They usually catch you as you come to the dock, or maybe a boat ramp. They want to know things about your current fishing trip like: where you have fished, how long, how many you caught of a particular species, etc.
That type of information is valuable not only to the Division of Wildlife, but to everyone who goes fishing in Ohio.
Information gained from those surveys goes into the mix of information used to plan how many fish are stocked at certain lakes, if stocking should be continued at all and, perhaps, what limits should be set at a lake. In fact, that information could lead to new regulations and other measures to protect the fishery.
A good illustration of those surveys’ worth can be found among the many pages of information at wildohio.com. After you click on “fishing” go to Ohio’s Current Fishing Forecasts and Reports. From there, click on the species of fish you are interested in.
Since it is on top, click on “Channel Catfish.” The page that appears gives you the top lakes in Ohio for catching channel cats. It also ranks the lakes by district.
For example, you will quickly notice that Lake Loramie is the No. 1 lake in Ohio for catching channel cats. Another list shows Loramie is No. 3 for all inland lakes for catching channel cats of more than 20 inches. In order, in southwest Ohio, the top five channel catfish lakes are: Loramie, C.J. Brown, Rocky Fork, Cowan and Acton.
There is a small disclaimer that says not all lakes were surveyed. If a lake wasn’t surveyed for that species during the past five years, it is not listed. To me, it’s obvious that Grand Lake St. Marys and probably Indian Lake were not surveyed for channel cats.
St. Marys certainly was surveyed for crappies, because it ranks No. 1 in Ohio. Once billing itself as the “Crappie capital of Ohio,” it can claim that distinction once again.
Loramie ranks sixth, Paint Creek seventh (lower than I would have thought) and Indian is eighth. Indian, however, is second in the state for crappies caught over 9 inches.
The best sunfish lake in the district is little Grant Lake (straight down U.S. 68 from Dayton to Mt. Orab). That’s followed by Stonelick Lake in Cleremont County, Acton, Paint Creek and East Fork.
Acton (at Hueston Woods S.P.) is the fourth-best largemouth bass lake. Kiser Lake is listed 11th. It seems obvious Indian and Rocky Fork weren’t surveyed.
Caesar Creek is fourth in Ohio for muskies and third for size.
Indian is No. 2 in Ohio for saugeye. It used to be No. 1, but Buckeye Lake passed it. In southwest Ohio, Acton is the best for saugeyes or walleyes, followed by Loramie, C. J. Brown, Rocky Fork and Caesar Creek. Indian is in the Central Ohio district.
Caesar Creek is No. 1 in Ohio for white bass. Obviously, C.J. Brown and Indian were not surveyed.
Outdoors columnist Jim Morris can be reached by email at sports@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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