# ODNR Fish Report 4/04/07



## Big Daddy

First of the year. Have a great year of fishing everyone!

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife

The Fish Ohio Report

April 4, 2007

CENTRAL OHIO
Alum Creek Lake (Delaware County) - Saugeye are an early favorite. Temperatures at the lake range from 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Fish minnow-imitating crankbaits along the dam and causeways at night with lightweight jigs tipped with twisters and power grubs. During the day, use fluorescent colored jigs and grubs tipped with a large minnow dragged vertically on shallow flats and extended points adjacent to deep water. The former state record saugeye was caught here in 2002. For crappie, try the same deep jigging technique off deep points that have old stumps and in the northern basin of the lake. Fish or slowly troll with crankbaits near the dam for a chance at an early spring muskellunge. 

Deer Creek Lake (Fayette, Madison and Pickaway counties) - Located just south of Mt. Sterling, this 1,290-acre lake offers good saugeye fishing opportunities in the tail waters below the dam. Use small jigs tipped with twister tails or minnows fished along the bottom. Also try the creek above the lake for saugeye this time of year. Saugeye here range from 10 to 28 inches. Areas around the lake shoreline that have fallen trees and other submerged structures are good locations to take crappie when using jigs and minnows, or minnows suspended beneath a bobber. Crappies must be nine inches or longer to keep. Deer Creek above the main lake and just north of Cooks -Yankeetown Road is also a good location for white bass that measure eight to 12 inches a little later this month. Use small spinners in areas just below the riffles. Wading is recommended in some areas when conditions are safe.

NORTHWEST OHIO
Maumee River (Wood and Lucas counties) - The water is slightly high, but receding. The water temperature is 49 degrees Fahrenheit. Anglers are taking many limits of walleye. Males in the 15 to 22-inch range are being taken with some females being caught. Anglers are using floating jigs with florescent orange and chartreuse tails. The best areas to fish have been from the I-475 Bridge to Jerome Road and around Buttonwood, Schroeders Campground and Ft. Meigs. Bluegrass Island is still inaccessible due to high water. The outlook is excellent.

Sandusky River (Sandusky County) - The water level is normal and the water temperature is 48 degrees. Some walleye are being taken. Anglers are using floating jigs tipped with bright colored plastic tails. The best area seems to be around the Miles Newton Bridge. The outlook is good.

Reminders:

· Black bass season will be closed beginning May 1 through June 29, 2007. Any caught during that season must be released. 

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

· Walleye daily bag limit is four until April 30, and six from May 1 through the last day in February.

NORTHEAST OHIO
Tail waters below New Cumberland Lock and Dam (Jefferson County)  Walleye are being caught on minnows despite large amounts of debris as the water recedes. The Army Corps of Engineers asks anglers to stay clear of their structures due to concerns for safety. As the weather improves, sauger fishing will pick up and white or chartreuse jigs are expected to be the best lures. Pike Islands further south off of the Belmont County shoreline are also offering fair to good walleye fishing. 

Rocky River (Cuyahoga County) Rockcliff Fjord of the Rocky River is good access for smallmouth bass where anglers are using minnows. 

Wallace Lake (Cuyahoga County)  Largemouth bass and sunfish are being caught in this Cleveland Metroparks quarry. Anglers are using a wide variety of baits and lures such as earthworms, wax worms, crankbaits and other artificial lures. This lake is fairly clear right now, so almost any color of lures will work. 

Mosquito Lake (Trumbull County)  While walleye are not yet biting, anglers are doing well catching eight to 10-inch crappies on minnows suspended about four feet under bobbers. Off of Bazetta Road at The Tubes, crappies are also biting on minnows. 

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Barnesville City Reservoir #3 (Belmont County)  Last weeks trout stocking of nearly 2,500 10 to 13-inch fish should provide an excellent opportunity for anglers! This reservoir, also known as Slope Creek, provides good opportunity for channel catfish angling as well. Try fishing night crawlers, shrimp, crayfish, chicken liver, stink bait or cut bait near the bottom using an appropriate size sinker. When fishing for largemouth bass in Slope Creek, keep in mind there is a slot length limit of 12 to 15 inches. Electric motors only on this 98-acre lake.

Seneca Lake (Noble and Guernsey counties)  Springs rising temperatures mean increased opportunity for crappie fishing as fish make their way to shallow waters to spawn. Try fishing shallow waters parallel to the shoreline moving from one brushy spot to the next. Fish for crappie by boat or from shore using small minnows fished under a small bobber over submerged structure. For maps of structure sites in Seneca Lake and several other lakes in southeast Ohio, call the Wildlife District Four office at 740-589-9930. There is a nine-inch minimum limit for crappie at Seneca and a 299 horsepower limit on this 3,508 acre lake.

SOUTHWEST OHIO
Acton Lake (Preble County)  Warming water temperatures have brought largemouth bass into shallow water. Try casting crank baits or jigs at two to five depths around shoreline cover. Crappies are being caught on minnows or small curly-tailed jigs around fallen trees in six to 12 feet of water. Bluegills are biting on small jigs or wax worms in two to six foot depths around near shore cover.

East Fork Lake (Clermont County)  Crappies have begun their move to shallow water and are providing lots of action. Good numbers of eight to 11-inch crappies are being caught on live minnow or small tube jigs. Cast close to fallen trees or standing timber in two to 10 foot depths. If the upper end of the lake is still muddy from recent rains, try the numerous wooded coves in the lower end of the lake. 

LAKE ERIE 
The walleye daily bag limit is four fish from March 1 through April 30. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15 inches. The Lake Erie daily bag limit for yellow perch is 40 fish. The daily bag limit for black bass on Lake Erie currently is five. The minimum size limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 14 inches. The steelhead trout bag limit is two. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.

Walleye fishing in the western basin is slowly picking up. Jigging on the Camp Perry reefs and trolling the open water east of the reefs has produced decent catches. As the water warms expect jig fishing to keep improving on most of the Camp Perry reefs and in nearshore areas from Maumee Bay to Cedar Point. Larger female walleye can be caught by trolling minnow imitating stick baits in the open water around the reefs and islands.

Surface temperatures currently range from 39 to 49 degrees.

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

Pike Island  River is slightly high and muddy. Ramps may be muddy and difficult to launch from. Saugeye and sauger have been caught using a minnow and split shot set or with 1/8 ounce jig heads and a two-inch chartreuse, white, or spotted twister, tipped with a minnow.


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## peple of the perch

Thanks Big D. I like these, they stopped doing them early last year. now ill be checking there site all the time now. lol


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## jmenchhofer

How long has Ohio had a closed season on bass? I have never been aware of it until I read it in the report. Is I read it again, it appears that it may only be for Lake Erie and tributaries since it is in the NW part of the report. 

I know Michigan has a closed season and I have always wondered: is it TECHNICALLY legal to fish for bass, as long as all are released, or could you possible get into trouble for simply targeting bass? (I hope this doesn't turn into another over-analyzed question like the outside-in/snagging thread!)


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## Sammonator

Carl,
Just wanted to drop you a note to say thanks for the ODNR reports as well as the WKYC blog. Both are informative and well done! Good fishing to ya..


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