# ODNR Fishing Report 6/23



## Big Daddy

Here it is folks...

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources 
Division of Wildlife

The Fish Ohio Report
June 23, 2004

Tip of the Week - Supply your own worms by attracting them to the bait boudoir. Turn the soil making it loose and cover with several inches of old straw. Keep area moist. Whenever you need some worms head out to your bait boudoir and gently dig some up. Place the worms in a container with some of your bait boudoir bedding. To keep worms nice and cool, place a few ice cubes in a resealable plastic bag and bury it under the bedding. For more information on fishing, check us out on the web at www.ohiodnr.com. Enjoy.


CENTRAL OHIO
Antrim Lake (Franklin County) - The summer season offers light fishing pressure in this 40-acre north Columbus lake. About 1,000 yearling channel catfish were stocked in fall 2003. Channel catfish measuring up to 15 inches can be taken at night from the shoreline when fishing along the bottom with traditional baits such as chicken livers, night crawlers, cut baits, and prepared baits. Rainbow trout measuring 10 to 14 inches remaining from the April 16 stocking can be taken using small spinners, miniature marshmallows, and worms. Bluegills can be caught by simply using night crawlers suspended by a bobber. No boats are permitted.

Kiser Lake (Champaign County) - Areas with shoreline cover are good places to fish for bluegills. Use redworms, wax worms, and larval baits suspended beneath a bobber at depths of two to six feet for best results. The submerged offshore brush piles are good locations to take crappies when using minnows. The edges of aquatic vegetation are the hangouts for largemouth bass during summer. Use top-water lures, small crankbaits, and six-inch plastic worms. Hybrid striped bass up to 16 pounds are present. Use chicken livers fished on the bottom. No motors of any kind are permitted at Kiser Lake.



NORTHWEST OHIO
Killdeer Reservoir (Wyandot County) - The water is clear and is 72 degrees. Walleye are being caught during the early morning hours on night crawlers and leeches. Crankbaits that are perch colors are also working well. They are being caught in deep water at 15 to 18 feet deep. The best spot is by the island on the south side of the reservoir. Channel catfish are also being taken at night along the shoreline using cut bait. The south and east shore seem to be the best for the channel cats.

Killdeer Pond #30 (Wyandot County) - Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area is a great place to fish. There are many different types of fishing available, from reservoir fishing to pond fishing. It is also a great place to take the kids. Largemouth bass are being taken in good numbers during the evening on Pond 30. They are being caught on the surface using buzz baits along the shoreline.

Schoonover Lake (Allen County) - Bluegills are being caught in this nice lake that is located in the city of Lima. This lake provides wonderful opportunities for folks that live in Lima and don't want to travel far. These bluegills are being caught on worms fished under bobbers in one to two feet of water. The south side is the best side for catching these fish.



NORTHEAST OHIO
Bolivar Dam (Tuscarawas County) - As the result of high waters, the Bolivar Dam on Sandy Creek is attracting heaps of carp and catfish in its tail waters. Each running 12 to 16 inches in length, the carp are biting on shrimp and crawlers while catfish are biting on corn and chicken livers. Tight-lining on the bottom is doing the trick, but be sure to use disposable sinkers or weights since many anglers are breaking lines that get tangled in rocks or other debris. This dam is located near the city of Bolivar in northern Tuscarawas County. The best entrance to this fishing spot is following Route 212 to Glenn Park Drive. Anglers are reminded to be cautious in this area due to fluctuating waters.

Mogadore Reservoir (Portage County) -- Crappies and perch are hitting hard on maggots and wax worms at this 1,076-acre lake which is popular for its panfishing. Fishing near or off the dock (located off of Route 43 near the old YMCA campgrounds) is great, but most shoreline fishing is proving to be successful with 19 miles of shoreline available. Wheelchair accessible shoreline facilities are available as well. A map of this lake is available at http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/fishing/lakemaps/lmaps.htm.


SOUTHWEST OHIO
Paint Creek Lake (Highland County) - Crappies are being caught by anglers using curly tails, small spinner baits, or live minnows. When using live bait, use a #4 sized fine wire hook. White or chartreuse are good color choices for artificial lures. Cast into areas with submerged trees and brush. Keep the bait under a slip bobber and about five to six feet deep. Some anglers are finding success with minnows under a bobber. Bluegill and sunfish are being caught by anglers using red worms or wax worms as bait. Fish the bait under a slip bobber and keep the bait about three to four feet deep. A good hook size to choose is a #6 fine wire hook. Look for good fishing in areas with woody debris such as fallen trees or over-hanging brush. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers, crawdads, stink bait, or night crawlers as bait. Fish in the area beneath the dam. Keep the bait on a #2/0 baitholding hook and keep it five to six feet deep. Fish the bait along the rocky bottom areas. Largemouth bass are being caught by anglers using jigs with plastic bodies, spinner baits, small top water lures, or plastic worms as bait. Choose an artificial lure colored black or pumpkinseed. Keep the bait on a #2/0 sized hook and cast into area with woody debris. Fish the bait slowly along the bottom in water about four to five feet deep.

