September 08, 2026 - 01:25:32
Over at Smith Bait and Tackle in Leipsic Steve told me with water temps in the upper 70s the summer pattern of early and late day fishing remains the rule. Bass, snakeheads and crappies are giving anglers some good topwater fishing and some of the bigger bass are taking plasticbaits fished in the shadows of the weed lines. Steve also mentioned some crappie, perch and panfish action in the spillways below the dams in most lakes and ponds.
September 08, 2026 - 01:25:27
At Smith Bait Steve had reports from boats that fished the reef sites out of Port Mahon and they caught blues, croaker and flounder. The blues would like cut bait or metal lures, the flounder go for live minnows and the croaker hit worms or Fishbites. The jetties at Bowers Beach have seen flounder, trout and croaker. The trout will take peeler crab or a yellow bucktail with a yellow worm.
August 31, 2026 - 10:58:22
We started off our report from the Diamond State with a call to Steve over at Smith Bait and Tackle in Leipsic. He told us bass fishing has been decent now that most of the lakes and ponds have plenty of good quality water in them. Garrisons Lake was giving up bass to topwater baits and snakeheads with weedless rigged plastics fished around the vegetation. Lums Pond was producing some good crappie fishing on small jigs tipped with one inch Gulp and plastics. Silver Lake was also fishing well for bass on topwater baits and live bait. Lastly he told us most spillways are starting to see better numbers of panfish and crappies along with a few bass.
August 31, 2026 - 10:58:14
At Smith Bait Steve told us the pier at Woodland Beach saw some croaker and small striped bass on bloodworms or Fishbites. Boats sailing from Port Mahon worked the reef sites in the Mid-Bay and caught croaker, flounder and trout. Flounder were taken on live minnows or on jigs with strips of squid or fresh cut bait. Trout will take those same jigs or yellow bucktails with a yellow worm.
