Weekly Ohio fishing report

Weekly Ohio fishing report

COLUMBUS — provided by the Division of Wildlife of the Dept. of Natural Resources.

CENTRAL OHIO

Deer Creek (Fayette, Madison, and Pickaway counties) — Cooling water temperatures will get fish more active. Target woody cover in the creek channel and then try fishing in more shallow water as water temperatures cool. Use minnows or jigs suspended under a bobber. Largemouth bass can be caught on buzz baits, crank baits and plastics. Fish the shoreline cover. Bluegill can be caught on wax worms and night crawlers.

Kokosing River (Knox County) — Smallmouth bass are active around cover in upper pool areas and riffles. Use small crank baits in a crayfish or shiner pattern; spinners are also effective. Rock bass can be caught in the same areas with the same baits as smallmouth bass. Channel catfish can be caught using shrimp, night crawlers and prepared baits.

NORTHWEST OHIO

Charles Mill (Richland County) — Excellent catches of catfish reported at Charles Mill. Frozen shrimp and chicken livers have been working great. The best spot is the state Route 430 bridge area.

Pleasant Hill Lake (Richland County) — Good catches of saugeye have been reported at Pleasant Hill. Fishing with worm harnesses and jigs with night crawlers have been working out nicely. Fishing from the beaches and across from the lodge has been producing the best results. Recently a 7-pound saugeye was caught jigging night crawlers off the beach.

Sandusky Bay (Erie and Ottawa Counties) — Catfish have been caught in good numbers from the Bay Bridge. Fishing shrimp off of the bottom has been the way to go.

NORTHEAST OHIO

West Branch Reservoir (Portage County) — This lake offers great muskellunge fishing with decent bass and channel catfishing. Access this lake from state Route 5, turning south on Rock Spring Road. Parking is available near the bridge (just past the railroad tracks) as well as boat ramp access. As of August 31, a total of 94 muskies were caught in this lake. Fishing from the rip rap produces well for bass while fishing near the muddy flats at dusk and dawn is good for catfish. Fishing the humps in the middle of the lake produces larger muskies this time of year. Anglers should try casting bulldogs, spinners, or larger stick baits for muskies. Bass are biting on shad-imitating baits such as spinner baits and crank baits. Catfish will go for hot dogs, stink baits, power baits, chicken liver, or shrimp.

Lake Erie tributary streams (Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Lake, & Lorain counties) — Anglers should start rain dancing. With the cooling fall temperatures and shortening days, the steelhead from Lake Erie should be making their annual trips into Lake Eries tributary streams. But, the one thing they need is increased flow in the streams due to runoff. The stream levels are low, but look for river levels to rise over the upcoming weeks. Until then, focus on breakwalls and piers along Lake Erie that border mouths of tributary streams. Popular baits this time of year include casting spoons, jig and maggots, and other live bait.

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Hammertown Lake (Jackson County) — Fishing is improving, especially in the bay area and in the evening hours. Anglers have caught the occasional trout casting Powerbait or wax worms along the edges. Largemouth bass are moving into deep water. Try casting spinner baits or any top water lures like buzz baits or floating Rapalas. For channel catfish use chicken livers or night crawlers fished on the bottom. Fishing in this lake will continue to improve as water temperatures cool.

Seneca Lake (Noble County) — Saugeye fishing has really picked up with several anglers reeling in fish in the 14 to 16-inch range. Try fishing off structure in about 10 feet of water using whistle jigs or anything with a spinner on it and a night crawler. Bluegill up to nine inches have been caught using wax worms or night crawlers fished under a bobber.

