COLUMBUS -- The weekly fishing report provided by the Division of Wildlife of the Ohio Department of

COLUMBUS -- The weekly fishing report provided by the Division of Wildlife of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
NORTHEAST OHIO
SHREVE LAKE (Wayne County) -- Anglers doing well catching catfish with live bait.
LAKE ERIE (Lake County) -- Anglers are successfully catching perch and walleye North of Fairport Harbor. Anglers are traveling 5 miles out to depths of 65 feet of water.
ATWOOD LAKE (Tuscarawas County) -- A good number of saugeye are being caught on a variety of bait including; lead-headed jigs, curly tails tipped with minnows, worm and minnow harnesses. Crank baits are also being used while trolling in shallow water. Most of the success is being reported as being in the areas of the lake that have the rockiest bottoms.
LAKE ERIE
Western Basin -- Consistent warm weather has heated up walleye fishing in the Western Basin. Expect to catch fish in typical summer locations between the Bass Islands and the Toledo shipping channel. Over the past week limits of 18-to 22-inch fish have been caught in the area around the Toledo Shipping Channel Turnaround Buoy, West Sister Island, and the Northwest Reef area west of North Bass Island near the Canadian border. Best methods have included casting gold weapons or drifting bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses, and trolling purple, orange or gold spoons. Although fishing has slowed around Kelleys Island, a few trophies continue to be caught by trollers around Gull Island Shoal north of Kelleys Island. Yellow perch fishing improved over the past week for anglers in the Catawba and Marblehead areas. Spreaders tipped with shiners have been most productive for 7-to 14-inch fish west of Catawba Island on Clinton Reef and in 25 to 40 feet of water northeast of the Marblehead Lighthouse. Kelleys Island and the Bass Islands have produced the best smallmouth bass catches. Tube jigs have been used to catch fish between 15 and 20 inches.
June is the peak spawning period for smallmouth bass in Lake Erie. When practicing catch-and-release please return fish to the water quickly so that the bass may return to its nest to protect its eggs from goby predation. With warming water temperatures largemouth bass fishing should improve in Sandusky Bay, the Portage River, East Harbor and West Harbor.
Central Basin -- Smallmouth bass are being caught in nearshore breakwall and harbor areas from 15 to 30 feet of water around Vermilion, Lorain, Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva, Fairport and Cleveland. Fourteen- to 18-inch fish have been caught on tube jigs, jigs tipped with shiners and crank baits. June is the peak spawning period for smallmouth bass in Lake Erie. When practicing catch-and-release please return fish to the water as quickly as possible so that the bass may return to its nest to protect its eggs from goby predation.
Yellow perch are being caught 2 miles north of Lorain in 35 to 45 feet of water, in 32 feet of water off of the "castle" between Ruggles Reef and Vermilion, 1 to 3 miles northwest of Ashtabula in 40 to 47 feet of water, 1 to 3 miles northwest of Fairport in 40 to 47 feet of water, in 40 to 44 feet of water at the Cleveland Crib, and 1 mile northwest of Wildwood State Park in 35 to 42 feet of water. Spreaders tipped with shiners are taking fish from 7 to 12 inches. Walleye fishing in the Central Basin has been best from Beaver Creek to Lorain 3 to 4 miles out in 35 to 48 feet of water, in 34 to 38 feet of water north of Vermilion, 2 to 4 miles north of Lakewood in 40 to 51 feet of water, 3 to 4 miles north of Euclid and East Lake in 39 to 52 feet of water, and 4 to 7 miles north of Geneva and Ashtabula in 40 to 70 feet of water. Anglers have been trolling dipsy divers with spoons (most color schemes with a copper back have been best) or crawler harnesses for fish from 15 to 30 inches. Steelhead have been caught by trollers using dipsy divers with spoons 5 to 7 miles north of Fairport, North Perry and Geneva in 62 to 70 feet of water. The steelhead have ranged in size from 23 to 29 inches.
OHIO RIVER
Water conditions have improved from muddy to clear, with most pools being at normal level. Water temperature is running 72 to 74 degrees.
Monroe County -- Fishing for channel catfish is good in this area with most catches being made on night crawlers or ham fished on the bottom. Freshwater drum are also being caught by those seeking catfish. Sauger and a few white bass are hitting rooster tails, spoons, or sassy shads.
Meigs County -- Fishing for catfish is best in the tributaries and at the confluence of the Shade River or Leading Creek. Use cut baits or night crawlers fished on the bottom. Sauger and a few hybrid striped bass are being caught in the tail-waters at Belleville and Racine. Rooster tails seems to work best for these fighters.
