Customer Appreciation Sale June 16th & 17th
June 5, 2025 The Beacon • 33
Southeast Ohio a destination for variety of great catches
Southeast Ohio’ s public lakes and reservoirs are excellent places to fish for largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish and catfish, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Summer is a great time to grab a fishing pole and head to the nearest body of water.
Ohio has plentiful public fishing opportunities with Lake Erie; the Ohio River; thousands of inland lakes, reservoirs and ponds; and miles of streams. At $ 25 for a resident one-year license, fishing is an inexpensive outdoor recreation activity that is accessible for all. Youth under the age of 16 can fish for free, and all Ohio residents can fish without purchasing a license during Free Fishing Days on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15. All size and daily limits apply during these two days.
The Division of Wildlife has numerous resources available to assist anglers including lake maps, fishing tips by species and fishing forecasts. Many of these resources are available with the HuntFish OH mobile app. Fishing regulations and an interactive fishing map can be located from any mobile device. For more information on fishing tips and forecasts, visit www. wildohio. gov.
There are several locations in Southeast Ohio that are great places to catch a Fish Ohio qualifying trophy. The Fish Ohio program celebrates catches of 25 species of fish, and there are specific fish length requirements based on species to be a qualifying catch. Those who reel in a qualifying catch receive a commemorative Fish Ohio Pin for their first entry and a Master Angler Pin for catching four different qualifying species in the same year. This year the pin features a largemouth bass.
Here are a few species in Southeast Ohio anglers may want to pursue:
Largemouth bass
Burr Oak Lake( Athens and Morgan counties) boasts a good population of largemouth bass of all sizes. Darkcolored baits work well in the spring and lighter colors are best in the fall. In addition to having plenty of shoreline access, Burr Oak Lake has four boat ramps, with rental boats available at dock one and dock four. There is a 10-horsepower limit on the lake; boats with higher horsepower are required to operate at idle speed or no wake. There is a five-fish daily limit for largemouth bass, and no fish from 12-15 inches long may be taken.
Crappie
Lake Logan( Hocking County) contains many crappie measuring 9 inches long, and there are reports of fish as long as 15 inches.
Submitted
Summer is a great time to grab a fishing pole and head to the nearest body of water.
Fish near the numerous fish structure piles that were refreshed with trees in early 2025. Fish attractor locations are found on the interactive fishing map. There is shoreline access along the dam and around the boat ramps and a fishing pier on the north side of the lake off Lake Logan Road. The main boat launch is close to the dam, with another ramp in the upper part of the lake next to the beach. There is a 10-horsepower limit and 10 mph speed limit on the 400-acre lake.
Sunfish
Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area( Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum and Noble counties) is Ohio’ s largest
wildlife area and boasts hundreds of ponds and lakes, making it a great location to target bluegill and other sunfish. Kayak, float tube and shore fishing are the best ways to explore this area, although boat ramps can be found on select lakes.
The most popular lakes are on A-C Hull Road, Rural Dale Road and the equine trailhead road. A light spinning rod and reel with a single hook baited
with a wax worm is enough to catch fish. Try fishing in different areas and different depths until you find a school of sunfish. Using a slip bobber can help to consistently fish the same depth once fish are located. There is a 20-fish daily limit, singly or in combination, for bluegill and other sunfish.
SERVICE AND SATISFACTION IS OUR GOAL. GUARANTEED YOUR OWN MEAT BACK.
Catfish Muskingum River( Coshocton, Morgan, Muskingum and Washington counties) has strong populations of both channel and flathead catfish that can be found throughout the river, and there is potential of catching trophy fish. Target any of the 10 locks and dams along this section of the river, especially the deeper outside bends with cover. Catfish have an excellent sense of smell and taste, so baits such as cut shad, chicken livers, shrimp and nightcrawlers are effective. A fixed or slip sinker to fish your bait on the bottom is enough to catch a fish. Numerous public and private boat ramps can be found along the river, and shore access is available in Zanesville and at all 10 locks and dams.
Check the Ohio Fishing Regulations for details before casting a line.
Follow the Division of Wildlife on Facebook and Instagram for news stories, outdoor recreation ideas, local wildlife information and wildlife imagery. Visit the Wild Ohio Harvest page at www. wildohio. gov for information on getting started fishing, upcoming events and recipes.
GRILLING SEASON IS HERE!!
Customer Appreciation Sale June 16th & 17th
Openings Available to Schedule Your Beef & Hogs for this summer!!
Call to order fresh Steaks, Roasts, & Burger!! jsellers @ alonovus. com
Farmerstown Meats 2934 TR 163, Sugarcreek, OH 44681 330-897-7972 email: office @ farmerstownmeats. com
Mon. Wed. & Fri. 7 AM to 4 PM Tues. & Thurs. 7 AM to 5 PM Closed Sat. in May, June, July