Other Lakes
Grand Lake St. Marys: The last bit of ice melted early this week and already the catfish are biting all over the lake. Use nightcrawlers or cut shad. Crappie fishing has been good in the channels with minnows and jigs. Try the channel that runs in behind Windy Point.
Paint Creek Lake: A little bank fishing will be taking place this weekend — if anglers can find the bank. The lake is flooded — 30 feet over summer pool earlier this week. No ramps can be used.
Rocky Fork Lake: Anglers have been catching crappies off the docks around the old restaurant. Jigging with minnows has been the best method. Most of the fish are 10-15 feet deep. Channel cats have been caught near the campground on cut shad.
C.J. Brown Reservoir: As soon as the ice melted around the marina, anglers were catching bluegills and yellow perch. Waxworms were working on the bluegills and the perch were hitting minnows. Fishing has been good in the spillway for catfish, crappies and bass. Walleye fishing is slow.
Cowan Lake: The lake is high, but the ramps are open. Anglers have been catching a few crappies off of the banks, mostly on jigs. Not much activity, otherwise.
Lake Loramie: Saugeye fishing in the spillway has been hot. Anglers are throwing jigs tipped with minnows and chartreuse and white twisters. A few crappies and catfish have been caught from the banks. Use jigs tipped with waxworms for crappies and nightcrawlers or tiger worms for catfish.
Caesar Creek Lake: A few saugeyes have been caught in the spillway using jigs tipped with bass minnows. Also try shallow water around rocks as the lake clears.
Rush Run Lake: Shore anglers are catching bluegills and leftover trout. The state's annual spring rainbow trout release is scheduled for Friday, March 19. Approximately 2,900 rainbows will be released. You can use small spinners, waxworms, corn or prepared trout bait. The fish will be 10-13 inches with a bag limit of 5.
Lake Erie: While this might be one of the best times to fish for large walleyes — during spawning — it is also a dangerous time to be on the lake. Most of Lake Erie is open water, but there are still some ice chunks floating around. If a boat hits a piece of ice, it could puncture the hull.
This ice-out period is always productive for walleye fishing over the reefs near the Camp Perry range.
For more information about Lake Erie fishing, visit wildohio.com.
Outdoors columnist Jim Morris can be reached through his Web site at www.tinyurl.com/ylh2rol or by e-mail at sports@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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