RESERVOIRS

CEDAR BLUFF RESERVOIR Last Updated: 10/02/2000
Temperature: 67 Lake Elevation: 0.76' below cons.
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
BLACK BASS Good 1-7 lbs. Morning or evening fishing with buzzbaits in shallow brush has been good lakewide. Crankbaits have produced largemouths in 10-15' water over secondary points in coves also.
BLUEGILL Good 6-10 inches Nice 'gills reported from the covered pier in Cove 1 using worm/bobber combo. Bluegill are still concentrated along the dam, sundown the best time.
CHANNEL CATFISH Fair 2-5 lbs. Several nice sized channel catfish reported by anglers fishing for crappie with minnows.
CRAPPIE Good 7-13 inches Crappie starting to show signs of concentrating in the fall season zones. These include spillway cove, Cove 1 point, and the Page Creek flat timber. Minnows and slab spoons have produced with better success towards sundown.
WALLEYE Poor No reports, no activity.
WHITE BASS Good 10-14 inches As mentioned last week, the white bass have moved shallow over submerged asphalt roads and parking lots at sundown. Only small (6-10")wipers have been associated with this activity. Jigs and spoons casted in 2-4' water results in a fish-every-cast, in these areas.


GLEN ELDER RESERVOIR Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Temperature: 60 Lake Elevation: 3.9' low
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
CHANNEL CATFISH Fair All sizes available Some anglers reporting larger fish being caught on shrimp. Ten to 15 feet of water close to old river and creek channels on the lower end of reservoir for best locations.
CRAPPIE Poor Small Only been a few caught in Marina Cove in deep water close to brush.
WALLEYE Poor variable Few anglers applying much effort, but a few fish have been harvested in water less than 10 feet deep while trolling shad imitating lures on the lower half of reservoir.
WHITE BASS Good 1-2 pound Most anglers reporting very good catches of whites in various locations around the reservoir,especially near the Cawker Causeway. Mostly trolling, but casting lures is also effective once a concentration of whites has been found.


KANOPOLIS RESERVOIR Last Updated: 10/02/2000
Temperature: 59 Lake Elevation: 1.75' up
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
CHANNEL CATFISH Fair All sizes The channel catfish are being caught on fresh shad on the flats, cast those shad on the windy shores. Worms are also a good fall bait.
CRAPPIE Fair 10-13 The crappie are starting to concentrate around the brushpiles in the marina cove and along the north side. Keep trying the brush with jigs and small slab spoons until you find the fish. Small shad make good bait if you can find them.
WALLEYE/SAUGEYE Fair 8-21 Fall usually means the walleye/saugeye start relating to the river channel. Also, saugeye tend to move shallow and can be caught on crankbaits off the rocks. There are a few reports of fish beinjg taken on jig-n-worm up on the points.
WHITE BASS Fair All sizes Some being taken off the windy points on slab spoons and jigs. Action should get better as the water continues to cool down.
WIPERS Fair 2 to 3 pounds Fish are moving along most dropoffs and on the points - they should be in with the whites, concentrate on the windy shorelines.


KIRWIN RESERVOIR Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Temperature: 58 Lake Elevation: 5.3' below CE
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
CATFISH Poor Wide range No reports. Cats normally congregate off the outlet area in the fall.
CRAPPIE Poor Wide range Occasional fish caught deep.
LARGEMOUTH BASS Fair Wide range Activity has been light, fish are currently congregated near shoreline cover.
WALLEYE Good wide size range Mostly fair but very good at times, trolling diving lures and casting twister tail jigs along the dam, majority 13 - 18" with several larger fish reported.
WHITE BASS Poor 10-15 inch ave. Occasional fish caught trolling and casting along the dam.
WIPERS Poor 3-5 lb. ave. Occasional fish caught trolling and casting along the dam.


LOVEWELL RESERVOIR Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Temperature: 60 Lake Elevation: 8.0' low
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
CHANNEL CATFISH Poor All sizes available Not receiving any current reports at this time.
WALLEYE Poor 19-22 inch Only a few anglers fishing due to low water conditions. Very few walleye being reported.
WHITE BASS/WIPERS Poor 1-2 pound Trolling has been effective for some, but few anglers using the reservoir right now due to low water and boating hazards.


SEBELIUS RESERVOIR Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Temperature: 56 Lake Elevation: 7.2' below CE
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
CHANNEL CATFISH Fair 3-5 lbs. ave. Cut bait on setlines and pole and line in upper 1/2 of lake, 3 - 5 lb. ave, ranging to 11 lbs.
CRAPPIE Fair 1/2 - 3/4 lb. ave. Jigs and minnows over the main lake fish attractors and off the fishing dock in Leota Cove.
LARGEMOUTH BASS Good Wide range Variety of lures along the dam and in flooded cover lakewide, majority in the 13 – 15” range with larger fish common.
SAUGEYE/WALLEYE Poor 17 - 21 inch ave. No reports.
WIPERS Poor Wide range Few reports, a few being taken by catfish anglers.


