Ottawa State Fishing Lake Fishing Report - Updated: 11/12/24

Species Rating Size Baits, Method, Location
Largemouth Bass Fair to Good 12-18 inches Cooling temps will slow bass down and move them to deeper water. Fish can be caught around rocky jetties and brushpiles. Fish can be caught use wacky worms, Senkos, Ned Rigs, spinnerbaits, roadrunners, and crankbaits. Slow down your presentation and downsize for less aggressive fish. 
Bluegill/Sunfish Good 5 to 7 Inches Look for bluegill around the rocks on the piers, shoreline vegetation, and around any brush in the water. Worms and small jigs are a good bet. These guys can be caught throughout the year using a variety of techniques. Some anglers prefer to fly fish with small nymphs or dry flies fished on the surface.
Channel Catfish Fair to Good 12-25 inches Fish can be caught just about anywhere on the lake. Anglers should try using shad sides, shad gizzards, shrimp, nightcrawlers, and chicken liver.  Targeting inflow is a popular method as the catfish will congregate there to feed. The shallow upper end is a great area to find big catfish on warm days.
Saugeye Fair 18-25 inches The best number of saugeye can be found on the upper end around the jetties and other rocky areas. Jig and crawler, large shiners, crankbaits, and swim baits are all good options to use for catching saugeye now. Anglers will also find some around the brush piles and off the ends of the jetties closest to the dam.
Crappie Good 8-15 inches Anglers should target the brush piles and other submerged structure with minnows and jigs. Focus on deeper structure like brushpiles and rocks during summer. Anglers are encouraged to harvest high numbers of crappie to help maintain a desirable level. Our recent sample indicated there are very high numbers of crappie in the lake now and anglers could have great success throughout the year. 
General Comments

Water Temperature--56ºF   

CAUTION: LONGER BOAT TRAILERS MAY FALL OFF EDGE OF BOAT RAMP WHEN WATER IS LOW