Gallia County -- Hybrid striped bass in this area of the river seem to prefer chicken liver as bait. Catches of 10-to 18-inch fish have been reported. A few catfish are being caught on night crawlers or chicken liver fished on the bottom.
Lawrence County -- Sheepshead (or freshwater drum) up to 20 inches are being caught on night crawlers, while hybrid striped bass up to 6 pounds in size are hitting cut baits. Channel catfish up to 20 inches are being caught on cut baits and night crawlers.
CENTRAL OHIO
BUCKEYE LAKE (Fairfield County) -- Many areas of the lake offer good night fishing opportunities for channel catfish and flathead catfish. This is central Ohio's top lake for flathead catfish anglers. Channel catfish may weigh up to 20 pounds. The eastern half of the lake where aquatic vegetation is present is a good area to fish for bluegills. This is also one of the region's top carp fishing lakes. Chicken livers fished on the bottom are a good bait choice this time of the year for hybrid striped bass and channel catfish. More than 400-thousand saugeye fingerlings (1 1/2 inches) were stocked in late May.
ANTRIM LAKE (Franklin County) -- During the summer season, channel catfish can be caught on this 40-acre Columbus area lake. More than 2,000 yearling channels were stocked in September 2002. Use shrimp, chicken livers and night crawlers fished on the bottom to catch these 10-to 20-inch fish. Rainbow trout may also be caught using spinners, twister tails, and power baits. The daily bag limit is five trout per angler. Try night crawlers suspended by a bobber to catch bluegills. No boats are permitted on this city of Columbus lake.
NORTHWEST OHIO
HARRISON LAKE (Fulton County) -- The water is at normal levels but muddy. Crappie are being taken at a depth of 5 feet on minnows fished with a slip bobber. Catfish are being taken on the bottom with night crawlers.
KILLDEER POND No. 30 (Wyandot County) -- The water is 71 degrees, clear and high. Largemouth bass are being taken on the surface in the evenings using minnows under a bobber or with buzz baits. The shallow water on the east side seems to produce the best results.
PAULDING RESERVOIR (Paulding County) -- The water is 74 degrees, clear and at normal levels. Saugeye are being taken in 8 to 10 feet of water using leeches. The best times are morning and evening. Trolling and still fishing are the best methods.
SOUTHWEST OHIO
PAINT CREEK LAKE (Highland and Ross counties) -- The tailwaters below the dam are providing fast action for channel catfish and flathead catfish. Flathead catfish up to 25 pounds are being caught using cut shad and live goldfish. Channel cats are being taken on shrimp, chicken livers, and cut baits. Although the best time is after dark, the daytime hours have also been productive.
GREAT MIAMI RIVER (Montgomery County) -- The river level has finally receded, the water has cleared up, and the catfish are feeding. Many channel cats up to 8 pounds and flathead catfish up to 30 pounds are being taken. The best areas are below the numerous low head dams, especially the West Carrollton and Chautauqua dams. Try tight line fishing on the bottom using chicken livers, shrimp, or night crawlers. Don't leave your pole unattended as it may get pulled in.
SOUTHEAST OHIO
Piedmont Lake (Belmont County) -- Water conditions are clear and normal with temperature ranging 73 to 74 degrees. Saugeye and bass fishing is best when in 10 to 14 feet of water during the afternoon hours. Fish in shallow water during the early morning and late evening hours. Anglers are trolling with crank baits or jig and worms or jig and minnow rigs. Bounce the bait off the bottom while drifting slowly. Bluegills and crappies are being caught in 8 feet of water around structure with worms or an ice jig under a bobber. Fishing for catfish at this lake is good with fishermen picking on up on their lines while fishing for other species.
Tycoon Lake (Gallia County) -- Water conditions are clear and normal at this time, however, elevated air temperatures make fishing best during the early morning and late evening hours only. Fish for bass with top water baits, buzz baits, or rubber worms close to the banks. Minnows, grubs, and wax worms work best for sunfish in 2 to 6 feet of water. As the water temperatures rise, fishing for catfish at this lake should be excellent.
Hanging Rock Ponds (Lawrence County) -- Water temperature is 78 degrees, with conditions being clear and normal. Small bluegills around 6 inches in length are being caught on red worms and night crawlers. Bass up to 15 inches are hitting spinner baits in the early morning and late evening hours.