# ODNR Fish Report 5/4/04



## Big Daddy

*Wildlife News* 
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

*The Fish Ohio Report* 

May 5, 2004 

Tip of the Week - Drag is an adjustable mechanism on the fishing reel that allows a fish to take out line without exceeding the pound test on the fishing line. Adjust the drag on your fishing line before landing a fish on it. Usually you will want to set the drag a few pounds under the pound test of your fishing line. (This is the time it is helpful to read the manufacturers directions.) Be careful to not reel in against the drag. The line will twist and tangle. Reel the fish in when it stops taking out line. Try out the drag on a fishing reel before purchasing. Purchase the reel that has a smooth drag with no halts or jerks. For more information on fishing, check us out on the web at www.ohiodnr.com. Enjoy.

CENTRAL OHIO
Delaware Lake (Delaware County) - This is the best time of year to take white bass as the spawning run moves upstream in the Olentangy and Whetstone portions of the lake. Excellent fishing opportunities exist here for crappie anglers, also. The best fishing is around shoreline cover now through early June. Use minnows suspended beneath a bobber in areas with submerged structure to catch these 8-13 inch fish. Keeper crappies must measure at least 9 inches. Fish for saugeyes in the tailwaters below the dam after significant water releases and in the flats south of Cap Cole Bay.

Kiser Lake (Champaign County) - Hybrid striped bass measuring up to 26 inches and 14 pounds can be caught in this 387-acre Champaign County lake. Experimental stockings have proven very successful since 1992 and last year, there was a double-stocking of 19,500 fingerlings. Try fishing on the bottom with chicken livers. Shoreline areas with submerged brushy cover are good places to take crappies when fishing with minnows beneath a bobber. These same areas produce good catches of bluegills measuring 6 to 8 inches. Due to deed restrictions, no motors of any kind are allowed on boats. However, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has provided additional shore access by building numerous stone "T" fishing piers.

NORTHWEST OHIO
Van Wert Reservoir #2 (Van Wert County) - The water is clear and at normal levels. 7-9 inch crappie are being taken in 3 to 4 feet of water. Wax Worms are the best bet fished in the NW corner of the reservoir. 4-6 inch bluegill are also being taken.

Bresler Reservoir (Allen County) - The water is clear and at 58 degrees. Walleye in the 15-18 inch range are being taken after dark. Bright colored jigs fished near the bottom are the best bet...the north side of the reservoir is best.

Auglaize River (Allen County) - Smallmouth bass and rock bass are being taken on jigs and crank baits fished in 3 to 6 feet of water. Agerter Access Site is a good place and anywhere on the river where you can fish along the root systems of trees.

Blanchard River (Putnam County) - Smallmouth bass in the 10-14 inch range are being taken using natural colored crankbaits. These need to be fished in 3 to 5 feet of water.



NORTHEAST OHIO
Mogadore Reservoir (Portage County 1,076 acres)- While most lakes are not doing too well with the rain and cold, this lake is offering some decent bluegill and bass fishing. Mogadore is known for its excellent panfishing opportunities with bluegills averaging about seven inches in length. Night crawlers are working best. 12-15" largemouth bass are also being caught on casting plugs, spinners, and artificial worms. Wheelchair accessible shoreline fishing facilities available, electric motors only. 

Pymatuning Lake (Ashtabula County)- This large 14, 650 acre lake offers fishing to anglers with many different interests such as the walleye angler, crappie, bluegill, muskie, both smallmouth and largemouth bass, and even perch. Black and white crappies are hitting minnows, plastic twister tails, or tube jigs, but don't be in a hurry. Toss a line into some artificial fish attractors or some fallen trees, sit back, relax, and before you know it, you'll be reeling in 10-12 inch fish. 18" walleyes are biting at the north end of the causeway for boat fishing. Chartreuse jigs tipped with minnows are working well for the walleye. Wheelchair accessible shoreline fishing facilities available, 10 horsepower limit.



