Fishing in Guernsey County, Ohio
Seat: Cambridge. Fish management by ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
- 3lake pages
- 15launches
- 1river pages
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A quick tour of Guernsey County fishing
The seat of Guernsey County is Cambridge; 38,438 residents lived in the county at the 2020 Census. Of its area, 522 square miles are land and 6 are water, per the Census Gazetteer. Fisheries work here is handled by ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
Between them, the 3 lakes with pages hold 9,024 acres; Seneca Lake is the biggest. Motor limits cover 3 lakes in the county; 0 permit electric motors alone. Divisions crews have sunk 42 fish attractors in 3 of these lakes. 15 public launches serve the county, including 11 with concrete lanes and room for 560 trailers.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines, horsepower and attractor layers, ODNR launch list; retrieved October 2026.
Launches, lakes and rivers of Guernsey County, plotted
ODNR launch and fishing-access points, ODNR lake outlines (representative points) and ODNR stream access points. Checked October 2026.
ODNR-mapped lakes of Guernsey County, biggest first
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seneca Lake | 3,587 | 4 | 399 HP, Unlimited | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Salt Fork Lake | 3,060 | 11 | unlimited horsepower | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Piedmont Lake | 2,377 | 3 | 10 HP limit | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
Guernsey County has few lake pages of its own, so the closest ones beyond the line are added, measured from Cambridge.
| Lake | From Cambridge | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wills Creek | 15 miles northwest | 375 | 1 | 10 HP limit | saugeye, channel catfish, yellow perch |
| Wolf Run Lake | 16 miles south | 208 | 1 | 10 HP limit | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Cutler Lake | 20 miles southwest | 18 | 2 | electric motors only | |
| Pond MB-42 | 21 miles south | 27 | 1 | 6 HP limit | |
| Barnesville Lake #4 | 21 miles east | 14 | 1 | electric motors only | channel catfish, hybrid sunfish, steelhead |
| Slope Creek Reservoir | 24 miles east | 93 | 1 | electric motors only |
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 Moving water across Guernsey County
- Wills Creek6 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
Further moving water in Guernsey County (1)
- Seneca Fork Wills Creek4 ODNR access points
Gauge data for rivers in Guernsey County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Wills Creek At Cambridge Oh | 91 cfs, 2.22 ft gage height | Nov 12 8:15 pm |
| Leatherwood Creek Near Kipling Oh | 66 cfs, 3.18 ft gage height | Nov 12 7:45 pm |
| Seneca Fork Bl Senecaville Dam Near Senecaville Oh | 3 cfs, 4.27 ft gage height | Nov 12 8:15 pm |
| Wills Creek At Derwent Oh | 3.52 ft gage height | Nov 12 8:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 8:32 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.
Getting a boat or a bait bucket onto Guernsey County water
- Piedmont MarinaPiedmont Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 45 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit
- Salt Fork State Park – Cabin AreaSalt Fork Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 35 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Salt Fork State Park – Campground RampSalt Fork Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 19 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Salt Fork State Park – Morning Glory RampSalt Fork Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 50 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Salt Fork State Park – North Salem RampSalt Fork Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 17 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Salt Fork State Park – Park Office RampSalt Fork Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 47 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Salt Fork State Park – Rocky Fork AccessSalt Fork Lake, gravel ramp, 1 lane, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Salt Fork State Park – Salt Fork MarinaSalt Fork Lake, concrete ramp, 4 lanes, 178 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Salt Fork State Park – Sugartree Ramp and MarinaSalt Fork Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 48 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Seneca Lake Park – Seneca Marina Pt. CampgroundSeneca Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 20 trailer spaces, no launch fee, 399 HP limit
- Seneca Launch RampSeneca Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 90 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 399 HP limit
- Seneca Marina and RampSeneca Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, no launch fee, 399 HP limit
- US 22 Wildlife Access Ramp on Salt Fork LakeSalt Fork Lake, gravel ramp, 1 lane, 11 trailer spaces, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Public launch on Salt Fork Lake near Old Washington (east)Salt Fork Lake, boat ramp
- Public launch on Salt Fork Lake near Old Washington (west)Salt Fork Lake, boat ramp
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.
Trout drops, stockings and records for Guernsey County
ODNR stocking records list 457 releases in 1 county lakes from 1970 to 2022; the largest totals are 23,169,645 saugeye, 18,506,965 walleye, 1,137,196 channel catfish, 156,642 tiger muskie.
Guernsey County stocking, newest records
| Year | Water | Species | Number and size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Salt Fork Lake | Saugeye | 27,542 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Salt Fork Lake | Saugeye | 54,357 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Salt Fork Lake | Saugeye | 259,902 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Salt Fork Lake | Muskellunge | 104 adv. fingerlings |
| 2021 | Salt Fork Lake | Muskellunge | 186 adv. fingerlings |
| 2021 | Salt Fork Lake | Muskellunge | 92 adv. fingerlings |
| 2021 | Salt Fork Lake | Muskellunge | 51 adv. fingerlings |
| 2021 | Salt Fork Lake | Muskellunge | 273 adv. fingerlings |
| 2021 | Salt Fork Lake | Muskellunge | 178 adv. fingerlings |
| 2021 | Salt Fork Lake | Muskellunge | 44 adv. fingerlings |
Ohio record fish from Guernsey County
| Species | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead Catfish | 76 lb | Piedmont Lake | 1972 |
| Muskellunge | 55.13 lb | Piedmont Lake | 1972 |
| Bluegill | 3.28 lb | Salt Fork Reservoir | 1990 |
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.
Keeper rules across Guernsey County
Inland lakes and streams in Guernsey County follow the statewide rows below unless the booklet prints a site-specific entry.
| 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.
Shops and captains serving Guernsey County
Guernsey County bait counters
- D&J bait tacklebait and tackle shop, Freeport
- Salt Fork Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Kimbolton
- Salt Fork Marinamarina, Lore City
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, charter and guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Surrounding Guernsey County
Villages and cities of Guernsey County, by size
- Cambridgepop. 10,089
- Byesvillepop. 2,364
Ohio counties closest to Guernsey County
- Noble County20 miles south
- Muskingum County24 miles west
- Harrison County27 miles northeast
- Tuscarawas County27 miles north
What to grab from Piscifun before Guernsey County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Spotting the fish of Guernsey County by photo
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Mike Heine, CC BY 4.0
Common questions on fishing inside Guernsey County
Which Guernsey County launches handle a trailered rig?
The list holds 15 public launches; 11 have concrete lanes.
Which lake in Guernsey County is the largest?
Seneca Lake, 3,587 acres by its ODNR outline.
Can I run a big outboard on Guernsey County lakes?
ODNR lists a limit for 3 county lakes; 0 allow electric motors only.
Can I buy minnows and crawlers inside Guernsey County?
Try D&J bait tackle, one of 3.
Which captains or guides call Guernsey County home?
Guides are listed under other counties.
In what town do Guernsey County commissioners meet?
The courthouse stands in Cambridge.
Is one Ohio license enough for Guernsey County?
Ohio asks every angler 16 or older for a license: $25.00 a year for a resident, $76.96 for a nonresident, $10.00 for a resident 65 and up.
Which counties border Guernsey County?
Noble County, Muskingum County and Harrison County lie closest.
Which ODNR district biologists cover Guernsey County?
That is ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
Line up a day on Guernsey County water
Launch pages show lanes, parking and fees.