East Fork Lake (Clermont County) - Crappies are being caught by anglers using live minnows as bait. When using live bait choose a fine wire hook in the size range of #6 to 8. Cast into areas with submerged trees and brush. Keep the bait under a slip bobber and between twelve to fifteen feet deep. Good fishing opportunities abound in the area around the island, Saddle dam, and near the beaches. Largemouth bass are being caught by using plastic chartreuse, black, or green colored worms on a Texas rig, or plastic lizards as bait. Cast into areas with submerged trees or brush. Keep the bait about four to five feet deep. Channel catfish are being caught using chicken livers, cut bait, or soft crawdads as bait. Use a #8, 1/0, or 2/0 longshanked hook. Keep the bait under a bobber and off of the bottom. Channel catfish are being caught off of Tunnel Mill. Hybrid striped bass are being caught in shallow water one to three feet deep by fishing with chicken liver or night crawlers as bait. Keep the bait just off of the bottom. 



SOUTHEAST OHIO

Monroe Lake (Monroe County) - The water has been cloudy at this lake, but is beginning to clear. Bass are being caught on crank baits by boat fishermen working throughout the lake. Bluegills and crappies are being caught near the boat ramp and the dam on wax worms fished under a bobber.

Lake Rupert (Vinton County) - Crappies ranging six to nine inches in length can be caught on minnows and jigs. Smaller bass can be caught on spinner baits, while bluegills up to seven inches are hitting wax worms. Saugeye fishing at this lake slowed due to the hot weather.

Timbre Ridge Lake (Lawrence County) - Largemouth bass up to 16 inches in length are being caught on Jig-N-Pigs which are dark blue or black in color. Bluegills can be caught along the shoreline by using wax worms fished under a bobber.

Tycoon Lake (Gallia County) - Largemouth bass up to four pounds in size are being caught in good numbers at this scenic lake. Fish near structure using spinner baits, buzz baits, and crank baits to catch these lunker bass. Fish in water two to eight feet deep with wax worms to catch sunfish.



LAKE ERIE 
The 15-inch walleye minimum size limit remains in effect for the entire season. From May 1 to June 26, smallmouth bass possession is illegal. Anglers may catch and release smallmouth, but possession is not permitted.

Surface temperatures are in the mid to upper 60's. To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS61.KCLE.html.

Western Basin - The best walleye fishing has been near the Canada-U.S. border south of Middle Sister Island, northwest of West Sister Island, and near the Turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel. Drifting mayfly rigs and trolling spoons produce the most fish. Walleye hatched in 2003 (ranging in size from 5 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 fishing has been best between the Marblehead lighthouse and Kelleys Island, on the Kelleys Island airport reef, and around Green Island. Fish just off the bottom using perch spreaders tipped with shiners. The best smallmouth bass fishing has been around the Bass Islands, Kelleys Island and Sandusky Bay.

Central Basin - The best walleye fishing has been 4 to 5 miles west of Ashtabula in 50 to 60 feet of water, 8 to 9 miles north to northeast of the Chagrin River in 48 to 60 feet of water, and 5 to 6 miles northwest of Fairport Harbor in 50 to 60 feet of water. Trolling spoons using divers or downriggers has produced the best catches. Yellow perch fishing has been best within one mile of Lorain, 3 to 4 miles north of Cleveland in 30 to 40 feet of water, 1 to 2 miles out from Ashtabula to Conneaut in 40 to 50 feet of water, and 2 to 4 miles northwest of Fairport in 42 to 52 feet of water. A perch spreader tipped with shiners is the most popular set-up. 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. Steelheads have been caught occasionally by walleye anglers trolling spoons from Avon Point east. Target areas with schools of baitfish where walleye are also being caught.



OHIO RIVER
River conditions continue to be high and muddy in most pools with water temperature staying around 74 degrees.

Monroe County - Channel catfish and flathead catfish are being taken on creek chubs fished near shore at dawn and dusk. 

Washington County - Flathead catfish are being caught at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers near the Layette Hotel in Marietta. Bluegills are the best bait for these catfish.



Hamilton, Clermont, Adams, and Brown counties - High and muddy.


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