, etc. It's been several years since I've been there, but I do know you pay to fish and then you pay by the weight and type of fish you catch.


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## Smallie Gene (Jun 2, 2005)

mkatts said:


> I DO NOT want to hear anyone's opinion on if I should be going to a paylake. I am going to go regardless of what you think. The intent of my post is get information about paylakes. If you want to debate if a person should fish a paylake, start your own thread. Please do not hijack mine.
> 
> Thanks


Who peed in your beer can?

Do you really think you could post something on this website without getting someone's opinion? Fat chance!


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## littleking (Jun 25, 2005)

Smallie Gene said:


> Who peed in your beer can?
> 
> Do you really think you could post something on this website without getting someone's opinion? Fat chance!



he has a great point


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## AEFISHING (Apr 25, 2004)

http://www.procatfish.com/pay_lakes.asp


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## CHARLIE L. (Jul 27, 2005)

There is a pay lake up north of columbus in MT. GILEAD. IT'S IN A PRIVATE CAMPGROUNDS OFF RTE 61. A COUPLE OF GUYS FROM WORK GO THERE TO FISH THE NIGHT CAT FISH TOURNAMENTS. ONE OF THEM WON $700 ONE NIGHT. THERE ARE ALSO 2 PAYLAKES OUT OFF OF REFUGEE RD. IN PICKERINGTON. ONE IS SPRING LAKES AND THE OTHER IS HICKORY LAKES.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

hickory lakes,in the pickerington area,is stocked with several species(or used to be,at leat).also there is one down hamilton rd.(rt. 317)below columbus,toward groveport.as for my thoughts on them,i can't help,as i've only fished hickory once,years ago,and never fished the other.you might find more info about either,by searching the i-net.also fran-bar on e. broad,close to pataskala is another that comes to mind.

ps to gene....................i guess he knows the usual kind of reception the word "paylake" gets from some people.and i agree that if he just wants info and opinions on the fishing,and not the pros and cons of paylakes,there's no need for the usual sidetracking that many times goes with any post regarding the subject.
opinions are always welcome,and as you said,we see lots of them here.but those are not the kind he was asking for.
i guess he has he's seen others get their beer peed in before,and that why he came out of the gate that way


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## peon (Feb 28, 2005)

there is a really good catfish paylake called catfishermans paridise... its around belpre i know they have huge payouts and lots of people!! they have like 40-50# flats!!


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## GoneCatchin (Jul 11, 2005)

Is a pay lake one that produces lots of fish?...dumb question I know...


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## bluufrdtrk (Apr 15, 2004)

Last i heard(may not be tru) hickory lakes in pickerington only lets you fish during the day now at 10 bucks a head,which is a little much for me, spring lakes in pickerington was sold to a church and i believe is now private., i have not been to fran bar, but am told by a friend its only 5 bucks to fish their and there is decsecnt channel cats in there and some bass and panfish.
The reoson i know about hickory and spring lakes is cause my dad use to take me there when i was younger and thats pretty much what got me started fishing.
And i do believe all the fish at the paylakes i mentioned are bought from fish farms and not stripped from the wild.
bobby


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

bobby's right.spring lakes is private church proprty now.and i think he's right about the stocked fish at hickory.
but spring lakes did start stocking big catfish,from the wild,i believe in the eighties.


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## Smallie Gene (Jun 2, 2005)

not to steal anyone's post so please pardon me but I was wondering if those who oppose pay lakes consider pay lakes to be the same as like a hunting preserve? Or do they think of a paylake as fishing but you just have to pay to fish there? Every pond is "stocked" but woods are not "stocked" except at hunting preserves. 

I would fish a pay lake but I wouldn't pay for it. But I don't think I would feel right hunting a preserve. At least with the fish at the pay lake, I can release them. You can't release a 22 point buck after you bury an arrow in its ear. :!


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

if you can't help with the info requested,and only want to discuss the merits of paylakes,then why not do as the guy suggested,and start a new thread on that subject so we all can benefit from the knowledge of a REAL fisherman?
by the way,if you only fish where REAL fishermen fish,why have i not seen you where i fish?


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## SwollenGoat (Apr 13, 2005)

Rick, have you had your coffee yet?


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

yep.time to put on another pot now


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## mkatts (Apr 14, 2005)

Thanks all for the info and for keeping the thread on track.
I appreciate it.


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## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

I have fished Moore-Aker Lakes in Jeffersonville, just past the outlet mall and really liked it, catfisherman's paradise was too crowded when i was down the but the guy beside us got a 98# blue and we got skunked

havn't been in probbly 6 years though


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## kissmybass (Jun 3, 2005)

paradise is a great pay lake. they had the world record blue cat there for a while. i believe it was something like 90 plus lbs...of course that record was passed a while ago. anyway that is a hell of a drive from columbus to belpre. if youre going to drive all the way down there just go fish the rivers for free. some big cats down there in the ohio and muskingum (sp?)rivers. anyway if you can go to paradise on a weeknight or in mid october, it isnt that crowded. i also like moore akers in jeffersonville, i went about 10 times a few years ago and always caught something. THere was another one by moore akers somewhere but i havent been there, i think it was called heidi lake or lake heidi or something like that. a guy at work says he catches a lot of bass there.

the address for paradise is www.catfishermansparadise.com they have pics o some huge fish that were caught there..


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

there is also a Rainbow Lakes in Fairborn. I didnt know there were two of them. I know the one in Fairborn closes real early, not sure if its still open or not. 

Was the paylake in Laurelville stocked w/ Flats? I think I heard it was Channell Cat only. There is a new paylake in Chillothee. Flathunter knows about it, maybe he will chime in here.


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## BrianC (May 3, 2004)

There is a place called Clearwater on Hamilton just a mile or two south of Groveport High School on the right. I know there are some large blue and flathead catfish caught in there and from what I have seen driving by it is rarely crowded.

A friend of mine used to go there and if I remember right they had a baitshop on site and did all the side pots, etc... if you were interested.


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## mkatts (Apr 14, 2005)

H2O Mellon said:


> there is also a Rainbow Lakes in Fairborn. I didnt know there were two of them. I know the one in Fairborn closes real early, not sure if its still open or not.
> 
> Was the paylake in Laurelville stocked w/ Flats? I think I heard it was Channell Cat only. There is a new paylake in Chillothee. Flathunter knows about it, maybe he will chime in here.



Laurelville said they had blues, flats and channel. plus lm bass, perch and trout.


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