Fishing in Belmont County, Ohio
Seat: St. Clairsville. Fish management by ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
- 4lake pages
- 8launches
- 1river pages
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What Belmont County holds for anglers
St. Clairsville serves as county seat for Belmont County, home to 66,497 people in 2020. Water takes up 9.1 square miles beside 532 square miles of land. ODNR lists the county under ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office). Its Ohio River bank holds 3 launches; limits follow the Ohio River Eastern Unit (Ohio/West Virginia).
Still water with its own page: 4 lakes, 2,594 acres, Piedmont Lake first by size. 4 of the lake pages carry an ODNR horsepower rule, 3 of them electric motors only. ODNR mapped 22 attractor sites across 2 county lakes. Count 8 public launches in all: 7 concrete and 184 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 Belmont 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 Belmont County
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Lake | 2,377 | 3 | 10 HP limit | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Belmont Lake | 109 | 1 | electric motors only | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Slope Creek Reservoir | 93 | 1 | electric motors only | |
| Barnesville Lake #4 | 14 | 1 | electric motors only | channel catfish, hybrid sunfish, steelhead |
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres), horsepower restrictions, fish hot-spot maps and stocking records; retrieved October 2026.
For the crappie herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Streams of Belmont County with ODNR access
- Captina Creek3 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
Belmont County river stages and flows
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Wheeling Creek Below Blaine Oh | 67 cfs, 1.40 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:30 pm |
| Captina Creek At S.r. 148 At Armstrongs Mills Oh | 41 cfs, 4.18 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:15 pm |
| Stillwater Creek Above Piedmont Lake Oh | 1.52 ft gage height | Nov 12 6:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 7:33 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.
Belmont County launches, piers and banks
- Barkcamp State Park on Belmont LakeBelmont Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 2 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, electric motors only
- Barnesville Memorial Park on Barnesville Lake #4Barnesville Lake #4, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 1 trailer spaces, no launch fee, electric motors only
- Kirkwood Ramp on Piedmont LakePiedmont Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 5 trailer spaces, no launch fee, 10 HP limit
- Reynolds Road Launch Ramp on Piedmont LakePiedmont Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 25 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit
- Slope Creek Reservoir RampSlope Creek Reservoir, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 6 trailer spaces, no launch fee, electric motors only
- Powhatan Point Boat Launch on Ohio RiverOhio River, concrete ramp, 3 lanes, 120 trailer spaces, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Shadyside Marina on Ohio RiverOhio River, boat ramp, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Village of Bellaire Boat Ramp on Ohio RiverOhio River, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 25 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, 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.
Belmont County on the Ohio River
The Ohio River Eastern Unit (Ohio/West Virginia) table below covers this stretch of the river.
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black & White Crappie | OHIO REGULATIONS: shore anglers on the Ohio shoreline and all anglers in Ohio embayments and tributaries within the Eastern Unit | 30 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Walleye, Sauger, & Saugeye | OHIO REGULATIONS: shore anglers on the Ohio shoreline and all anglers in Ohio embayments and tributaries within the Eastern Unit | 6 (singly or in combination) | Open year-round |
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | UNIFIED OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA REGULATIONS: on or within a quarter mile of the Ohio River on its embayments and tributaries to the first riffle or dam | 6 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches | Open year-round |
| Muskellunge | UNIFIED OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA REGULATIONS: on or within a quarter mile of the Ohio River on its embayments and tributaries to the first riffle or dam | 2; minimum 30 inches | Open year-round |
| Striped, Hybrid-Striped, & White Bass | UNIFIED OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA REGULATIONS: on or within a quarter mile of the Ohio River on its embayments and tributaries to the first riffle or dam | 30 (no more than 4 over 15 inches) | Open year-round |
- Powhatan Point Boat Launch on Ohio Riverconcrete ramp, 3 lanes, 120 trailer spaces, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Shadyside Marina on Ohio Riverboat ramp, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Village of Bellaire Boat Ramp on Ohio Riverconcrete ramp, 1 lane, 25 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, 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 Belmont County, and the records
From 1970 through 2022, ODNR logged 444 stockings across 3 lakes here, led by 16,482,398 saugeye, 1,258,532 walleye, 846,183 channel catfish, 205,506 rainbow trout.
