CENTRAL OHIO

Indian Lake (Logan County) - Saugeye are aggressive on wind swept points and channel openings with current at this 5040-acre lake in Logan County. Try casting or trolling small rattletraps and suspending crank baits. Largemouth bass fishing is popular along the many stone riprap areas, docks, and islands. Many bass are in the 12 to18-inch size range and are in shallow water. Crappie and white bass fishing can both be good during May. Minnows are the most popular choice for live bait. Channel catfish fishing should be picking up as the water warms.

Oakthorpe Lake - This 41-acre lake in Fairfield County provides good largemouth bass fishing. Try plastics, and spinnerbaits around shoreline cover and the lily pads on the north side of this overlooked lake. Crappies are being taken from the deep water on the west bank with a minnow suspended by a bobber, look for submerged timber. Bluegills can be caught around lily pads. Use small worm, crickets, or insect larvae to catch these fish. Electric motors only.

NORTHWEST OHIO

Ferguson Reservoir (Allen County) - Crappie fishing has been very good. Crappie in Ferguson Reservoir have been ranging from nine to 11.5 inches. Anglers should try using small jigs tipped with minnows or wax worms. Try fishing around any vegetation or structure along the shoreline. Boat anglers should try drifting or trolling with minnows along the shoreline. Catfish anglers have been catching channel cats, ranging from 13 to 21 inches, near the main parking lot. Also in this same area, anglers have been catching bluegill sunfish using earth worms or wax worms.

Clear Fork Reservoir (Richland and Morrow counties) - Clear Fork Reservoir is one of Ohio's premier muskie lakes. However, in recent weeks largemouth bass and crappie have provided the most angling action at Clear Fork Reservoir. Crappie anglers are fishing minnows in shallow water near woody debris along the shore line. Largemouth bass are being caught along the same woody debris, the edge of vegetation beds, and along rocky, sandy areas of the shoreline. Largemouth bass are making nests in shallow areas along the shoreline. Bluegill sunfish are being caught by anglers fishing with worms and wax worms in deeper water areas with some woody debris.

NORTHEAST OHIO

LaDue Reservoir (Geauga County) – Largemouth bass are biting at this 1,475-acre lake located in the southern part of the county. Nice numbers of 9 to 15-inch fish are being taken mostly by boat anglers. Electric motors only please.

Westbranch Reservoir (Portage County) - Large crappies between nine and 14-inches are being caught in the willow “stickups” near all available shorelines. Live minnows on gold hooks or smaller jigs under floats are the preferred methods. Anglers using lightweight line and extension rods are experiencing the most success. This 2,616-acre lake is located five miles east of Ravenna on SR 5. Wheelchair accessible shoreline fishing facilities are available.

Portage Lakes (Summit County): Bass fishing is beginning to pick up as spawning season winds down. Hungry post-spawn bass are scattered, but biting well on a soft plastic lures like worms and Senkos. The sunfish bite is also improving, with bluegill and redear sunfish moving shallow in preparation for the spawn. Anglers are having success on maggots and pin mins jigs suspended under bobbers.

SOUTHWEST OHIO

Cowan Lake (Clinton County) – Crappie, between nine and 14-inches, are being caught around brush piles with slip bobber and minnows 12 to 18-inches deep, within 20 feet off the bank.

Acton Lake (Preble County) – Crappie and Saugeye are being caught. Water temperature in the low 60's. Fish fallen timber on both shore lines. Try minnows or chartreuse and white for saugeye. The crappie are being taken on minnows under a float at about 12 to 20-inches deep.

SOUTHEAST OHIO

Salt Fork Lake (Guernsey County) – Anglers are still reeling in great catches of crappie in the average seven to eight inch range. Fish live minnows suspended under a bobber over submerged woody structure. Largemouth bass in the 10 to 12-inch range are being reported by anglers using spinner baits and deep-diving crank baits. For sauger, try jigs tipped with minnows or night crawlers on jigs or with worm harnesses. Seneca Lake (Noble and Guernsey counties) – White bass fishing has been excellent along the spillway area of the lake, anglers are casting mister twister jigs and reeling in fish in the nine to 12 inch range.

LAKE ERIE

** The daily bag limit for Lake Erie walleye is 6 fish per angler. The minimum size limit for walleye is 15”. ** ** The daily bag limit for yellow perch is 30 fish per angler on all Ohio waters of Lake Erie.** ** The steelhead daily bag limit is 5 fish per angler through August 31. The minimum size limit for steelhead is 12 inches. ** The Lake Erie black bass (largemouth and smallmouth) season is closed to possession (catch-and-release only) from May 1 through June 25. On June 26 the daily bag limit will return to 5 fish per angler with a minimum size limit of 14”.** Western Basin Walleye fishing slowed over the past week, but there was still good fishing around the western basin. The best fishing was around Niagara Reef, “D” can of the Camp Perry firing range, from Green Island to North Bass Island, and also north of Kelleys Island. The jigging bite is ending and most casters are switching over to may fly rigs or drifting bottom bouncers with worm harnesses. Trollers are catching fish on worm harnesses with inline weights or with crankbaits. Yellow perch fishing has been best around Kelleys Island and between Marblehead and Kelleys Island. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Central Basin Walleye have been caught trolling nearshore between Huron and Lorain and nearshore in 10-25’ off Cleveland. Trollers are using crank baits, spoons and worm harnesses off planer boards and also flatline trolling. Fishing is picking up on the piers at Eastlake and Cleveland. The best times are in the evening and early morning. Yellow perch fishing has been best in 40’ off Cleveland, Fairport and Ashtabula. Shore anglers have been catching fish off the Headlands Beach and Fairport piers on the Grand River and in Cleveland off the E 55th and E 72 st piers in Cleveland. Perch spreaders with shiners fished near the bottom produce the most fish. Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in 15 to 25’ around harbor areas in Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Fish are being caught on soft-craws, jigs tipped with minnows, leeches, green and brown tube jigs, and by trolling crankbaits. Based on the nearshore forecast the water temperature is 56 degrees off of Toledo and 52 degrees off of Cleveland. For the most current steelhead information visit: www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/FishingSubhomePage/fisheriesmanagementplaceholder/fishingfairportsteelhead/tabid/6166/Default.aspx Anglers are encouraged to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while boating. To view the predicted weather forecast for Lake Erie visit: http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?file=/raw/fz/fzus61.kcle.glf.le.txt To view Lake Erie boating information, safety tips, and launch ramps visit: www.dnr.state.oh.us/default/tabid/2062/Default.aspx

OHIO RIVER

Riverbend to downtown area (Hamilton County)- Anglers report channel cats off gravel humps in about 20' of water near channel drop-offs. Fish depths from 15' to 30' and try cut skipjack and shad.

Racine Dam Area - Fishing this past week was slowed due to high water levels. Prior to this, hybrid striped bass (many over 25-inches) were hitting on twister tails, flukes, and Rapalas. The best areas for fishing are in the tailwater sections near the dam. Catfish were being caught on cutbait and some artificial bait. Skipjacks were also being taken at the dam and along the walkway. Water temperature is at 66 degrees.