WEEKLY OHIO FISHING REPORT

WEEKLY OHIO FISHING REPORT
COLUMBUS -- The weekly fishing report provided by the Division of Wildlife of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
CENTRAL OHIO
Kokosing Reservoir (Knox County) -- Fish at night along the lake bottom with soft craws, chicken livers, night crawlers and prepared baits to catch channel catfish. Shoreline areas with fallen trees and other submerged structures are good places to fish for crappies. The drop-offs along the old creek channel are good places to fish for largemouth bass, which can measure up to 20 inches. There is a 10 horsepower limit.
O'Shaughnessy Reservoir (Delaware County) -- Many of the areas with shoreline cover are good places to fish for bluegills when using mealworms, wax worms and larval baits. Most of these fish measure 6 to 8 inches. The deeper shoreline areas can produce good catches of crappies when using jigs and minnows. The areas along the west shoreline that have fallen trees and brush piles are among the best spots to fish for largemouth bass.
NORTHWEST OHIO
Killdeer Reservoir (Wyandot County) --The water temperature is 75 degrees. Walleye are being taken with night crawlers, leeches and crank baits. Early morning is the best time and the island area is the best location. Channel cats are being taken along the shoreline using cut baits. Night is the best time and the best place is along the east and south shore.
Killdeer Pond No. 30 (Wyandot County) -- The water temperature is 78 degrees. Largemouth bass are being taken with buzz baits along the surface in the evenings.
Findlay Reservoir No. 2 (Hancock County) -- Catfish, yellow perch and bluegill are being taken with night crawlers during the evening hours.
NORTHEAST OHIO
Tuscarawas River (Tuscarawas County) -- Despite high, muddy water, anglers are still catching channel catfish. Tight-lining on the bottom with stink baits, night crawlers and chicken livers should work. The 'cats are running as large as 17 inches and longer.
Berlin Reservoir/West Branch Lake (Portage County) -- Both of these lakes are starting to produce bluegills and crappies for anglers willing to fish on the cooler nights. Decent sized fish are being taken from deeper pools along the bridges and near the abutments. Minnows are working for crappies. Bluegills should bite on night crawlers and maggots. Anglers looking for channel catfish can also find success in these two bodies of water.
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 and around West Sister 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 16 to 23 inches.
Yellow perch fishing in the western basin continues to be excellent. Best areas have included west of Green and Rattlesnake Islands in 24 to 30 feet of water, east and northwest of Kelleys Island in 24 to 32 feet of water, and 1 to 3 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 5 to 8 miles northwest of Lorain, 6 to 7 miles northwest of the Chagrin River in 56 to 65 feet of water, 17 to 22 miles northeast of Geneva in 70 to 75 feet of water, and 22 miles northeast 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 28inches.
Yellow perch fishing continues to improve in the central basin. Best areas have been within 2 miles of Huron, Vermilion and Lorain in 30 to 35 feet of water, 3 miles north of Gordon Park Ramp Cleveland in 49 to 51 feet of water, 2 to 4 miles north of Geneva in 47 to 60 feet of water, 2 to 4 miles northwest of Fairport Harbor in 50 to 60 feet of water and 3 to 5 miles north of Conneaut in 50 to 60 feet of water. Spreaders tipped with shiners are taking fish from 8 to 11 inches.
Smallmouth bass have been caught near Ruggles Reef. Fourteen to 18 inch fish have been caught on tube jigs and crank baits. Steelhead have been caught by trollers using dipsy divers with spoons 15 to 18 miles north of Wildwood St. Park in 72 to 78 feet of water and 16 to 26 miles northwest of Fairport Harbor in 70 to 75 feet of water. The steelhead have ranged in size from 20 to 28 inches.
OHIO RIVER
Belmont County -- Late afternoon and into the evening are the best times to fish the Pike Island Dam area. Fishing is good for flathead catfish, channel catfish, and striped bass when using chicken liver fished on the bottom. Striped bass are also hitting crank baits or heavy spoons.
Monroe County -- Fishermen on the Ohio side around the Hannibal Dam are catching channel catfish and hybrid striped bass on chicken liver fished on the bottom. Water conditions in this area are cloudy, slightly above normal pool, and 78 degrees.
Gallia County -- River conditions are poor in this area due to recent heavy rains. Water level is high and clarity is muddy. However, as water recedes fishing for catfish should be excellent. Both flathead and channel catfish will be hitting on chicken liver, worms, or cut baits fished on the bottom.
Scioto County -- Conditions in this area are high and muddy with temperature around 77 degrees. At Greenup Dam, anglers on the lower platform are casting out along the headwall at the hydro plant to catch 14-inch hybrid striped bass. These anglers are using casting bobbers with a line leader and using four-inch white over silver fluke baits or are fishing chicken liver on the bottom weighted with 1 ounce sinkers. At the sand bar near Sciotoville, small channel catfish can be caught on chicken liver fished on the bottom.