# Top 5 Bass Lakes In Northwest Ohio



## adam_smith_nap

Hi,
I was wondering what everyones top 5 bass lakes are in northwest ohio?


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## robertj298

The pickings are very slim in this part of the state. I guess you could list Indian even though its more in the central part of the state


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## Scum_Frog

Resthaven.....east harbor and west harbor......some of the upground reservoirs arent bad....lake erie..lol def slim pick'ns!


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## ukfan

Bellvue reservoir # 5 just outside Monroeville. The marina at Wild Wings located on route 2 is good for largemouth.


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## olderfer

My favorite NW Ohio bass lakes are in Michigan.

Jim


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## Lynxis

My first thought was, this is great idea for a thread, then while i was waiting for it to load i thought, ... i dont know that there are any.....

La Su Ann can be good.
Indian has multiple bass tournaments essentially every damn weekend of the summer, so apparently there.
The upground reservoirs like Breslers has good smallies, though they spook easy with the clear water and just the general nature of reservoirs.

Past that, you got me....

Northern ohio around mansfield has 2 good lakes. Clearfork and Charles Mill, though they are both north east more than northwest...


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## jstiene

This is a great thread right now, as I got online to start planning what new lakes to try this year. Based in Toledo, I usually head to Resthaven, which I believe is tops nearby, within the state. Lake La Su Ann is also good, although fish are all small. I was wondering if anyone has any lakes in Michigan that you would recommend for largemouth, or even pike/muskie. I like to go to West Branch but thats about 2.5hr drive. I was thinking of working north this year, within a 2hr drive...any suggestions?

Joe


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## DeathFromAbove

olderfer said:


> My favorite NW Ohio bass lakes are in Michigan.
> 
> Jim


 F*****G A!! There are none in NW OHIO. My favorite Bass lake is the Maumee Rive in NW Ohio


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## flippin fool

metzgers marsh can be pretty fun


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## olderfer

jstiene said:


> This is a great thread right now, as I got online to start planning what new lakes to try this year. Based in Toledo, I usually head to Resthaven, which I believe is tops nearby, within the state. Lake La Su Ann is also good, although fish are all small. I was wondering if anyone has any lakes in Michigan that you would recommend for largemouth, or even pike/muskie. I like to go to West Branch but thats about 2.5hr drive. I was thinking of working north this year, within a 2hr drive...any suggestions?
> 
> Joe


I do my bass fishing from a kayak. Other types of boats might have trouble accessing these lakes. With that in mind, here are four places where I've enjoyed excellent bassin' for many years. All are within about an hour of Toledo.

In Waterloo State Recreation area, west of Ann Arbor: Mud Lake, Mill Lake.

In Onsted State Game area, west of Adrian: Grass Lake, One Mile Lake. 

Jim


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## adam_smith_nap

DeathFromAbove said:


> F*****G A!! There are none in NW OHIO. My favorite Bass lake is the Maumee Rive in NW Ohio


where do you fish in the maumee river for bass? what do you use. If fish the maumee all the time but not for bass just catfish, walleye, and pike


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## CHOPIQ

Not a lake but the Auglaize river is an excellent smallie river. We have caught over 20 a day wading it.


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## adam_smith_nap

CHOPIQ said:


> Not a lake but the Auglaize river is an excellent smallie river. We have caught over 20 a day wading it.


What baits/lures do you use?


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## Bowhunter57

adam_smith_nap,
The best bass fishing that I've ever found in the entire state has always been in local farm ponds.  Bigger, healthier, more of them and better eating. 

Bowhunter57


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## Frank-O

Jsteine...you gotta try Kent Lake near Brighton, Michigan and also Detroit River out of Elizabeth Park...great smallie & largies in both.


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## rod bender bob

east and west harbor are outstanding, especially in the spring.


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## CHOPIQ

Adam_smith you can't go wrong with 3" weedless tubes in the Auglaize. It's shallow in places so a crankbait is hard to fish but where you can a rebel craw works great.


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## adam_smith_nap

CHOPIQ said:


> Adam_smith you can't go wrong with 3" weedless tubes in the Auglaize. It's shallow in places so a crankbait is hard to fish but where you can a rebel craw works great.


Ok sounds good ill have to try those out when spring rolls around


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## jlieder

Oldfer,

I remember you mentioning those Michigan lakes last year and I never got up there. I am determined to do so next year with either the kayak or canoe.

Are those lakes easy to put into, or is there any portaging involved? Can i drive right up and put in? Please comment on which ones have easiest access.

Love kayak/canoe, but the back ain't what it used to be 

Thanks


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## NWO3131

I thought the same thing too about these reservoirs around toledo until last year i took my 12foot deep v out on delta and we couldnt stop catching bass and blue gill we were in the middle of the reservoir fishing crawlers on slip bobbers. Bass were pretty good size too not too small but bigger than anything i ever caught from the shore.


