# ODNR Fish Report 9/6/06



## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Wildlife News 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Wildlife

The Fish Ohio Report
September 6, 2006

CENTRAL OHIO
Alum Creek Lake (Delaware County)  Cast large plugs or spoons into shallow water areas of the recessed bays in the lower end of the lake when seeking muskellunge. When trolling for muskellunge, concentrate your efforts at depths of six to 10 feet near the dam. Over 3,000 advanced fingerling muskies were stocked as part of the Division of Wildlifes continuous effort to improve the fishery. Largemouth bass and crappies will be found in shallow water areas that contain submerged cover. Try top-water baits and spinner baits for smallmouth and largemouth bass. Trolling live bait rigs and crank baits are popular for saugeye. Saugeye can move to very shallow water in the evening along the dam and causeways. Also, over one million fingerling saugeye were stocked at Alum Creek in May.
Deer Creek Lake (Fayette, Madison, and Pickaway counties)  Crappie is providing the action at Deer Creek right now as we wait for the saugeye fishing to pick up later this month (over 317,000 fingerlings were stocked in May). Fish woody structure using a jig or minnow suspended by a bobber. Remember, at this lake crappie must be nine inches or longer to keep. Baitfish abound right now creating a challenge to anglers. Channel catfish are being caught both in the middle and shoreline of the lake using night crawlers in the evenings. 

NORTHWEST OHIO
Blanchard River (Hancock, Hardin and Putnam Counties)  Smallmouth bass are biting on crankbaits anywhere anglers can find deeper holes. Channel catfish are being caught on chicken liver, and freshwater drum (sheephead) are hitting dough balls around Road One at the Old State Route 224 crossing in Putnam County. Anglers are having the most success in the deeper holes in the evening.

Ottawa Reservoir (Putnam County)  Anglers are catching bluegill in the evening on wax worms fished under a slip bobber. Try fishing the south **** in two to four feet of water.

Auglaize River (Defiance County)  Anglers are catching flathead catfish in the evening. Anglers are having the most success still fishing with creek chubs near the power dam.

NORTHEAST OHIO
Leesville Reservoir (Carroll County) - The native muskellunge, also known as the muskie or the fish of a thousand casts, is very sought after for its huge size, unpredictable nature, and difficulty to catch. For anglers at Leesville Reservoir, muskie fishing is hot right now in this 1,045 acre lake located off of State Route 212. Anglers casting spinners and crank baits for bass found that 18 to 30 inch muskies are actually the fish to catch at this time. Anglers who do not plan on keeping muskellunge should wet their hands and gently release the fish immediately.

Lake Erie shoreline (Lake and Ashtabula counties)  Perch fishing is still at its best in Lake Erie especially from the west side of Lake County, Fairport, and the Conneaut area of Ashtabula County. Near Wildwood (Lake/Cuyahoga county line), perch are biting in 42 to 48 feet of water while closer to Ashtabula, perch seem to be in the 70 foot range. The sizes may be small, but the quantity is numerous! For more hot spots, just look for the nearest pack of anchored boats and cast a line or request the Lake Erie fishing guide by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE. 

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Jackson City Reservoir (Hammertown Lake) (Jackson County)  The water level is below normal at this lake with clear conditions. Catfish anglers are catching small channel cats measuring between 10 and 12 inches. Channel catfish anglers should try fishing night crawlers and chicken livers using tight line techniques. 

Oak Hill Reservoir (Jackson County)  The water level is normal at this lake with clear conditions. Largemouth bass are being caught between 10 and12 inches by anglers fishing from small, portable Jon boats. Largemouths are being caught on crayfish imitation crank baits. This lake does not have a developed boat ramp, so small portable boats and canoes are advised. Boats will need to be carried up an embankment to be launched. 

Salt Fork Lake (Guernsey County) Saugeye angling success has improved this week with catches running in the 15 to 19 inch range. Most saugeye are being caught on twister jigs tipped with a nightcrawler and fished on a slow retrieve along the bottom. Saugeye are being caught near the Campers Beach. Channel catfish and flathead anglers are having good success fishing from the shore using goldfish and chicken livers. A few crappie are being caught on large blow downs adjacent to deep water using minnows and white jigs fished below a bobber. Crappie angling success should increase at this lake as water temperatures begin to cool down.

Tycoon Lake (Gallia County) The largemouth bass angling success continues to be good at this lake. Most bass are being caught on top-water baits such as poppers, buzz baits, Jitter bugs, buzz baits and plastic baits in the early morning and late evening and just after dark. Anglers should fish submerged cover at depths of eight to 10 feet along the old road beds and fence rows in the evening. Crappie anglers are beginning to catch black crappie on submerged fence rows and road beds using small crank baits and minnows fished beneath bobbers. Channel catfish are being caught on chicken livers and night crawlers.

SOUTHWEST OHIO
Acton Lake (Preble County)  Channel catfish are biting on creek chubs or night crawlers fished along the bottom or between eight to 19 feet deep during the late evening or early morning hours. Fishing for channel catfish is productive anywhere in the lake. Bluegills are being caught by anglers using wax worms or night crawlers as bait. Bluegill fishing is bountiful along the banks. Saugeye are active in this lake. Currently, saugeye are being caught by anglers using night crawlers, bass minnows, or jigs as bait. Fish the bait by trolling it through in water that is eight to 10 feet deep. 

