Fishing in Adams County, Ohio
Seat: West Union. Fish management by ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
- 1lake pages
- 6launches
- 2river pages
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What Adams County holds for anglers
West Union serves as county seat for Adams County, home to 27,477 people in 2020. Water takes up 2.4 square miles beside 584 square miles of land. ODNR lists the county under ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office). Its Ohio River bank holds 4 launches; limits follow the Ohio River Western Unit (Ohio/Kentucky).
Still water with its own page: 1 lake, 35 acres, Adams Lake first by size. 1 of the lake pages carry an ODNR horsepower rule, 1 of them electric motors only. Count 6 public launches in all: 6 concrete and 139 trailer spaces among the lots that list them.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines, horsepower and attractor layers, ODNR launch list; retrieved October 2026.
The Adams County fishing map
ODNR launch and fishing-access points, ODNR lake outlines (representative points) and ODNR stream access points. Checked October 2026.
Lake pages across Adams County
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Lake | 35 | 1 | electric motors only | steelhead, channel catfish, bluegill |
From West Union, these lake pages outside Adams County are the shortest drives.
| Lake | From West Union | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Creek Lake | 19 miles east | 50 | 1 | electric motors only | steelhead, channel catfish, largemouth bass |
| Roosevelt Lake | 20 miles east | 15 | 1 | electric motors only | channel catfish, steelhead |
| Pond Lick Lake | 21 miles east | 4 | 0 | ||
| Rocky Fork Lake | 28 miles north | 1,953 | 6 | unlimited horsepower | muskellunge, walleye, saugeye |
| Paint Creek Lake | 34 miles north | 1,177 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | carp (common), saugeye, channel catfish |
| East Fork Lake | 34 miles northwest | 2,107 | 6 | unlimited horsepower | muskellunge, hybrid striped bass, saugeye |
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres), horsepower restrictions, fish hot-spot maps and stocking records; retrieved October 2026.
For the channel catfish herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 Streams of Adams County with ODNR access
- Ohio Brush Creek12 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Scioto Brush Creek7 ODNR access points
Unpaged streams across Adams County (2)
- South Fork Scioto Brush Creek3 ODNR access points
- West Fork Ohio Brush Creek3 ODNR access points
Adams County river stages and flows
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio Brush Creek Near West Union Oh | 45 cfs, 2.36 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 6:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
ODNR stream access points (Watercraft paddling layer), ODNR steelhead program and walleye-run maps, USGS gauges; retrieved October 2026.
Adams County launches, piers and banks
- Adams Lake State ParkAdams Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, courtesy dock, no launch fee, electric motors only
- Mineral Springs Lake Resort launchMineral Springs Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 24 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, launch fee, electric motors only
- Brush Creek Campground launch on Ohio RiverOhio River, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 45 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Manchester – Island Creek Boat Ramp on Ohio RiverOhio River, concrete ramp, 3 lanes, 50 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Manchester – Kinfolk Landing on Ohio RiverOhio River, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 20 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Rome Village Boat Ramp on Ohio RiverOhio River, concrete ramp, 1 lane, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
ODNR Parks and Watercraft launch facilities, ODNR Division of Wildlife fishing access points and ODNR Office of Coastal Management Lake Erie access; retrieved October 2026.
Adams County on the Ohio River
The Ohio River Western Unit (Ohio/Kentucky) table below covers this stretch of the river.
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | OHIO REGULATIONS: boat anglers in Ohio waters, shoreline anglers on the Ohio shoreline, all anglers in Ohio embayments and tributaries within the West | 6 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches | Open year-round |
| Black & White Crappie | UNIFIED OHIO AND KENTUCKY REGULATIONS: on or within a quarter mile of the Ohio River on its embayments and tributaries to the first riffle or dam in t | 30 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Muskellunge | UNIFIED OHIO AND KENTUCKY REGULATIONS: on or within a quarter mile of the Ohio River on its embayments and tributaries to the first riffle or dam in t | 2; minimum 30 inches | Open year-round |
| Striped, Hybrid-Striped, & White Bass | UNIFIED OHIO AND KENTUCKY REGULATIONS: on or within a quarter mile of the Ohio River on its embayments and tributaries to the first riffle or dam in t | 30 (no more than 4 over 15 inches) | Open year-round |
| Walleye, Sauger, & Saugeye | UNIFIED OHIO AND KENTUCKY REGULATIONS: on or within a quarter mile of the Ohio River on its embayments and tributaries to the first riffle or dam in t | 6 (singly or in combination); minimum 14 inches | Open year-round |
- Brush Creek Campground launch on Ohio Riverconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 45 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Manchester – Island Creek Boat Ramp on Ohio Riverconcrete ramp, 3 lanes, 50 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Manchester – Kinfolk Landing on Ohio Riverconcrete ramp, 1 lane, 20 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Rome Village Boat Ramp on Ohio Riverconcrete ramp, 1 lane, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
ODNR Ohio River launch list; Limits as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) and the ODNR Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch daily limits sheet (May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027); retrieved October 26, 2026.
