Johnny Bench was once asked once asked by a friend if he liked to fish.
“No,” Mr. Bench was reported to have said. “I don’t go fishing. I go catching.”
There are approximately 124,000 acres of inland water, 2.25 million acres of Lake Erie, 481 miles of Ohio River and over 7,000 miles of streams, creeks, rivulets and runs in the Buckeye State where fish can be found. If you are an angler cut in the same mold as ol’ #5, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is doing its very best to make your big fish story the truth rather than, well, just another big fish story.
I couldn’t pick up steelhead fish out of a lineup, but thanks to the ODNR should I get a hankering to go catch one I know that I should be using a long, 7-10’ setup with a light 6-8 lb. test and use a small marabou or synthetic hair jib tipped with maggots rigged with split shot under a light pencil-thin bobber. If sunfish were my thing, I know now, thanks to the ODNR, to head to Burr Lake in Southeast Ohio where they’re landing them in at over six an hour.
The ODNR does its best to collect information from all around the state from wildlife officers and anglers about where the fish are hitting, what the fish are biting on, what time of day they’re catching the fish, weather conditions, and so on and so forth.
The ODNR breaks the fishing report by region – Lake Erie, central, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest – all of which can be found here at the link below. The website also has a bunch of other neat-o features including maps of lakes, fishing tips by species, an online interactive fishing map along with tons of other fishing-related info for the the beginner and the Compleat Angler alike.
We therefore offer below the ODNR’s Fishing Forecast for central Ohio for those of you who might like to sneak the tackle box and Zebco out for a pleasant hour or two. The report for every area of the state and all that other cool stuff mentioned can be found by clicking here: ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/buy-and-apply/hunting-fishing-boating/fishing-resources/fishing-reports-forecasts.
Alum Creek
Recent bass surveys have shown a strong year class of largemouth bass hatched in 2016. This should provide anglers with good numbers of “keeper” fish in the 13-16 inch range. Alum Creek continues to provide some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the state with many fish in the 10-14 inch range and numerous bigger fish reaching 5-6lbs. Excellent survival of saugeye stocked in 2017 has led to an abundance of larger fish in the 17-20 inch range. Even better survival of saugeye stocked in 2019 will result in increased catches of “short” fish under 15 inches in 2020. However, this year class of fish will continue to provide good numbers of keepers for the next few years. Alum Creek continues to produce good numbers and sizes of crappie, with recent trap net surveys resulting in the best catch rate of crappie over 11 inches in the last ten years. Numbers were above average for the lake but below district and statewide averages, which is common in larger, deeper lakes where trap nets don’t fish as efficiently as they do in smaller, shallower lakes. Hoop net surveys showed channel catfish numbers similar to other area lakes with many fish in the 15-20 inch range. Muskie continue to be stocked annually. The best opportunities for anglers to catch these trophy fish are usually May through July in the reservoir and March through April in the spillway. In addition, Alum Creek has an excellent white bass population which can be targeted by anglers in the upstream portions of the reservoir during their spawning run in May or throughout the main basin from late summer through the fall when they congregate to chase large schools of shad.
Delaware Lake
Delaware Lake is primarily known for its excellent crappie population. Consistent reproduction by both black and white crappie have led to good numbers of both species. Results from annual trap net surveys indicate a large proportion of fish over nine inches, especially for black crappie in recent years. Angler catch rates are above average, and crappie tournament results have produced fish that average one pound at weigh-ins. Delaware continues to be a popular destination for bass anglers and tournaments. Electrofishing numbers of largemouth bass have trended down the last five years but there’s still good numbers of fish, mostly in the 12-15 inch range. In 2018, catfish hoop net surveys produced a catch rate of channel catfish that was three times the statewide average and the highest in central Ohio. Despite these large numbers, the size structure was relatively small with approximately three quarters of the catfish sampled less than 15 inches. Delaware Lake also has decent populations of bluegill and white bass that can be caught in good numbers during different times of the year.
Hoover Reservoir
Hoover Reservoir is home to a wide diversity of sport fishes that are commonly targeted by anglers. Regarded as one of the best catfishing lakes in the state, it boasts great populations of channel, flathead, and blue catfish. Blue catfish were first stocked in 2011 and have survived and grown very well in the reservoir since then. Growth rates are quite variable but some of the older individuals are already reaching weights of over thirty pounds. The saugeye population has rebounded nicely after several consecutive years with poor survival of stocked fish. Average to above average stocking success since 2017 has led to a robust population with many sizes of fish ranging from 10-20 inches. In addition, Hoover received a stocking of walleye in 2019 for the first time in over thirty years. This is part of a three-year study comparing the survival, growth, and angler catches of walleye and saugeye in Hoover. The reservoir is also known for its great crappie population. Both black and white crappie can be found in large numbers, with trap net surveys showing an even proportion of fish above and below the nine-inch minimum length limit. Good numbers of bluegill are also found in Hoover and typically reach lengths of 7-8 inches. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass inhabit the reservoir, although largemouth are much more abundant. Most bass sampled are between 12-18 inches, but excellent growth rates of both species provide anglers with good opportunities to catch largemouth and smallmouth bass over twenty inches. Hoover also has a large white bass population that can provide great fishing opportunities during their spring spawning run up Big Walnut Creek in the spring or throughout the year when schooled up chasing shad. Many Fish Ohio sized white bass (>14”) are caught by anglers in Hoover every year.
Indian Lake
Indian Lake is one of Ohio’s best saugeye lakes based on angler reports and gill net surveys. Consistent survival and excellent growth of stocked fish in this shallow and extremely productive lake have led to good numbers and sizes of saugeye available to anglers. Currently, there is an abundance of age-2 saugeye from an extremely successful 2018 stocking. Many of these fish will be over the 15-inch minimum size limit by early summer 2020 and could reach close to 18 inches by late fall. The crappie fishery has also done very well in recent years with a large population of both black and white crappie over nine inches. Not just a numbers lake, Indian provides anglers with a great chance at catching very large crappie in the 14-16 inch range. Largemouth bass have done well with the abundant shallow water habitat and vegetation at Indian Lake. There are good numbers of fish, although the large majority are under 15 inches. Indian Lake is one of the best bluegill fisheries in central Ohio and is one of the few lakes where anglers can consistently catch fish over eight inches. Approximately half of the channel catfish caught in the most recent hoop net surveys were exactly eight years old, with most falling in the 18-20 inch category. Because of their long life span, these catfish should continue to grow and remain in good numbers for years to come. To complement the channel catfish population, the naturally occurring flathead catfish population has continued to grow over the past decade with numerous fish in the 20-30 pound range caught by anglers every year. White bass are also abundant in Indian Lake and are often caught incidentally by anglers targeting other species. They can be targeted during the spring though, when they make a spawning run up the South Fork of the Great Miami River near the Moundwood access.
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Even More Fish Stories - Union County Daily Digital
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