FISHING LICENSE
An Ohio license is required for anyone age 16 or older,
except as listed below. The license is required to be in
your possession while fishing. Licenses are valid for one
year beginning March 1.
Free licenses are available through most license
outlets for residents who are:
• 66 years or older
• physically disabled, and require assistance to fish
• residents of state and county institutions
• holders of “veteran” license plates
• veterans who are permanently disabled
• former prisoners of war
A fishing license is not required of persons who are:
• younger than 16 years old
• giving assistance to a fisherman who is physically disabled,
provided the two persons together are using only one line
• members of the U.S. Armed Forces on annual leave or furlough
A fishing license is not required at the
following MetroParks sites:
• Carriage Hill MetroPark’s Cedar Lake and North Woods Pond
• Possum Creek MetroPark’s Argonne Lake and fishing ponds
• Germantown MetroPark’s Sunfish Pond
• Eastwood MetroPark’s Lagoon and Blue Lake
A good angler has respect for the quarry, before
and aer catching it, and knows there is much more
to fishing than taking a limit.
409 E. Monument Ave.,
Third Floor
Dayton, Ohio 45402
(937) 275-PARK (7275)
The waters of your MetroParks are rich in fish
life. Whether you are fishing the Mad River for
trout, wading the clear waters of Twin Creek
in search of the scrappy smallmouth bass, or
doing bale at Possum Creek’s fishing lake with
a giant catfish, fishing opportunities abound in
the Montgomery County area.
For recreation, relaxation or food, fishing is
an outdoor activity that can be enjoyed by all
members of a family, both young and old. The
techniques and equipment used vary from
angler to angler and oen depend on the
species sought. Rod and reel combinations are
available in various classes. A good all-around
fishing outfit for our area is in the light to
medium class range. Line for such an outfit
should be eight to ten pound test line.
RULESANDREGULATIONS
For the most part, fishing rules in MetroParks
facilities parallel state regulations. In some
cases, MetroParks rules may be more stringent
to maintain the best fishing possible. Please
check for posted signs before fishing. These may
indicate size or number limits and ponds/lakes
that are catch-and-release only. No reptiles or
amphibians may be taken from MetroParks sites.
BASICTACKLE
Basic tackle includes rods and reels. There are four
choices and anglers must determine which is best suited
for their fishing style. Spin-cast is a good choice for the
beginner. The other three require a bit more skill, but can
be mastered with practice.
FISHING OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
BAIT
Live Bait: Includes minnows, insects, crayfish, nightcrawlers
(Live bait may not be collected in MetroParks facilities.)
Artificial Bait: Includes plastic worms and jigs, spoons,
spinners, plugs, flies
Spoon
Spinner
Fly
Plug
Plastic Worm
•DIGITALONLY
Spinning ReelSpin-cast Reel
Bait-cast Reel Fly-cast Reel
METROPARKSORG/FISHING
TOPICAL USERS’ GUIDEFISHING AT YOUR METROPARKS
FISHING
FISHING AT YOUR
FIVE RIVERS METROPARKS
LAKE&PONDFISHING
Carriage Hill MetroPark - Cedar Lake (15 acres,
North Woods Pond (1 acre)
Eastwood MetroPark - Eastwood Lake (185 acres),
Blue Lake (7 acres), Lagoon (12 acres)
Englewood MetroPark - North Ponds (50 acres),
Martindale Road Ponds (17 acres)
Germantown MetroPark - Sunfish Pond (1 acre,
catch and release only)
Huffman MetroPark - Huffman Lake (44 acres)
Possum Creek MetroPark - Argonne Lake (15 acres),
four ponds (three are stocked periodically with trout
or catfish)
Twin Creek MetroPark - Lake George (.7 acres),
Dogwood Pond (1.7 acres)
STREAMFISHING
Eastwood MetroPark - Mad River
Englewood MetroPark - Stillwater River
Germantown MetroPark - Twin Creek
Island MetroPark - Great Miami River
Huffman MetroPark - Mad River
River Corridor Bikeway - Great Miami & Stillwater Rivers
Taylorsville MetroPark - Great Miami River
Twin Creek MetroPark - Twin Creek
Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark - Stillwater River
Wesleyan MetroPark - Wolf Creek
FISH FOUND IN METROPARKS WATERS
Largemouth Bass
LOCATION All lakes and ponds
BAITS Crayfish, Minnows, Plugs and Spinners
Smallmouth Bass
LOCATION All streams
BAITS Crayfish, Minnows, Plugs, Spinners and Flies
Rock Bass
LOCATION All streams
BAITS Crayfish, Minnows and Small Spinners
Bluegill
LOCATION All lakes and ponds
BAITS Red Worms, Insects and Jigs
Pumpkinseed
LOCATION All lakes, ponds and streams
BAITS Red Worms, Maggots and Jigs
Crappie
LOCATION All lakes, ponds and streams
BAITS Minnows and Jigs (1/32 oz. white)
Upper jaw extends
beyond eye
Dark lateral streak from head to tail
Deep notch
Shallow notch
Upper jaw does not extend
beyond back of the eye
Dark blotches on sides and back
Black ear flap
Pectoral fin long
and pointed at tip
Five to nine vertical
bars on sides and back
Black blotch on
back of dorsal fin
Pectoral fin long
and pointed at tip
So dorsal fin
with spots
Red spot
Brown Trout
LOCATION Mad River
BAITS Cheese, Worms, Corn, Small Spoons,
Small Spinners and Flies
Bullhead
LOCATION All lakes, ponds and streams
BAITS Night Crawlers, Liver and Hot Dogs
Channel Catfish
LOCATION All lakes, ponds and streams
BAITS Night Crawlers
White Sucker
LOCATION All streams
BAITS Night Crawlers
Deeply forked tail
24 to 30 rays
Sharp spine
Slender body with speckled sides
Dark spots on head Dark spots
10 to 12 rays
Broad red or pink
band along sides
Eye usually red
Upper jaw extends
beyond front edge of eye
Shallow notch
Six anal spines
Scales small and
crowded toward head
Mouth on underside of head and fied for sucking
Cylindrical and slender body
Tail fin rounded or squared off
