# ODNR Fishing Report 4/27/05



## Big Daddy

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources 
Division of Wildlife 

The Fish Ohio Report

April 27, 2005

CENTRAL OHIO

Delaware Lake (Delaware County)  Excellent fishing opportunities exist here for crappie anglers in one of Ohios top crappie lakes. A crappie tournament last weekend produced decent results on a snowy, winter-like day with the large fish being a 1.28 pound crappie. The best fishing is around shoreline cover now through early June. Use minnows suspended beneath a bobber in areas with submerged structure. Keeper crappies must measure at least 9 inches. This is the best time of year to take white bass as the spawning run moves upstream in the Olentangy and Whetstone portions of the lake. Fish for saugeyes in the tail waters below the dam and in the flats south of Cap Cole Bay. 

Oakthorpe Lake (Fairfield County) - This little known 41-acre lake northeast of Lancaster is the only public lake in central Ohio containing redear sunfish. Use insect larvae or night crawlers suspended by a bobber around shoreline cover. Try minnows suspended by a bobber to catch crappies up to 12 inches long. The western bank along drop-offs and woody cover can be productive. These same areas can be good locations for largemouth bass, using crank baits and jigs. Over 1,400 yearling channel catfish were stocked in fall 2004. Try night crawlers or cut shad fished on the bottom. Electric motors only.

NORTHWEST OHIO

Killdeer Reservoir (Wyandot County)  Anglers are catching walleye in the early morning hours along the east and south shorelines. Shore anglers are using leeches under slip bobbers set between 15 and 18 feet. Water levels are low due to a precautionary drawdown. Soil slippage was detected on the surface of the dike. The reservoir will not be completely drained. Water temperature is 52 degrees.

Killdeer Pond 30 (Wyandot County)  Largemouth bass are being caught along the shoreline using minnows fished under slip bobbers in four feet of water. Anglers are having the most success in the morning. Water temperature is 56 degrees.

Maumee and Sandusky Rivers - Walleye can still be caught in the Maumee River, but the walleye run will be over shortly. White bass fishing in both the Sandusky and Maumee Rivers is improving and will peak in early May.

NORTHEAST OHIO 

Atwood Lake (Tuscarawas and Carroll counties) - Crappie between 7 and 11 inches are being caught in submerged vegetation in 12  15 feet of water. Most successful anglers are using minnows, but tube jigs and curly tail jigs have also enticed the occasional 14 inch crappie. This 1,551 acre lake has a 25 horse power limit.

Glacier Lake (Mahoning County)  This 44 acre lake in the Mill Creek MetroParks had rainbow trout stocked in it on April 22. Anglers are still catching the rainbows using jigs tipped with maggots and powerbait.

SOUTHWEST OHIO

GRAND LAKE ST MARYS (Auglaize and Mercer counties) - 13,500 acres. Crappies are being caught by anglers using chartreuse or yellow colored jigs with plastic bodies as bait. Fishing is good near submerged trees and brush and woody debris. Keep the bait between two to four feet deep. Jig around brush and the docks in the channels. Anglers using night crawlers, cut bait (shad), or shrimp on a #2 baitholding hook are catching channel catfish. Fish the bait along the bottom and along shoreline areas. Access to a variety of good fishing areas can be gained by the following directions: West Bank from US RT 127 just south of Celina, Windy Point off of SR 219 just north of Montezuma, or Montezuma Park on the south side of the lake on SR 703 just before the traffic light in Montezuma. Good places on the Auglaize county side of the lake are the East Bank, Frys Point, Old Shelter House, and Harmons Landing Point. 

INDIAN CREEK WILDLIFE AREA (Brown County) Bluegill and sunfish are being taken by anglers using red worms, earthworms, or wax worms on a #6 fine wire hook. Keep the bait about two to three feet deep. There are 58 ponds on the area that all have fishing opportunities. The Family Fishing Pond is best and is marked and accessible from Campbell Road in the wildlife area.

