ODNR stocking 20,000 muskies in nine Ohio lakes this fall

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife is stocking 20,000 muskellunge, or muskies, in nine inland lakes this fall.

Muskies, a popular sport fish for anglers, can grow longer than 50 inches. The Division of Wildlife raises muskellunge at the Kincaid State Fish Hatchery in Pike County and the London State Fish Hatchery in Madison County. Hatchery staff release 10- to 12-inch muskies into lakes each fall.

The nine stocking sites this year are Alum Creek Lake, C.J. Brown Reservoir, Caesar Creek Lake, Clearfork Reservoir, Lake Milton, Leesville Lake, Piedmont Lake, Salt Fork Lake and West Branch Reservoir. In addition to those lakes, muskies are also caught in many of Ohio’s river systems.

To help manage the fishery, the Division of Wildlife created the Muskie Angler Log, which gathers public reports of muskie catches. Muskies longer than 40 inches have been recorded in each of the nine lakes being stocked this year, and eight of those waters have produced fish longer than 50 inches.

Anglers who catch a muskie measuring 40 inches or longer qualify for a Fish Ohio award, a program that since 1976 has recognized anglers who land trophy-size fish. In 2024, anglers reported 348 Fish Ohio muskies, including a 53-inch catch at Alum Creek Lake.

The top 10 waters for Fish Ohio muskies in 2024 were:

— West Branch Reservoir (101)

— Leesville Lake (51)

— Alum Creek Lake (35)

— Piedmont Lake (28)

— Pymatuning Lake (28)

— Caesar Creek Lake (16)

— C.J. Brown Reservoir (14)

— Salt Fork Lake (14)

— Clearfork Reservoir (11)

— Mahoning River (9)

Ohio’s state-record muskie weighed 55.1 pounds and measured 50.25 inches. It was caught in Piedmont Lake in 1972. Record fish in Ohio are tracked by the Outdoor Writers of Ohio and determined by weight.

The Division of Wildlife operates six state fish hatcheries that stock 11 fish species. In 2024, the agency put more than 46 million fish into public waters. Complete stocking records are available at data.ohio.gov.

Hatchery operations are funded through fishing license sales and the federal Sport Fish Restoration program. The program, established in 1950, dedicates funding through excise taxes on fishing equipment, import duties on tackle and boats, and motorboat fuel taxes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service apportions the funds to states for habitat acquisition, stocking, research, education and access.

Ohio residents ages 16 and older must have a license to fish public waters. An annual license costs $25 and is valid for one year after purchase. A one-day license is $14 and may be redeemed for credit toward an annual license. Licenses are available at wildohio.gov, through the HuntFish OH app, and at participating vendors.