Travel and fish around the state of Ohio as much as I've had the opportunity to do, and you eventually get a grasp on what fisheries throughout the state are regarded as generally premier for particular species. In many cases, the debates rage and offer up a distinctly splintered and varied range of opinions in most cases, as you might imagine. However, when it comes to public largemouth bass fisheries, the call in that revered category is as close to a consensus as you're ever going to get the vast numbers of Buckeye State anglers to agree on — it's by acclamation the Akron area's own Portage Lakes.



Although home to fine populations of crappie, bluegill and catfish as well, it is the revered bigmouth bass that has over decades put this interconnected string of lakes into the hierarchy of bass fishing, with a half-dozen tournaments and club events per week a regularity during the region's limited open water season. It is truly astonishing to experience the resiliency of this fishery under such an onslaught of talented and experienced bass anglers, to say nothing of the regular presence of the regular phalanx of individual visitors. The fishery long benefitted from the regular bass stockings courtesy of the revered Goodyear Hunting & Fishing Club.



With five fish limits the common rule of thumb in such events, catches of 15 pound limits are anything but rare for numerous participants. In fact, it is nothing to encounter individual fishermen at the locale and find that they have driven hundreds of miles to wet a line there.



The Portage Lakes are really eight interconnected lakes — Rex, North, Hower, East, West, Miller, Turkeyfoot and Mud — with popular Nimisila and Long lakes essential parts of the overall system, but separate entities inaccessible from the others. Much of the fishery winds through private homes and businesses, contributing to the overall charming ambience. Needless to say, dock fishing is always a popular option. The 1,190 acres of water feature 46 miles of shoreline, much of it legally fishable at the state park areas.



Among the many local anglers of note that have made the Portage Lakes their home base are local legend Ron Kotch, former B.A.S.S. tournament angler Matt Amedio and FLW veteran Vic Vatalaro.



Though East and Turkeyfoot reservoirs seem the most popular choices of savvy locals, time of year and current conditions make all of the varied options viable and productive at any given time.



Popular bassin' baits hereabouts would have to include Rat-L-Traps, especially early in the year to run over and along emerging weedlines. Deeper-diving crankbaits are popular with those plumbing offshore humps and "saddles." Productive soft plastics would have to include "creature" baits and tubes, particularly effective in investigating the many docks.



Though understandably most revered for it's largemouth bass catches, the Portage Lakes include varied panfish species and other amenities and related businesses. The District #3 Division of Wildlife office is close by and a source of valued information and related programming and seminars for outdoorsmen of all ages.



The storied Portage Lakes are conveniently just south of Akron and close by interstate access. If you are indeed a northern Ohio bass angler, there are an essential part of your itinerary.



Contact Ron Slater: https://www.facebook.com/Ron-Slaters-Portage-Lakes-Guide-Service-237053440373963/



***



Jack Kiser is the host of " Buckeye Angler," a fishing program long aired on PBS and ONN, and veteran outdoors columnist for the Record-Courier and Midwest Outdoors magazine, as well as radio host for Fox Sports. You may contact him at his Buckeye Angler Facebook site.