05-03-2003, 10:23 AM
April 30, 2003
Ohio Inland Waters Fishing Report
CENTRAL OHIO
Hoover Reservoir (Delaware & Franklin Counties) - White bass are moving up Big Walnut Creek for spawning during the last half of April and the first of May. These fish generally measure 8-12 inches and can be taken on small jigs or rooster tails. Try fishing for saugeye using stick baits and minnow imitating lures along the dam and causeways with riprap. Areas with brushy shoreline cover and submerged structures are good places to seek crappies and bluegills. 10 horsepower limit.
Knox Lake (Knox County) - The woody shoreline covers are good locations to fish for largemouth bass at this time of year. Most of these fish measure 12 to 18 inches. This was one of the top bass tournament lakes in Ohio last year as determined by Ohio Bass Anglers Sportsman Society data. Use jigs and minnows in brushy areas to take crappies. Use shrimp or night crawlers fished along the bottom to take channel catfish. Over 11,000 yearling channel catfish were stocked in fall 2002. Some channel catfish weigh up to ten pounds. 10 horsepower limit.
NORTHWEST OHIO
Maumee River (Lucas and Wood Counties) – 50 degrees; water is clear and the level is low. Anglers are still catching an occasional walleye. Anglers are also catching fair numbers of white bass. Anglers are using floating jigs about 24 inches from ½ to 1 ounce sinker. Tip jigs with various colored plastic tails. Best areas are from Jerome Road through Blue Grass Island. Outlook is good and should improve with some rain.
Sandusky River (Sandusky County) – 56 degrees; water level is low, effort is high. Anglers are catching some white bass (12 to16 inches) using shiners and white twister tails fished 2 to 3 feet under a bobber or off of the bottom. Best areas are the State Street Bridge and the Sand Docks. Outlook is good and should improve with some rain.
NORTHEAST OHIO
Steelhead (Ashtabula County) – The steelhead run in Conneaut Creek and Ashtabula River is just about over but diehard anglers are still picking up a few of the lake run rainbow trout.
Killbuck Creek (Holmes County) – In the tributaries of this creek, anglers are finding some Northern Pike and bowfin. Large minnows and chubs are the bait of choice.
Charles Mill (Ashland County) – “Wipers” (a hybrid of white bass and striped bass) up to 10 inches long are being caught here on chicken livers. Try working the area called “Fisherman’s Point” and back toward the marina. Decent sized bluegills are being caught here on wax worms and crappies can be found around the treetops, biting on jigs and minnows. Channel catfish are being caught at various spots around the lake. Shrimp, night crawlers and liver are enticing catfish up to 22 inches in length.
Mentor Lagoon (Lake County) – Anglers here are picking up crappies, bluegills and bullheads along with both largemouth and smallmouth bass.
Grand River (Lake County) – Most of the walleyes have moved out of this river but the warmer water has turned on the bass fishing with smallmouths being taken from around the Pipe Bridge to the Uniroyal hole in the lower part of the river.
Headlands Beach Breakwall (Lake County) – Limits of jumbo sized perch are being taken here, from beyond the lighthouse. Large perch, in smaller numbers are also being taken by shore fishermen from the short wall on the Fairport side.
Berlin Reservoir (Portage County) – Anglers here are picking up crappies by fishing minnows in the brushy areas in about 8 to 12 feet of water. Walleye fishing here is expected to pick up in the next couple of weeks.
Nimisila Lake (Summit County) – Minnows are working here for crappies and largemouth bass. Some crappies are running 12 to 13 inches with bass up to 14 inches. Bluegills are biting here on wax worms, with a few of the ‘gills in the 7 to 8-inch range.
Waldborn Reservoir (Stark County) – Crappies are being taken here on minnows fished under bobbers. Bass can be found here with successful anglers using spinners and crank baits.
Mahoning River (Stark County) – Some smaller white bass are being picked up here on jigs and minnows from the Alliance Water Department down to Berlin. While success is spotty right now, the next rainfall should bring a good run of white bass.
Mosquito Lake (Trumbull) -- Good numbers of crappies are being caught here. The walleye are still biting for both boat fishermen and those fishing from shore along the rocky causeway. Largemouth bass are starting to turn on and a few northern pike are also being caught here.
Pymatuning Lake (Ashtabula County) – This lake is starting to “heat up” with anglers catching crappies, perch, walleye and nice smallmouth bass.
