Best largemouth bass lakes in Ohio
115 Ohio waters hold largemouth bass, 103 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Ambush predator that relates to cover — weeds, timber, docks — and moves shallow to feed.
- Lake Erie — Western Basin — 48 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish
- Great Miami River — 15 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish
- Pymatuning Reservoir — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Berlin Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Salt Fork Lake — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Grand Lake St. Marys — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Muskingum River — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, Channel Catfish
- Little Miami River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Piedmont Lake — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Alum Creek Lake — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie
- Lake Erie — Sandusky Bay — 19 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Crappie
- Seneca Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Tappan Lake — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Paint Creek Lake — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Caesar Creek Lake — 119 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Clendening Lake — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Indian Lake — 13 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, Crappie
- Buckeye Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Mosquito Creek Lake — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Ohio River — Markland Pool — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
- Hoover Reservoir — 69 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
- East Fork Lake (Harsha Lake) — 105 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie
- Ohio River — Meldahl Pool — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Crappie
- Scioto River — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Saugeye, Channel Catfish
- West Branch Reservoir — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
…plus 90 more Ohio waters holding largemouth bass.
When to fish largemouth bass in Ohio
- Spring 2–10 ft — Pre-spawn through spawn: target shallow flats, pockets and cover near deep access.
- Summer 8–20 ft — Fish the edges: weedlines, drop-offs, and deep cover close to shallow feeding areas.
- Fall 4–15 ft — Follow the baitfish: points and creek channels leading into pockets.
- Winter 15–35 ft — Slow and deep: steep drops and channel bends near wintering basins.
Also in Ohio: best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best saugeye lakes · best crappie 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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