SOUTHWEST OHIO
Cowan Lake (Clinton County) - Located nine miles southwest of Wilmington on SR 730. 

Saugeye are being caught by anglers using minnows on a #2 sized hook and fished seven to eight feet deep along the rocky bottom. Fishing is good from a boat or canoe as you can drift with the currents. 

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.

Largemouth bass are being caught using crankbaits, spinner baits, plastic worms, or earthworms as bait. Good color choices for artificial baits are black, pumpkin seed, and purple. Cast into areas with submerged trees or brush. Keep the bait about four to five feet deep. When fishing with earthworms use a #1 weedless baitholding hook. 

Adams Lake (Adams County) - Located off of SR 41. Trout are being caught using waxworms, corn, or power bait as bait. Cast from a boat or the shoreline. Keep the bait under a slip bobber so that is suspended about two to three feet deep. Good hook size choices are #4 or 5 longshanked hook. 



SOUTHEAST OHIO

Jackson Lake (Jackson County) The water is clear and 66 degrees. Largemouth bass in the 12 to 17 inch range are hitting spinner baits fished near structure. Crappie are hitting a variety of small jigs of various colors with the largest fish being caught on minnows using a slip bobber fished 2 to 5 feet deep. One 3 pound plus crappie was reported. Bluegills in 6 to 8 inch range are being taken on wax worms fished near the shoreline in 2 to 4 feet of water. Channel catfish are being taken in good numbers on night crawlers and liver. 

AEP Recreation Lands (Morgan County) The water temperature at most ponds is 59 degrees. Largemouth bass are being taken on a variety of baits but the most successful angers are using dark colored plastics. One 5 pound plus bass was taken on a large shiner fished below a slip bobber. Bluegill and redear ranging from 6 to 9 inches are being caught on night crawlers and wax worms using a bobber set for 1 to 2 feet of depth.

Hammertown Lake (Jackson County) The water is clear and 66 degrees. Trout are being caught all around the lake on power baits of a variety of colors. The largest trout reported was 17 inches and was caught on a rebel grasshopper crank bait. Crappies in the 7 to 11 inch range are being caught on minnows fished in 3 to 12 feet of water using a slip bobber. Channel catfish are being taken just before and after dark on night crawlers fished on the bottom. One 47 pound flathead catfish was caught this weekend on a countdown rapala.

Ohio River (Scioto County) The water temperature at Greenup dam is 55 degrees and the water level is 22 feet and dropping. There has been little activity in the tailwater due the high water conditions. The high water has caused fish to congregate near the stream confluences and behind the bridge piers. Crappie in the 9 to 12 in range are being taken on minnows fished about 3 feet deep near the mouth of Pine Creek and at the twin bridges just up the Little Scioto River. Sauger are being taken at Holiday Point Marina on 1/8 ounce jigs dressed with white or chartreuse twister tipped with minnows. 



LAKE ERIE 
Walleye
Anglers are fishing for walleye on the reef complex north of Camp Perry, the Bass Islands area, the Maumee Bay area, and between N. Bass Island and Kelleys Island south of the Ontario/Ohio border. Surface temperatures are in the lower 50's. Over the past weekend (5/1) walleye were caught by jigging the reefs, Maumee Bay and the Turtle Creek area; larger females were caught trolling near the reefs, N of Kelleys Island and along the border between Middle Island and Middle Bass Island. When fishing the reef complex be aware that ODNR sampling will be taking place throughout the spring. Nets are clearly marked with yellow flags and floats. Please stay clear of areas with nets.

Yellow Perch
Yellow perch fishing has been good between the Marblehead ferry docks and the lighthouse, between Marblehead and the SE corner of Kelleys Island, off of the Vermilion River mouth, and within one mile of Lorain. Fish just off the bottom using perch spreaders tipped with shiners.

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


OHIO RIVER
Water conditions along the Ohio River continue to be high and muddy. Very little activity along the river has been noted as a result of these conditions. As waters recede, catfish activity will be triggered and fishing will be optimal.


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