# ODNR Fishing Report 6/9/04



## Big Daddy

Sorry this one's a little late. I was supposed to post it at 10am. Here you go!

Carl

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife



The Fish Ohio Report





June 9, 2004



Tip of the Week - FIN TIP: Fish are picky about the temperature: largemouth bass 68-78 degrees, walleyes 65-75 degrees, smallmouth bass 67-71 degrees, bluegills 75-80 degrees, channel catfish 75-80 degrees, and bullhead catfish 78-82 degrees. These cooler temperatures can be found 10-20 feet deep where the water is cool and still has enough oxygen for the fish to survive. For more information on fishing, check us out on the web at www.ohiodnr.com. Enjoy.


CENTRAL OHIO
Griggs Reservoir (Franklin County) - Great time to catch bass on spinner bait and top-water lures. The upper end of the reservoir north of the island is a good area to fish for smallmouth bass. Crappie are holding in woody cover along the steep eastern side of the lake. Griggs has an excellent but under-utilized channel catfish population. Try fishing with traditional baits such as fresh cut gizzard shad, prepared baits, and night crawlers along the east shoreline. About 20,000 fingerling saugeye are stocked annually providing excellent fishing possibilities. Also, abundant, extra wide-bodied carp can be caught on doughballs.

Kokosing Lake (Knox County) - Largemouth bass measuring up to 20 inches can be taken around shoreline cover but they may be moving to the drop-offs in the old creek channel this week. Use soft plastic baits, live bait, and small spinners for best results. Over 7,000 channel catfish yearlings were stocked in 2002. They can be caught using prepared or cut bait fished on the bottom. Crappies are moving back to deeper water with underwater structure. 10 horsepower limit.



NORTHWEST OHIO
Bresler Reservoir #2 (Allen County) - Walleye perch 12 inches and larger are being taken on the north side of the reservoir while casting with jigs. Best catches are being taken during the evening hours. Channel catfish ranging from 2 to 5 pounds are being taken off the bottom, using slip bobbers on the north side of the reservoir. Best times are during the evening hours using leeches. 

Willard Reservoir (Huron County) - Anglers are reporting good catches of yellow perch 8 to 11 inches in the northwest corner of the reservoir. Best time is around dusk, using leeches fished under a slip bobber or by casting with 1/8 ounce white jigs. Channel catfish are being taken off the bottom using night crawlers after dark.



NORTHEAST OHIO
Lake Milton (Mahoning County) - Off of the County Road 18 causeway, 18 to 22 inch smallmouth and largemouth bass are being caught on crankbaits and tube-jigs in deeper water. Anglers should also be aware that with increasing water temperatures bass may begin to be caught on top water baits such as buzzbaits and soft plastic jerkbaits. Wheelchair accessible shoreline facilities are available. 1,641 acres and unlimited h.p.

An updated lake map is available at our site: http://dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/fishing/lakemaps/lmaps.htm

Berlin Reservoir (Mahoning, Stark, and Portage counties) - 15 to 22 inch channel catfish are being caught underneath the 224 bridge of this 3,321 acre lake. Typical catfish baits include prepared baits, chicken liver, cut bait, and nightcrawlers. Below the dam of the Mahoning River there is a fifty yard stretch of waterway where anglers can catch 15-20 inch walleye. A variety of baits such as crankbaits or roadrunner jigs tipped with minnows are working well. Please be aware of the no trespassing signs beyond the public fishing area. An updated lake map is available at our site: http://dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/fishing/lakemaps/lmaps.htm

New Lyme (Ashtabula County) - This time of year, bluegills are readily accessible and easy to catch since they are spawning in the shallows of major reservoirs. This is an excellent time and location to take a kid fishing. This lake may be small at only 40 acres, the amount of bluegills that can be caught is great! Bring a few snacks, sunscreen, insect repellent, and first aid basics along with your rod, reel, and tackle. Don't forget to have patience with the youth angler, especially if he or she is new to the sport. You will be unsnagging lines, baiting hooks, and landing fish for them often. By taking time to introduce children to fishing, you may end up with a fishing buddy for life. Wax worms or earthworms are bringing these bluegills in by the dozens. Shore fishing or boat fishing accesses are both easily available.

