Dropping a line into good bass waters in eastern Ohio isn't hard to do. The region offers plenty of excellent bass-fishing destinations where anglers can expect to find good action this spring.

Here's a look at some waters in the eastern half of the state where you'll have a shot at both good numbers of bass and some trophy-class fish. A few of these waters are well-known -- a plus for traveling anglers looking for consistent bass producers -- while others are lesser known, but showing a lot of promise this spring.

LADUE RESERVOIR
"We always get good reports from bass anglers on LaDue," said Matt Wolfe, an Ohio Division of Wildlife District Three fisheries biologist.

"The biggest largemouth bass I've seen recently has been a 7 1/2-pounder taken in a tournament."

A perennial favorite of local bass anglers, LaDue continues to produce big largemouth every year. Its bonus smallmouths are always a welcome addition during mixed-bag tournaments.

LaDue Reservoir can be divided into two very different waters. The northern, deeper half is where smallies concentrate. Some of these push the 4- and 5-pound mark and can measure from 18 to 20 inches. Largemouths, which prefer the shallower, weedier southern section, have been taken in the 8- to 9-pound range. This great 1,500-acre fishing hole is in southern Geauga County, approximately 30 miles east of Cleveland at the intersection of U. S. Route 422 (which bisects the reservoir) and state Route 44.

Fishing pressure can be heavy on LaDue and it may take that special touch to get the bass to bite. Be patient. Target the structure along the shoreline, especially the bridges and stumps on the south end.

Wolfe recommends jerkbaits and slow-rolling spinnerbaits on the humps for springtime bass.

Only electric motors are allowed on the lake. The City of Akron maintains an unimproved boat launch on the south end of the lake off state Route 44 and a boat ramp and boat rental at the city park office at the south end of Valley Road.

For additional information, contact the ODOW's District Three office at (330) 644-2293.

BERLIN LAKE
Berlin Lake usually flies under the radar, but the secret is out. The bass-fishing prospects on this lake are excellent for 2006.

This 3,280-acre lake in Portage, Stark and Mahoning counties has been coming on strong. In spring 2004, the ODOW's electro-shocking surveys showed that of the largemouths measuring over 8 inches, 59 percent were at least 12 inches long. Twenty-five percent of those fish exceeded 15 inches.

"We sample Berlin every year, so we have a pretty good handle on the bass population. There are a lot of big largemouths and good numbers of smallmouth bass in this lake. The water level fluctuates with draw-downs and the water acts more like a river than a lake, which is one reason why the smallmouths are doing so well," said Wolfe.