While some Buckeye State fishing enthusiasts have put away their gear and hunkered down to wait for spring, avid Ohio anglers know there are countless destinations that offer great fishing year ’round. Trout, saugeyes, largemouth bass, yellow perch, walleyes, crappies and bluegills are swimming underneath frigid surfaces of Ohio waters, all looking for that next meal.

In addition to statewide general regulations, the Buckeye State has several site-specific and species-specific regulations. While there are no closed seasons on many popular fish species, creel and tackle limits do vary. Ice-anglers may not use more than six tip-ups and two rods per person.

As always, be sure to check the Ohio 2009-2010 Fishing Regulations booklet before heading out. Copies are available online at www.ohiodnr. com and wherever fishing licenses are sold.

LAKE ERIE
There is just no way to talk hardwater fishing without a nod to Lake Erie. The Great Lake offers a diversity of fish species not found in many inland lakes and ponds. Hardwater anglers here can expect to take some exceptional walleyes ranging between 19 and 28 inches, left over from the 2003 and earlier hatches. More recent hatches will yield better numbers but smaller fish. Yellow perch are plentiful in the big lake, ranging from 7 to 13 inches. The central basin tends to give up larger yellow perch than other locations.

Lake Erie is also home to smallmouth bass, steelhead (primarily in tributaries) and white bass. Anglers can also expect to catch largemouth bass, panfish and the occasional northern pike or muskellunge.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife staff may be reached at (440) 352-4199 for additional information on the central basin. For western basin information, call (419) 625-8062.

When venturing out during the winter months, stick to the big lake’s shoreline. Erie, the 11th largest lake in the world in surface area, usually remains open at its center year ’round.

Check DeLorme’s Ohio Atlas and Gazetteer, maps 28, 31, 32, 33, 38 and 40 for details.

FINDLAY RESERVOIRS
Hardwater anglers should not let Lake Erie’s allure keep them from exploring inland waters this year. Findlay Reservoir No. 1, a 185-acre Hancock County water in the northwestern region of Ohio, has a fair-sized population of walleyes, most in the 14- to 21-inch range. This reservoir has been stocked with over 30,000 fingerling walleyes in recent years.

Fishing is also good for yellow perch, with the average being 9 inches and some fish up to 11 inches. Anglers targeting walleyes and perch will occasionally land a channel catfish. There’s a good population of channel cats here in the 18- to 24-inch range. There are also good numbers of white bass.

At the 643-acre Findlay Reservoir No. 2, ice-anglers can expect to find an excellent population of white crappies in the 8- to 13-inch range. There’s also good fishing for walleyes, with fish averaging 11 inches, and some bigger individuals measuring as much as 25 inches. Recent sampling by ODNR biologists showed excellent survival in the 2008 year-class. Those fish measured around 14 inches last fall.

Channel catfish here may tip the scales at up to 20 pounds. Findlay Reservoir No. 2 is also home to an excellent number of white bass, bluegills and a fair number of largemouth and smallmouth bass.

The reservoirs share a common dike about one mile long. Both waters are southeast of the town of Findlay. The No. 2 Reservoir may be reached by traveling 2.5 miles southeast from Findlay on state Route 37 to Hancock County Road 205. Go east one mile to county Road 234, and then north to township Road 207, turning east to a public access area.

To reach Findlay Reservoir No. 1, continue on county Road 205 one mile east past county Road 234. Check DeLorme’s Ohio Atlas and Gazetteer, Map 36, for area details.