Bass Fishing in Ohio | Fishing Spots & Tips From Expert
Anyone who loves bass fish, Ohio, is probably the best destination for them. Yes, the state of Ohio abundance in various lakes, creeks, and open water spots where you can get some massive bass, at least if you know how to get the tough fish.
However, ask any avid angler, you will most likely get this answer, ‘Catching the bass is a challenging yet worth the effort.” And we know most anglers love this challenge.
So, to help you out with the angling cause, we put up our efforts on bass fishing in Ohio. It will briefly cover the popular fishing spots in Ohio and tips to catch the largest bass.
Are you ready?
Best Bass Fishing Spots in Ohio
Ohio is the home to multiple famous fishing competitions and even has a fishing college team. Similarly, Ohio brims with several spots for bass fishing. However, asking inexperienced fishers won’t expose these spots to you.
Hence, we talked with the winner of several bass fishing competition winners and pulled up the following destinations.
Lake Erie
If anyone compiles the best lakes for fishing around Ohio, it is simply impossible to leave the great Lake Erie, not just because of its vastness, but also for the scenic beauty it offers. With the surrounded harbors and bays, Lake Erie, is in fact, widespread as one of the finest bass fishing destinations in the USA and Canada.
Its bay line holds several restaurants that will even serve your freshly caught bass cooked if you wish- with a few pennies!
Mosquito Creek Lake
Mosquito lake and its surrounding creeks had a close competition with the Lake Erie. Finally, we decided to put Mosquito lake and creek in the 2nd spot- may be a personal preference! It has a vast 7,421 acre of the water body, making it the best inland fishing spot in Ohio.
With a shallow grassland, the lake and the surrounding area probably any fishermen’s dream. Therefore, if you own a small boat and don’t want to risk going deep water, Mosquito lake is your ultimate bass fishing destination.
Since the shallow lake brims with lily pads and almost never-ending grasslands provide numerous ambush points for your favorite bass!
Alum Creek Lake
Are you a fan of fun fishing and also want to explore the natural serenity? Then, at least to me, the Alum creek right in the Columbus area is a perfect destination.
The Cheshire Road Bridge directly runs through the middle of the lake and divides it into northern and southern parts. The north half connects with a nearby river and houses largemouth basses with a shallower landscape.
The southern part, on the other hand, is deeper and accommodates the smallmouth bass. So, the lake has plentiful options to choose from for anglers.
The Knox Lake
Knox lake with 469 acres of the inland water body, might appear small, but know that it is popular ‘Trophy Lake’ in Ohio. And that’s absolutely legitimate since the minimum bass catch length in the lake is 18-inches. So, you are going to experience some of the biggest basses right in the Knox lake- perfect for social media posts.
Portage Lake
The last bass fishing spot in Ohio that we recommend anglers is the famous Potage lake. Situated at the heart of Summit County, it has over 1700 acres of water bodies. Also, it consists of 5 various lakes that make a total of 31 miles long shoreline.
So, you will love spending your weekends here and ambushing for the largemouth bass.
Bass Fishing Techniques in Ohio
Catching bass is considered as the highest art form of angling. And it’s no fluke. Bass is a popular game fish due to the challenge it brings with it.
However, the following tricks will help you catch these fish with ease.
Find The Cover
A bass will most likely hide underneath lily pads, submerged logs, grass, boat docks, wood, and rocky area. Bass is an ambush predator. So, hiding in such areas help them with better ambush facilities.
And if you can find those concealed spots, you can easily set a trap for the bass. Remember that catching a covered bass is easier than fishing bass in the open water.
Matching The Bait and Lure
When it comes to dietary, bass is almost predatory. Indeed, across the country, these have developed a comprehensive list of diets. It starts with the favorite bluegill and shad and may even reach to the baby ducks even-unimaginable!
Depending on which prevalent part of Ohio you are fishing, choose the correct lure and bait that match the local bass diet. Our recommendation is to use regular swimbait and crankbait with a shad fish. And for the minnows, the plastic baits with drop-shot rig will be the best bet.
Understanding Weather and Water Temperature
The changing weather and water temperature profoundly affect the bass attitude throughout the year and day. During the cloudy days, bass will remain hyperactive and chase their favorite prey. It gives you a fair chance to catch them on open water.
And at times when sunshine is abundant, bass will wait under the cover for the prey. So, at these times, you need to ambush in the concealed space.
For temperature variance, follow this thumbnail rule:
- Use faster lures during the summertime when the water is warm.
- Use slower lures during winter since water is cooler at this time.
Don’t be one dimensional
Being one dimensional and opting for one fishing technique will hugely limit your chance to get a bass. So, you should be versatile and ready to welcome any new technologies in the fishing industry.
Thus, we recommend you to fish into different spots and test your angling skills. For instance, if you are familiar with dirty water fishing, try your luck in the more transparent water. This way, you increase the chance of catching really big bass.
Know-How to Tie The Knot
Often undermined, tying the knot when you are on a boat can be tedious. What’s worse s that without a perfect knot, you are going to lose the catch.
You should practice the Clinch and Palomar knots at home since these two are incredibly popular for bass fishing.
Conclusion:
When you get a trophy catch for the bass, the joy if it seats next to none, and in Ohio, there’s no shortage of bass fishing locations. But before you get to these spots and try your angling luck, you must realize that the tricks for bass fishing need the practice to master them.
Nonetheless, once you learn them, bass fishing in Ohio will be more fun and joyous.