SOUTHWEST OHIO
Acton Lake (Preble County) – Anglers are catching crappie off of the Sugar Creek fishing pier. Fish a live minnow on a #6 bait-holding hook under a bobber. Keep the bait four to five feet deep. Good locations include the pier, shoreline, and from a boat or canoe.
Caesar Creek Lake (Warren County) – Anglers are catching crappies around the boat docks and along the banks near shoreline brush. Use a boat or canoe to get into some of the more remote coves with submerged shoreline brush and debris. Fish in water about 10-15 feet deep using a small live minnow on a #6 fine wire hook, a small 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jig tipped with a minnow bounced slowly along the bottom.
Grand Lake St. Marys (Auglaize and Mercer counties) -- Anglers are catching channel and bullhead catfish. Fish around the boat docks, fishing piers, channels and along the shore about four to five feet deep along the bottom using earthworms, red worms, tiger worms and gizzard shad baited onto a 2/0 long-shanked hook. Successful anglers fish for catfish in the headwaters of the lake.
SOUTHEAST OHIO
Jackson City Reservoir (Hammertown Lake, Jackson County) – Water conditions are clear and at normal pool. Water temperature is 62 degrees. Fishing for trout at this lake is very good when using spinner baits or PowerBait. While fishing is good all over the lake, preferred areas are on the park side and near the “circle”.
Seneca Lake (Noble and Guernsey counties) – Water conditions are clear and normal. Boat anglers are catching 16 to 18-inch walleye when fishing off the points in 8 feet of water. Best method is to slowly bounce worms off the bottom. White bass are being caught on jigs and twister tails fished around deep structure along State Route 313 and above the Owls Nest.
Wills Creek (Noble County) – Fishing for white bass just above the area where it empties into Seneca Lake is very good and should really pick up within the next week or so. Anglers are using lead-headed jigs with yellow or white twister tails.
Muskingum River (Washington County) – Fishermen in the Devola Dam area are catching 14 to 16-inch saugeye on little green or white jigs. Best method is to wade out and cast up into the rapids. A few catfish are also being caught on chicken liver.
LAKE ERIE
Western Basin – Fishing on Lake Erie has been slowed by strong north winds. When conditions allow, walleye are being caught both on the reef complex and the surrounding flats of the Bass Islands area. On the reefs the most productive technique has been lead-head jigs tipped with shiners and a stinger hook, with limit catches being reported. Trolling in deeper water near the reefs has produced trophy walleye in the 10-pound class. Crank baits and minnow imitating stick baits trolled in the top ten feet of water have been used to catch post-spawn females.
Central Basin Streams - Steelhead fishing in the tributaries has been excellent this spring, but the season will most likely be over by the first week of May. Approximately 53,000 steelhead smolts, averaging 6” were stocked in the Rocky River April 22. Anglers should wet their hands and gently unhook and release these fish immediately (there is a 12” minimum length limit to protect recently-stocked smolts). PLEASE TREAT THE RECENTLY RELEASED TROUT SMOLTS CAREFULLY; THESE FISH ARE THE FUTURE OF OHIO’S STEELHEAD FISHERY!
OHIO RIVER
Washington County – The area of the river in downtown Marietta near the Lafayette Hotel is producing excellent catches of striped bass on night crawlers. Anglers are using Carolina rigging, casting out and letting the bait sit on the bottom. A few catfish are also being caught in the area on chicken livers. At Willow Island, a few small saugeye are being caught on small jigs and small crank baits. Water conditions are normal and temperature is 54 to 55 degrees.
Meigs County – The tailwaters of both Belleville and Racine Lock and Dam are producing nice catches of sauger, walleye, white bass, and hybrid striped bass. Most anglers are using jigs and twister tails for bait. A few smallmouth bass are also being caught below the tailwaters at Racine. Channel catfish are being caught on chicken livers at night
Scioto County – Conditions in this area are at normal pool and 61 degrees. Hybrid striped bass are being caught at the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers on night crawlers rigged with a sinker to keep them on bottom.
Brown County - Anglers are catching hybrid striped and white bass and flathead catfish. Use chicken livers, cut bait, small spinners, or surface lures as bait. White is currently a good color choice for artificial lures. Fish the bait slowly along the bottom or off of the bottom in water one to 10 feet deep. When using a hook, choose a #2 bait-holding hook. Good fishing locations include at the water exchange of the Little Three Mile Creek.
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/1new...weekly.htm
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