# ODNR Fish Report 4/18/07



## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife
The Fish Ohio Report

April 18, 2007

CENTRAL OHIO
Delaware Lake (Delaware County) - Cold temperatures last week have slowed the movement and activity of crappie but warmer weather this week should cause them to be active again in this lake, one of central Ohios best crappie fisheries. Fish the primary points of the old creek channel using jigs and minnows around woody cover. White bass should migrate up the Whetstone Creek and Olentangy River arms of reservoir in the next week or two if the temperatures continue to warm. Try fishing for them with small twister tails, rooster tails and jigs for best results.

Hoover Reservoir (Delaware and Franklin counties) - Lake water temperatures last week were in the mid-40 degrees Fahrenheit. As temperatures climb this week, crappies should move from deep water into shallower water. Target creek channels with woody shoreline cover using jigs and minnows. Crappie will also move into the creeks to feed due to last weeks rains. Look for areas around submerged timber. Saugeye in the five to seven pound range are located by the dam in good numbers right now. Try using minnow-imitating lures for saugeye. White bass should be moving up the creeks in one to two weeks if the weather continues to warm. They can be caught on small jigs or rooster tails. There is a 10 horsepower limit at this reservoir.

NORTHWEST OHIO
Maumee River (Wood and Lucas Counties) - The water temperature is 43effort is low, degrees Fahrenheit and the water level is slightly high but at a good fishing level. The water is turbid but clearing. Fishing effort is low. The walleye catches are starting to improve and should continue to improve this week with warmer temperatures. The best bait is a floating jig tipped with a bright colored twister tail. The best area to fish is downstream from Maumee/Perrysburg Bridge near Orleans Park. We are still seeing good numbers of walleye in the river during electrofishing surveys. The outlook should improve with warmer temperatures.

Sandusky River (Sandusky County)  The water temperature is 45 degree Fahrenheit and the water is normal level but muddy. Fishing effort is very low. Fishing success has been poor. However, during a recent electrofishing survey, Division of Wildlife biologists found good numbers of walleye still in the river. The best area to fish is around Roger Young Park. Anglers are using ¼ ounce jigs with bright colored tails. The walleye run probably will not last long in the Sandusky River. The white bass should start coming up the river to spawn soon as water temperatures increase. 

Reminders:

-Black bass season is closed, from May 1 through June 29, 2007; any caught must be released. 

-Walleye have a 15-inch minimum length limit for the entire season.

-Walleye daily bag limit is four (4) from March 1 through April 30, and six (6) from 

May 1 through the last day in February.

-Other Fishing Regulations pertaining to the walleye run are listed in the 2007-2008 Fishing Regulations publication available where ever fishing licenses are sold or they may be viewed at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/default.htm or simply do a search for Ohio Division of Wildlife.

-New 2007 fishing licenses are required as of March 1, 2007.

View sunrise/sunset table http://www.sunrisesunset.com/calend...;-5;1&month=3&year=2007&time_type=0&use_dst=1

NORTHEAST OHIO
Atwood Lake (Carroll County) - Cold temperatures and windy conditions have only a few anglers venturing out on the lake. The crappie bite is slow but nice catches are being reported. The fish (mostly white crappies but black crappies are also present) are in the six to 10-inch range. Fishing live minnows with slip bobbers or small tubes/curl tails (no color preference) on light-weight jig heads in the 1/32 to1/8 weight range brings good results. Anglers should fish near woody structure that is near deeper water (about six to 15 feet) or near steep drop off channels.

Walborn Reservoir (Stark County)  Crappies are being caught off of Reeder Avenue at this reservoir located on Stark County Park Districts property. Anglers casting jigs and retrieving very slowly are doing well. Fishing from the causeway is permitted 24 hours a day but parking lots close from dusk to dawn. Boats must be off of the water at dusk. The horsepower limit is 10. 

SOUTHWEST OHIO

Rocky Fork Lake (Highland County)  The cold and windy weather conditions have only a few die-hard fishermen venturing out on the lake. However, those anglers have started catching a few eight to 10-inch crappie by fishing live minnows under slip bobbers or jigheads with small tubes or curly tails. Try fishing near woody structure in eight to 10 feet in North Beach or Kellys coves. 

Grand Lake St. Marys (Mercer and Auglaize Counties)  Due to the rain and higher water conditions, anglers are catching walleye below the dam in the spillway. Walleye have ranged in size from 18.5 to 26-inches. The spillway is located at the west side of the lake. Try using small jigs tipped with twister tails or minnows fished along the bottom. In the lake, anglers are beginning to catch crappie near boat docks and brushy structure in the channels. Crappies are being caught on live minnows, tube jigs or jigs with twister tails. 

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Salt Fork Lake (Guernsey County)  Temperature has been in the low 50s over the weekend in this 2,815-acre lake. Now is the perfect time of year to fish for crappie around submerged brush piles and structure using pink and chartreuse twister tails tipped with minnows. Most crappie are in the nine to 10 inch range with some fish up to 13-inches being taken. Anglers reported good catches of crappie along with some walleye and saugeye when fishing from the Morning Glory Ramp toward the dam and at the covered bridge. A few channel cats up to 20-inches are also being taken on minnows and night crawlers fished near shore. 

Wolf Run Lake (Noble County)  The crappie bite is starting to pick up at this 220-acre lake near Caldwell. Try small spinners in six to eight feet of water around submerged structure. Structure location is marked with orange paint or tags along the shore. Successful anglers reported catching crappie in the seven to nine inch range. Wolf Run Lake has a 10-horsepower limit.

Lake Vesuvius (Lawrence County)  Temperatures in this 143-acre lake are in the low 50s. Rainbow trout will be stocked into Vesuvius Lake on April 19 during the NWTF Wheelin Sportsmen fishing event. 

LAKE ERIE 

**The yellow perch daily bag limit on Lake Erie has been reduced to 30 fish per day as of April 9, 2007. The change in yellow perch bag limit occurred after the printing of fishing regulations brochure. The 2007-2008 fishing regulations brochure incorrectly lists the Lake Erie yellow perch bag limit as 40 fish per day, which has now been changed to 30.**

**The walleye daily bag limit is four (4) fish from March 1 through April 30. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15-inches.**

**The daily bag limit for black bass on Lake Erie is five (5). The minimum size limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 14-inches. The steelhead trout bag limit is two (2). The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12-inches.**

Cold temperatures and strong wind continued to limit main lake access during the week of 4/9. When conditions allowed walleye were caught on hair jigs tipped with minnows near shore from Turtle Creek to Wild Wings marina in less than 15-feet of water and also on many of the Camp Perry reefs. As the water warms expect jig fishing to heat up on most of the Camp Perry reefs and in near shore areas all the way from Maumee Bay to Cedar Point. Trollers have had success with minnow imitating stick baits and deep diving crankbaits along the eastern and northern cans of the Camp Perry firing range and also around the Bass Islands.

Surface temperatures are currently around 39 degrees Fahrenheit.

Maumee and Sandusky River walleye report- For recent updates on the tributary walleye fishery visit the Division of Wildlife web page at: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/fishing/freport/walleyerunreport.htm

Steelhead- For recent updates on the steelhead fishery visit the Division of Wildlife steelhead web page at: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/fishing/fairport/steelhead.htm

To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?file=forecasts/marine/great_lakes/le/lez160.txt 

OHIO RIVER

Lawrence and Scioto counties  Water levels on the River are high with increased current. Water will likely remain high and murky for the remainder of the week.


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