Jim Morris’ fishing report

Indian Lake: It's saugeye time in the "Saugeye Capital of Ohio." Some of the hot places have been Moundwood, Dream Bridge, Oldfield and the Lakeview harbor and humps. Use floating jig heads, Vib-Es, bass minnows or nightcrawlers. Also try trolling a brightly colored twister tipped with a piece of nightcrawler. Bluegills are hitting waxworms and Crappies are going after minnows in the old game reserve and around Long Island.

C.J. Brown Reservoir: Some outstanding bass fishing has been reported in recent days, for both smallmouth and largemouth. Fish over the humps with a Rat-L-Trap. Also try a deep-diving crankbait or jig-n-pig. Crappies have been hitting Vib-Es along the west bank in water as deep as 25 feet. Also try working the hump in front of the marina with a small tube jig or a jig tipped with a minnow. Parts of the marina docks are now open for fishing. It's a good spot for bluegills and crappies.

Grand Lake St. Marys: The best fishing for crappies and bluegills has been around docks. For crappies, use minnows or jigs; for bluegills, try an ice jig tipped with a waxworm. There's also a pretty good chance you'll catch a yellow perch while crappie fishing. Catfish are hitting nightcrawlers, cut shad and chicken liver. Bass fishing has been slow.

Lake Loramie: Most of the action has been for crappies. Use minnows or jigs tipped with minnows and look for deep water. Under bridges have been popular spots. Move around to find bluegills. They're hitting rubber/plastic spiders tipped with waxworms. A number of saugeyes have been caught by crappie fishermen using minnows.

Rocky Fork Lake: Bass fishing has been good off of points, using crankbaits. Also try jigging with blue/orange jig around wood, 5-8 feet deep. Saugeyes have been caught by trolling a crawler harness in front of the south beach and around the island. Bluegills are hitting ice jigs tipped with waxworms around docks and brush. For crappies, fish around laydowns and other structure. Use minnows or jigs and fish 8-12 feet deep. The best jig colors have been chartreuse or Monkey Milk.

Paint Creek Lake: Fish close to the bottom to catch crappies in 8-12 feet of water. Or look for wood and fish around it about 5 feet down. Bass have been hitting fire-tiger crankbaits off of points or Powerworms around stumps and along bluff walls. For saugeyes, work the hazard zone or the hump between the island and the campgrounds with a chartreuse/red fleck twister tipped with a piece of nightcrawler.

Caesar Creek Lake: Crappies are still 14-20 feet around structure. Try a jig tipped with a minnow and use your fish finder to locate schools. Bluegills are 6-8 feet deep around stickups. Saugeye action has been heating up on the flats. Anglers are jigging and tightlining nightcrawlers. Also try trolling a crawler harness around the island.

Acton Lake: Anglers are catching saugeyes, often on minnows meant for crappies. So bass minnows will make good bait for bass, saugeyes and large crappies. Fish around structure along the banks. Bluegills are hitting waxworms in the brush.

Lake Erie: Perch fishing has been good. Try Crib Reef and Big Pickerel Reef in the Camp Perry firing range, just west of Catawba Island State Park, southwest of Green Island, near Rattlesnake Island, north of North Bass Island, off Lucy's Point of Middle Bass Island and south and east of Kelleys Island. Walleye fishing has been slow. For Lake Erie information, call (888) HOOK-FISH or visit wildohio.gov.

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