# ODNR Fishing Report 9/1



## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Things are looking up! I can't believe it's September already.

Wildlife News 

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife



The Fish Ohio Report



September 1, 2004



Tip of the Week - Float that line! To get bass biting on your line try "Walking the Dog." Use a stickbait and either rub a candle or fly floatant over the first six feet of line to float the line. Now cast your lure. Give the bait a sharp twitch and a bit of slack - repeat this over and over until the bass can't take it anymore. (The lure will be zigzagging through the water.) For more information on fishing, check us out on the web at www.ohiodnr.com. Enjoy.





CENTRAL OHIO

Antrim Lake (Franklin County) - This 40-acre lake in Antrim Park in northern Columbus is a good place to take the kids as an after school fishing adventure. It is close to home for many and your chance of a catch is pretty good. You can fish for channel catfish, smallmouth bass and bluegill as the water temperature drops. Remember that most fish will move to shallow water as the water and air cools. Channel catfish from 10 to 20 inches can be caught using shrimp, night crawlers, and chicken livers fished on the bottom. For smallmouth bass try using crank baits and tubes. Bluegills may be caught on night crawlers suspended by a bobber. No boats are permitted on this lake owned by the city of Columbus.

Madison Lake (Madison County) - Largemouth bass fishing is picking up in this Madison County lake as the water cools down. Fish the riprap on the dam and around the island and other areas with submerged wood to find active fish. Fish will be more active in cooler spots. The largemouth outlook is fair but you may find some individuals measuring in at 18 inches. Channel catfish are available in decent numbers and can be caught on cut bait, chicken livers, and prepared baits fished on the lake bottom. In 2002, 6,750 yearling cats, which measure nine to 10 inches, were stocked by the state fisheries biologists. They should be of pretty good size this year. Electric motors only.

Scioto River (Franklin County) - Now is the time for excellent smallmouth bass fishing in streams and rivers. Use live baits such as soft craws or small jigs tipped with minnows in the waters below low-head dams when fishing for them. The Greenlawn dam near downtown Columbus remains a popular fishing spot as well. Anglers may catch a variety of fish including largemouth bass, channel catfish, suckers, and carp. Largemouth bass can be caught on six-inch plastic worms and small spinners. Channel catfish are caught when fishing the river bottom using traditional baits such as night crawlers, prepared baits, and cut baits. Check with area bait shops for the latest conditions and more fishing tips. 



NORTHWEST OHIO

Raccoon Reservoir (Sandusky County) - This reservoir is located on the south end of Clyde. It is producing good catches of bluegills using wax worms for bait. Crappies are being taken in good numbers using minnows fished with a crappie rig. Catfish are also being caught using worms. The best time to fish is right before dark and into the evening.

McComb Reservoir (Hancock County) - This reservoir is located in the village of McComb. Catfish and bluegill are hitting from the shoreline as well as from boats. Try the windblown bank and fish off of the bottom for the best results. Saugeye are being caught on the north side of the reservoir early in the day as well as late in the day. Use assorted sizes and colors of crank baits for the best results.

Findlay Reservoir #2 (Hancock County) - Drifting and trolling will produce nice catches of channel catfish and walleye. From shoreline minnows are being used to catch nice bluegills, small crappies, and white bass.



NORTHEAST OHIO

Atwood Lake (Carroll and Tuscarawas Counties) - This nearly 1,600-acre lake is still going strong for good channel catfish fishing with the help of recent rains. Shoreline anglers are catching 8 to 15+ inch channel catfish on all sorts of baits such as shrimp, liver (chicken or beef), stink baits, and worms. If artificial baits float your boat, give plugs, spoons, jigs, spinners and plastic worms a try. An updated lake map is available at our website: http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Fishing/lakemaps/lmaps.htm or by calling the District Three office at 330-644-2293. This lake is located on State Route 212, two miles south of New Cumberland. Please use caution during periods of high water.

Portage Lakes (Summit County)- East Reservoir, at 208 acres, is offering great fishing for 10 to 11 inch redear sunfish and 12 to 13 inch yellow perch. Wax worms, earth worms, maggots on pinmins are great choices for baiting a lucky hook. Contrary to popular belief, the redears were not stocked to control the non-native zebra mussels in this reservoir. The invasion has worked in their favor, however, providing an extra food source and contributing to their large growth. Even though these fish are benefiting from the zebra mussels, the overall effect of the invasive species is negative. For more information about invasive species, visit http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/resources/mgtplans/invasives.htm.





