DEERFIELD, OH - Before anglers put away their gear for the season, they might want to consider heading out to one of Ohio’s larger reservoirs to take advantage of a unique opportunity created by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.  

This past summer, crews from the Fish Management Section created reefs out of wooden posts and block and sunk them deeply into Berlin Reservoir.  “These structures were intentionally placed in water that was too deep to fish in the summer,” says Matt Wolfe, Fisheries Biologist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, who oversees this project. “Now that Berlin is drawn down seven feet however, these structures are ideal spots for fall crappie fishing,” added Wolfe.

The main reef can be found from N 41o 00’ 18.5” / 81 o 3’ 10.6” in about nine to 11 feet of water. During the summer, this reef sits in 16 to 18 feet of water. A smaller reef can be found at N 41o 00’ 12.1” / 81 o 3’ 52.3” in about seven to eight feet of water. The map datum on your GPS unit should be set at NAD 83 to find the structures.

The goal of this project is to introduce 500 structures into the waters of Northeastern Ohio annually. The Ohio Division of Wildlife frequently teams up with various conservation clubs and like-minded agencies for similar projects on other lakes. Questions may be directed to the Wildlife District Three office in Akron at (330) 644-2293.