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Best crappie lakes in Ohio

161 Ohio waters list crappie (official records or labelled estimates), 154 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Schooling panfish that suspends around timber, brush and creek channels.

1. Lake Erie — Sandusky Bay — 19 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
2. Ohio River — Markland Pool — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 13 public access sites
3. Pymatuning Reservoir — 33 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
4. Ohio River — Meldahl Pool — 57 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Ohio River — Greenup Pool — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
6. Berlin Lake — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Salt Fork Lake — 36 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
8. Grand Lake St. Marys — 14 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
9. Piedmont Lake — 32 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
10. Alum Creek Lake — 63 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Seneca Lake — 22 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
12. Tappan Lake — 28 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
13. Paint Creek Lake — 42 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Caesar Creek Lake — 119 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
15. Clendening Lake — 36 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
16. Indian Lake — 13 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Buckeye Lake — 16 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
18. Mosquito Creek Lake — 26 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
19. Hoover Reservoir — 69 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. East Fork Lake (Harsha Lake) — 105 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. West Branch Reservoir — 55 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
22. Dillon Lake — 32 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Atwood Lake — 33 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
24. LaDue Reservoir — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
25. Lake Loramie — 8 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 136 more Ohio waters holding crappie.

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When to fish crappie in Ohio

• Spring 2–8 ft — The famous spring bite: brush, timber and docks in protected shallow pockets.
• Summer 10–25 ft — Find suspended schools over channel-edge brush piles and deep timber.
• Fall 8–20 ft — Schools follow shad into creeks; fish channel bends with cover.
• Winter 15–35 ft — Tight schools in deep holes and channel bends; slow presentations.

Also in Ohio: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best saugeye lakes · best sauger lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best blue catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best steelhead lakes · best rock bass lakes

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