Lake Loramie: Good crappie and bluegill fishing have been reported, mostly on the western side of the lake and usually from the middle of channels. Use a slip bobber with a minnow or jig tipped with a waxworm. Most of the crappies are small with a few keepers mixed in. For saugeyes, use minnows, also toward the middle of channels. Some of the best spots have been the Minster Branch, the Ohio 119 bridge and around Luthman Road bridge. For bass, work the banks with spinnerbaits or crankbaits, using a slow retrieve. Catfish are hitting nightcrawlers and cut shad.
Cowan Lake: Crappie fishing has been excellent. Use minnows and fish at varying depths in front of the marina, along the north shore and around the island. Bluegills have been hitting waxworms around brush. Saugeyes have been hitting bass minnows fished under bobbers in the main lake or in the spillway. Or try casting or trolling with a crankbait or brightly colored twister. For bass, fish early or late along the banks with topwater lures or plastics.
Paint Creek Lake: The lake has been dropped about 8 feet, so the only open ramp is at the marina. Fish for crappies in 5-10 feet of water using minnows or black/chartreuse jigs. You will catch a number of small fish, but some dandy keepers as well. For bass, work the bluff walls with 6-inch green/pumpkin worms or crawdad-like crankbaits. White bass have been caught near the campground and around the hazard zone on in-line spinners. Fish in the spillway with chartreuse/red fleck twisters to catch saugeyes.
Rocky Fork Lake: Plenty of crappies are being caught on minnows or black/chartreuse or blue/chartreuse jigs. Most have been shallow, 3-4 feet deep, but some of the larger crappies have been caught as deep as 15-16 feet. Saugeyes have been caught in front of both beaches and around the island. Use brightly colored twisters or try an Erie=Dearie tipped with a piece of nightcrawler. Bass fishing continues to be good around points using crankbaits or 7-inch green/pumpkin worms. Bluegills are around docks and brush, hitting waxworms. Anglers are also taking yellow perch on redworms fished near the bottom in deep water in the vicinity of the south beach.
Caesar Creek Lake: Saugeye fishing has been good on the flats. Try drifting and tightlining with a nightcrawler or bass minnow. Also try trolling or casting with a crankbait or brightly colored twister. Troll around the island with a crankbait or spinnerbait. Crappies are 12-20 feet deep around the mouths of coves and sunken trees, hitting minnows. Seems like the deeper you fish, the larger the crappie. For bluegills, fish about 6 feet deep near stickups. Musky fishermen have been having some success around the Ohio 73 bridge.
C.J. Brown Reservoir: Fish off the docks to catch bluegills and crappies. Use minnows under a slip bobber for crappies. You'll probably have to move quite often. For bluegills, use waxworms on ice jigs and fish straight down off of the dock, near the bottom. Bass and walleyes are being caught along the west edge of the lake off of the rocks. Both are hitting crankbaits.
Lake Erie: Walleyes have been caught around Kelleys Island, primarily at night in shallow water. Perch fishing has been good near Kelleys Island Shoal, southeast of Kelleys Island and nearshore from Lakeside to the Marblehead Lighthouse.
For Lake Erie information, call (888) HOOK-FISH or visit wildohio.gov.
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