SENECA LAKE FISHING PRIMER
Seneca Lake, located in Guernsey and Noble Counties in southeastern Ohio is a popular destination for local as well as not so local people who want to enjoy a day of fishing on a beautiful lake. It has been noted over the years as a good lake for saugeye, channel catfish, largemouth bass, white bass, crappies, and in recent years has produced some 30 inch plus hybred stripers.
I have managed to catch all of the species mentioned and one big carp that actually struck a crankbait and was hooked inside the mouth. It put up quite a fight and I envisioned a huge saugeye as that was what I was trying to catch. Saugeye are my number one target fish at Seneca Lake.
The lake is a four season lake in years when there is ice, otherwise it is fished most in the spring, summer, and fall. All three seasons are good producers of fish. Early spring saugeys seem to respond well to crankbaits in the shallow bays that warm up first and bring the bait fish to activity. I try to keep my boat in about six feet of water casting toward the shore and have the most strikes in water that is three to four feet deep. On my best day I netted two 19 inch, one 18 inch, and two 17 inch saugeyes.
As summer approaches and the water gets to 80 degrees I go to spoons that resemble minnows, fishing them in four to six feet of water. I also start trolling at this time when the spoons aren't doing the trick. At this point I try to stay in water that is eight to nine feet deep with the trolled crankbait bouncing off the bottom.
I've not fished Seneca a lot in the fall as I am usually hunting but I am told good catches are made at that time. There are big saugeye in the lake and in speaking with Division of Wildlife supervisor Bryan Postlethwait, he tells me that when the Division shocks the lake in spring, they see plenty of 24 inch saugeyes.