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108-acre lake in Hancock County, Ohio. The lake tops out around 23 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Findlay 1 Reservoir's chart carries 2 miles of bank. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Roughly 16% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 0.6 mi end to end and 0.6 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Hancock County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Findlay 2 Reservoir, 1 mi northwest of here.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 23 ft. Shoreline break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 21 ft, rated prime for winter largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (21 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Shoreline break (21 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 7 to 23 ft before dropping to 7 to 23 ft for winter. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 23 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (21 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (21 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 23 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 23 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 23 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 23 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 23 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (23 ft) | |
| Fall | 7 to 23 ft | dusk | Deep basin (23 ft) | |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) |
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 23 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Ohio DNR — Boater & Stream Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ohio waters are set by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Findlay 1 Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ohio fishing regulations →
Findlay 1 Reservoir is about 23 ft (7 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Findlay 1 Reservoir. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Shoreline break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Findlay 1 Reservoir is regulated by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife. Check the official Ohio regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Findlay 2 Reservoir 1 mi · Lake LeComte 10 mi · Veterans Memorial Lake 10 mi · Lamberjack Reservoir 12 mi · Mccomb Reservoir Number Two 13 mi · Wauseon Reservoir 18 mi · Upper Sandusky Reservoir #1 21 mi · Upper Sandusky Reservoir #2 21 mi · Ottawa Reservoir 24 mi · Silverock Park Lake 29 mi · Fremont Reservoir 30 mi · Sandusky River 30 mi
See how Findlay 1 Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ohio · best crappie lakes in Ohio · best bluegill lakes in Ohio · best channel catfish lakes in Ohio
More water nearby: Hancock County fishing maps (5 charts). Browse all Ohio fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.