1501:31-13-07. Special fishing regulations for water areas owned or controlled by the division of wildlife

(A) Fish, frogs, turtles, crayfish, and larval aquatic insects may be taken during the open season in such manner and in such numbers only as prescribed by wildlife rules of the Administrative Code, or the Revised Code. All areas closed to fishing shall be posted with signs.

(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to take any species of fish, frog, turtle, crayfish, or larval aquatic insect at any time in the areas listed in this paragraph.

(1) Any state fish farm;

(2) Bathing beaches supervised by the department of natural resources, the boundaries of which are posted with "no fishing" signs;

(3) Wildlife ponds located on state-owned or controlled areas which are posted with state signs reading, "no fishing."

(C) It shall be unlawful for any person to use a seine in any lake, pond, quarry, reservoir, canal, or gravel pit in the inland fishing district which is subject to regulation by the wildlife chief.

(D) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish on the Conesville, Gavin, Poston, or ReCreation Land public hunting areas without first securing a special permit.

(E) It shall be lawful for any person to engage in fishing in the Mahoning river within a distance of one thousand feet downstream from the Berlin lake dam except for restricted areas posted within this zone.

(F) It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in fishing within five hundred feet of crest gates or intake tower in the dam at Berlin lake.

(G) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish from the shore from the dam crest gates west then south to the "no motor boundary zone" sign at Berlin lake.

(H) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish from the bank or shore of Deer creek reservoir in Stark county, except from the following described areas: beginning at the railroad bridge located in the northwest section of said reservoir, thence east along the north shoreline of the peninsula located at the north end of spillway embankment to a marker established by the division of wildlife.

(I) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish in the area east of an imaginary line drawn straight from the marker referred to in paragraph (H) of this rule to a similar marker established by the division of wildlife on the south shore of Deer creek reservoir in Stark county west of the south end of the spillway embankment.

(J) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish from the east shore of the dam and spillway embankment in the area designated by signs at Deer creek reservoir in Stark county.

(K) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish or wade from the bank or shore in the following described area at the East Branch reservoir in Geauga county: all of the shoreline north of U.S. route 322 and the eastern shoreline of the reservoir south of U.S. route 322 down to and including the length of the dam.

(L) Fishing at East Branch reservoir is permitted subject to the following regulation:

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to use gasoline motors. External fuel tanks are prohibited. Electric motors only are permitted for use on watercraft.

(M) Fishing at LaDue reservoir is permitted subject to the following regulations:

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to use gasoline motors. External fuel tanks are prohibited. Electric motors only are permitted for use on watercraft.

(2) It shall be unlawful to fish or wade from the bank or shore within five hundred feet surrounding Black brook dam and Bridge creek dam.

(N) Fishing at Mogadore reservoir is permitted subject to the following regulations:

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish or wade from the bank or shoreline from the following locations:

(a) Five hundred feet surrounding the Mogadore reservoir dam, or

(b) On the bridges, or

(c) Within the rights-of-way of Ranfield road, Congress lake road, and state route 43.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to use gasoline motors. External fuel tanks are prohibited. Electric motors only are permitted for use on watercraft.

(O) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish in the area immediately above the dam in Clear fork reservoir for a distance of approximately five hundred feet to an imaginary line extending straight across the reservoir from a marker on the southerly shore to a similar marker on the northerly shore.

(P) It shall be unlawful for any person to fish from that part of the shore of Clear fork reservoir extending from the marker on the northerly shore referred to in paragraph (O) of this rule to the Orweiler road.

(Q) Fish may be taken in Pymatuning lake by angling only, at any time of the year, except as is otherwise provided in this rule.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person at Pymatuning lake to use more than five tipups or other legal devices when fishing through holes in the ice.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person at Pymatuning lake to cut or use a hole in the ice for fishing purposes that is larger than ten inches between the farthest points as measured in any direction.

(3) It shall be unlawful for any person at Pymatuning lake to take minnows by means of a minnow trap which measures more than twenty-four inches in its greatest overall length, or more than twelve inches in its greatest overall width, or have openings larger than one inch in diameter.

(4) It shall be unlawful for any person at Pymatuning lake to take minnows with a seine or dip net having a side of such seine or dip net that exceeds forty-eight inches in length, or having a size of the mesh in such seine or dip net which measures not less than one-eighth inch on a side or larger than one-half inch on a side.

(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to take more than six walleyes, or two muskellunge, or twenty crappie, or five largemouth and smallmouth bass singly or in the aggregate, in any one day while at, on, or when returning from Pymatuning lake. There shall be no daily bag limit for other fish taken from Pymatuning lake.

