# ODNR Fishing Report 6/1/05



## Big Daddy

Good luck out there!

The Fish Ohio Report



June 1, 2005



CENTRAL OHIO

Deer Creek Lake (Madison, Fayette, and Pickaway counties)  The Tick Ridge area near the park lodge is a great location to fish for white bass. Use small spinners or live bait to take these fish that measure eight to 12 inches. Areas with submerged structures such as downed trees are good places to fish for crappies which are steadily biting now. Use minnows suspended beneath a bobber for best results. Crappies must be 9 inches or longer to keep. The rocky shoreline and extended deep-water points are the best places to fish for largemouth bass.

Hoover Reservoir (Franklin and Delaware counties) - Early June is an excellent time to try trolling crankbaits for all fish. Once the newly hatched forage fish (gizzard shad) begin to appear on the surface, try trolling very small shallow running crankbaits in chrome or shad patterns. They are effective for many species of fish. For the less aggressive saugeye, try small jigs tipped with parts of a worm and drift over the big bars and sunken islands. They can be taken in the vicinity of Lake of the Woods in the central portion of the reservoir. June is the best time of year to try surface baits for largemouth bass near shoreline cover. Night fishing with lanterns at the causeway is a good for white bass. 10 horsepower limit.



NORTHWEST OHIO

New London Reservoir (Huron County)  Channel cats in the 12 to 14 inch range are being taken on worms fished on the bottom. After dark in the southwest corner is the best time and spot.

Willard Reservoir (Huron County)  Nice catches of bluegill are being taken by fly fishing near the boat ramp pump house. Mornings and evenings are best.

Bressler Reservoir (Allen County)  White bass are being taken on rooster tails on the north side of the reservoir. Smallmouth bass are being taken on crankbaits on the south side of the reservoir.

Powers Reservoir (Crawford County)  Good catches of white crappie are being taken during the evening. Minnows and night crawlers fished under bobbers is the best bet. The northeast corner and east bank seems to be the best spots.

Van Wert Reservoir #1 (Van Wert County)  Rainbow trout are being caught in the evening using night crawlers or corn. The northwest corner seems to be the best spot for these trout. Cannel catfish in the 20 to 26 inch range are being caught in the evening using wax worms under bobbers. The west dike seems to be the best spot. Crappies in the 7 to 10 inch range are being caught in the evening using wax worms fished under a bobber. The best spot to fish seems to be the northwest corner.

Maumee River (Wood and Lucas Counties)  The water temperature is at 63° and the water is near normal level. Anglers are taking good numbers of white bass using 1/8 oz. jigs with white, chartreuse or florescent pink tails or minnows below bobbers. Also anglers are taking channel catfish fishing off the bottom, tight-lining night crawlers. The best areas are between Orleans Park & Fort Meigs, best fishing from boats. 

Sandusky River (Sandusky County)  The water temperature is 65°and the river is low. Anglers are catching good numbers of white bass using minnows under bobbers, 1/8 oz. jigs  tipped with minnows, or with slow retrieve, small spinner baits. Anglers are also catching Sheephead and Channel catfish. The best location is in deeper areas, from boats. Outlook is good.

Reminder: 15 minimum size limit for walleye for entire season.



NORTHEAST OHIO

Westbranch Lake (Portage County)- Boat anglers are catching a decent number of walleye at this 2,616 acre lake just 5 miles east of Ravenna (located on State Route 5). Cast nightcrawlers on crawler harnesses in the weed bed near the beach or in the east end of the lake in the willows. Unlimited horsepower and wheelchair accessible shoreline fishing facilities available. 

Nimisila Reservoir (Summit County)- Crappie averaging approximately 8 to10 inches are biting on live minnows in this 727 acre lake. Fishing near the dam is recommended using a simple hook and bobber set up. While crappies are hitting hard, expect to catch other species such as largemouth bass, walleye, bluegill, or channel catfish. If you are looking to catch a 9 to 28 inch channel cat, change your bait to nightcrawlers near the bottom on the lake. Access Nimisila Lake two miles south of State Route 619 on South Main Street. Electric motors only.



SOUTHWEST OHIO

Caesar Creek (Greene County)  Access this area from the parking lot at the end of Scott Road in Caesar Creek Wildlife Area. Park in the lot and follow the trail to the creek. Anglers are catching white bass. Successful anglers are using jigs with live minnows as bait. Keep the minnow about two to three feet deep and under a bobber. Also try using a plain hook with the minnow hooked through the lips and let it settle on the bottom or small jigs tipped with minnows. 