WEBSTER RESERVOIR Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Temperature: 58 Lake Elevation: 5.5' below CE
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
CHANNEL CATFISH Poor Wide range No reports.
CRAPPIE Fair Wide range Minnows and jigs over main lake fish attractors, also some caught incidentally by wiper anglers using slab spoons.
LARGEMOUTH BASS Poor Wide range No reports, fish are congregated near shoreline cover.
WALLEYE Poor 12 -13 inch ave. No reports.
WHITE BASS Poor 12 inch ave. No reports.
WIPERS Fair Wide range Slabbing with long, slender spoons in 20 to 30' of water.


WILSON RESERVOIR Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Temperature: 59 Lake Elevation: 1.75 feet down
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
BLACK BASS Good All sizes Both smallmouth and largemouth tend to migrate to the rocks in the fall so throw plenty of crankbaits. Some bass are being taken in the creek areas and around shallower brush.
CHANNEL CATFISH Good Variety Fishing still good in the main lake on live baits. Some catfish also being taken on slab spoons and fall is usually a time to catch catfish on live or fresh dead shad on the windy sides. Got some good reports this weekend.
STRIPERS Good 3 to 7 pounds Most are being caught by the boat anglers lakewide off the river channel breaks on live bait and downrigger trolling - 18 to 40 feet. As the water cools down the small stripers look like they are really turning on. We are scheduled to get some more of the excess brood fish from Milford Hatchery this fall as soon as things cool down a bit - looks like we will get some as big as 25 pounds!
WALLEYE Good Mostly smaller fish Anglers are picking up a fish on jig-n-worm and a few big fish are being taken trolling. Anglers starting to catch quite a few smaller fish on jigs and crankbaits off the points but most of the larger walleye taken this time of year are taken on slab spoons.
WHITE BASS Fair Up to 2 lbs. The whites are showing up all over the reservoir and some are being caught trolling and slab spooning. As the water cools down, this action should get better - there are plenty of whites out there but things have not really broken loose yet!
White Perch Fair 6 to 9 Anglers are catching them off the points around the Minooka area and the main lake on small jigs and shad imitations. Not big but fun to catch, good to eat, and they make great striper bait!


STATE FISHING LAKES

JEWELL STATE FISHING LAKE Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
Channel Catfish Fair 1-2 pounders Anglers reporting good fishing at times, but overall success has slowed. Still using shrimp and prepared baits. Most angling taking place during the warmer periods of the day.
Largemouth Bass Poor 13-15 inch possible Very little angling taking place for this species right now.
White Crappie Poor Small 7-8 inch A few small crappie have been caught in the vacinity of brush on small jigs. Fishing getting a little better as water cools this fall.


OTTAWA STATE FISHING LAKE Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
BLUEGILL Fair All sizes As the water cools off, the bluegill will move shallower and can be caught on worms, grasshoppers, and small beetle spins.
CHANNEL CATFISH Good All sizes Any smelly baits and worms and the fish are shallow along the edges of the vegetation and off the piers. The upper end is closed to fishing now due to the waterfowl refuge. Netting last week showed good numbers of channels 3 to 8 pounds.
Crappie Fair 9 to 12 inches Test netted the lake last week and the lake is FULL of crappie, many in the 11 to 14 inch range. Several anglers had trouble catching fish last week but found some around the brushpiles. Try minnows, jigs, and small slab spoons around the brush and off the piers.
LARGEMOUTH BASS Fair All sizes The bass should be more active as the water continues cooling down. Spinner baits generally are good fall baits as are crankbaits off the rocks.


ROOKS STATE LAKE Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
Channel catfish Poor 1 - 2 lb. ave. Few reports.
Largemouth bass Good wide size range Crankbaits and spinnerbaits near shoreline cover, 15" length limit in effect.


SALINE STATE FISHING LAKE Last Updated: 10/09/2000
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
All Species Poor The lake is now closed to fishing and will not reopen until April 1, 2001.


SHERIDAN STATE FISHING LAKE Last Updated: 10/02/2000
Species Rating Size Baits, Method, & Location
BLUEGILL Excellent 6-10 Worm/bobber combo producing sunfish just off the shoreline along dam and the west side.
CHANNEL CATFISH Good 1-5 lbs. Cooler water temperatures have 'cats moving a little shallower towards the end of the day. Livers, shad parts, and worms producing.
LARGEMOUTH BASS Good 1-4 lbs. Crankbaits fished along the dam and the east pier have produced, best early or late in the day.
SAUGEYE Fair 15-18 A few fish caught in shallow water at dark using jig tipped with nightcrawler.