Fishing Report For East Fork Lake, OH

By Rick Seaman

March 12, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
East Fork Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
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Fishing Report East Fork Lake, OH

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species East Fork Lake, OH

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Fair
Outlook: Poor Good

Bass fishing at East Fork Lake had earned a poor reputation in past years, so many locals report spending time fishing for other species. However, the lack of pressure has improved the bass fishing and the fishing should be good this year. Rocky points are always a good place to start. Squarebill crankbaits and jerkbaits are both catching a good number of bass. During times when the bass are finicky, a stick worm, rigged wacky style, has been getting a lot of bites.

Black Crappie - White Crappie

Current Report: Fair To Good
Outlook: Good

Crappie fishing has been fair for catching numbers lately, but according to reports by anglers there is not many good size fish. Spring is the premiere time to be on the water as crappie move into shallow coves to spawn. Rocky areas and vegetation are a good place to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Locals are using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie.

White Bass

Current Report: Fair To Good
Outlook: Good

White bass run in schools, and at East Fork Lake there are plenty of schools around the lake. They tend to run small, but when you find them, they tend to come in bunches. Their primary diet is the schools of baitfish throughout the lake, and they follow these schools to stay close to food supply. If you find the right spot, fishing from the bank can deliver a bunch of whit bass. From a boat, use electronics and fish finders to locate both bait and white bass. These schools tend to start their spawn run once the water temperature gets into the mid 50's. Reports from last year indicate that this begins as early as late March to mid April. White bass move upstream into the river area, and running creeks, and congregate for several weeks. Small swimbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, mini-cranlbaits, small jerkbaits, and most any lure that looks like baitfish are catching plenty of fish.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, hybrid striped bass and muskie at East Fork Lake in Ohio.

East Fork Lake, officially William H. Harsha Lake is a 2,100-acre lake with over 35 miles of shoreline. The lake is known for its healthy populations of largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, and saugeye. Ice fishing for crappie and bluegill is good, once the ice is safe.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a Ohio Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".