Photo by Ron Sinfelt

Most folks think that midsummer means the end of walleye fishing in the Keystone State and that the only summertime walleye option is Lake Erie.

Not necessarily!

A host of inland lakes will still produce, though anglers must adapt their approach to a new set of conditions. Don’t think you have to wait until next spring to enjoy good walleye action. There are plenty of fish to catch right now, with very little competition.

Over the years, many of Ohio’s reservoirs have shown to be better suited to saugeyes (walleye-sauger hybrids) than to pure walleyes. The saugeye program has proved to be a successful one, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife continues to tweak things as biologists work to determine which habitats are better suited for walleyes or saugeyes.

Most of the state’s walleye-managed lakes are to be found in the eastern part of the state. Western Ohio anglers are not left out of the mix, however, and some good options exist for them as well.

Here’s a look at the better July walleye options.

MOSQUITO LAKE
This 7,241-acre Trumbull County lake continues to pump out excellent numbers of eating-sized walleyes. The lake is intensively managed for walleyes. Despite heavy fishing pressure during spring, it remains the most consistent inland walleye lake in the state.

In 2005, the ODOW stocked well over 8 million fry in Mosquito Lake. The latest population estimates on the lake put the numbers of adult walleyes (13 inches and larger) in excess of 40,000 fish. Young-of-the-year surveys conducted during fall 2005 revealed an excellent survival rate of fish from that spring’s stocking efforts. This indicates that an excellent level of walleyes will be entering the fishery to replace those creeled.

The average-sized walleye taken from Mosquito is 15.2 inches long.

And though it is managed as a put-and-take walleye lake, it has decent numbers of fish in the 20-inch range. Last year, I made several trips to the lake, taking good numbers of fish in the 18- to 22-inch range.

Mosquito Lake is bean-shaped, long and narrow. The lake is split by the Route 88 causeway, which divides it into northern and southern basins. The northern portion is shallower and more heavily stained. The southern basin attains depths in the 30-foot range near the dam. By mid- summer, the water in the lower end clears significantly, particularly near the dam.

Most years see a fair amount of submergent weed growth in Mosquito, primarily milfoil. A portion of summertime walleyes will make good use of the weeds. Stumpfields are the other primary walleye attractors, and are found at a variety of depths.

During spring, when Mosquito Lake sees its heaviest use as a walleye lake, the fish are in shallow water to feed and spawn. Now that summer’s here, the situation is different. The fish have a variety of niches to fill, from shallow-water cover to deep structure.

The presence of baitfish also plays heavily into the equation. Successful walleye anglers must be versatile, especially during the summer months.

Mosquito’s weeds grow out to depths of from five to seven feet, depending on spring weather and where you are on the lake. Stable weather in spring with lots of sunny weather equals heavier weed growth. Expect scattered weeds following a particularly rainy, cloudy spring.

Weeds produce oxygen, attract baitfish and provide ambush cover for predators like walleyes.

Several tactics can be used to work the weeds. An approach that covers water faster is to slow-troll spinner harnesses along the outside zone of the weeds. Use heavy bottom-bouncer sinkers -- as heavy as 3 ounces -- to keep your presentation as vertical as possible.