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Best walleye lakes in Ohio

15 Ohio waters hold walleye, 12 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. Low-light predator with reflective eyes. Feeds on structure edges at dawn, dusk and night.

1. Lake Erie — Central Basin West — 77 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Channel CatfishWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 14 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Lake Erie — Central Basin East — 92 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Channel CatfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Lake Erie — Western Basin — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel CatfishWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Lake Erie — Sandusky Bay — 19 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
5. Pymatuning Reservoir — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
6. Berlin Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Maumee River — 20 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, White Bass & HybridsWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 32 public access sites, 18 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Mosquito Creek Lake — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
9. West Branch Reservoir — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
10. LaDue Reservoir — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
11. Portage Lakes (Turkeyfoot) — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
12. Lake Milton — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. C.J. Brown Reservoir — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Sandusky River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, White Bass & HybridsWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 16 public access sites, 13 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Olentangy River — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites, 13 carry-in or shore-oriented

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When to fish walleye in Ohio

• Spring 4–15 ft — Spawning runs to gravel shoals, rocky shorelines and inflows.
• Summer 15–35 ft — Deep humps and breaklines by day; edges and flats in low light.
• Fall 12–40 ft — Fish steep structure near deep basins; big fish move shallow at night.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Deep basin flats and humps; short dawn/dusk feeding windows.

Also in Ohio: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best saugeye lakes · best sauger 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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