Here's how the fish are biting!!
Weekly Fish Ohio report from ODNR


The weekly fishing report provided by the Division of Wildlife of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.


CENTRAL OHIO
Hoover Reservoir (Delaware and Franklin counties) — Largemouth bass are being caught in the middle section of the reservoir on top-water blade baits. The best times to pursue largemouth are at dawn and dusk around shoreline cover. Channel catfish can be caught using shrimp and cut shad. Target the flats in the north basin at night or dawn and dusk for your best catfish opportunities. There is a 10 horsepower limit on this lake.

Scioto River (Delaware and Franklin counties) — Smallmouth bass can be caught using crank baits and plastics below Griggs and O’Shaughnessy reservoirs. Try fishing the upper end of pools where they meet the riffles for your best chances. Flathead and channel catfish can also be caught using cut bait or live fish around woody cover in the pools.

SOUTHEAST OHIO
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Tycoon Lake (Gallia County) — Bluegill in the six to eight-inch range are being caught by bank fishermen on wax worms and night crawlers. Fishing for bass is best early morning or late evening. Use top water baits or rubber worms. Catfish are being caught at night on chicken liver or night crawlers fished on the bottom.

Monroe Lake (Monroe County) — Live bait, such a minnows, red worms, wax worms, and mealworms continue to produce nice catches of bluegill and crappie. Anglers have been catching small bass on red worms. Channel catfish are being caught on night crawlers fished tight-line on the bottom.

Salt Fork Lake (Guernsey County) — Largemouth bass up to six pounds have been reported, but most catches are less than 15 inches. The preferred lure color is white and would include a jig ’n pig and spinner baits where known above and underwater structure occurs. Catfish anglers have caught fish in the half-pound to eight pound range. The norm is fishing from shore by tight-line using chicken liver or night crawlers. The most successful areas were in the shallow upper region of the lake and at creek channels. Nice catches of white bass have been reeled in using white and chartreuse jigs. Good catches of sunfish have also been reported.

OHIO RIVER
Belmont County — Morning and evening hours are best fishing times for catfish. Preferred bait is chicken liver fished on the bottom. Anglers are also using various cut baits for catfish.

Monroe County — Nice channel catfish up to 20 inches in size and flathead catfish 30 to 35 inches in length are being caught on creek chubs or shiners fished on the bottom.

Lawrence County — Anglers are catching small striped bass, white bass, and sheepshead on night crawlers.

LAKE ERIE
Western Basin — Even though walleye fishing in the western basin has somewhat slowed down there are still plenty of fish being caught. The best fishing has been along the Canadian border from Middle Sister Island to North Bass Island, off of Crane Creek in 20-feet of water, and north of Kelleys Island to Middle Island. Fish have been caught by casting worm harnesses or weight forward spinners, and trollers have had success with spoons on jet divers or dipsys.

Yellow perch fishing is quickly improving in the western basin. Limits have been caught around Green Island and Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish that have averaged around eight inches with a few up to 10 and 11 inches.

Central Basin — Walleye fishing has been excellent north of Huron near the dumping grounds, on the south end of the sandbar between Vermilion and Lorain, northwest of Gordon Park State Park (E 72nd St. Cleveland) in 60 to 72-feet, north of Chagrin River in 68 to 72-feet, northeast of Geneva in 70 to 75-feet, and northwest of Ashtabula in 70 to 73-feet. Anglers are trolling dipsy divers with spoons and stick baits ranging in black/purple, blue/red, copper back, chartreuse, confusion, or watermelon color combos. Trolling worm harnesses (same colors) have also been successful.

Steelhead are being caught off Lorain, Vermilion, Cleveland in 50 to 70-feet, Eastlake to Fairport in 70 to 75-feet, and Geneva to Ashtabula in 70 to 73-feet. Anglers are catching steelhead on red/white, black/purple, chartreuse and copper back spoons while trolling for walleye.

Yellow perch fishing has been good north of Cuyahoga River in 30 to 55-feet, north of Euclid in 50 to 55-feet, northwest of Fairport Harbor in 40 to 55-feet, and north of Conneaut in 48 to 60-feet. Shore anglers are catching a few yellow perch off the piers in Lorain, Fairport, Mentor Headlands and Conneaut. The mornings and evenings have been the best. Perch spreaders with shiners or worm harnesses fished near the bottom produce the most fish.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent in harbor areas, and in 20 to 25-feet along the shoreline in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Geneva and Fairport Harbor. Fish were caught on goby colored tube jigs, crank baits, and jigs tipped with minnows, night crawlers, or leeches.

White bass are being caught by anglers trolling for walleye. Shore anglers are catching fish at the Lorain Ore Dock, Eastlake CEI pier and Fairport Harbor piers. The mornings and evenings have been the best. Anglers are using agitators and small yellow or white jigs along with small spinners.

The Lake Erie surface temperature is 73 degrees off of Toledo and 72 degrees off of Cleveland.

SOUTHWEST OHIO
C. J. Brown Reservoir (Clark County) — At this time of year, fishing success can be limited by higher water temperatures and abundance of food (i.e., this years gizzard shad hatch). A few walleye are being caught by anglers using crank baits or night crawler harnesses. Fish by slowly trolling or drifting baits in 10 to 15 foot depths. Walleye are being caught in the main lake river channel and humps. Fishing is best in the early morning and early evening hours. All walleye less than 15 inches long must be immediately released back into the lake. Channel catfish are providing fast action. Try bottom fishing from shore using chicken livers, cut bait, or prepackaged stink baits. Popular shoreline spots include the creek channel in the north end, the marina break walls, near the main boat ramp, and at the Corps of Engineers visitors center. Fair numbers of bluegill provide additional fishing opportunities. Use red worms, wax worms, and larval baits beneath a bobber.