SOUTHWEST OHIO

Caesar Creek Lake (Warren County) — Muskie anglers report catching 30 to 40-inch muskies with numerous follows. Try casting large bucktail spinners, jerk baits, or crank baits around standing or fallen timber in coves or along main lake shorelines. If you catch a muskie, please report it to the Ohio Huskie Muskie Club using the envelopes located at the state park office, local bait shops, or contact the Wildlife District Five office. Anglers are beginning to catch crappie fishing minnows under a bobber and casting jigs. Remember, all crappie less than nine inches long must be immediately released back into the lake. Saugeye anglers are starting to catch a few fish from six to 15 feet of water, but most fish are small. Troll medium or deep diving crank baits along submerged points or underwater humps in the North pool. Cast or drift with live night crawlers on a bottom bouncing harness rig, or use a lead head jig tipped with a piece of worm. Fish in the early morning and early evening hours.

Acton Lake (Preble County) — A few saugeye are being caught. Troll medium or deep diving crank baits, cast or drift with live night crawlers on a bottom bouncing harness rig, or use jigs tipped with a piece of worm or a minnow. Fish in the early morning or early evening hours along the sandy bottom areas near the dam and cabins. Bluegill are being caught by anglers fishing along the boat docks and along the east shore between the lodge and the dam. Fish red worms or wax worms under a slip bobber between 3 to 4 feet deep. Due to the lack of rain, the lake is currently down about 3 feet. This week Heuston Woods State Park staff will be adding rock to extend the boat ramp for safe access for boaters.

East Fork Lake (Clermont County) — Due to the lack of rain, the lake is currently down over six feet. Therefore, East Fork State Park has closed the North Shore Boat Ramp. The other four boat ramps remain open. Anglers should use this opportunity to survey and note the location of exposed fish habitat to enhance future fishing opportunities when the water level is at normal pool.

LAKE ERIE

Western Basin — Walleye fishing has been good in the western basin recently. The best walleye fishing has been from North Bass Island and Niagara Reef 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 “B” and “C” cans of the Camp Perry range, around the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel, north of the Toledo water intake, between Green Island and Rattlesnake Island, and off of Kelleys Island shoal and Kelleys Island airport reef in 41 feet of water. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish that have averaged around 8 inches.

.with a few up to 10 and 11 inches.

Central Basin — Walleye fishing has been very good on the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, north-northwest of Gordon Park and Edgewater in 60 to 71 feet, north-northeast of Ashtabula in 60 to 72 feet, and north of Conneaut in 58 to 65 feet. Anglers are trolling dipsy divers, down riggers and wire line with spoons and stick baits ranging in copper, black/purple, tangerine, watermelon, wonder bread, antifreeze and gold/orange.

Steelhead are being caught from Geneva to Ashtabula in 70 to 72 feet. Anglers are catching steelhead on red/white, black/purple, chartreuse, and silver/blue spoons while trolling for walleye.

Yellow perch fishing has been very good just off of the Vermilion breakwall, north-northeast of Gordon Park in 56 feet, north-northwest of Euclid in 54 to 55 feet, northwest of Fairport Harbor in 46 to 55 feet, and north of Conneaut in 61 to 65 feet. Perch spreaders with shiners or worm harnesses fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in harbor areas, and in 15 to 25 feet along the shoreline in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva and Fairport Harbor. Fish were caught on goby- colored tube jigs, crank baits, and jigs tipped with minnows, night crawlers, or leeches.

White bass are being caught by anglers trolling for walleye, also inshore near the mouth of the Chagrin River and next to the Eastlake Power Plant.

The Lake Erie surface temperature is 64 degrees off of Toledo and 70 degrees off of Cleveland.

OHIO RIVER

Scioto County — Many anglers are reporting success fishing the Ohio River at the confluence of the Scioto River and below the flood wall at Portsmouth. Try fishing tight-line with chicken livers for catfish and the occasional striped bass. Several anglers reported taking limits of sauger below the Greenup Dam using white spoons.

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On the Net:

View sunrise/sunset table:

http://tinyurl.com/2tztsa

To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit:

http://tinyurl.com/2h2z89

Maps and information are available from the Division of Wildlife at:

www.wildohio.com.