# Portage Lakes Fish



## Catfisher101 (Mar 16, 2017)

I got word that there is Pike and Muskie in parts of Portage Lakes such as the North Reservoir and Long Lake... Is this true???


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## mosquito walleye (Aug 3, 2012)

Portage Lakes still have tiger muskie in it. People used to catch them all the time everywhere in Portage Lakes. They are still there, you just don't catch them as much as you used too. I had a huge one that ended up breaking my line a couple years ago when I still fished Portage Lakes.


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

You can fish north reservoir & Long lake for years and I promise you you won't catch a pike or Muskie ever. You might get lucky and catch a chain pickerel in long but that's not even likely. I don't know if you can still catch Muskie in tfoot or east or not. But you'll be wasting your time trying north and long. Not trying to be negative just trying to save you a wild goose chase.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

You're more likely to catch a big gar than a pike or muskie. Long lake probably has some pike in it since it's connected to the Tuscarawas River, but I've never caught one there the few times I've fished it.


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

bdawg said:


> You're more likely to catch a big gar than a pike or muskie. Long lake probably has some pike in it since it's connected to the Tuscarawas River, but I've never caught one there the few times I've fished it.


Yep For sure lots of big gar in long and north!


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## mosquito walleye (Aug 3, 2012)

Couple years ago had my huge tiger on right outside of turkeyfoot casting those docks just barely in the canal outside of the main lake.


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## mosquito walleye (Aug 3, 2012)

Like you guys said though, I definitely wouldn't go out trying to catch them on Portage..... When you do it will def be an accident.


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

mosquito walleye said:


> Like you guys said though, I definitely wouldn't go out trying to catch them on Portage..... When you do it will def be an accident.


Nice to hear there's still some roaming Tfoot.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

The number have died way down in all of the PLX. I have not seen a pike or a tiger muskie caught in years. In the late 80- mid 90's I couldn't keep the tigers off at PLX chain..they were everywhere.


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## Frankie G (Aug 18, 2014)

mosquito walleye said:


> Couple years ago had my huge tiger on right outside of turkeyfoot casting those docks just barely in the canal outside of the main lake.


The wife and I were fishing in the rain last year by this same spot and we saw two of them. I've fished PLX a lot over the years and had no idea they were in there.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I was fishing in the bay next to the old state park ramp early one morning a few years ago when a huge long fish kept surfacing near shore. Looked like it was chasing minnows bait fish. I assumed it was a big gar. I put on a spinnerbait to try and catch it but had no luck. Seen another one once while motoring out to the main lake on a sunny day. Had to be at least 20lbs.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Need to restock them, it what help thin out the small panfish and help let them grow bigger wake up state!


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## pld bass tard (Sep 20, 2014)

From what I'm told North Reservoir was used By Ohio state university .they had Muskies in it . I actually saw a guy Jack Manda had trying out the Unispin combos land one from shore just acrossed the road from Mandas


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

pld bass tard said:


> From what I'm told North Reservoir was used By Ohio state university .they had Muskies in it . I actually saw a guy Jack Manda had trying out the Unispin combos land one from shore just acrossed the road from Mandas


Good ole jack and his unispins and guaranteed to catch fish lures memory's! But the key word is they used to have Muskie in the but that's just Not the case now.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

brad crappie said:


> Need to restock them, it what help thin out the small panfish and help let them grow bigger wake up state!


The panfish are plenty big enough in the portage lakes. It's my go to spot for big panfish! I have no problem catching 10"+ crappie and 8"+ redear every year. Last year was my best for big panfish! Here's a pick of my dad's big one from 5 years ago. I'm still trying to beat it. My best is only 15.5" caught in the same area as his. Plenty of predators in the lakes with big bass and gar and channel cats.


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

bdawg said:


> The panfish are plenty big enough in the portage lakes. It's my go to spot for big panfish! I have no problem catching 10"+ crappie and 8"+ redear every year. Last year was my best for big panfish! Here's a pick of my dad's big one from 5 years ago. I'm still trying to beat it. My best is only 15.5" caught in the same area as his. Plenty of predators in the lakes with big bass and gar and channel cats.
> 
> View attachment 232274
> View attachment 232274


Nice slab of a black crappie! That sucker would have probably have went 18" if it's tail weren't beat from spawning.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Ni


bdawg said:


> The panfish are plenty big enough in the portage lakes. It's my go to spot for big panfish! I have no problem catching 10"+ crappie and 8"+ redear every year. Last year was my best for big panfish! Here's a pick of my dad's big one from 5 years ago. I'm still trying to beat it. My best is only 15.5" caught in the same area as his. Plenty of predators in the lakes with big bass and gar and channel cats.
> 
> View attachment 232274
> View attachment 232274


nice fish for real true measurement the mouth has got to be closed its over 16


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Portage still could be better!


