Ohio boasts an extensive system of rivers and lakes, including Lake Erie, and fishing is a popular outdoor recreational pastime throughout the state. Trout are an especially popular fish, both because of their delicious flesh and because they are a strong-fighting sport fish. There are five kinds of trout found in Ohio waters: rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout and lake trout.
Fishing for Trout in Lake Erie
While you can catch nice-sized trout in smaller lakes and rivers, Lake Erie is where you want to fish in Ohio if you are looking for larger trout. The state's record brown trout, lake trout and rainbow trout were all caught in Lake Erie. In the early spring, lake trout can be caught with flies closer to shore, but when the water warms up the fish retreat to the cooler, deeper waters of the lake. Beginning in May, fishing from a boat is the norm, and most fishermen use a rod and reel with the traditional cast-and-retrieve technique.
Fishing for Brown Trout
Brown trout are a more wary species of trout and therefore generally more of a challenge to catch. Brown trout can tolerate slightly warmer waters than other trout so they have moved into habitats once occupied mainly by brook trout (which have also been somewhat overfished, as they are easy to catch). Brown trout can be caught in smaller streams, rivers, and lakes, but are not fond of fast-moving water so are usually found in the quieter backwaters of rivers and creeks. Smaller brown trout can be caught with dry flies, but larger brown trout are caught more effectively with worms, minnows or other smaller fish.
Fishing for Lake Trout
Lake trout are the largest species of trout and can grow to over 20 lbs. in large lakes. They generally prefer deeper, cooler water, and if found in shallower water, it will almost always have a sandy bottom. Spoons and baitfish-like lures worked close to the bottom of the lake are most effective. As the water warms in the later summer months, mirror jigs and other flashing lures trolled at deeper depths offer good results. Lake Erie is the best place to catch large lake trout, but there are more than a dozen other lakes in Ohio that provide good lake trout fishing.
Fishing for Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout are the most prized of the trout species. Not because of their size, but because of their delicious, delicate flesh and their tremendous fight. Rainbow trout can be found in streams, rivers and lakes throughout Ohio, but all are stocked fish, or offspring of stocked fish, as rainbow trout are not native to Ohio. Rainbow trout average 12-14 inches long, and the biggest fish are found in the larger lakes. The Ohio record rainbow trout came in at 38 inches and 21.3 lbs. Rainbow trout can be caught with fly rigs in rivers and streams, but it is more effective to cast and retrieve with a rod and reel when fishing for rainbows in lakes. Jigs with maggots or wet flies are usually effective lures.
Fishing for Brook Trout
Brook trout are a native Ohio species, although almost all of the brookies in Ohio waters today are descendants of introduced rather than indigenous fish. Brook trout are significantly smaller than other trout, with the average size around 12-16 inches and 1-3 lbs. Brook trout have to be stocked in many locales in Ohio, as they require a cold, clear and highly oxygenated water to reproduce, and there are not many streams like that remaining due to human intervention. Brook trout are relatively easy to catch, and are a very popular sport fish among fly fishermen because they are delicious and good fighters.
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