Fishing Report For Buckeye Lake, OH

Current Report: Good

Buckeye Lake is considered the top producing lake in Ohio for quality saugeye. They prefer cold water and primarily feed close to the bottom on baitfish and small sunfish.

FALL. Early Fall brings cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing saugeye and baitfish into the shallows. The flats around Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve are a good place to start your search for quality saugeye, over 20 inches long. Saugeye, much like walleye, like to slowly cruise flats 2 to 10 feet deep, close to deeper water. They actively feed at night, and in low-light conditions. They primarily feed close to the bottom on baitfish and small sunfish. As Fall continues, saugeye migrate 8 to 10 feet of water. Spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, jigs, swimbaits, and worm harness spinners are catching saugeye while trolling.

WINTER. Locals report using live minnows on jig heads with good success, especially when ice fishing. Saugeye primarily feed on gizzard shad and other small fish, close to the bottom. Blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, live bait, and worm harness spinners all work well. Trolling, slow drifting, and anchoring along drop offs are all popular options..

SPRING. Anglers are finding saugeye in the shallows, especially rocky areas and inlet channels, where they will spawn once the water warms to the mid 40's. Afterwards, they move to shallow points, flats, shoals and ledges just off shore nearby their spawning location. Bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers are catching them in 2 to 8 feet of water. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when saugeye are up shallow. Later in Spring focus on deep points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, deeper flats and edges adjacent to deeper water.

SUMMER. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk until long after dark, are the best times to catch saugeye. This is when they move shallower to feed. Anglers report good catches on crankbaits, and jigs tipped with minnows in 2 to 10 feet of water. They are being caught up shallow around the mouth of coves, and on shallow flats, early and late. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, where they are harder to locate. Most saugeye caught during the middle of the day are holding in 10 to 12 feet of water, where blade baits, spoons and jigs tipped with minnows are the ticket.

Current Report: Fair To Good

FALL. Now that Fall is in full swing, hybrid stripers return to shallow water, the upper end of the lake, and into in-flowing water if available. The primary food source for hybrid stripers here at Buckeye Lake is gizzard shad. Using live bait or lures that imitate the shad have been producing decent catches lately. Early in the day wipers chase bait to the surface and feed aggressively, making this an excellent time for topwater action. Mid day they move into 4 to 10 feet of water. Look for structure nearby deeper sections in channels, and fish them thoroughly. Most any lure that resembles shad will catch wipers at this time of year.

WINTER. In Winter, hybrid stripers again hang out in deeper water and feed close to the bottom. Warm afternoons occasionally draw stripers shallower, as they feed on roaming schools of gizzard shad. Ice fishing is popular and hybrids can be caught with a very slow presentation. After ice out, it is important to locate schools of bait, then look for wipers schooling below the bait. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice fish are being caught while trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, swimbaits, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are typically effective this time of year.

SPRING. When water temperatures rise into the mid 60's now, it's the ideal time for hybrid stripers to spawn. There are plenty of hybrids averaging 2 to 3 pounds, with an occasional 5-pound plus fish being caught. In Spring, work wind-blown points, creeks, and the upper end of the lake if there is inflowing water. If they spawn, they will lay eggs in flowing water. Look for the deepest holes in the river channels, as they are a good holding place for hybrid stripers after the spawn.

SUMMER. In Summer, these wipers typically hang out in 2 to 10 feet of water, staying close to schools of bait. Swimbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, spoons, nightcrawlers and cut bait are all effective here. The deeper regions of this shallow lake are reported to produce the most consist ant results. Use electronics and fish finders to locate both bait and wipers. Sometimes during the heat of the day they move close to the bottom, 12 to 14 feet deep. Morning often draws hybrid stripers to much shallower water, so look for them around the 2 to 6-foot range as they feed on shallow, roaming schools of gizzard shad. Look for schools feeding on baitfish around docks. Being successful at fishing for stripers during mid day in Summer, is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of wipers are likely to be nearby. Fish finders, and sonar electronics, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice wipers are being caught by casting, trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are all effective here.

Current Report: Good

FALL. Now that Fall is in full swing, bass here have moved shallow, following schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays around 2 to 10 feet of water. Boat docks and rip-rap shoreline are favorite hangouts for bass here. Vegetation draws largemouth bass and baitfish alike into the shade and hiding places. Currently topwater, swimbaits, square-bill crankbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits are catching most of the bass. Later in Fall, as deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps where flutter spoons, jigs and drop shots are often good choices in 8 to 20 feet of water.

WINTER. Winter will isolate largemouth around slightly deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 6 to 14 feet deep. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations are key to getting bites. A good number of bass tournaments are held here annually, and bag weights are typically smaller than other lakes in the state, as the average bass run small. Tournament anglers report good success with crankbaits on tip-rap and stick worms around docks and vegetation. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move into 3 to 6 feet of water to feed.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 2 to 10 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 5 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 6 to 12 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, worms, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 6 to 12 feet of water, on square-bill crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on channel edges, and ledges 8 to 12 feet deep.