Mosquito Lake (Trumbull County) - This is a large sized lake at 6,550 acres. Anglers should focus on the south end of the causeway where the Division of Wildlife placed fish concentration devices for 10 to 12 inch crappie fishing. Minnows and a small bobber will do the trick. On the Route 88 causeway in the north end, downed trees are attracting crappies as well. Maps may be obtained by contacting the District Three office at 330.644.2293. (Wheelchair accessible shoreline fishing facilities available, unlimited h.p.)


SOUTHWEST OHIO
Grand Lake St. Marys (Mercer and Auglaize counties) - Crappies are being caught using white or chartreuse colored hair or plastic jigs or live minnows. Place the minnow on a #6 hook with a small weight about one-inch above the hook. Anglers fishing on the south side of the lake using a slow retrieve are successful. Keep the bait between 10 to 12 feet deep off of the rocks and around brush. Fishing in the channels and boat docks is also good. Keep the bait about a foot and one-half deep. Channel Catfish are being caught using a long-shank hook baited with a shrimp, leeches, stink bait, cut shad, or night crawlers. Fishing is good in areas near the shoreline or out in the middle of the lake. Keep the bait about one to two feet off of the bottom by using a slip bobber or fish tight line along the bottom by letting the bait drift with the current. Use a #8, 1/0, or 2/0 long-shank hook. Harmon's and Windy Points are producing good catches of channel catfish. Bluegills are being caught using a #8 or #10 sized hook baited with wax worms, redworms or a small piece of night crawler. All colors of artificial lures are doing well. Fishing is good on the south side of the lake. Cast into channels, along the pier, along the sandy shore areas or the rocky shoreline and into areas with rocks or brush. Keep the bait about six inches deep. 

Adams Lake (Adams County) - Located off of SR 41. Bluegills, sunfish, largemouth bass, and channel catfish are being caught using spinner baits, stink baits, plastic worms, mealworms, chicken livers, or earthworms as bait. Cast from a boat or the shoreline. Keep the bait under a slip bobber so that is suspended about three to four feet deep. Good hook size choices are #4 or #5 long-shank hook. 



SOUTHEAST OHIO

Piedmont Lake (Belmont County) - Water temperature is 74 degrees. The south end of the lake is murky. Saugeyes can be caught in the north end of the lake where the water is clearer. Use a chartreuse-colored Mr. Twister and tip the hook with a small piece of worm. Vertical jig for the saugeyes or cast toward the bank and slowly retrieve to the boat or cast from the shore and retrieve slowly. Best time for catching saugeyes is late evening or morning. When fishing for bluegills, use a wax worm under a bobber and fish at three to five foot depths.

Lake Hope (Vinton County) - Nestled in the Zaleski State Forest region, this serene lake can be fished from both shore and boat. Family fishing is an enjoyable activity at this lake with shoreline and boat access near picnic and shelter areas. Both bluegills and crappies can be caught on minnows or worms. Late evening fishing for channel catfish should be done with chicken liver weighted to hold on the lake bottom. A variety of artificial baits will catch bass in the one to one and a half-pound size range.

Ross Lake (Ross County) - While this scenic lake affords excellent shoreline fishing, the best experience can be from a boat. Bass fishermen should use a variety of spinner baits or plastic baits. Bluegills can be caught on night crawlers and red worms and channel catfish 12 to 15 inches in length will hit on chicken liver or night crawlers. 



LAKE ERIE 
** The 15" walleye minimum size limit remains in effect for the entire season. From May 1 to June 26 smallmouth bass possession is illegal. Anglers may catch and release smallmouth, but possession is not permitted. **

Walleye
The best walleye fishing has been north of Kelleys Island, north and west of West Sister Island, around A can of the Camp Perry firing range and northwest of North Bass 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 the Sandusky Bay foghorn, north of Rattlesnake Island and north 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.

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

OHIO RIVER
Belmont County - The Pike Island area is producing catches of white bass on spinners or minnows under a bobber. Cast off the pier and retrieve slowly. Catfish can be caught by tight-lining on the bottom with chicken liver.

Monroe County -- Gar, sheepheads, channel catfish, and flathead catfish can be caught on cut baits, night crawlers, or chicken liver fished on the bottom. Skipjack are hitting and these fish can be used for cut baits. While smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing is slow in this area, hybrid striped bass can be caught by tight-lining with night crawlers.

Lawrence County - Fishing at the mouths of the tributaries is highly productive for catching hybrid striped bass. Use chicken liver for bait.


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