CAESAR CREEK LAKE (Clinton, Greene, and Warren counties)  2,830 acres. Anglers are catching crappie by using jigs with plastic bodies, curly tails, or live minnows as bait. Cast from a boat or shoreline and fish near submerged trees and brush. Keep the bait about 20 feet deep. A #2 long-shanked hook is a good choice. Fish slowly along deep cover and structure. There is a nine-inch size limit. There is also a Kids Fishing Pond just north of the beach. White bass are being caught by anglers using jigs with plastic tails or curly tails as bait. Pink jig heads with white or chartreuse bodies are working well. Cast from a boat or the shoreline and into areas with submerged trees or brush. Keep the bait about two to five feet deep. Look for good fishing opportunities in the mouth of Anderson Fork where it enters Caesar Creek. Freshwater drum are also being caught.

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Piedmont Lake (Belmont County)  The water temperature is 55 degrees and the lake is very clear. Saugeye in the 16 to 20 inch range are being taken near the dam by shore and boat anglers. Best fishing is at dusk or dawn or all day if there is cloud cover. Most fish are being taken on jig and minnows fished 6 to 8 feet deep using a slip bobber. Fair numbers of nice (12 to 14 inch) black crappies are being taken in the same area by the same method. A few largemouth bass from 12 to 15 inches are being caught on spinner baits fished slowly in shallow water. 

Seneca Lake (Guernsey County)  Water conditions are slightly turbid and at normal pool with water temperature around 59 degrees. Largemouth bass (12 to 17 inches) are being caught on spinner baits and plastic worms in the shallow coves. Saugeye in the 16 to 17 inch range are just starting to bite on jigs tipped with minnows fished on the points and flats in 8 to 12 feet of water. A few channel cats up to 20 inches are also being taken on minnows and night crawlers fished near shore. The next warm spell should improve the fishing.

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 will return to 6 fish. Anglers are reminded that the daily bag limit for trout and salmon on Lake Erie and its tributaries is 2 through May 15. The minimum size limit is 12 inches.

May 1 begins the no-possession season for smallmouth bass on Lake Erie. Anglers can legally target smallmouth bass, but they must be immediately returned to the water. The 2005 smallmouth bass harvest season will open on Saturday, June 25.

Gale force winds combined with a snow storm during the weekend of 4/23-4/24 shut down fishing on Lake Erie. The winds left the western basin extremely muddy. As conditions stabilize and the water starts to clear up exceptional walleye and yellow perch fishing will return. Although some of the walleye are still spawning on the main lake reefs and in the western basin tributaries the spawning season is wrapping up. Walleye can be caught as they migrate out of their spawning grounds and begin to feed. The best areas to fish this time of year include Maumee Bay to West Sister Island (including the Toledo shipping channel), the flats around the Camp Perry firing range, the Bass Islands area, Kelleys Island, and from Sandusky to Vermilion as post-spawn females begin to migrate east. Popular techniques include drifting with mayfly spinner rigs or trolling crankbaits, crawler harnesses or spoons. Yellow perch fishing should be good off of Marblehead, east of Kelleys Island, around the Sandusky Bay foghorn, and within 1 to 2 miles of the ports from Vermilion east to Conneaut. Spring is a great time to catch trophy yellow perch over 12 inches. Lake Erie surface temperatures are generally in the mid 40s.

To view the most recent Maumee River and Sandusky River fishing reports visit: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/fishing/freport/walleyerunreport.htm

To view recent updates regarding the tributary steelhead fishery visit: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/fairport/steelhead.htm

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



OHIO RIVER

Athens County  At Belleville tail water, the river is up about 6 feet and rising with a water temperature of 55 degrees. A few saugers, saugeyes, and an occasional walleye are being caught behind the lock wall on jig and minnows fished slowly at dawn and dusk. White bass and hybrid striped bass are just starting to move in with a few being taken on spinners. 

Gallia County  At R. C. Byrd tail water area the water is up about 8 feet and rising and the water temperature is 56 degrees. Before the last rain walleye up to 26 inches and saugeye 16 to 18 inches were taken by bottom fishing with minnows and ½ to 1 ounce jigs tipped with shiners. White crappie can be caught in the quiet water near the fishing pier on minnows. The hybrid striper and white bass bite should begin when water levels drop to near normal levels


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