# ODNR Report 7/20/05



## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Here you go...

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife

The Fish Ohio Report

July 20, 2005

Tip of the Week - A plastic worm by any other name is - well - a plastic worm. But a plastic worm by any other color than purple, black, or blue may leave you without a fish for the frying pan. For fishing in muddy water use the ones with glitter in them. Cast the plastic worm out into the great depths and wait and when tempted to reel it in  wait. (This is the perfect time to enjoy the company of your fishing partner, the scenery, or a good pb&j.) For more information on fishing, check us out on the web at www.ohiodnr.com. Enjoy.

CENTRAL OHIO
Deer Creek Lake (Madison, Fayette, and Pickaway counties)  Fish at night or early morning along the lake bottom with cut shad in the upper creek channel and near the shoreline when seeking channel catfish. Extended shoreline points and areas near rocky shorelines are good places to fish for bass. Use stick baits, surface plugs, and live bait. The Tick Ridge area is one of the best locations to fish for white bass that will measure eight to 12 inches. Saugeye fingerlings (326,000) were stocked in 2004. Largemouth bass can be caught using tubes and crank baits around points and shoreline cover. Fish the same areas for crappies, which must be greater than 9 inches to keep.

Oakthorpe Lake (Fairfield County)  This 41-acre Fairfield County lake offers excellent bass fishing opportunities with many fish measuring 14 to 20 inches. The top spots are the deep drop-offs along the western side of the lake. Use crank baits, spinners, and small spoons. This is the regions only lake where redear sunfish may be found. Fish the shorelines with larval baits and small worms beneath a bobber for best results. Crappies can be taken in the same area with a minnow suspended by a bobber. Carp can also give anglers a fight here, try doughballs and night crawlers. Electric motors only.

NORTHWEST OHIO
Maumee River (Henry and Lucas Counties)  White bass are being taken during the daytime hours at Mary Jane Thurston State Park. Shiners or jigs being cast into holes in the river bottom is the best bet. Orleans Park in Toledo has been a good spot for smallmouth bass. Casting a jig is working great. Daytime seems to be the best time to fish here. Channel cats are being taken around the Independence Dam area. Fishing with worms during the day or at night is still producing the best results. 

Sandusky River (Wyandot County)  The water is cloudy and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Rock bass are being taken in the mornings and evenings by using red worms or a jig with twister tails. Indian Mill and the Upper Sandusky Parks are the best spots. Channel cats are being caught in good numbers by using cut bait fished on the bottom at night. Again, Indian Mill and the Upper Sandusky Parks are the best spots. 

Killdeer Reservoir (Wyandot County)  The water is clear and is 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Walleye are being caught in the early morning by using night crawlers and leeches. Smallmouth bass are being taken at dusk on soft craws. Channel cats fished on night crawlers or cut bait on the bottom is great along the east shoreline. Be aware that the water level is 10 feet below normal and full boat anglers will need to wade into the water to load and unload boats from a trailer at the ramp.

Killdeer Pond # 30 (Wyandot County)  The water is clear and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Largemouth bass are being caught in the mornings by using bass minnows and buzz baits. Any place along the dike will work.

NORTHEAST OHIO

Wellington South Reservoir (Lorain County)  Channel catfish are biting on chicken livers near the bottom of this small, 21-acre lake. An average of 570 yearling channel catfish has been stocked in every odd-numbered year from 1993 though 2003. Over 550 yearling channel catfish were stocked in 2003 and similar numbers are expected to be stocked this September. Shore anglers are recommended to cast as far from shore as possible for best results. Wellington South Reservoir is located on Jones Road, .75 miles west of State Route 58. Electric motors only. 

Deer Creek Reservoir (Stark County)  Largemouth bass have been hitting on spinner baits at this 314-acre lake. Boat anglers are most successful fishing near the creek channel or still-fishing from shore. Channel catfish are also biting on dough balls, chicken livers, and stink baits near the bottom early in the morning and late in the evening. For the period from 1993 through 1999 averages of 7,193 yearling channel catfish (nine inches or more) were stocked during odd-numbered years. Approximately 5,000 yearling channel catfish were stocked in 2003 and similar numbers are expected this September. Deer Creek Reservoir is located on State Route 183 at Limaville and northwest of State Route 225. Wheelchair accessible shoreline facilities available and electric motors only. 

SOUTHWEST OHIO

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 night crawlers 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.
Stillwater River (Miami County) - Access from Frederick Garland Rd., State Route 571, Calumet Road, State Route 55, Fenner Road, Sugar Grove Rd., SR 36. Remember to ask permission before entering private property. Anglers are catching good numbers of smallmouth bass and channel catfish. Smallmouth bass are being caught in the early morning and early evening hours. Popular baits are soft crayfish, tube jigs, small spinners, and small crankbaits. Remember there is a daily limit of one smallmouth that must be 15 inches or greater when fishing from Frederick-Garland Road to State Route 718. Catfish are being caught at night by anglers fishing on the bottom with creek chubs and soft crayfish.