What ODNR stocked in Adams County, and the records
From 1984 through 2022, ODNR logged 63 stockings across 1 lake here, led by 58,227 rainbow trout, 35,482 channel catfish, 18,776 bluegill, 5,550 golden trout.
Rainbow trout drops in Adams County, 2026
| Date | Water | Size |
|---|---|---|
| March 13, 2026 | Adams Lake | 10-13 inches |
What ODNR stocked last in Adams County
| Year | Water | Species | Number and size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Adams Lake | Rainbow Trout | 1,899 catchable |
| 2021 | Adams Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,919 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Adams Lake | Rainbow Trout | 1,852 catchable |
| 2020 | Adams Lake | Rainbow Trout | 1,550 catchable |
| 2019 | Adams Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,883 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Adams Lake | Rainbow Trout | 2,002 catchable |
| 2018 | Adams Lake | Rainbow Trout | 2,002 catchable |
ODNR Division of Wildlife Ohio Fish Stocking Records (public copy of the DataOhio dataset, current as of May 31, 2022; numbers by water, year, species and life stage); ODNR Rainbow Trout Stocking Dates page, spring 2026 releases (trout 10 to 13 inches); Outdoor Writers of Ohio record fish list. Retrieved October 2026.
Statewide and site limits in Adams County
Statewide inland limits cover Adams County, with the site-specific entries listed after them.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Blue & Flathead Catfish (under 35 inches) | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Blue & Flathead Catfish (35 inches or larger) | 1 of each (statewide); minimum 35 inches | Open year-round |
| Channel Catfish (under 28 inches) | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Channel Catfish (28 inches or larger) | 1 (statewide); minimum 28 inches | Open year-round |
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches | Open year-round |
| Muskellunge | 1 | Open year-round |
| Striped, Hybrid-Striped, & White Bass | 30 (singly or in combination); minimum No more than 4 over 15 inches | Open year-round |
| Trout | 5 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Walleye, Sauger, & Saugeye | 6 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Yellow Perch | 30 | Open year-round |
Limits as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) and the ODNR Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch daily limits sheet (May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027); retrieved October 26, 2026. Site-specific rules as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) (booklet PDF), page numbers in the booklet.
Bait counters and charter captains of Adams County
Adams County stores that serve anglers
- Dailey's Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Peebles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, charter and guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
In the orbit of Adams County
Towns and villages with pages in Adams County
- West Unionpop. 3,004
- Manchesterpop. 1,839
- Peeblespop. 1,774
Neighboring Ohio counties to Adams County
- Brown County22 miles west
- Highland County25 miles north
- Scioto County26 miles east
- Pike County28 miles northeast
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting gear for Adams County
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Shorelines and reservoirs by Adams County, photographed
Photo: Don O'Brien, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Analogue Kid, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Aesopposea, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Aesopposea, CC BY-SA 3.0
Hunting in Adams County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Adams County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Sorting out a fishing day in Adams County
How many ODNR-listed launches dot Adams County?
6 public launches in all, 6 concrete.
What Adams County lake covers the most acres?
Adams Lake, 35 acres by its ODNR outline.
Which Adams County lakes are electric only?
Check the motor column: 1 lake have a rule, 1 electric only.
Is there a Buckeye bait counter in Adams County?
Dailey's Outfitters heads 1 listings.
Do charters run out of Adams County?
No guide or charter lists a business here; the statewide guides page has the rest.
Which place is the Adams County seat?
The seat is West Union.
Which Ohio license covers a day on Adams County water?
A Buckeye fishing license runs $25.00 for residents, $76.96 for visitors from other states and $10.00 for residents 65 or older, starting at age 16. Ohio River anglers fishing from the Ohio shore or Ohio embayments use the Ohio license; the booklet prints the reciprocity terms.
What counties sit next to Adams County?
Neighbors by distance: Brown County, Highland County and Scioto County.
Which Wildlife District is Adams County in?
Fisheries work goes to ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
Hitch up for a Adams County lake day
Check the site rules before keeping fish.