The Fish Ohio Report

Updated Weekly April through October

May 15, 2013

CENTRAL OHIO

Indian Lake (Logan County) – Saugeye are being caught on wind swept points and channel openings with current at this 5040-acre lake in Logan County.  Try casting or trolling small rattletraps and suspending crankbaits.  Largemouth bass fishing is popular along the many stone riprap areas, docks, and islands.  Fishing the lily pads can be rewarding this time of year.  Many bass are in the 12 to18 inch size range and are in shallow water.  Crappie and white bass fishing can both be good during May.  Minnows are the most popular choice for live bait.  Channel catfish fishing should be picking up as the water warms.

Oakthorpe Lake - This 41-acre lake in Fairfield County provides good largemouth bass fishing.  Try plastics and spinner baits around shoreline cover and the lily pads on the north side of this overlooked lake.  Crappies are being taken from the deep water on the west bank with a minnow suspended by a bobber, look for submerged timber.  Bluegills can be caught around lily pads.  Use small worm, crickets, or insect larvae to catch these fish.  Electric motors only.

NORTHWEST OHIO

Sandusky River (Sandusky County) – The Sandusky River water level is normal.  The water clarity is average to good.  Although anglers may still find some walleye in the river, walleye fishing has been slow and the run is over.  The white bass run is near the peak and white bass fishing is excellent, with large numbers of fish being caught.  All areas of the river are producing good numbers of large fish.  White bass anglers should try using jigs, spinners, or worms fished under a bobber.
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Lima Lake (Allen County) – Located on State Route 82, east of I-75, this 88-acre lake has been producing good catches of crappie, bluegill, and trout.  Anglers have been having luck throughout the lake; however, try fishing near the dock at the boat ramp.  Try using jigs, spinners, or slip bobbers with minnows, wax worms, night crawlers, or flavored baits.  There is a boat ramp available, or anglers can fish along the shoreline. Boats are restricted to electric motors only.

Oxbow Lake (Defiance County) – Oxbow lake is located at Oxbow Wildlife Area, 7 miles northwest of the city of Defiance on Trinity Road.  Anglers have been catching some crappie.  Anglers should try fishing near the water control structure using artificial jigs.  Boats are allowed on the lake and there is a boat ramp available; however, boats are restricted to electric motors only.

NORTHEAST OHIO

Dale Walborn Reservoir (Portage County) – Crappie have been biting very well in water less than five feet deep.  Boat and shore anglers are catching large numbers of fish on minnows, wax worms, and jigs suspended under slip bobbers.  The channel catfish have also been active, taking night crawlers fished on slip-sinker rigs.

Berlin Lake (Mahoning, Portage, and Stark counties) – The crappie bite continues at this large, popular Northeast Ohio lake.  Anglers are catching crappie in five to seven feet of water, in bays and the main lake.  Fish seem to be schooling farther from cover than usual at times, so be prepared to try different locations to find them.  Jig and minnow combinations or tube jigs suspended under slip bobbers are the ticket.  Walleye are biting at times as well, with jig and minnows and fat-bodied crankbaits producing well.  Many walleye anglers are catching bonus catfish, with night crawlers being especially effective.  White bass are running up the creeks, giving shore anglers an excellent shot at some fast action.  Try small crankbaits and other minnow-imitating baits.

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Lake Logan (Hocking County) – Saugeye angling should be in full swing this week.  Try bottom bouncing jigs tipped with night crawlers fished in six to 10 feet depths, or trolling crankbaits in six to 10 feet of water.  Crappie anglers should begin to look for white crappies moving into shallower water around shoreline structure to spawn.  Crappie can be caught using small plastic bodied jigs or live minnows fished below bobbers in depths less than six feet.