Paint Creek Lake (Highland County) - Crappies are being caught by anglers using jigs with plastic bodies, curly tails, or live minnows as bait. Good color choices in artificial lures are black, blue and chartreuse, and chartreuse. Fish from a boat when possible. Cast into areas with submerged trees and brush, in and around weed beds and fish the bait slowly along the bottom. Keep the bait between four to seven feet deep. Choose a #2 or a #1/0 sized long shanked hook.

Rocky Fork Lake (Highland County) - Anglers are catching crappie and largemouth bass by using shad colored crankbaits or pumpkin or green pumpkin colored tube jigs with plastic bodies as bait. Fishing is good throughout the lake but look for areas with woody debris or submerged trees and brush. Fish the bait under a bobber keeping it about five feet deep. Use a #4 or 6 fine wire hook for best results. Also, try casting into the mouth of Plum Run Creek.







SOUTHEAST OHIO

AEP (Morgan County)  Bass up to 6 pounds are biting on white spinner baits. Sunfish in good numbers are being caught on wax worms. Water temperatures are in the mid-60's and clear.

Lake Rupert (Vinton County)  Smallmouth bass 10 to 16 inches are being caught from boats on crank baits, spinners, and purple worms around weed beds, near shore and around downed trees. White crappies are being caught from the shore around weed beds and beaver dams.



Tycoon Lake (Gallia County)  Clear, normal, 70 degrees. Largemouth bass 12 to 15 inches off the dams and along weed beds within 3 feet to 6 feet of water in the early morning with crank baits, purple worms, or blue, silver, red, or black rapalas when fishing near shore around downed trees. Sunfish less than 7 inches are being caught from shore near submerged structure and weed lines using wax worms.

Dillon Reservoir (Muskingum County)-Channel catfish success is at a premium. Worms fished either tight-line or with a bobber have been effective. Fourteen anglers were interviewed with catfish in their creel. Sizes ranged from less than one pound to some weighing over 14 pounds. The hotspots were near the dam, within backwater sites associated with the large concrete culverts, and near the marina. Black bass have been reported in large numbers, but less than 14 inches in length. Green and white spinners are the most successful lures for bass.

Muskingum River (Coshocton County & Morgan County)  Anglers are catching flathead catfish up to 25 pounds with goldfish and creek chubs. Channel catfish anglers have been most successful using night crawlers. The most productive sites are at any of the low-head dams. Catfish angler success rates at all dam tail water sites along the Muskingum River are rated excellent with current conditions. 

AEP & Woodbury WA Ponds (Coshocton County)  Bass up to 4 pounds in size on spinner baits and crank baits. Bluegills on wax worms or night crawlers fished with small hooks and sensitive bobbers are the norm.

Wills Creek Dam (Coshocton County)  Catches of saugeye and smallmouth bass have been reported by anglers at the new shoreline access facility. White or chartreuse plastic twister-tails and grubs with some using live minnows have been the preferred lures for saugeye. Black bass have been caught on these saugeye lures and with minnow imitation crank baits. 



LAKE ERIE 

** The 15 walleye minimum size limit remains in effect for the entire season. Beginning May 1 the walleye daily bag limit on Ohio waters of Lake Erie returned to 6 fish. On May 16 the trout and salmon bag limit increased to 5 fish per day. The minimum size limit is 12 inches.**



**From May 1 through Friday June 24 there is a no-possession season for black bass (smallmouth bass and largemouth bass) on Lake Erie. Anglers can legally target black bass, but they must be immediately returned to the water.**



Western Basin



Walleye
The best walleye fishing has been W and NW of West Sister Island, W of Rattlesnake Island, around Niagara reef of the Camp Perry firing range, and E of Kelleys Island. Drifting or trolling worm harnesses and trolling crankbaits or spoons produce the most fish.



Yellow Perch
Yellow perch fishing has been best near the Marblehead lighthouse, near Starve Island, near the Sandusky Bay foghorn, and E of Kelleys Island. 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
The best walleye fishing has been around Ruggles Reef E of Huron and from Fairport Harbor to Perry in 15 to 25 of water. Trolling spoons, crankbaits, or crawler harnesses, and drifting crawler harnesses have produced the best catches.



Yellow Perch
Yellow perch fishing has been best 1 to 2 miles N of the Vermilion River mouth, 1 to 2 miles off of Lorain, 2 miles N of the E 72nd street lighthouse of Cleveland in 40 of water, 2 miles N of Wildwood State Park in 40 of water, and 1 to 2 miles out from Fairport Harbor to Conneaut in 30 to 40 of water. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up.



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



Lake Erie surface temperatures range from 55 to 63 degrees.


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