Leesville Lake receives annual stockings at a rate of one muskie fingerling for every surface acre of water. This 1,000-acre fishery has enjoyed a long and well-known reputation as a great muskie lake, and is arguably the best in the state, continually turning in high numbers of both large fish and numbers of fish.

According to Don Weaver, former president of the Ohio Huskie Muskie Club and an avid Leesville Lake muskie angler, Leesville has gained a reputation as being a casting lake. But he also pointed out that in the hot summer months, a lot of fishermen troll the lake after dark.

Keep your trolling speed between 3 and 5 miles per hour. Lewis recommended that anglers troll or cast near the thermocline in deeper water. Many fishermen are found continuously trolling around the dam area in August.

There's a lot of speculation on the best depth to run lures. The rule of thumb is to keep them near the thermocline, where most bait species tend to congregate -- usually around 12 feet. If you do opt for a trolling presentation, don't be afraid to stop and thoroughly cast high-percentage areas when you locate them.

It doesn't matter if you're looking for big fish or numbers of fish, Leesville is often the lake of answers. Additional information on Leesville Lake can be obtained by contacting the District Three Headquarters at (330) 644-2293, or by writing 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron, OH 44319.

Anglers can also contact Clow's Landing on the lake at (740) 269-5371, or Petersburg Landing at (330) 627-4270.

PYMATUNING LAKE
Pymatuning Lake is a 14,650-acre reservoir that sits on the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Anglers from each state enjoy a reciprocal agreement that acknowledges the other state's fishing licenses.

The Ohio side of the lake is in Ashtabula County and can be accessed off state Route 6, which is 2 miles east of Andover. There is a 10-horsepower restriction.

Pymatuning is not annually stocked by the ODOW, but does occasionally receive fish left over from lakes on the stocking schedule. Pennsylvania stocks the lake annually, however. Last year's returns indicate eight Huskie Muskies, 56 honorable mentions and seven fish under 30 inches.

Biologists stress, however, that these numbers are an indication of Ohio returns only and don't represent the actual numbers of fish caught on the lake -- considering the majority of it lies in Pennsylvania.

Anglers should look for fish near the underwater humps between the dam and Stocker Island. In consideration of Pymatuning Lake's immense size, trolling is far and away the most utilized tactic on the lake. Run lures down to about 12 feet and fish around steep dropoffs and ledges. Schools of baitfish should draw one or two feeding fish nearby.

For additional information on Pymatuning Lake, contact the ODOW's District Three office at (330) 644-2293; or the Pymatuning State Park offices at (440) 293-6329.

The lakes discussed here are top-notch, but they aren't the only places to find muskies in August.

PIEDMONT LAKE
Piedmont Lake, lying in Harrison, Belmont and Guernsey counties, is also a great location. Piedmont showed tremendous improvement in its 2005 returns, and biologists say there is no reason it will not continue on the same track in '06.

LAKE MILTON
Lake Milton is another option available to Ohio anglers near Youngstown. It provides healthy numbers and good sizes of fish, too.

Regardless of where you go muskie fishing this August, this is the time for night fishing. Be extremely cautious and avoid fishing after dark on waters you are not familiar with.

Remember, all boating laws apply, and running lights are required.

You can obtain more information on Ohio's muskie lakes and additional trip-planning details by calling the Ohio Division of Wildlife's headquarters at 1-800-WILDLIFE, or by writing them at 1840 Belcher Drive, Columbus, OH 43224.

Maps of Ohio's muskie lakes can be obtained online by logging onto the ODOW's Web site, noted above.