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

That was a pre-spawn crappie. Caught in late march or early april. Tail might have been beat up from years of spawning. My dad said it measured 17.5". 

I've never seen a better lake for size and numbers of redeared sunfish. I consider the crappie to be a good quality size for the size of the lake, but the number of fish is low. I know that Mosquito and Berlin are better for crappie.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

brad crappie said:


> Need to restock them, it what help thin out the small panfish and help let them grow bigger wake up state!


Bad idea they overstocked them in the past and it did not pan out which is why they stopped doing it. The PLX are too small to support such an aggressive fish.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

bdawg said:


> That was a pre-spawn crappie. Caught in late march or early april. Tail might have been beat up from years of spawning. My dad said it measured 17.5".
> 
> I've never seen a better lake for size and numbers of redeared sunfish. I consider the crappie to be a good quality size for the size of the lake, but the number of fish is low. I know that Mosquito and Berlin are better for crappie.


Great gill fishing in most of the PLX if you know where to find them.


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

Imo Muskie isn't the best fish for the job. lots and lots of pike would be better. At least as far as survival rates.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

bobberbucket said:


> Imo Muskie isn't the best fish for the job. lots and lots of pike would be better. At least as far as survival rates.


I know you fish Nimi allot do you catch or see pike out there anymore?


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

Very rarely the best place to catch them isn't very easy to get to without a kayak. Now I've seen lots and lots of chain pickerel in the shallows the past few years.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

bobberbucket said:


> Very rarely the best place to catch them isn't very easy to get to without a kayak. Now I've seen lots and lots of chain pickerel in the shallows the past few years.


I have not heard or seen a pike in there in years. Back in the days (60's) my dad caught them like it was Canada out of there some big ones too.


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

Bassbully 52 said:


> I have not heard or seen a pike in there in years. Back in the days (60's) my dad caught them like it was Canada out of there some big ones too.


I know of 2 big ones caught and released last year. I haven't personally seen a pike caught there in 3 years. If the state would restock them Nimi would grow some trophies!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Saugeye used to do good there! Need another predator I want 8 to 10 in Gil's more!


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

brad crappie said:


> Saugeye used to do good there! Need another predator I want 8 to 10 in Gil's more!


The problem with the saugeye is they were too easy to catch people hauled them out as fast as they stocked them. By the bucket full!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

bobberbucket said:


> The problem with the saugeye is they were too easy to catch people hauled them out as fast as they stocked them. By the bucket full!


That's what I heard


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Want Gil average like squitter and pymy! Bigger water tho portage has bigger cause the redear! I think more predators and regulation cause of smaller water!


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

Check out the ODNR fish Ohio applications for PLX... for sunfish, no other lake in the state comes close to the size portage puts out(because of the reds). Last year I had 24 redear over 9" and a few 10's... that's a fraction of the 3 pages of FO applications.
As far as the regular gills though you are right, none over 9" for me last year.
They really need to make a redear category and have them over 10" for fish Ohio.
I personally don't like the idea of stocking another predator at PLX, it has a great balance right now, Bass run big, redear run big, Perch and cats also.
Avg Crappie ain't bad either(no mosquito) but a couple FO every year.
All that being said it sure was awesome going to Nimi in the 90's and killing some Saugeye.
Never fished Portage when the Musky and Saugeye were in there.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

buckzye11 said:


> Check out the ODNR fish Ohio applications for PLX... for sunfish, no other lake in the state comes close to the size portage puts out(because of the reds). Last year I had 24 redear over 9" and a few 10's... that's a fraction of the 3 pages of FO applications.
> As far as the regular gills though you are right, none over 9" for me last year.
> They really need to make a redear category and have them over 10" for fish Ohio.
> I personally don't like the idea of stocking another predator at PLX, it has a great balance right now, Bass run big, redear run big, Perch and cats also.
> ...


I have been fishing PLX since the 60's. To me it is healthier and fishing better than ever. For gills mostly redears 8-9" are common. I saw one dead this spring that was at least 10" a monster. Cats are huge 30#lbs common, bass on fire some hogs and good numbers. A tourney I helped run last year had a five fish limit that weighed 22lbs and near 20 was second. There was also a 8# bass caught by my PLX hero...documented catch.
My first trip out this year when we had the warm temps put over 20 largemouth in the boat with 4 over 4lbs...they are there.
Crappie are decent and have seen and caught plenty of 10" and larger fish.
The days of the Saugeye and walleye were great and I caught some impressive fish but the numbers are near gone now. I would love to see them stock walleye or Saugeye but not musky. There were allot of them killed on purpose during those years..not by me but the bass guys hatred them.


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

The state hasn't stocked Tigers in Portage Lakes for years now and don't plan to in the near future. They love stocking Channel cats though for some reason ?