East Fork (Clermont County)  Crappies are being caught by anglers using wax worms, tube jigs, or medium to large sized minnows tipped on chartreuse jigs as bait. Fish the bait six to eight inches deep or 16 to 20 feet deep. Also look for good crappie fishing back into the cove areas as well as up and into Tunnel Mill, Cabin, Barnes, Poplar, and Cloverlick creeks. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers fishing tightline at night using night crawlers, large minnows, or chicken liver as bait. Use a #1/0 long shanked hook. Fishing is best in water between eight to 20 feet deep. Bluegill are hitting on wax worms or redworms on a #8 sized hook. Keep the bait under a bobber and about two to three feet deep. Cast anywhere around the docks, standing wood, or downed trees. Hybrid striped bass are being caught by anglers fishing the near the campground and main beach and the flat near the Army Corp of Engineers boat ramp located close to the dam. Chicken liver or deep diving crankbaits that resemble shad are working well. The early morning or late evening hours are the most productive times. Largemouth bass are being caught by anglers using six-inch plastic worms, spinner baits, or deep diving (six to 10 feet) crankbaits colored shad or fire tiger. 

LAKE ERIE 
**The walleye daily bag limit is 6 fish. A 15-inch minimum size limit for walleye remains in effect for the entire season. The Lake Erie daily bag limit for yellow perch is 40 fish. The daily bag limit for black bass on Lake Erie is five. The minimum size limit for black bass on Lake Erie is 14-inches. The steelhead trout bag limit is now two. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches.**

Over the week of August 28 strong winds greatly limited fishing. Even though the wind has finally calmed most of the Ohio Lake Erie shoreline is muddy from the rough waves. Fishing should improve as the lake settles down and the water clears.

Western Basin

Fishing effort directed towards walleye has greatly decreased as western basin anglers are switching to perch fishing. As the lake recovers from the past weeks blow walleye fishing should improve with C can of the Camp Perry range and the Kelleys Island area being good areas to try. Drifters are using mayfly rigs or weight forward spinners, while most trollers are using worm harnesses or spoons with jet or dipsy divers.

Yellow perch fishing is improving in the western basin and should continue to improve as we head into fall. With the east and northeast winds over the past week Green Island and Rattlesnake Island continued to produce perch for the boats that were able to make it out. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Smallmouth bass should start moving shallower as water temperatures drop heading into fall. Fish rocky drop-offs and reefs around the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island, along with nearshore areas from Catawba Island to Sandusky Bay, to find active fish. Tube jigs and drop shot rigs with goby imitations are the most popular set-ups for smallmouth.

Central Basin 

Poor weather and rough lake conditions during the past week limited fishing activity.

Walleye fishing in the central basin has been very good. Fish have been caught five to six miles north of Cleveland Crib in 58 to 62 feet of water, ten miles north of Wildwood State Park (Euclid) to Eastlake in 68 to 70 feet of water, 10 to 12 miles NE of Ashtabula and 10 to 12 miles northwest of Conneaut in 68 to 74 feet of water. Fish have been caught on worm harnesses or spoons colored in scarlet and gray, purple and black, or white and red with copper backs, trolled with dipsy divers or jet divers off planer boards. Some anglers are also drifting worm harnesses. Fish are suspended and anglers are fishing down 35 to 50 feet.

Yellow perch fishing is very good in the central basin five miles north of Bratenahl in 42 to 50 feet of water, four to six miles north of Wildwood State Park (Euclid) in 42 to 51 feet of water, two to four miles north of Fairport in 39 to 52 feet of water, and two miles or less north of Ashtabula and Conneaut in 45 to 55 feet of water. Fish have ranged from seven to 11 inches. Perch rigs with shiners fished near the bottom have produced the most fish. 

Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent along the shoreline from Fairport Harbor to Conneaut in 15 to 29 feet of water. Fish have been caught on goby color tube jigs, goby color drop-shot rigs, jigs tipped with minnows or leeches, or by trolling crankbaits. 

The best white bass fishing has been 1/2 mile north of Eastlake CEI power plant. Anglers are using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails. Shore anglers are catching white bass at the Eastlake CEI, Mentor Headlands lighthouse, Wildwood State Park, Rocky River, Avon Lake and Lorain piers using agitators with white, yellow and green twister tails or small spoons.

Lake Erie surface temperatures range from 67 to 71 degrees.

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
Ohio River (Scioto County)  Water temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Water conditions are muddy and the water is slowly rising from recent rains. Water is currently up on the walkway at the Greenup Tailwater. Good catches of hybrid striped bass, white bass, and catfish are occurring in the Ohio River at Greenup Tailwater and at the Scioto River confluence in Portsmouth. Hybrid striped bass are in the tailwater in the early morning and are being caught using cut bait, night crawlers and chicken livers. Flatheads and channel catfish are being caught after dark on cut shad, skipjack, and night crawlers. Most catfish are being caught in the tailwater off the bottom of the river and along the riprap adjacent to the walkway.


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