COLUMBUS, OH Potential first-time anglers need not let their fishing inexperience keep them from an exciting outdoor adventure. Fishing experts with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife offer a number of tips to a fast-start catching fish.
First, dont let the hundreds of rods and reels available cause confusion on what to select. Beginning anglers in Ohio will find that a low-cost, medium-action spin-cast rod and reel combination will work well in most fishing situations.
Bait can either be real or artificial. When using live bait, slip the bait onto the hook and place a bobber (float) two to three feet above the hook to suspend the bait in the water. When fishing for largemouth bass, use live nightcrawlers or live minnows. Good artificial baits for bass are spinnerbaits and plastic worms. When fishing for bluegills use wax worms, redworms, or maggots, fished 12 to 18 inches under a bobber. Shrimp, nightcrawlers, or chicken livers fished along the bottom will usually catch a catfish in most Ohio waters.
Ohio has many good fishing opportunities. Lake Erie, the most productive fishery of the five Great Lakes, offers world-class walleye, smallmouth bass, and yellow perch fishing. Large inland lakes and reservoirs have good shore and boat fishing opportunities. Usually its only a short drive from anywhere in the state to one of Ohios 229 public lakes or reservoirs. These water areas range in size from just a few acres to the 13, 500-acre Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohios largest inland lake. The states 61,000 miles of streams, creeks, and rivers also offer great fishing adventures.
Each year anglers 16 to 65 must have a new Ohio fishing license by March 1 to fish the states public waters, including Lake Erie and the Ohio River. A fishing license is also required for those taking bullfrogs, green frogs, snapping turtles, and soft-shell turtles. Ohio residents age 66 and older may obtain a free fishing license from any license vendor. Young people age 15 and under do not need a fishing license.
An annual resident Ohio fishing license costs $15; annual nonresident fishing licenses costs $24. A three-day tourists fishing license is $15. Residents and nonresidents both have the option of purchasing a one-day fishing license for $7, which may be exchanged for credit toward the purchase of an annual fishing license.
June 1 and 2 will be Free Fishing Days in Ohio when beginner and expert anglers alike can fish in any public waters of the state without having to purchase a fishing license during those dates.
The ODNR web site offers additional information on fishing, boating, and state parks at Ohiodnr.com Anglers may also obtain lake maps, fish identification guides, and other fishing information by calling 1-800 WILDLIFE.