Fishing in Montgomery County, Ohio
Seat: Dayton. Fish management by ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
- 1lake pages
- 3launches
- 4river pages
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Montgomery County water in one read
County business in Montgomery County runs out of Dayton, and the 2020 count stood at 537,309. Census mapping shows 2.9 square miles of water inside 461 square miles of land area. The Division of Wildlife files it under ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
1 lake in the county have pages, 189 acres in all, and Eastwood Lake is the largest. ODNR prints a motor limit for 1 lake here, 0 electric-only. Structure placed by ODNR: 10 attractors on 1 lake. Boaters have 3 public launches to choose from; 2 have concrete lanes and 40 trailer spaces are on record.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines, horsepower and attractor layers, ODNR launch list; retrieved October 2026.
Montgomery County water on one map
ODNR launch and fishing-access points, ODNR lake outlines (representative points) and ODNR stream access points. Checked October 2026.
Still water in Montgomery County worth a launch
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastwood Lake | 189 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | channel catfish, saugeye, yellow perch |
Anglers in Dayton reach these lakes outside Montgomery County first.
| Lake | From Dayton | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caesar Creek Lake | 21 miles southeast | 2,806 | 7 | unlimited horsepower | hybrid striped bass, muskellunge, saugeye |
| C.J. Brown Reservoir | 27 miles northeast | 1,969 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | walleye, muskellunge, white crappie |
| Kiser Lake | 31 miles northeast | 394 | 9 | No Motors | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Clark Lake | 31 miles east | 102 | 1 | 10 HP limit | steelhead, channel catfish, northern pike |
| Cowan Lake | 32 miles southeast | 694 | 6 | 10 HP limit | muskellunge, saugeye, sauger |
| Acton Lake | 33 miles southwest | 592 | 1 | unlimited horsepower, no wake | saugeye, muskellunge, tiger muskellunge |
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres), horsepower restrictions, fish hot-spot maps and stocking records; retrieved October 2026.
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- Great Miami River1 launch, 79 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Mad River33 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Stillwater River27 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Twin Creek6 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
USGS stream gauges reporting from Montgomery County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Great Miami River At Miamisburg Oh | 964 cfs, 3.98 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:30 pm |
| Great Miami River At Dayton Oh | 811 cfs, 24.11 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:30 pm |
| Great Miami River At Taylorsville Oh | 780 cfs, 2.95 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:30 pm |
| Stillwater River At Englewood Oh | 156 cfs, 2.88 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:30 pm |
| Twin Creek Near Germantown Oh | 89 cfs, 1.54 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:30 pm |
| Wolf Creek At Dayton Oh | 22 cfs, 1.19 ft gage height | Nov 11 6:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 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.
Each ODNR-listed launch in Montgomery County
- Eastwood Lake Boat Ramp at Eastwood MetroParkEastwood Lake, concrete ramp, 4 lanes, 40 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Eastwood Lake PWC Launch AreaEastwood Lake, boat ramp, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Eastwood MetroPark Lagoon RampEastwood Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
Fishing from land in Montgomery County (1)
- Youth Only Fishing Pondshore fishing, youth only,
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.
Montgomery County stocking history and record catches
The stocking file shows 57 releases on 1 county lakes, 1970 to 2022: 4,310,000 walleye, 453,166 yellow perch, 432,438 saugeye, 71,202 channel catfish.
Last recorded plants in Montgomery County
| Year | Water | Species | Number and size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Eastwood Lake | Channel Catfish | 4,960 adv. fingerlings |
| 2020 | Eastwood Lake | Channel Catfish | 7,639 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Eastwood Lake | Channel Catfish | 2,219 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Eastwood Lake | Yellow Perch | 225,000 fry |
| 2019 | Eastwood Lake | Yellow Perch | 50,076 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Eastwood Lake | Yellow Perch | 6,765 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Eastwood Lake | Yellow Perch | 1,206 adv. fingerlings |
| 2018 | Eastwood Lake | Channel Catfish | 2,501 yearling |
| 2018 | Eastwood Lake | Yellow Perch | 19,796 fingerlings |
Record-book fish from Montgomery County
| Species | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Crappie | 4.27 lb | Great Miami River | 2026 |
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.
Bag, size and site rules for Montgomery County
The statewide inland rows govern Montgomery County; site entries below override 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.
Montgomery County tackle and guide listings
Montgomery County tackle and marina listings
- Anglers Bait & Tacklefly shop, Englewood
- Fisherman's Headquartersbait and tackle shop, Dayton
- Rod-Dees Carryoutbait and tackle shop, Miamisburg
- Dick's Sporting Goods Daytonsporting goods store, Dayton
- Dick's Sporting Goods Huber Heightssporting goods store, Huber Heights
- Dick's Sporting Goods Miamisburgsporting goods store, Miamisburg
- Marina Trimmarina, Miamisburg
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, charter and guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Beside Montgomery County
Where to sleep while fishing Montgomery County
- Daytonpop. 137,644
- Ketteringpop. 57,862
- Huber Heightspop. 43,439
- Riversidepop. 24,474
- Centervillepop. 24,240
- Trotwoodpop. 23,070
- Miamisburgpop. 19,923
- Vandaliapop. 15,209
- Englewoodpop. 13,463
- Claytonpop. 13,310
- West Carrolltonpop. 13,129
- Shilohpop. 10,952
- Oakwood (Montgomery County)pop. 9,572
- Unionpop. 6,859
- Morainepop. 6,393
- Brookvillepop. 5,989
County pages around Montgomery County
- Preble County19 miles west
- Miami County21 miles north
- Greene County22 miles east
- Warren County24 miles south
A Piscifun setup matched to Montgomery County
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Lakes, rivers and shore close to Montgomery County, pictured
Photo: Ted, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Kyle Hartshorn, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Nyttend, Public domain
Photo: Andrew C, CC BY 2.0
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Hunting in Montgomery County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Montgomery County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
What Buckeye anglers ask about Montgomery County
Which Montgomery County launches are on the ODNR list?
3 public launches; 2 offer a concrete lane.
What is the biggest still water in Montgomery County?
Eastwood Lake, 189 acres by its ODNR outline.
What engine limits apply in Montgomery County?
1 lake pages here carry an ODNR motor rule, 0 electric only; the table shows each.
What Montgomery County stores keep fishing gear on the shelf?
Anglers Bait & Tackle is one of 7 shops and marinas here.
Can I book a paid fishing day out of Montgomery County?
No captain gives a county address.
Which town flies the flag over the Montgomery County courthouse?
Dayton, where the courthouse stands.
Do I need a special permit in Montgomery County?
Expect to pay $25.00 as an Ohio resident, $76.96 as a nonresident or $10.00 as a resident senior; anglers under 16 need no license.
Which neighbors share a line with Montgomery County?
The list above starts with Preble County, Miami County and Greene County.
What district office serves Montgomery County?
ODNR files it under ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
Work the lakes and rivers of Montgomery County
Every launch opens with directions.