Fishing in Southwestern Ohio

At 2,210-acre C. J. Brown Reservoir, walleye are the top fish. The main lake is at its best in spring, and the tailwaters lure anglers in winter. Channel catfish and crappie are good bets in spring and summer.

Caesar Creek Lake’s largemouth bass fishery attracts large numbers of fair weather boaters, and shallow water anglers find fulfillment by dunking small baits for bluegills. Schools of late-summer white bass are an annual attraction at this 2,830-acre lake, and saugeye are fairly plentiful.

Grand Lake St. Marys draws crappie anglers from afar. This sprawling 13,500-acre reservoir is shallow, and channel catfish are easy to find throughout the summer. Ohio’s oldest reservoir, built in 1845, it also offers bullhead, yellow perch, and some largemouth bass.

Paint Creek and Rocky Fork Lakes are a stone’s throw from one another. Respectively 1,190 and 2,080 acres, they have slightly different complexions. Paint Creek is noted for its saugeye, largemouth bass, crappie, and channel and flathead catfish. Rocky Fork features muskie and channel catfish, with a taste of walleye, largemouth bass, and crappie.