(6) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess a walleye less than fifteen inches, or a muskellunge less than thirty inches, or a largemouth or smallmouth bass less than twelve inches, or a crappie less than nine inches while at, on, or when returning from Pymatuning lake.

(7) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess frogs, turtles, and tadpoles from Pymatuning lake at any time except from July first to October thirty-first, both dates inclusive.

(8) It shall be unlawful for any person at Pymatuning lake to take or have in possession in any one day more than fifteen frogs or fifteen tadpoles. Frogs shall not be taken with the aid of a light or by means of firearms.

(9) It shall be unlawful for any person at Pymatuning lake to take more than ten turtles in any one day (except snapping turtles-unlimited). Hooks used for taking turtles by set lines shall be not less than three and one-half inches long with not less than one inch of space between point and shank.

(10) It shall be unlawful for any person to take crayfish, mussels, and larval aquatic insects at any time from Pymatuning lake.

(11) Residents of Ohio may angle on any part of Pymatuning lake, except while on any island in the lake or land on the Pennsylvania side, with an Ohio fishing license. Residents of Pennsylvania may angle on any part of the lake, except from the shore on the Ohio side, with a Pennsylvania fishing license.

(12) All non-residents may angle on any part of Pymatuning lake, except while on any island in the lake or land on the Pennsylvania side, with their Ohio nonresident fishing license.

(13) All non-residents may angle on any part of Pymatuning lake, except from the shore on the Ohio side, with their Pennsylvania non-resident fishing license.

(14) Pennsylvania fishermen angling from the shore on the Ohio side of Pymatuning lake must have an Ohio non-resident fishing license.

(15) Ohio fishermen angling from the shore of the Pennsylvania side of Pymatuning lake must have a Pennsylvania non-resident license.

(16) It shall be unlawful for any person to take fish in any manner other than with up to three hand lines, up to three units of rod and line, or a combination of up to three hand lines or units of rod and line in the aggregate from Pymatuning lake, except carp and suckers may be taken with longbow and arrow or a spear from said lake.

(17) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a fish in any form or condition other than in the round while on a boat or when unloading the fish from a boat, while wading or while fishing from shore on the Ohio side of Pymatuning lake.

It shall be unlawful to possess or transport a fish taken from Pymatuning lake unless the fish is in the round or complete fillet until a person reaches their permanent residence or until the fish is being prepared for immediate consumption. Frozen fish must be transported in such a way the fillets can be easily identified and counted.

(R) It shall be unlawful for any person to take, catch or attempt to take or catch or engage in fishing in or possess fish taken from any body of water that is posted with signs declaring the lake, stream, river, or portion thereof closed to all fishing or posted with division of wildlife signs stating "No Fishing" or "Fishing In This Area Is Prohibited."

(S) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess fish from any waters of the state that is not in conformity with the regulations on the posted division of wildlife sign.

(T) It shall be unlawful for any person sixteen years of age or older to take, catch, or attempt to take or catch fish, or engage in fishing in any manner in any waters posted with division of wildlife signs stating "Fishing in this area restricted to persons fifteen years of age or younger."

(U) Notwithstanding division (M) of section 1531.01 and section 1533.37 of the Revised Code, fish may be taken in the lake Erie sport fishing district, the eastern fishing unit of the Ohio river, and the western fishing unit of the Ohio river with not more than three hand lines, three units of rod and line, or a combination of up to three hand lines or units of rod and line in the aggregate.

(V) It shall be unlawful to engage in fishing in the lake Erie sport fishing district, the eastern fishing unit of the Ohio river, or the western fishing unit of the Ohio river with more than three hand lines, three units of rod and line, or a combination of up to three hand lines or units of rod and line in the aggregate.

(W) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code shall apply to this rule.

Effective: 1/1/2020
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 8/12/2019 and 01/01/2025
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 1531.06, 1531.08, 1531.10
Rule Amplifies: 1531.06, 1531.08, 1533.37, 1533.02
Prior Effective Dates: 09/20/1975, 02/25/1977, 06/01/1980, 06/01/1981, 10/16/1981, 06/01/1982, 05/31/1983, 06/01/1988, 09/15/1995, 03/01/1997, 03/01/1998, 01/01/2001, 07/19/2002, 11/13/2002, 07/01/2008, 07/01/2009, 01/01/2012, 03/01/2014, 07/01/2015, 03/01/2016, 03/01/2017, 03/01/2019