# National Quarry -- Bluffton, Ohio



## Jason6644

Does anyone fish the National Quarry in Bluffton, Ohio, I believe its off of st. rt. 103. Whats in the resevior? Is the boat ramp safe? How deep is it? Any information you have will be greatly appreciated!


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## mikeofborg

Fished that thing since I was a kid. Boat ramp is safe, but gravel. It has walleye in the 15-20 inch range. Hybrid Stripers, largest caught so far is 14 pounds. Yellow perch, nice crappies, rainbows (rare), largemouth and smallmouth bass. And a good population of channel cats, some hitting 15lbs plus. Bluegills for the most part are common, but stunted. Bass population for large and smallmouth is somewhat fair. And, there are large carp.

The reservoir is around 20-30 feet deep on average, some spots hit 40 feet. Near the shore there are shelfs between 3-7 feet deep, but then it drops into the deep water. It used to be a stone quarry, so if you want an idea of what the bottom looks like take a look at the active stone quarry on Bentley road.

I don't know if the walleye are spawning, but they have not put any in in a few years and people have caught yearlings in the 8-10 inch range. About 3 years back we caught a bunch of Walleye around the gravel boat ramp during spring. Males and females with eggs. But, I can't be sure if they were spawning or not.

Best spot for crappie is in the NE corner near the bike path. Walk down to the shore and fish live minnows on a slip bobber about 3-5 feet down. I have seen a 15 inch crappie pulled from there, but for the most part they are 10-12 inches. Yellow perch run about the same, but seem to hit better during ice season.

The hybrid strippers can be fished from shore, but I see most guys troll spoons for them. Neat watching them in the summer chase shad to the surface out in the middle of the lake. Too bad they always seem to be just out of casting range. Channel cats seem to bite best at dusk and night near the NE corner also. I use live minnows as bait for them too. I have had a few cats break off on me with 20lbs test line. For the most part the channels run in the 2-4lb range. Good eatin by the way.

Hope that helps.


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## Action

Do they have camping there?


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## mikeofborg

No camping per say, just a the quarry and the bank. But I have stayed there over night catching channels by a latern.

Also, no state liscense is required to fish there, but you must purchase a Bluffton sportmans club membership. I think they run $19-20 a year. I think Town and Country meats is the only place to purchase memberships. It is located on Main street in Bluffton. Also, the membership allows you to fish in the annual trout derby at Buckeye park on the first sunday in May. I believ proceeds from membership sales go to stock the trout and other species.


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## Jason6644

Since no state license is required, does your boat have to have up-to-date tags? Thanks for the great info, I am a current student at Bluffton University and I was wondering if it was worth the 20 or so dollars to get a membership was worth it, it sure sounds like it! Maybe I'll see you out there some time, look for a 14' Lund with a Red stripe down the side, don't be shy say hi.


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## mikeofborg

Horsepower is limited to 10. A trolling motor is fine, just have a spare battery. If you see a guy fishing from the bank with an Ohio State hat and a red goatee, thats me. I live in Lima now, but on occasion I fish with my dad there. I just started back to school myself after 11 years in the army. Going to OSU Lima. I think it is well worth the 20 dollars, plus you get to know where they release pheasants in the winter if you go to their meetings. Plus Buckeye lake down by the swimming pool have some good sized blue gills and largemouths, along with left over trout from the derby. And the occasional walleye or perch.

Oh, and I think any boat on water in Ohio needs updated tags if I remember right. But chances are no one would check, but be safe and have updated tags.


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## irishfisherman

I thought that place was a private club fishing spot ?
If not, then where is the parking access besides that little pulloff area on the way into Bluffton on 103 ??


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## flytyer

Actually the national quarry is part of the Bluffton Sportmans club and you need to be a member, but anyone can be a member just go to Town & Country meats on main st. and buy a membership. They're $20 for a year.


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## Jason6644

The parking is down by the railroad tracks on the right side going west ( coming from I 75) It is a gravel drive that goes parallel with the bike path and then crosses over, there is a boat ramp, parkin, and a porto johnny. I also heard that you can get a membership at kibbies, not sure, just heard it once.


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## Ruminator

Great thread and info. guys. Back in '74 I went to Bluffton College for a year. I'm trying to remember the name of the dorm I lived in....oh well, too long ago... 

And for you new guys, welcome to OGF.


