Latest data reveals Ohio’s fishing hot spots

A string of bad fishing days might push an angler to hanker for someplace that offers a better return. When things go stale in one spot, it’s not unnatural to look afresh for another.

Those focused strictly on net results might never find total satisfaction. Some luck is always involved.

That understood, being in the right place at the proper time can improve luck considerably. Anyone looking to catch bigger fish, more fish or a specific type of fish has an array of possibilities, many of them in central Ohio.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife offers insight as to where some of the state’s bigger fish are being caught by way of the Fish Ohio page at the division’s website, wildohio.gov.

One necessary step to viewing the databases for Fish Ohio is to log in through a link that asks you to, “submit your catch to Fish Ohio!” After logging in, a query covering multiple variables that include location, species and year fetches Fish Ohio lists in either PDF or spreadsheet form.

Looking at the data can be revealing. There’s plenty of information regarding where anglers have caught Fish Ohio qualifiers of a specific species and importantly during what month.

Here are some results garnered by a longtime fisherman who admittedly is neither a spreadsheet wizard nor a web guru but who has curiosity about where and when fish might be biting.

• Largemouth bass, 20-inch minimum for recognition – A fair number of 26-inch fish were submitted, including one taken at Foundation Park on Oct.

11. None of those fish, however, claimed to surpass the state record largemouth, 25 1/16 inches, taken May 26, 1976, by Roy Landsberger from a farm pond.

Farm ponds, Lake Erie and Nimisila Reservoir in Summit County gave up big bass generously in 2023. Largemouth anglers did fine at Alum Creek and Hoover.

• Blue catfish, 35-inch minimum – No water body delivered more blues than Hoover Reservoir, where a 47 1/4-inch giant netted April 13, 2023, was one of the top blues submitted for Fish Ohio recognition.

There were several 50-inch-plus specimens taken from along the Ohio River, and the 54 1/2-inch, 96-pounder plucked by Chris Rolph from the Ohio River on June 11, 2009, held the state record.

• Saugeye, 21-inch minimum – Buckeye Lake produced swarms of Fish Ohio specimens, including a 26 1/2-incher taken April 15, 2023. Only Indian Lake gave up more. Saugeye anglers found success at Alum Creek Reservoir and at Hoover.

• Channel catfish, 26-inch minimum – Although Lake Erie provided far and away the most qualifying channel catfish, anglers didn’t do badly at Hoover. A 33-incher topped the Hoover haul, while a 34-incher led the more modest take at Buckeye Lake.

• Muskellunge, 40-inch minimum – Anglers didn’t land many muskies last year, and probably none of those caught were bigger than the 50-inch lunker taken from Alum Creek Reservoir on Jan. 2, 2023. Alum Creek remains, in fact, one of the most productive muskie waters in the state, although 2023 results showed again why Leesville Lake and Piedmont Reservoir hold iconic status.

• Crappie, 13 inches – While crappie can be found in a lot of places, central Ohio might be crappie central. Big numbers were taken at Alum Creek Reservoir, including an 18-incher – only a fraction of an inch short of a state record – landed on Sept. 4, 2023.

Buckeye Lake was crappie strong, and Hoover even stronger despite generally modest boat traffic because of its boat motor power limit.

Data on numerous other fish species is accessible for download and perusal. Actual results might vary.