# Charles Mill Lake



## FISHAHOLIC85 (Apr 22, 2011)

Hey all, I was looking at new places to fish and happened across this lake. The thing that interested me the most is the hybrid striped bass population. From what I read, it's supposed to be one of the best places in central ohio. I've never caught one before but if they have the fight of a striper in 'em, I'm in! Anyone fish it with any success? I'll be fishing from shore. Supposedly the tailwaters below the dam are said to be good. Any info or advice is appreciated. Tight lines this weekend!


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## russ9054 (May 4, 2011)

Yeah i've done well in spring and fall for saugeye behind the dam. I havent heard very many reports about wipers their. I've caught them at pleasant hill lake and a 15" fish puts up one hell of a fight! I believe those 2 lakes are appart of the same watershed, so charles mills has em. BTW you can hunt my blind anytime at pleasant hill,its nice to have aperminent blind just go down and sit your a** down the deekes stay out most of the season.


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## FISHAHOLIC85 (Apr 22, 2011)

russ9054 said:


> Yeah i've done well in spring and fall for saugeye behind the dam. I havent heard very many reports about wipers their. I've caught them at pleasant hill lake and a 15" fish puts up one hell of a fight! I believe those 2 lakes are appart of the same watershed, so charles mills has em. BTW you can hunt my blind anytime at pleasant hill,its nice to have aperminent blind just go down and sit your a** down the deekes stay out most of the season.


right on man! How's the baby doin'? we definitely gotta do some fowlin' this fall. Wonder if the wipers are below the dam year round or if it's a spring time kind of deal?? what were you using at pleasant hill to catch 'em?


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## lacdown (Apr 25, 2007)

from what i read the hybrids are mostly in the deepest part of the lake... you can see this area on the topo map..guess it was an existing pond that was further deepened when the reservoir was made from the dam. as always, they can also be in other areas depending on shad location too.


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## puregreen (May 23, 2009)

Rite now they catch them on chicken liver on the bottom and some on crankbaits in the cove by the house boats and the one south of there.


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## russ9054 (May 4, 2011)

puregreen said:


> Rite now they catch them on chicken liver on the bottom and some on crankbaits in the cove by the house boats and the one south of there.


Chicken livers? Really. I don't think that's right. Not saying it isn't possible but there are better methods that probly decrease the likely hood of reeling in cats all day. Like trolling spoons or even casting them counting them down or if they are that deep how bout a large shiner on a floating jig head. They also will be in the river feeding into pleasant hill,but deeper cooler water with higher oxygen levels will do well. I caught em on cranks in pleasant hill and twister tails jigging for saugeye. The babies doin great Dan thanks for asking. I still don't like the name tho.


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## puregreen (May 23, 2009)

As far as i know nobody has caught a wiper in phill only whiteys, and for cmill that a consistant way of catchin them i did not say you could not get them any other way just my two centsi. I live close to mill and have alot of friends with house boats on the lake who get them that way.


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## topwater (Dec 22, 2004)

here's a wiper from the Charles Mill spillway from a couple years ago. Caught on a blade bait. There are definitely some pigs in there

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=132035


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## Canoerower (Jun 28, 2011)

yes chiken liver works the BEST for wipers at charles mills.They are in there but few between unless you stumble on a bunch of them around some shad. Good place to fish, the spillway sucks unless you want to fish in about 2 inches of water through most of it. they tried dredging it a couple years ago but just filled back up. Definitly snag central,high water is best time to fish it. Pretty much all the flood control lakes around here the river below them is pretty low to say the least. Well good luck.


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## bman (Apr 20, 2009)

Canoerower said:


> yes chiken liver works the BEST for wipers at charles mills.They are in there but few between unless you stumble on a bunch of them around some shad. Good place to fish, the spillway sucks unless you want to fish in about 2 inches of water through most of it. they tried dredging it a couple years ago but just filled back up. Definitly snag central,high water is best time to fish it. Pretty much all the flood control lakes around here the river below them is pretty low to say the least. Well good luck.


+1 on the chicken liver. I didn't believe it either until I saw all the catfishing guys catching them on some of the Illinois powerplant lakes I fished growing up. I haven't actually done it - the majority of the wipers I've caught are on 1/6 oz roostertails and jigging spoons. I recently caught a small hybrid at O'Shay. As I was reeling it in, two more were with it - same size. They aren't huge yet at O'Shay but are definintely catchable now. The one I caught was around 13".


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## FISHAHOLIC85 (Apr 22, 2011)

Thanks for all the info guys! I have heard of them catching wipers on chicken liver too. I read on ODNR fishing prospects that not a lot of people go there to target wipers but the size and numbers are excellent. Any truth to this? I live in north eastern ohio so I want to make sure my chances are good before trekking out a ways to a new spot. For those of you who catch them regularly, is this a good time to go? wait till fall? go to another lake? thanks!


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