Wolf Run Lake (Noble County) – Rainbow trout are on the move to find cooler water.  Bright colored Powerbait trout nuggets fished near the dam have been reported to be successful.  Largemouth bass are also a popular species to target in the spring.  Try using jerkbaits, crankbaits, or minnows fished near structure in three to 10 feet of water.  Crappie anglers should try using minnows or roadrunners tipped with a twister-tail in 10 to 15 feet of water near rocks or other structure.  A boat ramp is located at the east end of the lake off the State Route 215 entrance and boats with motors up to 10 horsepower are permitted.  Please note the new regulations for 2013: a daily bag limit of three largemouth, smallmouth, & spotted bass, with two fish less than 14 inches and 1 fish greater than or equal to 20 inches.

SOUTHWEST OHIO

Cowan Lake (Clinton County) – Crappie, between nine and 14 inches, are being caught around brush piles with slip bobber and minnows 12 to 18 inches deep, within 20 feet off the bank.

Acton Lake (Preble County) – Crappie and Saugeye are being caught.  Fish fallen timber on both shore lines.  Try minnows or chartreuse and white for saugeye.  The crappie are being taken on minnows under a float at about 12 to 20 inches deep.

LAKE ERIE

 

Weekly Fishing Report 05152013 from WildOhio on Vimeo.

** The daily bag limit for walleye on Ohio waters of Lake Erie is 6 fish per angler.  The minimum size limit for walleye is 15 inches.**

** The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 fish per angler on all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.**

** The trout and salmon daily bag limit is 2 fish per angler through May 15.  The daily bag limit increases to 5 from May 16 through August 31.  The minimum size limit for trout and salmon is 12 inches.

** Black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) fishing is closed to possession (no harvest) from May 1 through June 28.  On Saturday, June 29 the daily bag limit returns to 5 fish per angler with a 14” minimum size limit.**

Western Basin

Walleye fishing was fair over the past week (as of 5/15).  The best areas were from the turnaround buoy of the Toledo shipping channel to West Sister Island, from Rattlesnake Island to Green Island, E of South Bass Island, and N of Kelleys Island.  Trollers have been catching fish on crankbaits and worm harnesses.  Drifters are using worm harnesses with bottom bouncers or are casting mayfly rigs.

Yellow perch have been caught N of Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Central Basin

Walleye have been caught nearshore off Cleveland after 6:00 pm and at night in 35-38’ of water using rapalas, husky jerks and reef runners. 
 
Yellow perch fishing has been good weather permitting in 38’ of water N of Gordon Park in Cleveland, in 38’ of water N of the Fairport Harbor lighthouse and  in 42 to 50’ of water NE of the Ashtabula.  Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish.  Shore fishing has picked up off the E 55th St. pier in Cleveland.  Anglers are using spreaders with shiners and the mornings have been best. 

Smallmouth bass fishing has been good in 15 to 25’ of water around harbor areas in Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut.  Largemouth bass are also being caught in the same areas.  Anglers are using drop shot rigs with rubber worms, soft-craws, tube jigs, and crankbaits.

The water temperature is 55 degrees off of Toledo and 52 degrees off of Cleveland according to the nearshore marine forecast.

Maumee River and Sandusky River walleye fishing reports
Steelhead fishing reports

Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating.

Weather forecast for Lake Erie 
View Lake Erie boating information, safety tips, and launch ramps  
 

OHIO RIVER

Riverbend to downtown area (Hamilton County) – Water levels slightly high but anglers report channel cats off gravel humps in about 20 feet of water near channel drop-offs. Fish depths from 15 to 30 feet and try cut skipjack and shad.

Pike Island Dam (Belmont County) – Sauger fishing is popular this time of year, anglers have been fishing the pier by vertical jigging with ¼ oz. or smaller jigging spoons.  Other methods for sauger fishing on the river include cast and a slow retrieve off the bottom of jigs with pearl or chartreuse twister tails tipped with a minnow.  Catfish activity will be picking up in the evenings and early mornings, try night crawlers or chicken livers.  Anglers fishing for catfish have also reeled in the occasional hybrid striped bass.  To target smallmouth bass, try casting spinner baits, crankbaits, tube baits or top water “walk-the-dog” style baits off of stony points.


>> Regularly updated Ohio River information
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ohrfc/OHRFCrg.shtml

Find boat access to the Ohio River.

See Ohio River conditions from NOAA.