# ODNR Fishing Report 8/4



## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Have a great weekend gang!!!

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife



The Fish Ohio Report





August 4, 2004



CENTRAL OHIO
Griggs Reservoir (Franklin County) - August is a good time for night fishing to escape the daytime heat and boat traffic in this 361-acre lake in northwest Columbus. There is good channel catfish fishing close to shore using cut bait and chicken liver. Fish early and late in the day for largemouth bass for best results. There are numerous big carp available in the lake to catch. Crappies are holding in deep water around submerged cover.

Kiser Lake (Champaign County) - Hybrid striped bass can be caught using chicken livers on the bottom or jigs fished from an anchored boat. These fish were first introduced into this 387-acre Champaign County lake in 1992 and now measure up to 26 inches and 13 pounds. No motors including trolling motors are allowed on Kiser Lake. The edges of aquatic vegetation and downed trees are good places to fish for largemouth bass when using six-inch plastic worms, top-water lures, and small spinners. Some anglers here enjoy using a fly rod with small surface poppers to take bluegills.



NORTHWEST OHIO
Van Wert Reservoir #2 (Van Wert County) - Bluegill in the five to seven inch range are being caught using artificial worms and wax worms. Fishing under a bobber is the best method. Afternoons in the middle section of the west dike is the hot spot.

Crappie are also being taken in the nine to ten inch range. Wax worms under a bobber is the way to go. Afternoons along the middle section of the west dike is the best time and place for these fish as well.

Flat Rock Creek (Paulding County) - Catfish in the two to six pound range are being caught in this creek by fishing chicken liver on the bottom of the stream. The north bank seems to be the best place to try.

Oxbow Lake (Defiance County) - Largemouth bass in the nine to 16 inch range are being taken in the morning. Earth worms and rubber worms under a bobber seem to be the best technique. Fishing off of the piers is working the best. Remember that the size limit for bass in this lake is 18 inches.



NORTHEAST OHIO

Clendening Lake (Harrison County) - Listed as one of the best spots in northeast Ohio for channel catfishing, this large 1,646 acre lake provides hours of fishing enjoyment. Channel catfish are fiesty in this late summer weather and spawn from mid to late June so they are hungry and actively feeding after this period. Their vigor picks up from July until September when they can't stop eating. Being sensitive to bright light, they'll feed mostly at night or following a rainstorm. For bait, something simple like shrimp, chicken liver, or hot dogs will work, but some 'stink bait' will stir them up too, whether it is homemade (a mixture of cheese, decayed meat or minnows, animal blood, oats, flour, and anise into small balls) or commercially prepared. Remember catfish have small eyes compared to many other fish, so think big, colorful, and smelly. Keep your bait geared to the size of fish that you'd like to catch. Get your hook close to the bottom, where the catfish spends 90 percent of its time and try finding boulders or logs where the channel catfish are hiding. If it is cloudy, move the hook up since cats tend to swim higher when clouds are prevalent. 
Lake Erie (Ashtabula County) - In 38 to 42 feet of water, walleye are hitting on bottom bouncers and worm harnesses near the Lorain County shoreline. Perch are also filling limits for anglers fishing in 40 feet of water northeast of Rocky River. If 12 to 14 inch white bass raises an eyebrow, reel 'em in off of East 72nd Street using hair jigs.
Portage Lakes (Summit County)- Bluegill and red-ear sunfish are being taken along the drop-off in seven to eight feet of water. A pinmin tipped with live bait is good for catching these 8 to 10 in keepers. Largemouth bass are hitting on a variety of top-water baits (buzz baits, soft plastic jerk baits, and poppers). Anglers should focus on the weed edges that have come up in some of the back bays and coves. 



SOUTHWEST OHIO
Cowan Lake (Clinton County) - Located nine miles southwest of Wilmington on State Route 730. Access points from State Route 350 are Beechwood Road or Yankee Road. Access points from State Route 730 are Sprague Road and Osborn Road. Bluegill and sunfish are being caught by anglers using crankbaits, earthworms or wax worms as bait. Good artificial bait colors are green or chartreuse. There are good fishing opportunities from a boat or along the shoreline and pier areas. Look for additional opportunities in the mouth of Cowan Creek. Keep the bait five to six feet deep. Choose a #6 long shanked hook. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers, cut bait, shrimp and earthworms as bait. Cast from the pier area. Keep the bait off of the bottom and about three to six feet deep. Use a #5 baitholder hook.