SOUTHWEST OHIO

Acton Lake (Preble County) - From I-75 take SR 725 West to SR 732 South and follow the signs to Hueston Woods State Park Marina. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using leeches, chicken livers, shrimp, cut bait, earthworms, dough balls or chubs as bait. Still fish from a boat, pier, or the shoreline. Place the bait on a #4/0 to 7/0 baitholding hook and keep the bait between five and nine feet deep. Use several sinkers to keep bait close to the bottom. Good fishing opportunities are in the headwater area. Largemouth bass are being caught by anglers using small top water lures or buzz baits (dark green or black), surface poppers (frog colored), crankbaits (crawfish colored such as red, black, or orange) , spinner baits (white), or salted tube jigs (dark colored) or plastic worms as bait. Cast into areas with woody debris, submerged trees or brush. Fishing is good from a boat, pier, or the shoreline. Keep the bait three to six feet deep on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook. Cast and slowly retrieve baits. Troll, if fishing from a boat. Fishing is good in the late evening and early morning.

Caesar Creek Lake (Warren County) - From I-75 take S.R. 73 East about 17 miles, OR From I-71 take S.R. 73 West about 7 miles, OR from S.R. 42 take S.R. 73 East about 5 miles. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers or night crawlers as bait. Still or tight line fish from a boat, pier, or the shoreline. Place the bait on a #4/0 to 7/0 baitholding hook and keep the bait between five and seven feet deep. Use several sinkers to keep bait close to the bottom. Good fishing opportunities near the North Pool boat ramp and along the beach. 

CJ Brown Reservoir (Clark County) - Located on Bird Road north of S.R. 41 at Buck Creek State Park. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers, cut bait, or earthworms as bait. Fish the bait slowly along the bottom and into deep pools. Fishing is good near the mouth of Buck Creek. Keep the bait greater than 10 feet deep. Good hook size choice is #2/0 bait holding hook.



SOUTHEAST OHIO

Piedmont Lake (Belmont County) - Smallmouth bass have been biting well. Successful anglers are fishing in the early evening, night, as well as early morning. Fish along shallow points in three to five feet of water. Anglers are using tube jigs and spinnerbaits. Spinnerbaits can be used with a slow retrieve or allowed to helicopter down. Smallmouth bass will hit the spinnerbaits on the fall. Darker colors work better at night.

Hanging Rock Ponds (Lawrence County) - Numerous small ponds dot the Hanging Rock area. Water temperatures have been hovering around 82 degrees. Anglers are catching largemouth bass up to 15-inches on buzzbaits fished in the early evening and past dark.

Clouse Lake (Perry County) - Bluegills are being caught in good numbers at this small lake. Live bait such as wax worms and redworms fished below a small bobber or on the bottom have been working well. Fly anglers have also been having success with small poppers. 



LAKE ERIE 

** The 15" walleye minimum size limit remains in effect for the entire season.**



Surface temperatures are around 70 degrees.



Western Basin



Walleye - Walleye fishing is slowing down in the western basin; however, fish continue to be caught in the northwest reef area along the border and also four to five miles north of Crane Creek. Drifting mayfly rigs and trolling spoons or worm harnesses produce the most fish. Walleye hatched in 2003 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 is improving in the western basin. The best fishing has been west of west reef near North Bass Island, east of Ballast Island, around the foghorn near Cedar Point, and around "C" can of the Camp Perry firing range. Fish just off the bottom using perch spreaders tipped with shiners.

Smallmouth Bass - Smallmouth bass fishing should improve as temperatures begin dropping and fish move nearshore. 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 N of Lorain along the east side of the sandbar, seven to 10 miles north of Ashtabula in 70 to 72 feet of water, and eight miles northwest of Conneaut in 70 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 one to two miles north of Vermilion and Lorain, four to five miles north of Eastlake in 40 to 52 feet of water, three miles northwest of Fairport Harbor in 47 to 50 feet of water, four to five miles north of Cleveland in 40 to 52 feet of water, and four miles north of Conneaut in 60 to 65 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 Avon Point. Tube jigs have been the most productive lures.

Steelhead - Steelhead have been caught by anglers trolling spoons six to eight miles north-northwest of Ashtabula in 68 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, and four to five miles north of Cleveland in 48 to 57 feet of water.



To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS61.KCLE.html





OHIO RIVER

(Lawrence County) - Water temperature is 80 degrees and falling. Anglers are having good luck with channel catfish using minnows and chicken livers. Baits are being fished on the bottom. Channel catfish up to 25-inches are being caught.



(Belmont County) - Both flathead catfish and channel catfish are being caught using chicken livers fished on the bottom. Rains in the upper Ohio River watershed may trigger catfish to feed even better. Water temperatures are in the low 80's. Heavy tackle and line is suggested when pursuing flathead catfish which grow large in the Ohio River


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