Small Lake Fishing Can Be Rewarding

Crystal Lake is a small stream/lake/dam located in Eaton, Ohio.  Its a small place consisting of some park benches, ducks, and a golf course on the other side. But surprisingly this little body of water does hold some fish, and some actually have some size to them. I’d say half the people who fish here are after catfish, and they do exist in the lake. You will also see bluegill, trout, and even a beaver or two. But what surprised me is the large mouth bass which live here. There will be weeks that may go by where you may see only 1 or 2 passers-by, but when conditions are just right and all the planets align, you can pull out 4-5 bass (some up to 18 inches) in less than 30 minutes. So the lake is definitely hot or cold when it comes to fishing. The best chances of a good catch is fishing right below the small waterfall when there is vegetation swirling in pools from the current. The bass will lay up under the debris waiting for bait fish to come over the fall. When this occurs I simply cast a small green or “puke” color tube past the swirls and jig them slowly through off the bottom. A little patience and a few bites then set and pull. Below are some pics from a recent trip down to the lake. (No big ones this day, but there’s always tomorrow)