OHIO FISHING REPORT

OHIO FISHING REPORT
CENTRAL OHIO
Deer Creek Lake (Madison, Fayette, and Pickaway counties) Fish along the bottom with cut shad in the creek channel and upper end of the lake for channel catfish. The rocky shorelines and extended points are good places to fish for largemouth bass that generally measure 10 to 14 inches. Tick Ridge is a good location to fish for white bass with spinners. Crappies and saugeyes also can be found in this 1,290-acre lake located just south of Mt. Sterling.
Indian Lake (Logan County) Areas with slow moving current are good places to fish at night when seeking channel catfish. Use chicken livers, night crawlers and prepared baits along the lake bottom for best results. Shoreline areas that have brush piles and other submerged structures are good places to fish for bluegills. Use redworms, mealworms and larval baits at depths of three to eight feet. The riprap areas are good bass fishing spots. Areas around the bridges are also good spots to take white bass using minnows.
NORTHWEST OHIO
Archbold Reservoir (Fulton County) Catfish are being taken on the bottom using night crawlers. Water levels are normal with the water being slightly cloudy.
Wauseon (Fulton County) Catfish are being taken on the bottom using night crawlers and leeches. Still fishing is the best method during the day.
Paulding Reservoir (Paulding County) The water temperature is 84 degrees. The occasional saugeye is being caught using leeches under a bobber in 12 feet of water. Morning and evening seem to be the best time and the wave washed shoreline seem to be the best location. Channel catfish are being taken in the morning and evenings using night crawlers on the bottom.
NORTHEAST OHIO
Tuscarawas River (Tuscarawas County) Anglers are catching catfish by tight-lining on the bottom, using nightcrawlers, chicken livers and stink baits. Most anglers are fishing from the shoreline and picking up channel catfish up to 16 inches as well as some smaller flathead catfish.
Shreve Lake (Wayne County) Large sized channel catfish are being taken from this lake. Anglers are using live bluegills as bait.
SOUTHWEST OHIO
Acton Lake (Preble County) Good numbers of one- to three-pound channel catfish are being caught at this lake in Hueston Woods State Park. Try fishing on the bottom using chicken livers or shrimp as bait. The shoreline area between the swimming beach and Sugar Camp area has been best.
Paint Creek Lake (Highland County) Lots of channel catfish are being caught below the dam in the tail waters. Successful anglers are using night crawlers, chicken livers, and cut baits fished on the bottom. For saugeyes in the lake, try casting or trolling silver-colored crankbaits on flats near the beach and Plum Run islands area.
SOUTHEAST OHIO
Lake Logan (Hocking County) Water conditions are clear and at normal pool. Bluegills continue to hit on wax worms, red worms and meal worms at this lake. Anglers seeking largemouth bass are using top water lures such as buzz baits and jitterbugs and report that the best fishing time right now is between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. A few crappies are also being caught throughout the lake, but saugeye fishing has slowed until cooler weather occurs.
Hanging Rock Ponds (Lawrence County) Water conditions are clear and normal with water temperature 81 degrees. Bass up to 15 inches in length are hitting on buzz baits in the early morning hours and during the late evening just before dark.
Turkey Run Wildlife Area Ponds (Perry County) Fly fishermen in boats and kayaks are catching hand-sized bluegills. Late night fishermen are catching catfish on liver in the lower ponds.
LAKE ERIE
Western Basin Walleye fishing has somewhat slowed, but limits are still being caught occasionally in the western basin. The best catches have come along the Canadian border from Middle Sister Island to Northwest Reef near North Bass Island. Trollers using spoons with Jet or Dipsy Divers have been most successful, with casters also catching fish on weapon-style lures. Fish have ranged from 14 to 22 inches.
Yellow perch fishing in the western basin continues to be excellent. Best areas have included west of Green and Rattlesnake Islands in 25 to 30 feet of water, southwest and southeast of Kelleys Island in 21 to 35 feet of water, and one to three miles north of the Toledo water intake. Spreaders tipped with shiners have been most productive for 7- to 11-inch fish. For smallmouth bass try fishing Kelleys Island and nearshore areas around the Bass Islands and Marblehead. Tube jigs have been used to catch fish between 15 and 20 inches. Largemouth bass fishing continues to be good in East Harbor around thick beds of vegetation and in the harbor channel.
Central Basin Walleye fishing in the central basin has been best south of the sandbar five miles northwest of Lorain, eight to 10 miles north of the Chagrin River in 63 to 70 feet of water, 15 to 20 miles northeast of Geneva in 70 to 75 feet of water and seven to 12 miles north of Ashtabula in 70 to 75 feet of water. Anglers have been trolling dipsy divers with spoons (most color schemes with copper, blue, watermelon, chartreuse or pink have been best) or crawler harnesses for fish from 15 to 28 inches. Yellow perch fishing continues to improve in the central basin. Best areas have been within two miles of Huron, Vermilion and Lorain in 30 to 35 feet of water, three to four miles north of Edgewater Street Park in 43 to 48 feet of water, two to four miles north of Conneaut in 47 to 55 feet of water and three to four miles north of Geneva in 52 to 62 feet of water. Spreaders tipped with shiners are taking fish from seven to 11 inches. Smallmouth bass have been caught near Ruggles Reef. Fish 14 to 18 inches have been caught on tube jigs and crankbaits. Steelhead have been caught by trollers using dipsy divers with spoons 20 to 22 miles north of Wildwood Street Park in 76 to 80 feet of water and 15 to 20 miles northeast of Geneva in 70 to 75 feet of water. The steelhead have ranged in size from 20 to 28 inches.
OHIO RIVER
Monroe County River conditions in this area are near normal and cloudy with temperature around 82 degrees. At the confluence of the Ohio River and Sunfish Creek, anglers are catching sheephead and catfish on chicken liver or cut baits such as bluegill or goldfish. A few smallmouth bass and largemouth bass are being caught in the area along the shore. At Hannibal Lock and Dam, nice flathead catfish can be caught on a variety of baits, including hot dogs and special concoctions.
Gallia County Conditions are near normal at this time. Striped bass and catfish are being caught on chicken liver fished near the bottom or on the bottom. Best area is at the K. H. Butler angler access along state Rt. 7 or at the old Crown City loading dock facility.
Lawrence County Water conditions in this area are approximately 1 1/2 feet above normal pool and 83 degrees. Striped bass and hybrid striped bass can be caught on cut bait and night crawlers. A few sheephead are also being caught in this area.