Caesar Creek Lake (Clinton, Greene, and Warren counties) - From Interstate 75 take State Route 73 east about 17 miles, or From Interstate 71 take State Route 73 west about seven miles, or from State Route 42 take State Route 73 east about five miles. Saugeye anglers are catching a few 15 to 18 inch fish from six to 15 feet depths, but most fish are small. Troll medium or deep diving crankbaits along submerged points or underwater humps. Cast or drift with live night crawlers on a bottom bouncing harness rig, or use a lead head jig tipped with a piece of worm. Fish in the early morning and early evening hours. Bluegill and other sunfish are being caught by anglers using curly tails, jigs with plastic bodies, live minnows, earthworms, or waxworms as bait. When using an artificial lure, good color choices are white or chartreuse. Fish from the shoreline and keep the bait under a bobber between two to 10 feet deep. Cast into areas with wood debris and submerged trees or brush. Also look for good fishing opportunities in areas with rocky bottoms. Use a #8 fine wire hook for live baits. There is also a Kids Fishing Pond just north of the beach. Channel catfish are being caught by shore anglers using night crawlers, shrimp, and chicken livers in Caesar Creek above the lake. Fish the bait tight line along the bottom in five to eight foot depths. Access the creek from the bridge on Roxanna New Burlington Road which is two miles west of State Route 380. 

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Muskingum River (Washington, Morgan and Coshocton counties)  Catfish anglers are still active and are successful with some quality catches of fish during water rises after rainfall events. Anglers continue to catch flathead catfish using live suckers, goldfish, and sunfish. Channel catfish anglers have been most successful using night crawlers, chicken livers, and cut bait. The Muskingum River has individual flathead catfish up to 50 pounds as indicated from past netting surveys. The most productive sites continue to be at any of the low-head dams and at the mouth of larger tributary streams. Water conditions are low and clear with a temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit, but are subject to location and watershed events due to variable thunderstorms.

Dillon Reservoir (Muskingum County) - Angler success has been fair for largemouth bass with fish from 12 inches to 15 inches being reported. Largemouth bass have been caught at near shore locations south of the tunnel to the first point. The preferred lure has been a worm with bobber and white spinners. Channel catfish have been caught but in lower numbers. The preferred method is also fishing with worm and bobber. The most successful area for catfish anglers has been the shoreline north of the tunnel. Sunfish have been caught, but in reduced numbers. Float fishing with worm or wax worm are used most frequently. The marina wall and backwater areas through the tunnel are the locations of choice. Lake conditions are clear with a water temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit at normal pool elevation.

Burr Oak (Morgan County)  Water temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit with clear conditions and normal water elevation. Largemouth bass are being caught on speckled brown tube lures and pearl crank baits. A productive site for largemouth would be the shoreline east of the Twin Bays area. Individual fish up to 16 inches have been reported this week. Channel catfish are being caught using the tight line method with on night crawlers fished at the bay across from the dam towers and off the point on the west shoreline south of Twin Bays area. Channel catfish from 20 inches to 23 inches have been recorded.

LAKE ERIE 
Western Basin

Walleye
The best walleye fishing has been N to NW of West Sister Island, around the Toledo water intake, and along the northern border of the Camp Perry firing range from A can to C can. Drifting or trolling worm harnesses and trolling spoons produce the most fish.

Yellow Perch

The best areas have been NW of Kelleys Island and around Gull Island Shoal. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up.

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 five to 15 miles north of Geneva in 65 to 72 feet of water and seven to 15 miles N to NE of Ashtabula in 65 to 72 feet of 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 north of Edgewater State Park in 34 feet of water and four to six miles N to NE of Conneaut in 44 to 60 feet of water. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up. Fish have ranged from seven to 11 inches.

Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass fishing has been good around breakwalls and rocky drop-offs from Lorain to Avon point. Tube jigs and goby imitations 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 30 inches. 

White Bass

The best white bass fishing has been from shore at the Eastlake CEI wall and in Cleveland on the East 72nd Street and East 55th Street piers. Anglers are using agitators with small spinners and twister tails. Fish have ranged from eight to 14 inches.

Lake Erie surface temperatures are between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS61.KCLE.html


OHIO RIVER
Belmont and Monroe counties - Water temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit and conditions are clear and low. Channel catfish success is quite variable, but results are primarily at dusk, through the night and in the early morning hours before daybreak. 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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