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## bkr43050

Ruminator said:


> Back in '74 I went to Bluffton College for a year. I'm trying to remember the name of the dorm I lived in....oh well, too long ago...


 Was it Hirshey, Lincoln, or Bren-Dell? I spent four years of my life there as well. Graduated in '88.


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## Jason6644

I live in second hirschey annex right now!


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## bkr43050

Jason6644 said:


> I live in second hirschey annex right now!


 I was one up on you.


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## Ruminator

Guys, I lived on the fourth floor of Lincoln hall, a corner room by a stair case straight up from the lounge. That was in my more wild, and crazy days. I learned the finer poits of the game of ping pong there.
We were really into water fights with the girls dorms that fall.
I climbed out on the roof(four stories)thru the lavatory window and ran a garden hose down the gutter clear to my room where I could open my window and reach up to get it after attaching it to the faucet in the lav.
I'm lucky I didn't get caught by someone seeing me, or making a nice splat. It was on the back side of the building though. The next water fight, I hosed 'em from four stories up! And what a reach I had with that nozzle! 

Small world isn't it?


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## bkr43050

Ruminator said:


> Small world isn't it?


 It sure is. And you would probably not recognize it anymore. I was up through there a couple of years ago and could not believe it. They closed off what I think was College Drive that went into campus. They built more buildings where the road led on through. I did not have much time as I was simply passing through otherwise I would have taken a better look.

Did you ever go out to the Nature Preserve that the college had? I assume they had it back then as well. The fishing was off limits but we used to sneak in at night in the spring and nail some dandy largemouths. A few times we brought some real nice gills home for the frying pan as well.


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## Jason6644

Wow thats quite a tradition with the water fights, it still goes on to this day in the spring. People have water balloon sling shots and the shoot them out of 4th lincoln, they also have 5 gallon buckets that they drop over people from the stair well over the entrance stair between 3rd and 4th floor. I couldn't imagine getting away with being on lincoln's roof now adays.


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## Ruminator

Yea, it was a dumb stunt back then to pull. Totally unsafe. But you should have seen me hosing those girls!  I could keep a blast of water on them for fifty feet while they ran away looking up trying to get away.  The other guys on my dorm floor came into our room trying to figure out how and who?!  Everyone was using their rooms trash baskets chasing around after each other and then it poured like the heavens opened up from above. Since it was always after dark, noone could see us four floors up.  It was a lot of fun. 
I have some great memories from that time.


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## davycrockett

Hi, fellas! New guy here. I grew up in Bluffton(21 yrs.) I also fished the National and Buckeye quarries as a kid. I thought these waters were heaven as I was limited to a bike for transportation. I participated in the annual trout derby every year from ages 3 to 17. Those were the fun, good ole days. However, today I wouldn't give these quarries the time of day.(see thread in the lounge forum) A better bet would be the Riley Creek which flows through Bluffton. My favorite spots are behind the tennis courts across from Harmon field and "Big Bend" east of the bridge on north Main. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are common as are carp, bullheads,bluegill, and suckers.Hope this helps.
Dave :B


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## Action

Is there any place to camp on Riley Creek. I was planning to fish there with my wife this summer but don't know if a canoe will work there or where to camp. Thanks for any info.


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## davycrockett

Action, unfortunatly camping is pretty limited in Bluffton. The Riley meanders through town and the banks are freqently in folk's back yards. As for canoing, the Riley is relatively shallow. You would probably have to portage often.The closest place to Bluffton for camping is Twin Lakes campgrounds approximately 5 miles north of Bluffton. Hope this helps!  
Dave


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## mikeofborg

The Riley is ok, but not a super fishery. The bass are small and the carp rampant. But, if you enjoy catching carp in the 2-5lb range then by all means hit the Riley. With a can of corn and fishing the Big Bend I had action all day as a kid.


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## bkr43050

We use to fish the Riley Creek quite a bit when I was in chool up there. We used to go to a place we call the falls. I am not sure what the locals call it but it was out of town just a little ways. It was a natural ledge drop of only a couple of feet but the river opened up a little just below it. In this spot we used to catch plenty of smallmouth and quite a few largemouth. As Mike mentioned the smallish carp were very numerous. And there were quite a few small catfish. I agree that for size it was not the greatest but there was never a dull moment when fishing there.


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