COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife awarded 10,284 Fish Ohio pins to anglers who reeled in trophy fish in 2024. The Fish Ohio program celebrates anglers and their amazing catches of 26 species of fish. A qualifying catch for the program has specific length requirements based on the fish species.

Those who reel in a qualifying catch receive the commemorative Fish Ohio pin for their first entry and a Master Angler pin for catching qualifiers of four different species in the same year. Last year, 903 anglers were awarded a Master Angler pin. Since the Fish Ohio program began in 1976, more than 420,000 catches have been recognized.

A crappie that measures 13 inches or more qualifies for Fish Ohio status.

Applications for a Fish Ohio pin and minimum length requirements are found at fishohio.gov. This year, the Fish Ohio pin features a largemouth bass. The 2024 pin depicted a longear sunfish.

Lake Erie
Lake Erie had the most Fish Ohio submissions of all public waters in 2024. Lake Erie is a terrific spot to catch a Fish Ohio-qualifying walleye, as well as many other species. “The Walleye Capital of the World” has a strong population lake-wide. In 2024, anglers caught 980 Fish Ohio walleye that measured a minimum of 28 inches long. Lake Erie’s largest Fish Ohio walleye from 2024 were two impressive 34-inch fish caught just days apart in April.

In addition, Lake Erie anglers reeled in smallmouth bass (longest at 24 inches), steelhead trout (33¾ inches), and yellow perch (15½ inches) of impressive sizes in 2024. Find Lake Erie fishing resources at wildohio.gov.

Fish Ohio records show that largemouth bass, saugeye, crappie, and sunfish are four of the most popular sport fish at inland lakes across the Buckeye State. A largemouth bass longer than 20 inches, a saugeye longer than 21 inches, a crappie longer than 13 inches, or a sunfish longer than 9 inches qualifies for Fish Ohio status. Increase your odds of catching a Fish Ohio-qualifying fish at one of the top lakes listed below.

Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass are aggressive predators that can grow to large sizes in Ohio’s lakes and reservoirs, making them a popular sport fish. The top three inland lake destinations for Fish Ohio largemouth bass in 2024 were Nimisila Reservoir in Summit County (1), Mosquito Creek Lake in Trumbull County (2), and Mogadore Reservoir in Portage County (3).

This species has a dark horizontal stripe that extends down the side of its body, and the mouth extends beyond the rear edge of the eye. It has an appetite for frogs, crayfish, large insects, and other fish. Artificial lure presentations that mimic these prey items may elicit a strike.

Saugeye
A hybrid between a walleye and a sauger, saugeye are stocked in more than 60 lakes by the Division of Wildlife. These fast-growing fish thrive in Ohio’s inland waters and can be caught year-round, with 722 saugeye fish submitted to the program in 2024. Inland lake anglers caught Fish Ohio saugeye most often in Indian Lake in Logan County (1), Buckeye Lake in Fairfield, Licking and Perry counties (2), and Alum Creek Lake located in Delaware County (3).

Saugeye are identified by the dark bars or vertical spots between the spines of the first dorsal fin. They also have dark, oblong patches along their sides. They prey on gizzard shad and other small fish.

Crappie
Black crappie and white crappie are abundant in Ohio. A black crappie has irregular blotches or spots along its sides, while a white crappie is distinguished by more uniform dark vertical stripes. Top crappie lakes were Mosquito Creek Lake in Trumbull County (1), Buckeye Lake in Fairfield, Licking and Perry counties (2), Alum Creek Lake in Delaware County (3), and Hoover Reservoir located in Delaware and Franklin counties (4).

Crappies are often found near structures like drop-offs, points, creek beds, brush piles, and fallen trees. These feisty sport fish can be caught on light tackle. The largest reported crappies from Ohio’s public waters last year were 19½-inch trophies.

Sunfish
In almost every waterbody across Ohio, sunfish such as bluegill, redear sunfish, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, and longear sunfish can be caught. Due to their small size and popularity for being delicious to eat, sunfish have landed the nickname of panfish. Top sunfish lakes in Ohio for 2024 were Nimisila Reservoir in Summit County (1), Leesville Lake in Carroll County (2), and East Reservoir in Summit County (3).

Sunfish are often caught in shallow waters and near structure such as brush piles, fallen trees, piers, and points. Bluegills and other sunfish can be readily caught with many different small baits.

The Division of Wildlife has many resources available to assist anglers, including lake maps, fishing tips by species, and fishing forecasts. Many of these resources are available at your fingertips with the HuntFish OH mobile app. Fishing regulations and an interactive fishing map can be located with ease from any mobile device. Get started fishing with Wild Ohio Harvest, which provides online learning modules, in-person classes, recipes, and more.

For more information on fishing tips and forecasts, go to wildohio.gov. Remember to purchase an Ohio license before fishing in public waters. An Ohio resident license is $25. It is valid for one year from its purchase date and is required of all anglers ages 16 and older.

The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.