Paint Creek Lake (Highland County) - Bluegill and sunfish are being caught by anglers using earthworms, wax worms, surface poppers, or curly tails as bait. Choose artificial lures colored white or pink. Fish the bait under a slip bobber and keep the bait about four to five feet deep. A good hook size to choose is a #6 long shanked hook. Look for good fishing in areas with woody debris such as fallen trees or over-hanging brush. Also, try your hand at still fishing. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers, crawdads, stink bait, or night crawlers as bait. Still-fish in the area beneath the dam. Keep the bait on a #1/0 baitholder hook and keep it four to five feet deep. Fish the bait along the rocky bottom areas. Largemouth bass are being caught by anglers using jigs with night crawlers, jigs with plastic bodies, plastic worms, or crankbaits as bait. For best results with an artificial lure choose lures colored black. Keep the bait on a #2/0 sized hook and cast into area with woody debris and/or a rocky bottoms. Fish the bait slowly along the bottom in water about five to six feet deep. White bass are being caught by anglers using curly tails, crankbaits, cut bait, small spinners, live minnows, or surface lures as bait. Choose white for artificial lures. Fish from a boat or the shore. Keep the bait between two to three feet deep. Use a #4 sized hook. Crappie are being caught by anglers using curly tails, wax worms, or live minnows as bait. Good artificial lures colors are white or pumpkinseed. Cast into areas with woody debris, submerged trees or brush, or channel areas. Keep the bait under a bobber and between four to five feet deep. Use a #4 sized hook.



SOUTHEAST OHIO

Monroe Lake (Monroe County) - Nestled in the 1,293-acre Monroe Wildlife Area, this 40-acre lake is stocked annually with rainbow trout. With hot weather and higher water temperatures occurring, anglers can find trout in the deeper, cooler waters near the dam. PowerBait is the best bet for catching trout in this area. Fish at night for catfish and use a night crawler held at the bottom of the lake by a heavy sinker. Early morning and evening are the best times of catch bluegills and bass. Use a night crawler with a bobber or tight line. Electric motors only.

Clouse Lake (Perry County) - Located three miles south of Somerset on State Route 668, this 41-acre lake offers a variety of family fishing opportunities. Use live bait or in-line small spinner baits to catch bluegills. Top water lures or floating rubber worms (no lead) will catch bass on the south side of the lake around the heavy vegetation. Electric motors only.

Ross Lake (Ross County) - This scenic 140-acre lake is located three and one-half miles east of Chillicothe on Hydell Road. There is plenty of area for shoreline fishing, as well as a modern ramp for launching boats with electric motors only. Fish from the shoreline or from a boat to catch bluegills and use red worms or night crawlers under a bobber. Seek out vegetated areas to catch a largemouth bass and any variety of artificial baits may catch that lunker! Night fishing is best for catching channel catfish in the 10 to 15-inch range; use liver or night crawlers fished on the bottom.



LAKE ERIE 
** The 15 inch walleye minimum size limit remains in effect for the entire season. The smallmouth and largemouth bass season opened on June 26. The daily bag limit for bass is five with a 14 inch minimum size limit.**



Surface temperatures are in the lower 70's. To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS61.KCLE.html



Western Basin 

Walleye - The best walleye fishing has been in the area near the U.S. - Canada border south of Middle Sister Island around where "F" and "G" cans were, and in the northwest reef area west of North Bass Island. Drifting mayfly rigs, bottom bouncers with worm harnesses, or weight forward spinners tipped with worms has been productive. Trollers have done best using spoons or worm harnesses. Walleye hatched in 2003 (ranging in size from five to 10 inches) are already being caught. Please handle these sub-legal fish as gently as possible and quickly return them to the water. 

Yellow Perch - Yellow perch fishing has been best in 32 to 36 feet of water between Gull Island Shoal and Ballast Island, around "C" can of the Camp Perry firing range, and southeast of West Sister Island. Fish just off the bottom using perch spreaders tipped with shiners. 

Smallmouth Bass - The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around the Bass Islands, Kelleys Island and Sandusky Bay.



Central Basin 

Walleye - The best walleye fishing has been north of Lorain along the east side of the sandbar, 12 to 13 miles north-northeast of Ashtabula in 70 to 72 feet of water, and three miles east of Conneaut in 34 to 40 feet of water. Trolling spoons or worm harnesses using divers or downriggers has produced the best catches.

Yellow Perch - Yellow perch fishing has been best two to three miles north of Lorain and Beaver Creek, four to five miles north of Cleveland in 48 to 57 feet of water, three miles northwest of Fairport Harbor in 45 to 50 feet of water, and four to five miles out from Ashtabula to Conneaut in 52 to 60 feet of water. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up.

Smallmouth Bass - The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around Ruggles Reef and the shoreline and harbors in 15 to 30 feet of water from Fairport Harbor to Conneaut. Jigs tipped with shiners, tube jigs and crankbaits have been the most productive lures. 

Steelhead - Steelhead have been caught by anglers trolling spoons 12 to 13 miles north-northeast of Ashtabula in 70 to 72 feet of water and 10 miles north of the Chagrin River in 65 to 70 feet of water. Target areas with schools of baitfish where walleye are also being caught. 

White Bass - White bass have been caught by anglers using shiners at Edgewater and the Cleveland lakefront in 15 to 30 feet of water.



OHIO RIVER
Belmont County - Water level is at normal pool and water condition is cloudy. Fish at night for flathead catfish and use chicken liver, bluegills, or cut bait on the bottom.

Lawrence County - Water conditions in this area are three and one-half to four feet above summer pool and the water temperature is 80 degrees. Use minnows and Catalpa worms to catch flathead catfish and sheepheads (freshwater drum).


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