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2,800-acre reservoir near Westerville. Columbus water-supply lake known for big crappie and saugeye. The lake tops out around 69 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Hoover Reservoir draws 2,853 acres inside 45.7 miles of shoreline — 4 islands included. A development index of 6.1 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 48% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 8.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.1 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Delaware County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Alum Creek Lake, 8 mi northwest of here.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (15 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (16 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (15 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (15 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (15 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Duncan Run inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Duncan Run inflow (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (16 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (16 ft) |
Spring saugeye on Hoover Reservoir hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 22 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 30 ft. Put Duncan Run inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness (shallow) or a jig + crawler.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Duncan Run inflow (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + twister tail, Blade bait |
| Summer | 8 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Crawler harness (shallow), Jig + crawler |
| Fall | 8 to 28 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (16 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging rap |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (16 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Blade bait |
Spring blue catfish on Hoover Reservoir hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 40 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 50 ft. The chart's best answer is Old creek channel — creek channel, 5 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (16 ft) | |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Sharp break (16 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (16 ft) |
Hoover Reservoir carries 17 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 62 ft down.
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 Hoover Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ohio fishing regulations →
Hoover Reservoir is about 69 ft (21 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, saugeye, blue catfish on Hoover Reservoir.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. 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 Hoover 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.
Alum Creek Lake 8 mi · Olentangy River 9 mi · Antrim Lake 10 mi · O'Shaughnessy Reservoir 14 mi · Griggs Reservoir 14 mi · Anderson Lake 18 mi · Delaware Lake 19 mi · Mount Gilead Lake 27 mi · Buckeye Lake 27 mi · Kokosing Lake 28 mi · Knox Lake 31 mi · Madison Lake 33 mi
See how Hoover Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ohio · best saugeye lakes in Ohio · best crappie lakes in Ohio · best bluegill lakes in Ohio
More water nearby: Delaware County fishing maps (5 charts). Browse all Ohio fishing maps. Plan from a nearby city: fishing lakes near Columbus. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.