Sunday, July 27, 2003
FISHING REPORT
COLUMBUS -- The weekly fishing report provided by the Division of Wildlife of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
NORTHEAST OHIO
Atwood Lake (Tuscarawas County) Fair numbers of saugeye are being caught by anglers trolling worm harnesses and minnow jigs as well as crank baits. Try fishing around rocky structure in 4 to 8 feet of water. White bass are also being caught on night crawlers fished wherever there is any type of structure. Most of the white bass are being caught in about 6 to 7 feet of water. This is also a good lake for bluegills in the shallows. Try dropping night crawlers in about 3 to 5 feet of water for the 'gills.
Charles Mill (Ashland County) A very good bluegill lake. Try fishing near the shallow end of the lake, using wax worms. For catfish use night crawlers and chicken livers, fishing after dark and later in the evening. The channel cats are being caught out on the lake and where the Black Fork River empties into the lake.
Pleasant Hill (Ashland County) Bluegills are being caught by anglers using wax worms.
Berlin Lake (Stark County) Anglers are still picking up walleyes, finding the fish suspended at 13 to 16 feet, over deep water. Those fishing in the flats are also picking up some 'eyes by drift fishing with worm harnesses.
CENTRAL OHIO
Hargus Creek Lake (Pickaway County) A dense population of largemouth bass measuring 8 to 13 inches, with some larger, can be found at this lake of 132 acres near Circleville. Shoreline areas near the dam, islands, and east shore are good places to try. Also, fish points with drop-offs using crank baits, spinner baits and tubes. Fishing at night with traditional baits for catfish can be productive; most fish range from 12 to 22 inches. Over 10,000 yearling channel catfish were stocked in September 2002. Crappies can be found on drop-offs, use minnows or jigs. A fair population of 6 to 7-inch bluegill can be caught using night crawlers suspended by a bobber. Electric motors only.
O'Shaughnessy Reservoir (Delaware County) This 845-acre lake in the northwest area of Columbus is an excellent largemouth bass fishery. Try the western shoreline around fallen trees and brush with spinner baits, plastics, and live bait for best results. Channel catfish can be taken with night crawlers, shrimp, and other cut baits fished on the bottom. Crappies can be caught using minnows suspended by a bobber or with jigs. Deep areas with cover are the best. Carp can give the angler a fight; try the upper end of the lake with dough balls and night crawlers on the bottom. Saugeye fingerlings (85,000) were stocked in late May.
NORTHWEST OHIO
Bresler Reservoir 2 (Allen County) Yellow perch from 8 to 10 inches are being taken on the south side of the reservoir while fishing on the bottom with worms. Best catches are being taken during the evening hours. Channel catfish, ranging from 1 to 8 pounds, are being taken by anglers balloon fishing on the south side of the reservoir. Best times are during the morning and evening hours, using shrimp or worms.
Pleasant Hill Reservoir (Richland County) Anglers are reporting very good to excellent catches of saugeye along the beach area and in the old river channel. Best times are from dusk to midnight, while trolling with shad raps.
SOUTHWEST OHIO
Cowan Lake (Clinton County) Anglers are catching good numbers of channel catfish and flathead catfish. Cowan Lake has a long history of producing channel cats over 15 pounds. Try fishing with night crawlers, chicken livers, or shrimp below a bobber. The best areas are near the dam off of State Route 380, or the shoreline fishing piers near the park office. Bait and boat rentals are available at the marina on the south shore near State Route 380.
Rocky Fork Lake (Highland County) This 2,080-acre lake near Hillsboro is a catfish angler paradise. Channel catfish up to 15 pounds and flathead catfish up to 45 pounds are caught each year. Popular spots include the area near the campground swimming beach, Fisherman's Wharf boat ramp area, and the east end of the lake. Try fishing after dark using chicken livers, cut bait, and live chubs or sunfish for bait. Bait and boat rentals are available at the marina near North Shore beach.
SOUTHEAST OHIO
Muskingum River (Morgan and Washington counties) Water conditions are clear and normal at this time; however, regional thunderstorms may increase the water level and affect clarity. Flathead catfish are the angler's preference this time of year. 'Cats at Rokeby Lock are being caught on cut baits, while anglers at McConnelsville are using goldfish for bait. At Devola, the catfish are hitting a variety of homemade dough balls.
Pike Lake (Pike County) Water conditions are clear and at normal pool. Bluegills 5 to 7 inches in length may be caught at anytime throughout the day along the shoreline. Use wax worms on a small hook and bobber. Largemouth bass from 8 inches in length and up toe 4 pounds in size are being caught on a variety of artificial lures, twister tails, and live minnows. Fishing around the shoreline for bass is best early and late in the day.
LAKE ERIE
Western Basin The best walleye fishing in the past week has been in the area northwest of West Sister Island in 30 feet of water and also on the reef complex in 8 to 16 feet of water. Best methods have included casting weapons or drifting bottom bouncers with crawler harnesses, and trolling blue, pink, copper or chartreuse spoons. Fish have ranged from 14 to 22 inches.
Yellow perch fishing has been best north of Kelleys Island in 30 feet of water and north of the Marblehead lighthouse in 30 feet of water. Spreaders tipped with shiners have been most productive for 7 to 11" fish. The east side of 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". Catches of largemouth bass have been reported in East Harbor.
Central Basin Walleye fishing in the Central Basin has been best on the sandbar 7 to 15 miles NW of Lorain in 38 to 50 feet of water, 8 to 10 miles northwest of Euclid and Eastlake in 64 to 66 feet of water, and 4 to 6 miles N of Geneva and Ashtabula in 55 to 62 feet of water. Anglers have been trolling dipsy divers with spoons (most color schemes with copper, blue, watermelon, chartreuse or gold have been best) or crawler harnesses for fish from 15 to 28".
Yellow perch are being caught 1 to 2 miles north of Lorain in 35 to 40 feet of water, 2 miles north of Geneva in 44 feet of water, in 42 to 46 feet of water 3 miles NE of Wildwood State Park, and 2 miles north-northeast of Conneaut in 42 feet of water. Spreaders tipped with shiners are taking fish from 7 to 13 inches.
Smallmouth bass are being caught near Ruggles Reef in 20 to 33 feet of water and in nearshore breakwall and harbor areas from 10 to 20 feet of water around Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva, Fairport and Cleveland. Fourteen to 18 inch fish have been caught on tube jigs, jigs tipped with shiners and crankbaits.
Steelhead have been caught by trollers using dipsy divers with spoons 8 to 10 miles northwest of Euclid and Eastlake in 64 to 68 feet of water. The steelhead have ranged in size from 23 to 29 inches.
OHIO RIVER
Meigs County While daytime fishing activity is slow, the night fishermen are having great success catching catfish, particularly flatheads. Bank fishermen are using cut baits, night crawlers, goldfish, and a variety of homemade baits. These fishermen have also been successful in catching turtles.
Jefferson County Anglers are having good success catching smallmouth bass during the late evening, early morning hours. Try using crank baits fished off of gravel bars near the mouths of tributaries. Surface baits will also work, especially early in the morning.