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The state of Ohio is an amazing place for trout fishing to visit. Not only the native trout living and increasing population but also the lakes and ponds are heavily stocking each year with fish. Incredible cold waters providing the best conditions for trout to live in and reproduce. The best weather conditions inside most waters of the state makes living more easier for it and that’s why native populations of fish are even increasing in the trout fishing lakes in Ohio. Anglers from around the country visit the state for fly fishing in the big lakes of Ohio.
Brook trout is the only specie native to Ohio lakes and waters with a long history. Researchers claim the history of brook in Ohio is older than 10000 years in the large lake. But now you can find much more than just wild brook. There are lake trout you can find easily at many spots and other species like rainbow and brown trout are also available in large numbers.
Besides that each year in spring nearly a hundred thousand trouts are stocked in different lakes and ponds of Ohio for anglers to have fun with. But the matter of fact is many anglers still don’t know about the best lakes that provide trout for anglers in the state. Some of them ignore visiting a lake for fly fishing because they prefer smaller spots for fly fishing. But larger lakes means bigger opportunities.
Here is our list of the best trout fishing lakes in Ohio to visit and enjoy fishing. These lakes are even more great fish providers than a smaller fishing spot. The listing is based on the quality and quantity of fish in a lake and location of lake.
Dow lake
An amazing trout fishing lake in the south east of the state in Athens county Ohio. Its situated in the north of Hocking river and the James A Rhodes Appalachian highway parallel to the river in between the lake and river. The lake is in Strouds Run state Parkersburg with a distance of 33 miles and just 30 minutes of ride. The Dow is almost 90 miles away from Columbus city in its north and is almost an hour and 15 minutes by road.
The Dow has been extremely famous for its amazing quality brown fish in it. People of the area are just targeting brown trout but their crazy population is still increasing. You will also find brook in quite good size and number and also having the best quality but the lake is famous for Brown fish. Its an amazing trout fishing lake in the south of Ohio.
The lake has 153 acres of area and is an amazing place in the national park.
Forked run lake
This one is located in the very last south east of the state near Ohio river in olive township with shade river state forest area. It is a long lake laying from north to southern side where the river is located. It has a creek between the river and the lake named as forked run. The lake has an area of just over 100 acres of its total length and the maximum depth of the reservoir is 28 feet.
The rainbow trout having presence here in the lake is just amazing in size and population. Many anglers have been avoiding other species to have a great rainbow trout bite their fly. But there are also other species in the lake which you can catch anywhere. Its really worth visiting forked run lake once, if you get a chance then never miss it. It is considered to be at the top among the trout fishing lakes of Ohio.
Punderson lake
This amazing one is in the north of the state unlike other lakes its near to populated areas. The Punderson lake is in Punderson state park area in Newbury township near Cleveland and Akron. Both of these cities are in the west of the lake very reachable in a distance of 33 miles to the center of Cleveland. Its even near to the populations other than center, distance remains less than half from any other point in the city.
Its just 44 miles from the center of Akron city in the southwest of the city. The lake has maximum depth of 57 feet at its deepest point and an area of 150 acres. Rainbow trout of the Punderson is popular in the Cleveland and Akron, fly fishing is very common in the lake. The lake is very famous trout fishing destination in the state.
The lake is near one of the largest lakes in the country its even better to visit it because of other lakes in the area.
Wolf run lake
This one is absolutely the best choice for those living in Columbus city or its surroundings. It is in the wolf run state park in noble county near belle valley in its west. The distance from belle valley is just 5 miles or less getting from the shortest way, while its almost 102 miles from Columbus city in the east. In its area there are several smaller populations like belle valley. People from these small towns or villages often visit the lake and enjoy their best time at the wolf run lake.
The lake’s maximum depth is 40 feet and 220 acres of total area. Its one of few lakes in Ohio having rainbow trout in living in it. The lake is also a small fishery of rainbow trout however many other species are also available for anglers.
Its very high quality of rainbow trout in the area and people of area are in love with it.
Lake Erie
Its the largest freshwater body in the state of Ohio and one of the largest in the country. Its home to many species of fish and also contains brown trout in large number and has rainbow trout. Fish in the Erie is unlimited due to the size of the lake. Hundreds of anglers enjoy their time daily on the lake Erie from its different parts.
The city of Cleveland is like a coast on the Erie lake and most of the residents benefit from the massive size of the lake and enjoy fishing at its shores. Its area is massive and has a lot longer shoreline than any other lake in area, 6361600 acres is its total area.
Final words
You may find good fishing in streams and creeks of Ohio but finding them in lakes might be tough. Because not many of the lakes has trout in Ohio instead trout like to live in smaller spots. However these are the best trout fishing lakes of Ohio providing finest fishing in the entire state.
You might need a fishing license fishing in Ohio, here are further details of licensing.