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## olderfer

jlieder said:


> Oldfer,
> 
> I remember you mentioning those Michigan lakes last year and I never got up there. I am determined to do so next year with either the kayak or canoe.
> 
> Are those lakes easy to put into, or is there any portaging involved? Can i drive right up and put in? Please comment on which ones have easiest access.
> 
> Love kayak/canoe, but the back ain't what it used to be
> 
> Thanks


Here's a rundown on the four Michigan lakes I mentioned:

Waterloo State Recreation Area:
Mud Lake: sand/gravel access for small trailer boats or paddleboats. This lake is a shallow,weedy impoundment of about 90 acres, half of it lilly pads. Generally, I fish holes far back in the pads, beyond the reach of prop-driven boats.

Mill Lake: Same access as above. Electric motors only. Mill is 150 acres or so, with extensive weedy shallows and a couple of deep holes. Bass can be anywhere. Mill is an exceptionally pretty lake, with game- trails and lots of wildlife along its shores.

Onsted State Game Area:
Grass (or Grassy): Same access as above, with emphasis on SMALL. This is a very shallow, weedy impoundment of maybe 75 acres with just one deep hole. Excellent bluegill lake with big bass and channel cats cruising. Great place for a flyrod.

One Mile: Access limited to what you can drag/carry along a 50-yard dock over Michigan Muck. Only about 30 acres, this is a glacial lake, quite deep with sharp drop offs. The narrow exit channel provides paddleboat access to the Cleveland Lakes and the headwaters of the River Raisin.

Rather than cottages or massive rip rap, these lakes are ringed with actual TREES.

Jim


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## jlieder

Thanks very much Oldfer...sounds like some good fishing spots to me.


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## meathelmet

Oldfer,

Thanks for the great info on the Mi lakes I will definitely put them on my fishing/kayak list for the spring.


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## laynhardwood

East harbor for overall numbers the Sandusky bay has some decent fishing can't beat the islands and near shore around Catawba and Marblehead till July then it's mostly off shore bronze back action 


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## meathelmet

olderfer said:


> Here's a rundown on the four Michigan lakes I mentioned:
> 
> Waterloo State Recreation Area:
> Mud Lake: sand/gravel access for small trailer boats or paddleboats. This lake is a shallow,weedy impoundment of about 90 acres, half of it lilly pads. Generally, I fish holes far back in the pads, beyond the reach of prop-driven boats.
> 
> Mill Lake: Same access as above. Electric motors only. Mill is 150 acres or so, with extensive weedy shallows and a couple of deep holes. Bass can be anywhere. Mill is an exceptionally pretty lake, with game- trails and lots of wildlife along its shores.
> 
> Onsted State Game Area:
> Grass (or Grassy): Same access as above, with emphasis on SMALL. This is a very shallow, weedy impoundment of maybe 75 acres with just one deep hole. Excellent bluegill lake with big bass and channel cats cruising. Great place for a flyrod.
> 
> One Mile: Access limited to what you can drag/carry along a 50-yard dock over Michigan Muck. Only about 30 acres, this is a glacial lake, quite deep with sharp drop offs. The narrow exit channel provides paddleboat access to the Cleveland Lakes and the headwaters of the River Raisin.
> 
> Rather than cottages or massive rip rap, these lakes are ringed with actual TREES.
> 
> Jim


Jim,

I looked on Google maps but could not find 1 mile any advice?


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## olderfer

meathelmet said:


> Jim,
> 
> I looked on Google maps but could not find 1 mile any advice?


One Mile is in Onsted State Game Area about 15 miles west of Adrian, in the Irish Hills. If nothing else, find Adrian on a google map, then pan nw along highway 223 to Slee Road. Devil's Lake is just to the sw. Pan north to hwy 12 and you'll see the game area and its several lakes. MIS is just a bit farther north.

Jim


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## meathelmet

olderfer said:


> One Mile is in Onsted State Game Area about 15 miles west of Adrian, in the Irish Hills. If nothing else, find Adrian on a google map, then pan nw along highway 223 to Slee Road. Devil's Lake is just to the sw. Pan north to hwy 12 and you'll see the game area and its several lakes. MIS is just a bit farther north.
> 
> Jim


Thanks I found it!


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## bassmaniac

Try Belleville in Michigan, it's not very far and has both smallies and largemouth. Take 75 up to the 275 exit.


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## adam_smith_nap

Ok ill have to try that, i have never been there


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## eric mitchell

_ have not fished ther yet but a friend showed me a photo of a bass he caught there that was every bit 6 lbs. He said it is loaded, definitely am going there this year._


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## Luns

eric mitchell said:


> _ have not fished ther yet but a friend showed me a photo of a bass he caught there that was every bit 6 lbs. He said it is loaded, definitely am going there this year._


_

I would say IT WAS a good place, but last year the city dumped in, from what i hear, 2200lbs of copper sulfate. It killed the bite, and the place so far has not recovered yet, might want to reconsider if your from out of town._


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## Captain Kevin

eric mitchell said:


> _ have not fished ther yet but a friend showed me a photo of a bass he caught there that was every bit 6 lbs. He said it is loaded, definitely am going there this year._


_

This place was in my backyard before I moved. This place was a nice little secret until about 2 years ago. Some huge a$$ bass in this place. Good cover (standing timber, weed beds, rip rap, rock piles) all over. If your good with electronics, and stay on some of the off shore structure that shore anglers can't pound to death, you will have a trip well worth going on._


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