WEEKLY OHIO FISHING REPORT

August 15, 2007 at 2:00a.m.

COLUMBUS — The weekly fishing report provided by the Division of Wildlife of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

NORTHEAST OHIO

Lake Milton (Mahoning County) — Anglers have excellent opportunities to catch largemouth bass, white bass, and channel catfish at this 1,685-acre lake located on SR 534 at County Road 18, 15 miles west of Youngstown. Smallmouth bass, bluegill, and walleye fishing are known to be good as well. For anglers who are prepared to catch muskellunge, fishing for these members of the pike family can be great in Lake Milton. Boats can be rented at the State Park. For more, go to http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/lkmilton/tabid/759/Default.aspx. There is no horsepower restriction. Wheelchair accessible shoreline fishing facilities are available.

Tappan Lake (Harrison County) — This 2,350-acre lake located on US 250 between Cadiz and Uhrichsville offers great fishing for many different species. Anglers have the opportunities to catch crappie, largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, white bass, and saugeye, all of which have gained the status of excellent fishing according to Division of Wildlife fish management surveys. For more information on sizes and sampling methods specific to Tappan and its fish species, call Wildlife District Three at (330) 644-2293 and request the free “2007 Northeast Ohio Fishing Prospects.” Tappan Lake offers two public launch ramps, one near the roadside rest area on U.S. 250, and the other across from Tappan Marina. Please observe the 120 horsepower limit. Wheelchair accessible shoreline fishing facilities are available. For more information go to http://www.placesohio.com/mwcd/tappan/index.html or for a free map of Tappan Lake go to www.wildohio.com or call 1-800-WILDLIFE.

CENTRAL OHIO

Griggs Reservoir (Franklin County) — This reservoir in Columbus provides good fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and carp. Target smallmouth bass downstream of the dam in the Scioto River. Use small crankbaits and spinners around rocks and other cover. Carp are also abundant in this area. Crappie can be caught in the reservoir using minnows or jigs fished around woody cover. For bluegills and other sunfish try using night crawlers.

Licking River (Licking County) — This river east of Columbus provides angling opportunities for flathead catfish, channel catfish, smallmouth bass, and sunfish. Use live baitfish for flathead catfish in pools around woody cover. Cut bait and night crawlers can be effective catching channel catfish. Also try night crawlers for sunfish. For smallmouth bass, fish areas with moving water around rocks and other cover.

NORTHWEST OHIO

Maumee River (Defiance County) — Anglers are catching large channel catfish and flathead catfish in and around the City of Defiance. One of the best areas is the Independence Dam. Channel Catfish are being caught throughout the day using night crawlers fished under a slip bobber. Flathead fishing is most productive late at night. They are being caught on the bottom using bluegills for bait. Remember, bluegill must be caught legally to be used as bait. Contact the Wildlife District Office or your local wildlife officer if you have questions.

Oxbow Lake (Defiance County) — Anglers are catching bluegill throughout the day, using night crawlers fished under a slip bobber.

SOUTHWEST OHIO

Cowan Lake (Clinton County) — Bluegill are being caught by anglers using night crawlers or wax worms as bait. There are good fishing opportunities along woody debris shorelines and pier areas. Channel catfish are being caught by anglers using chicken livers, cut bait, shrimp and night crawlers as bait. Cast from the pier area. Keep the bait off of the bottom and about three to six feet deep.

Rocky Fork Lake (Highland County) — Bluegill are being taken at four to eight feet using redworms and wax worms. Look for shoreline areas with woody debris or submerged trees and brush to be most productive. A variety of catfish are being caught by anglers using night crawlers, shrimp, stink bait, cut bait, and chicken livers. Fish the bait tight-line along the bottom in five to 10 foot depths. As water temperatures cool down, try fishing for saugeye by trolling crankbaits, casting jigs, or drifting with a night crawler harness.

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Monroe Lake (Monroe County) — Fishing pressure has been light at this lake with the recent hot weather. Most anglers are seeking channel catfish at night using night crawlers. Some largemouth bass are being taken from the limited fishing effort observed. The preferred methods would include using night crawlers and plastic worms rigged Texas-style. Though night fishing is popular with catfish anglers, night angling for bass may be a good tactic during the hot summer season; try using surface lures for some top-water action.

Piedmont Lake (Belmont County) — Saugeye will become more active after cool fronts move through the area. Successful saugeye anglers have been throwing crankbaits and spinner baits along the outside weed beds in eight feet of water. Catches of channel catfish have also been favorable. Tight-line fishing using night crawlers, cut bait, and chicken livers has been most productive.

LAKE ERIE

Western Basin — High temperatures and storms over the past week limited fishing effort in the western basin.

The best walleye fishing has been off of Crane Creek in 18 feet of water, near “C” can of the Camp Perry range, and from Rattlesnake Island to “F” can on the Canadian border. Fish have been caught by casting worm harnesses or weight forward spinners, and trollers have had success with spoons on jet divers or dipsys.

The best yellow perch fishing has been around “A” and “B” cans of the Camp Perry range, between Rattlesnake and Green Islands, and west of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish that have averaged around eight inches with a few up to 10 and 11 inches.

Central Basin — Walleye fishing has been very good on the Huron dumping grounds, on the south end of the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, north of Edgewater State Park in 68 to 72 feet, north of Chagrin River in 68 to 72 feet, north northwest of Geneva in 68 to 72 feet, and north-northeast of Ashtabula in 67 to 75 feet. Anglers are trolling dipsy divers or jet divers off planers with spoons and stick baits ranging in black/purple, gold, blue/silver, wonderbread, antifreeze and chartreuse with copper backs. Trolling worm harnesses (same colors) have also been successful.

Steelhead are being caught off Lorain, Vermilion, and Cleveland in 68 to 72 feet, and Geneva to Ashtabula in 67 to 75 feet. Anglers are catching steelhead on red/white, black/purple, chartreuse, and silver/blue spoons while trolling for walleye.

Yellow perch fishing has been good in 39 feet of water off of the Vermilion break wall, four to six miles north of Cleveland in 40 to 60 feet, north of Eastlake in 50 to 55 feet, four to six miles northwest of Fairport Harbor in 48 to 55 feet, and four to six miles north-northeast of Conneaut in 48 to 56 feet. Perch spreaders with shiners or worm harnesses fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent in harbor areas, and in 20 to 25 feet along the shoreline in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva and Fairport Harbor. Fish were caught on goby-colored tube jigs, crankbaits, and jigs tipped with minnows, night crawlers, or leeches.

White bass are being caught by anglers trolling for walleye. Shore anglers are catching white bass at the Lorain Ore Dock, Eastlake CEI pier, Fairport Harbor pier, and Conneaut break wall; early mornings and evenings have been the best. Anglers are using agitators and small yellow or white jigs or small spinners.

The Lake Erie surface temperature is 76 degrees off of Toledo and 73 degrees off of Cleveland. To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?fileforecasts/marine/gre at—lakes/le/lez160.txt

OHIO RIVER

Belmont, Lawrence, and Monroe counties Catfish anglers are catching channel catfish and some flathead catfish on cut bait, stink baits as well as chicken liver, and night crawlers fished tight-line on the bottom. Fishing during the night has been the best time to fish for channel catfish and flathead catfish. Some of the larger fish reported are channel catfish up to 11 pounds and flathead catfish up to 31 pounds.

Anglers have also been catching an occasional freshwater drum. Bass fishing has been somewhat slow. Largemouth bass are being caught early morning to late evening on spinner baits, surface baits, and plastic worms.