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Ohio Places to fish

YOUR VIRTUAL GUIDE

Quite a bit has changed since 2002 when this site was created. I am largely referring to the ease of getting information. The four links to the right will give you what would have been days worth of gathering in mere minutes of clicking a mouse. The ODNR does a fantastic job of providing all kinds of free resources and along with the link to the main site for them I saw fit to draw attention to a direct link to free maps of inland lakes, reservoirs, and many rivers. I like the ability to find parks by geographic area on the Lake Erie Shores & Islands site, so I felt it also warranted posting on this page. You also will see I added a link to the Ohio Game Fishing website. This is a very active community (forum) where you can ask questions and get very specific information. In fact, I would argue sometimes the info given is far too specific to be posted on the web. None-theless it is a very worthwhile place to get well versed on any aspect of Ohio fishing. I hope you will find these sites as useful as I have over the years.

Some of the authors locations and personal thoughts

I took down this portion of the page a couple of years ago and was surprised that I got a few emails to bring it back. In my mind, I thought folks would view the info as obsolete or just not comprehensive enough to serve a purpose anymore... but the small loyal following I have spoke - and here it is, personal thoughts and experiences on some of the places I often fish. My mini fishing guide to northern Ohio you might say...

PART I

It is obvious where we need to start the discussion of places to fish, and that is to talk about Lake Erie itself. If you are visiting Ohio and only had a little time to choose a destination or two, this would surely be the location not to miss. I could not begin to describe all the species available but the majority of people consider Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Steelhead and Yellow Perch as the most sporting to target. The lake is so fertile and full of fish that when I bought my first lake boat I would simply drive a mile or two out- make sure I wasn't in a major traffic lane to the islands- and either drift or anchor down. I would always catch fish with nothing more scientific of an approach as that. There are a tons of charters available throughout the entire stretch of the state and beyond for those wanting a truly memorable experience. Concerned about cost?, places like Port Clinton have headboats that even the most humble of budgets can afford. I honestly could have done an entire page on Lake Erie but I am sure I have made my point, this is the mecca of Ohio fishing.

The Lake Erie shoreline has numerous public fishing areas, many of which serve as public boat launches. The next areas I cover will be a sampling of these type places. Catawba Island State Park gets the most fishing pressure of these four I will be talking about. In my opinion this is deservingly so, as it fishes well year round. In the summer months, even at noon on the hottest of days, folks will be here. The launch is always busy as well, but it has no effect on the fish at all. I would suggest fishing the end or opposite side of the launch though just so that you can cast or still fish without interruption. The pier itself has a nice concrete surface with metal walls. A long handled net is not a bad idea to bring along. Great place to fish for those with limited mobility as you can drive close to it to unload and there is no obstructions for wheelchairs. I have done a host of trips here with senior groups, always finding it to be a great spot for that type of endeavor. There is also a covered shelter house at the base of the pier in case you need to get out of the elements. In the fall, this place is downright packed in the evening/nights for the shoreline Walleye night bite. Get there in the late afternoon if you want some prime space for casting for those. Metzger Marsh Pier is known for Yellow Perch, as with all fishing it is timing. If you are there at the right time you can have exceptional perching. The structure itself is like Catawba with the difference being that this pier is long and narrow. You can fish right from where you park or venture out on the pier. Light to moderate pressure, always plenty of space to fish. Moving on to Mazurik Access and Dempsey Access, both are largely viewed just as launches but do provide shorefishing opportunities. Dempsey is actually on Sandusky Bay whereas Mazurik is on the lake. With a fair amount if rocks to the water, both of these are not as good for kids or people not inclined to scale over them to land fish. Both fish well and aren't fished particularly hard.

A few more notes on the above launches/shorefishing locations... always take into consideration the boaters. Do not cast or bottom fish right over the path they need to get in or out of the ramp. If the ramp is backed up, at places like Catawba, give space for boats to dock. Hopefully, the boaters will also do their part and try not to take exceptionally odd paths in or absurd amounts of wake to the last second. I've seen people at fault on both sides, and it really isn't worth raising the blood pressure or fighting about when everyone is just trying to enjoy themselves! The species you will encounter can be very diverse both by what you are using for bait/lure, time of day, and season you are in. For simplicity, I will just list the species most frequently encountered; Sheephead, White Perch, White Bass, Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Yellow Perch, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, & more...

The Old Bay Bridge is like an urban fishing legend to me. I hear a ton of the stories of years past and the leg sized catfish being caught there. I haven't had a lot of success fishing here but it is a very neat location. It is really cool to see an abondoned road that extends so far into Sandusky Bay for the sole purpose of fishing. This area does get fished pretty hard, but due to the magnificent size, you can always find plenty of elbow room. I also want to mention that in the town of Bayview you can fish the opposite end of the Old Bay Bridge. Only bad thing here (at either side) is the amount of trash people leave. If you happen to have any old photos from here, especially those confirming the many stories I hear, please email me. I would love to see them!

CLICK THE PATCH TO VISIT THE OFFICIAL

ODNR FISHING PAGE:

Free maps of major fishing areas on the ODNR site

Public parks & more, Lake Erie Shores & Islands

Ohio fishing forums at OhioGameFishing.com

The Port Clinton City Pier, is a personal favorite. I love the 'vibe' here! Drive right up and fish, tons of tourists asking questions from the locals, drunken cheers by recreational boaters as you fight fish... just a fun shore destination. Also it is nice to have a short walk for bait/tackle/food/drinks, and any other small town shopping you might want to do. The small town charm can be nice if you have a non fisher-person with you as they can have things to do while the folks wanting to fish don't have to cut the trip short for others being bored. Expect typical shore catches with a Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass now and then, also huge drum often. Sometimes there is a fee to park and it seems a bit excessive, if I was just planning on some short casual fishing, I sometimes will move on to another location. If you have a long time to fish, likely worth it as it is entertaining even when the fishing is slow.

The Marblehead Lighthouse. Many people know about this as a tourist destination. What many folks don't know is that there can be some decent fishing at it. The huge smooth rocks can be fished from either on shore or walked out onto. I caution about going into the water as these rocks can be very slippery as well as there can be a strong undercurrent. Bring a long rod to get out a ways from shore as it usually is just a Gobyfest closer in. The best time of year for this spot is the Fall where perch can be caught as well as night bite Walleye. Summer hasn't yielded me much at all as far as notable catches.

The Huron City Boardwalk and Lighthouse Pier. Basically, this is a mile plus stretch from the Huron Lighthouse that extends all the way into town. The end of the pier is a popular location for the 'night bite' Walleye in the Fall. Seasonally, there can be decent Yellow Perch fishing along the entire stretch. In the Spring, I have caught a lot of catfish here. Overall the fishing is sporadic, and depending on dredging and barges the fishing can be downright bad. Definately worth a shot if you are in the area. For the boaters, the city of Huron has a beautiful new free public launch that's location is near perfect for acces to Lake Erie or the Huron River itself. If you had only one day in Ohio to shorefish, launch a boat into Lake Erie, or eat some good food, Huron would be the stop!