8 Spots for Fishing Around Boardman, OH

Ohio is home to some of the most beautiful nature parks and lakes throughout the country, and the area around Boardman, Ohio, is no exception. Whether you love ice fishing, long days of tranquil angling on a shore, or fishing for large bass in the middle of a deep lake, Ohio has the perfect destination to suit your style. Check out our list of favorite fishing spots in the area. Not only do they offer plenty of fishing, but each spot also has unique opportunities for hunting, hiking, or seeing the local sights.

Fishing Spots That Offer Shoreside Fishing

Image via Flickr by MetroDenver

If you love fishing more than you love getting out on the water, then Ohio has plenty of lakeside (and riverside) fishing spots that offer plenty of access and excitement for anglers. These are some of the top fishing spots around Boardman, Ohio, for people who want a relaxing trip by — not on — the water:

1. Beaver Creek State Park

South of Boardman, you’ll find Beaver Creek State Park. This park is home to lots of opportunities for outdoor recreation, including fishing, boating, and hiking. It’s one of the top spots in the state for stream fishing, with plenty of rock bass and smallmouth bass for you to enjoy. Little Beaver Creek is a wild river surrounded by over 2,500 acres of forest land in the Appalachian Mountains. The park is open all year long for visitors who love hunting and exploring in the cooler months as much as they do fishing in the spring and summer.

2. Ohio River

Thanks to the many bridges that cross the watery border between Ohio and Kentucky, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia, recreational fishers can find the perfect spot to settle down and concentrate on catching fish. The Ohio River has blue catfish, goldeneye, longnose gar, skipjack herring, and multiple other kinds of fish. This river holds some of the state records in Ohio and the surrounding states for the biggest fish found in the area, such as Ohio’s record for the largest blue catfish and longnose gar. Since the Ohio River is over 980 miles long, there’s plenty of space for anglers of all experience levels and lots of sights to see.

Fishing Spots You Can Access by Boat

If you’re looking for the full, serene experience of fishing in a boat, Boardman, Ohio, delivers. Visit these popular fishing spots on a boat for a full day of fishing out on a lake.

3. Lake Milton State Park

If you go west along Interstate 76 to Craig Beach, you’ll find Lake Milton State Park. This manmade reservoir spans across more than 1,500 acres and is a popular vacation spot for boating and fishing. Other outdoor recreation options at Lake Milton State Park include hunting, birdwatching, hiking, and cross-country skiing during the winter. Fishing-enthusiasts can enjoy fishing throughout the spring, summer, and fall, as well as ice fishing during the winter. Look for popular species such as bluegill, crappie, catfish, smallmouth and largemouth bass, white bass, and yellow perch.

4. Leesville Lake

If you love fishing for bass and muskie, Leesville Lake is the right destination for your next fishing trip. In fact, this lake is frequently called one of the best locations for muskie. It’s been a premier spot for Ohio fishing for 80 years, and the lake sprawls across more than 1,000 acres. You can enjoy fishing spring, summer, and fall.
Visitors can also enjoy a day of fishing from the 27 miles of shoreline along the lake if they don’t want to get out on the water.

5. Mosquito Lake State Park

This state park is just a short drive past Youngstown, and it’s a great choice for a weekend full of fishing, boating, and camping. The lake is over 7,800 acres, and the park allows unlimited horsepower boating on select portions of the lake while keeping other areas restricted to a more tranquil 15 miles per hour. Anglers can enjoy fishing from their boats or from the shoreline. Bass, crappie, northern pike, and walleye all populate the lake throughout the year.
During the winter, Mosquito Lake State Park is a popular destination for ice fishing. Just be sure to bundle up and have the right tires for the winter drive!

6. Piedmont Lake

Piedmont Lake is a large, quiet lake that’s perfect for people who want a tranquil fishing trip. The lake welcomes boats — as long as the motor stays below 10 horsepower — and is home to large muskie, saugeye, and two different types of catfish. People can enjoy the coves in Belmont, Guernsey, and Harrison Counties.
Piedmont Lake is another great location for anglers who love fishing along the shoreline instead of spending their trip on a boat.

7. Pymatuning Lake

Ohio’s largest inland lake, Pymatuning has over 14,000 acres of fishable water and is surrounding by Pymatuning State Park. If you want an adventurous weekend of fishing and camping, this park has it all. The lake is home to sunfish, muskie, walleye, yellow perch, and largemouth and smallmouth bass. However, the lake does span across state lines into neighboring Pennsylvania, so make sure you keep track of your location (or buy another fishing license) when you visit.

8. Seneca Lake

If you love fishing because it’s an opportunity to get away from the crowds, take a day or weekend trip to Seneca Lake. This eastern Ohio lake is a bit off the beaten trail, but it’s just twelve miles outside of Cambridge. It’s also home to a restaurant and a well-stocked marina. It’s also over 3,500 acres, so there’s plenty of room to enjoy a tranquil day on the lake. Come here to find large sunfish, lots of catfish and crappie, and even some largemouth bass.

Each of these lakes and rivers is on our road trip to-do list at Cochran Chevrolet, and the drive to each spot is worth it for the journey alone. When you’re just looking for a fun park to spend the afternoon at, these parks around Austintown have everything from golf courses to dog parks. If you don’t see your favorite local fishing spot here, let us know about it — and what fish we should expect to see there! We’d love to add it to the list.