By Curt Williams

Tom Hall, a fisheries biologist and black-bass expert for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, has good news for Buckeye State anglers who value hard data about the waters that they fish. "We have developed a system to sample black bass and hybrid bass," he said. "Our goal is to sample all of the Buckeye State's lakes in each district within the next 10 years."

"Knox Lake in District One is a good example," Hall said. "Since it was taken over by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, its bass population has quadrupled since the mid-1980s, and it is one of only three lakes in the state that has a length limit of 18 inches."

A 15-inch minimum for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass is in effect for 29 Ohio lakes. A 12-inch minimum length is in effect for 31 lakes, and a slot limit that does not allow bass between 12 and 15 inches to be taken is in effect at 19 others, of which six are within the AEP ReCreation lands. A special length limit of 26 inches is in effect at Seneca Lake for striped bass, while a 15-inch limit is in effect at East Fork Lake for hybrid striped bass.

Most bass anglers agree that the extremely good quality of fishing in recent years is due to these harvest guidelines. With the new statewide sampling system, fishermen can look forward to even better bass fishing in years to come.

Here's a district-by-district look at what's happening around the Buckeye State, and a sampling of lakes to mark on the calendar for an early-spring outing.

Photo by Ron Sinfelt

Central Ohio contains several of the most productive bass lakes in the state. With a number of these in close proximity to the state's capital, and thus to the headquarters of the ODOW, biologists and anglers alike have excellent resources within a short distance of the metro area.

District One fishermen looking for quality fishing as well as quantity action should try Knox and Delaware lakes this spring. The former, an electric-motors-only lake covering 495 acres in Knox County, is a trophy bass fishery recognized as one of the best bass tournament waters in the state. Knox's largemouth population is rated as very strong, with quite a few catches in the 12- to 22-inch range reported.

Knox Lake is on the east branch of the Kokosing River near Fredericktown east of Interstate 71; follow state Route 95 to the lake. The reservoir is an easy drive either north from Columbus or south from Mansfield. Accommodations include a fishing pier, boat rentals, dock rentals and a handicapped-accessible boat launch.

Delaware Lake is an unlimited-horsepower reservoir north of Columbus in Delaware and Marion counties. Covering 1,330 acres and with an average depth of 12 feet, this lake too boasts a high ranking as a bass tournament lake in Ohio. It features a healthy population of largemouth bass, and catches in the 20-inch range are not uncommon.

The lake is east of U.S. Route 23 off state Route 229. Accommodations include boat and dock rentals, camping on 210 sites and a park area.

Delaware Lake sees considerable weekend and holiday recreational use, so many anglers find the weekdays more conducive to fishing, pleasure boaters usually being fewer then.

For more about the park and its facilities, call (740) 369-2761. For additional information on the bass-fishing opportunities in central Ohio, write the Wildlife District One office, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215, or call (614) 644-3925.

The three top bass lakes are Clear Fork, Charles Mill and Pleasant Hill reservoirs. Goedde also points to the excellence of Lake La Su An's bassing.

"Lake La Su An has one of the top catch rates in the state," he said. "It is not uncommon to catch over 100 bass a day. Most of these will be in the 12- to 15-inch range."

Fishing at La Su An is by reservation only; the season is open from April through October. For more information on fishing La Su An, call (419) 636-6189.

Lying in Richland and Morrow counties, Clear Fork Lake has attracted notice in recent years for high-grade largemouth bass fishing; white-bass anglers have rated it as fair. With an average depth of 12 feet, 970-acre Clear Fork has plenty of room for anglers. This is an unlimited-horsepower lake with a 10-mph speed limit.

East of Mansfield off state Route 288, East Fork Lake is close to the town of Lexington. Accommodations include picnic areas and boat rentals.

Charles Mills Lake covers 1,350 acres in Richland and Ashland counties. The lake contains a solid largemouth bass population as well as hybrid striped bass, which are stocked annually and seem to be well established. The latest reports mention fish in the 14- to 20-inch range.

Near the town of Mifflin south of U.S. Route 30 on state Route 603, Charles Mills Lake is midway between Columbus and Cleveland east of Mansfield. Picnic areas and boat rentals are available.

Pleasant Hill Lake is also in Richland and Ashland counties south of Charles Mills. This 781-acre unlimited-horsepower lake is known as one of the top smallmouth lakes in this region, with catches in the 12- to 18-inch range. Its white-bass fishing is also rated high, with plenty of fish in the 9- to 15-inch range.

Accommodations include camping, boat rentals, dock rentals and a handicapped-accessible boat launch near Perrysville south of state Route 95.

For additional information on the bass-fishing opportunities in the northwestern region of Ohio, write the Wildlife District Two office, 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay, OH 45840, or call (419) 424-5000.