Rainbow trout drops in Belmont County, 2026
| Date | Water | Size |
|---|---|---|
| March 11, 2026 | Barnesville Lake #4 | 10-13 inches |
What ODNR stocked last in Belmont County
| Year | Water | Species | Number and size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Belmont Lake | Rainbow Trout | 1,635 catchable |
| 2022 | Belmont Lake | Saugeye | 11,122 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Piedmont Lake | Saugeye | 44,625 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Piedmont Lake | Saugeye | 58,408 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Piedmont Lake | Saugeye | 68,305 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Piedmont Lake | Saugeye | 50,353 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Piedmont Lake | Saugeye | 94,640 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Piedmont Lake | Saugeye | 162,266 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Belmont Lake | Rainbow Trout | 1,640 catchable |
| 2021 | Belmont Lake | Saugeye | 10,977 fingerlings |
Belmont County in the Ohio record book
| Species | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead Catfish | 76 lb | Piedmont Lake | 1972 |
| Muskellunge | 55.13 lb | Piedmont Lake | 1972 |
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 Belmont County
Statewide inland limits cover Belmont 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.
Tournaments on Belmont County water
1 published events name a launch in this county, 0 upcoming.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29, 2026 | Ohio River Challenge Tour Northern Series, Powhatan Point (2026) | Ohio River | Ohio River Challenge Tour |
Organizer schedule and results pages (ODNR publishes no tournament calendar), checked October 2026.
Bait counters and charter captains of Belmont County
Belmont County stores that serve anglers
- Academy Sports + Outdoors, 67800 Mall Rd Ste 100-05bait and tackle shop, Saint Clairsville
- Piedmont Lake Marinamarina, Freeport
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, charter and guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
In the orbit of Belmont County
Towns and villages with pages in Belmont County
- Martins Ferrypop. 6,260
- St. Clairsvillepop. 5,096
- Barnesvillepop. 4,008
- Bellairepop. 3,870
- Shadysidepop. 3,454
- Bridgeportpop. 1,582
- Powhatan Pointpop. 1,461
- Bethesdapop. 1,211
Neighboring Ohio counties to Belmont County
- Harrison County20 miles north
- Monroe County21 miles south
- Guernsey County28 miles west
- Jefferson County28 miles north
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting gear for Belmont County
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Lakes, rivers and shore close to Belmont County, pictured
Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Brian Rawson-Ketchum, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Paula R. Lively, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jon Gudorf Photography, CC BY-SA 2.0
Hunting in Belmont County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Belmont County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Sorting out a fishing day in Belmont County
How many ODNR-listed launches dot Belmont County?
8 public launches in all, 7 concrete.
What Belmont County lake covers the most acres?
Piedmont Lake, 2,377 acres by its ODNR outline.
Which Belmont County lakes are electric only?
Check the motor column: 4 lakes have a rule, 3 electric only.
Is there a Buckeye bait counter in Belmont County?
Academy Sports + Outdoors heads 2 listings.
Do charters run out of Belmont County?
No guide or charter lists a business here; the statewide guides page has the rest.
Which place is the Belmont County seat?
The seat is St. Clairsville.
Which Ohio license covers a day on Belmont 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 Belmont County?
Neighbors by distance: Harrison County, Monroe County and Guernsey County.
Which Wildlife District is Belmont County in?
Fisheries work goes to ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
Do weigh-ins ever launch from Belmont County ramps?
1 event on file from organizer pages, none still ahead.
Hitch up for a Belmont County lake day
Check the site rules before keeping fish.