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Crappie fishing good in area waters

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By Jim Morris, Staff Writer 11:10 AM Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Caesar Creek Lake: Crappie fishing has been good at depths around 14 feet. Minnows have been the best bait. If you fish for crappies with minnows, you might also catch a small white bass. Bluegills are hitting waxworms in the coves around wood at about 3 feet deep. The best area for muskies has been around Hazard Point just off of the flats. Saugeye fishing has slowed. The best method lately has been cast and slow retrieve of crankbaits. Don’t be surprised if you catch a largemouth mass if you are close to the bank.

Grand Lake St. Marys: Crappies have scattered during the change in weather, but are still being caught in the channels. Try fishing with minnows or jigs at about 3-4 feet. For catfish, use cut bait or nightcrawlers and look for areas where water is coming into the lake.

Paint Creek Lake: Very good crappie fishing has been reported now that the lake is at summer pool. Use minnows, chartreuse tubes or Triple Ripples and fish about 8-10 feet deep, but shallower in the afternoons. Bass are being caught off of the points with crankbaits and pig-n-jig. Below the dam plenty of saugeyes have been hitting twisters. Try tipping it with a minnow.

Rocky Fork Lake: Crappie fishing has been good, mostly on minnows fished around 10 feet deep. For bass, work the banks with crankbaits and plastics. Good bluegill fishing has been reported from shallow water in the coves. Use waxworms or flies. Saugeye fishing is starting to pick up around the Island and off of South Beach.

C.J. Brown Reservoir: Anglers have been catching some largemouth bass by jigging with minnows around the marina. That’s also a good spot for crappies with the same bait. For walleyes, fish from the rocks with a minnow under a bobber or from a boat jig with minnows or worms around the rocks and over the humps. A few white bass have been caught from the north end of the lake.

Clark Lake: Stocked trout are still being caught with waxworms or Powerbaits. Some large crappies have been caught, mostly on minnows.

Acton Lake: Crappie fishing has been good with most caught at depths of 3-4 feet on minnows or black/chartreuse or pumpkinseed jigs. A few bass have been taken with pig-n-jig off of the banks in 8-10 feet of water. Saugeye fishing has been slow.

Rush Run Lake: Bank anglers have been catching stocked rainbow trout with pink trout baits, waxworms, tiny spinners and corn.

Lake Loramie: With the water rising, saugeye fishing in the creek has been successful. Anglers started fishing this week with Husky Jerks, but switched to lead-head jigs with grubtails. Crappie fishing has been good, but only on the west side of the lake. Fish around lily pads with minnows or pearl-white split tails. Plenty of bullheads and channel cats are being caught on tiger worms and nightcrawlers where the creeks enter the lake.

Indian Lake: The rain and cold weather has closed down fishing for most folks. A few are trying for saugeyes off of the south bank and there has been an occasional boat angler fishing around Dream Bridge. Crappies and bluegills have been caught around docks.

Lake Erie: Here’s how bad the weather has been on Lake Erie for a large part of the spring: Day one of the Walmart FLW Walleye Tour out of Port Clinton was cancelled Wednesday due to high winds out of the northeast. Poor water clarity and cold weather have limited both jig fishing and open-water trolling for walleyes. Limited perch fishing success has been reported east of Kelleys Island.

Based on the nearshore marine forecast the water temperature is 43 off of Toledo and 40 off of Cleveland. For Lake Erie information, call (888) HOOK-FISH or visit wildohio.com.

Maumee River: Walleye fishing has been excellent as the run reaches its peak. Plenty of jacks and females are being caught, although many anglers release the females. Lots of limits. Fort Meigs, Buttonwood and Blue Grass Island have been good spots. Look for water levels to drop a bit around the weekend. For information, visit maumeetackle.net or wildohio.com or call (888) HOOK-FISH or (419) 407-9731.

Sandusky River: The water level is still low, but fishing has been moderate. The best spots are the deeper holes. For information, call (419) 332-6071 or visit wildohio.com.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2409 or jmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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