O’SHAUGHNESSY RESERVOIR
“O’Shaughnessy is really popular among anglers, which means it gets pounded,” said biologist Heyob. “The water is turbid, and the bass hold tight to the bank because the water is so dirty. But that may be why tournament anglers do so well here. It’s easier to trick a bass in darker water than it is in clear conditions, and anglers are catching a lot of them. There are good numbers of 12- to 15-inch largemouths in this lake.”

The ODOW lists O’Shaughnessy Reservoir as one of the top 10 lakes fished by the OBF. Tournaments are a common event on this long, narrow lake, which is an impoundment on the Scioto River. There is a lot of activity on this lake because it is so close to Columbus.

“Bass fishing on O’Shaughnessy is very good,” said Adams. “The last time I fished there, we had four keepers in the boat by lunchtime, fishing black-and-blue jigs in the shallow, woody cover.”

Shoreline opportunities abound. Pull-offs and small parking areas provide lots of room to roam for bank anglers who can reach the action without a boat.

O’Shaughnessy Reservoir covers 1,330 acres northwest of Columbus in Delaware County. It’s accessible from state routes 37 and 257 and U.S. Route 34.

Ramps are available on the western side of the lake outside of Shawnee Hills and on the eastern side by the Home Road bridge.

For additional information, contact the ODOW’s District One office at (614) 644-3925.

KISER LAKE
Kiser Lake is one of Ohio’s sleeper lakes for largemouths. It’s often overlooked because of its unique motor restrictions. When the Kiser family donated the lake and surrounding land to become Kiser Lake State Park, one of their conditions was that the lake would never allow boat motors of any kind. The resulting regulations prohibit the use of any motor, including electric trolling motors. Watching the few canoes and rowboats that dot the water is a step back into time.

And so is the bass fishing. According to Hale, Kiser Lake rates highly in the IMS statistics.

Kiser Lake regularly produces largemouths in the 5- to 6-pound range, most of which go unnoticed except by the occasional local who has earned bragging rights at Todd’s Sport Shop.

“My biggest was a 6.5 pounder,” said Jacob Cline, an angler who’s been tossing spinnerbaits and crankbaits at Kiser Lake for years.

“I caught this fish from the shoreline near the state park marina on a chartreuse shallow-diving Bomber. The water around the marina and just off the campground is where I catch my best largemouths.”

Bank-fishing is allowed all around this 394-acre lake. Bass prowl the weeds, riprap, fishing piers and downed trees throughout the lake. Deeper water is shared with hybrid stripers up to 26 inches and weighing in at 14 pounds.

Crankbaits and chicken livers fished on the bottom take hybrid stripers.

Kiser Lake is on state Route 235 in Champaign County.

Boat ramps are near the park office, by the small campground and in the Grandville area.