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

Whaler said:


> The state hasn't stocked Tigers in Portage Lakes for years now and don't plan to in the near future. They love stocking Channel cats though for some reason ?


Because they're cheap, easy to raise, survive anywhere, and easy for anyone to catch.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

beaver said:


> Because they're cheap, easy to raise, survive anywhere, and easy for anyone to catch.


Agree with u guys both on the cAtfish thing!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

brad crappie said:


> Agree with u guys both on the cAtfish thing!


Talked to Matt wolf fisheries guy they are looking at the catfish thing more closely! Told them to start stocking redears again at lakes that don't have them!


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## mrbencrazy (Aug 25, 2010)

buckzye11 said:


> Check out the ODNR fish Ohio applications for PLX... for sunfish, no other lake in the state comes close to the size portage puts out(because of the reds). Last year I had 24 redear over 9" and a few 10's... that's a fraction of the 3 pages of FO applications.
> As far as the regular gills though you are right, none over 9" for me last year.
> They really need to make a redear category and have them over 10" for fish Ohio.
> I personally don't like the idea of stocking another predator at PLX, it has a great balance right now, Bass run big, redear run big, Perch and cats also.
> ...


I agree. I fish portage lakes ALOT there are tons of big gills(over 10") and we slaughter the crappie (10-16" average). Not to mention the largemouth. Seems like everybody who bashes plx just don't know what they are doing.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

mrbencrazy said:


> I agree. I fish portage lakes ALOT there are tons of big gills(over 10") and we slaughter the crappie (10-16" average). Not to mention the largemouth. Seems like everybody who bashes plx just don't know what they are doing.


U the man then!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

brad crappie said:


> U the man then!


Just looked at a good article in fishermen March / April 2017 on Gil's the spawntime sunfish! A must see for anyone that is serious bout big Gil's and overall Gil population!


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

I got this from Phil Hillman. They last stocked Tiger Muskies in Portage Lakes in 1985 so there aren't many if any left in there and they don't plan on stocking any in the near future.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

Whaler said:


> I got this from Phil Hillman. They last stocked Tiger Muskies in Portage Lakes in 1985 so there aren't many if any left in there and they don't plan on stocking any in the near future.


Yup they made that mistake once. I have not seen one or caught one in years.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Bassbully 52 said:


> Yup they made that mistake once. I have not seen one or caught one in years.


Saugeye again please! The country allows everything else to get into Erie why not one more bet there is already! At least people would want to catch them!


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

brad crappie said:


> Saugeye again please! The country allows everything else to get into Erie why not one more bet there is already! At least people would want to catch them!


I agree we used to have a nice population of walleye in the chain also.


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## Dly (Oct 25, 2016)

Catfisher101 said:


> I got word that there is Pike and Muskie in parts of Portage Lakes such as the North Reservoir and Long Lake... Is this true???


Years ago a friend took a 4 foot musky out of north


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

brad crappie said:


> Saugeye again please! The country allows everything else to get into Erie why not one more bet there is already! At least people would want to catch them!


Anything but more channel cats!


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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Why not some Northern Pike?


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## Gsxrfanim (Sep 28, 2009)

I am thinking that there is a pretty good sized Tiger still in North/Hower. I seen a long swift moving fish in the clear waters of Hower that had to be a musky.
Thats where good ol Matt Amedeo caught that Tiger back in the day.


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

Gsxrfanim said:


> I am thinking that there is a pretty good sized Tiger still in North/Hower. I seen a long swift moving fish in the clear waters of Hower that had to be a musky.
> Thats where good ol Matt Amedeo caught that Tiger back in the day.


The fish you are seeing are gar. You won't be catching any tigers in long or north or hower. Zero chance.


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## guppygill (May 8, 2004)

Have to agree with some on here, when I want to go for nice panfish, I head to East. You gotta fish it to find their patterns, once you do , you catch nice redears, gills, crappies, and perch. there are several weeks between spring and summer that you can kill the nice gills and redears. I release almost 98% of the nice ones.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

guppygill said:


> Have to agree with some on here, when I want to go for nice panfish, I head to East. You gotta fish it to find their patterns, once you do , you catch nice redears, gills, crappies, and perch. there are several weeks between spring and summer that you can kill the nice gills and redears. I release almost 98% of the nice ones.


Nice that u release them bud!


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## Pole Squeezer (Jun 21, 2008)

Turkeyfoot crappie fishing was hot 3 years ago, many fish ohio's reported, numbers dropped a bit, though last year there were days of limiting out. Sizes have always been pretty consistent average about 10.5 to 11 inches, should be a great year for them this year. 
Hope Nimi has a great crappie year this year, threw back a lot of 7's and 8 inchers last year maybe they grew to keeper size......


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