Minnow Seines Regulations:
Minnow seine (square) meshes may not be larger than 1/2 inch. The maximum size of a seine in the Inland Fishing District is 4 feet x 8 feet. In the Lake Erie Fishing District seines can be of any size. Seining is prohibited between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. It is unlawful to use a seine in any inland lake, pond, or water area that is owned or controlled by the Division of Wildlife. It is unlawful to take bait from King's Creek between C.R. 223 and the Mad River.
Cast Net Rugulations:
Forage fish may be taken with cast nets only in the Inland Fishing District. It is unlawful to use a cast net with a square mesh less than 1/4 inch or larger than 1 inch on a side, or with a diameter of greater than 10 feet. It is illegal to use a cast net within a distance of 1000 feet downstream from any dam posted with Division of Wildlife signs indicating cast net use is prohibited.
Minnow Or Bait Trap Regulations:
It is illegal for anglers to possess or use a minnow or bait fish trap larger than 24 inches in length and 12 inches in width. Additionally, possessing or using a minnow or bait fish trap with an opening larger than one inch is illegal.
Live Release Of Fish:
Any fish not of legal size or not legally caught must be released immediately. Handle it carefully with a wet hand or a wet towel so it can be freed unharmed. If the fish is hooked deeply and the hook can't easily be removed, cut the line to release the fish. Tearing a hook out can harm a fish so badly that it may not live.
Fishing Lines Regulations:
Anglers may not use more than two fishing lines, whether fastened to a pole, a rod and reel, or hand held. Anglers may use up to three hooks on each line, except as provided in the Ohio Administrative Code.
Forage Fish (Bait Fish) Regulations:
Forage Fish means freshwater drum (in the Lake Erie fishing district only), carp, quillback, suckers, bowfin, gar, buffalo, gizzard shad, and goldfish. These species may be taken by any method except by means of explosives, poisons, firearms, electricity, chemicals, nets, seines, or traps, or by snagging within 1,000 feet downstream of a dam. Gizzard shad and smelt may be taken with a minnow seine, minnow dip net, or hand landing net
Bait Regulations:
It is unlawful for any person except licensed bait dealers to possess more than 100 crayfish or in combination 500 crayfish, minnows, and other bait fish. A bait dealer's permit is required of persons buying or selling minnows, crayfish, and hellgrammites. This permit may be obtained from any wildlife district office.
Bank Lines Regulations:
Setlines or Banklines may be used to catch turtles and fish. The name and address of the user must be attached to each line. The maximum is 50 lines, each having a single hook. Treble hooks may not be used. The lines must be attached to the shore above water, but not to a boat, dam, dock, pier, pole, rod, or wall. No more than six set or banklines may be used in public waters of the state of Ohio less than 700 surface acres. All lines must be checked once every 24 hours. All lines must be removed after completion of use
Trotlines Regulations:
Trotlines must be marked with the name and address of the user. Trotlines must be anchored. Wire or cable may not be used. Not more than three trotlines are permitted in any one body of water in the Inland Fishing District. Not more than 50 hooks per trotline are permitted in any tributary of Lake Erie. Trotlines may not be used within 1,000 feet downstream of any dam. Trotlines may be used only in (1) streams; (2) Mosquito Lake north of the causeway and south of a line of buoys designating the wildlife refuge; (3) Charles Mill Lake north of St. Rt. 430; (4) Clendening Lake east of St. Rt. 799; (5) Seneca Lake south of St. Rt. 147; (6) Tappan Lake above the gas line causeway and St. Rt. 646; (7) Atwood Lake north and east of St. Rt. 542 north at Dellroy; (8) Piedmont Lake in sections 11 and 12 of Kirkwood Township; (9) Wills Creek Lake except in the area directly in front of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District boat landing; (10) that part of Berlin Lake lying south and west of St. Rt. 225; (11) the inland part of Sandusky Bay commonly called Mud Creek Bay; and (12) the area of Grand Lake St. Marys bounded on the west by Prairie Creek, on the east by Big Chickasaw Creek, and on the north by a line of buoys extending east to west between Big Chickasaw and Prairie creeks. Trotlines may not be set in channels or across the mouths of channels or streams in Grand Lake St. Marys. A special trotline license is required in the Lake Erie Fishing District. This license may be obtained at the Sandusky Fisheries Research Unit, 305 East Shoreline Drive, Sandusky, Ohio 44870 (Phone: 419-625-8062). All trotlines must be checked once every 24 hours.
Jug Lines Regulations:
Floatline or jug fishing is permitted in (1) all streams; (2) Sandusky Bay west of the New York Central Railroad bridge; (3) Berlin Lake south and west of St. Rt. 225; (4) Mosquito Lake north of the causeway and south of a line of buoys designating the waterfowl refuge; (5) Charles Mill Lake north of St. Rt. 430; (6) Clendening Lake east of St. Rt. 799; (7) Seneca Lake south of St. Rt. 147; (8) Tappan Lake above the gas line causeway and St. Rt. 646; (9) Atwood Lake north and east of St. Rt. 542 north at Dellroy; (10) Piedmont Lake in Sections 11 and 12 of Kirkwood Township; (11) Wills Creek Lake except in the area directly in front of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District boat landing; and (12) ALL PUBLIC WATERS EXCEPT WHERE PROHIBITED BY THE OWNER IN AUTHORITY.
It is unlawful to set, use, or maintain more than six floatlines in all public waters of the state of Ohio less than 700 surface acres. Floats must be of nonshatterable material and bear the name and address of the user. Floats must be freely adrift and be attended by the user at all times. Treble hooks are unlawful.
Ohio River Fishing Regulations and License Agreements
The following Ohio River fishing regulations are the result of negotiations between the wildlife agencies of Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Since 1994 Ohios fishing regulations have been unified with those of West Virginia and Kentucky for fishing on the Ohio River between our mutual borders. The following daily bag limits and minimum size limits apply to the Ohio River and its embayments and tributaries to the first dam or riffle. Note that the regulations differ slightly between the Ohio/West Virginia border (Eastern Unit) and the Ohio/Kentucky border (Western Unit).
Western Unit (Kentucky/Ohio border only) Lawrence County west of South Point, and Scioto, Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Hamilton counties. Ohio and Kentucky will honor the other states fishing licenses along their common borders on the mainstem and from the banks of the Ohio River, excluding embayments and tributaries. The following regulations are the only unified regulations in the agreement for all other regulations, anglers must abide by those of the state by which they are licensed, except that Ohio anglers must abide by Kentucky laws when fishing from the Kentucky shoreline, and Kentucky anglers must abide by Ohio laws when fishing from the Ohio shoreline.
Reminder: Catfish regulations differ between the states of Ohio and Kentucky. In Ohio, anglers may only keep one channel catfish 28 inches and longer, one flathead catfish 35 inches and longer, and one blue catfish 35 inches and longer per day. Kentucky does not have regulations regarding the numbers or lengths of catfishes that may be kept.
