Fishing in Paulding County, Ohio
Seat: Paulding.
- 2lake pages
- 1launch
- 2river pages
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Paulding County water in one read
County business in Paulding County runs out of Paulding, and the 2020 count stood at 18,806. Census mapping shows 2.4 square miles of water inside 416 square miles of land area.
2 lakes in the county have pages, 80 acres in all, and Paulding Reservoir is the largest. ODNR prints a motor limit for 1 lake here, 1 electric-only. Structure placed by ODNR: 1 attractor on 1 lake. Boaters have 1 public launch to choose from; 1 have concrete lanes and 19 trailer spaces are on record. The ODNR walleye-run maps cover Maumee River.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines, horsepower and attractor layers, ODNR launch list; retrieved October 2026.
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ODNR launch and fishing-access points, ODNR lake outlines (representative points) and ODNR stream access points. Checked October 2026.
Still water in Paulding County worth a launch
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paulding Reservoir | 67 | 0 | electric motors only | saugeye, channel catfish, walleye |
| Lake Wayne R Carr | 13 | 0 | channel catfish |
Anglers in Paulding reach these lakes outside Paulding County first.
| Lake | From Paulding | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defiance Reservoir | 13 miles northeast | 73 | 1 | electric motors only | saugeye, yellow perch, channel catfish |
| Oxbow Lake | 16 miles northeast | 39 | 1 | unlimited horsepower, no wake | largemouth bass, northern pike, channel catfish |
| Van Wert City Reservoir 1 | 20 miles south | 61 | 1 | electric motors only | |
| Delphos Gillmor Reservoir | 21 miles southeast | 49 | 0 | saugeye, yellow perch, channel catfish | |
| McKarns Lake | 29 miles north | 40 | 0 | northern pike, steelhead, walleye | |
| Barton Lake | 29 miles north | 19 | 0 |
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres), horsepower restrictions, fish hot-spot maps and stocking records; retrieved October 2026.
River pages tied to Paulding County
- Maumee Riverspring walleye run, 15 launchs, 47 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Auglaize River3 launchs, 14 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
USGS stream gauges reporting from Paulding County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Maumee River At Antwerp Oh | 279 cfs, 6.21 ft gage height | Nov 11 5:00 pm |
| Little Auglaize River At Melrose Oh | 9 cfs, 10.96 ft gage height | Nov 11 5:00 pm |
| Little Flatrock Creek Near Junction Oh | 0 cfs, 2.10 ft gage height | Nov 11 5:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 5:32 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.
Each ODNR-listed launch in Paulding County
- Oakwood Ramp on Auglaize RiverAuglaize River, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 19 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.
Paulding County stocking history and record catches
The stocking file shows 95 releases on 2 county lakes, 1970 to 2022: 931,556 saugeye, 81,867 walleye, 77,686 channel catfish, 75,000 bluegill.
Last recorded plants in Paulding County
| Year | Water | Species | Number and size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Paulding Reservoir | Saugeye | 67,450 fry |
| 2021 | Paulding Reservoir | Channel Catfish | 3,351 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Paulding Reservoir | Saugeye | 67,140 fry |
| 2020 | Paulding Reservoir | Saugeye | 7,133 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Paulding Reservoir | Channel Catfish | 3,358 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Paulding Reservoir | Saugeye | 136,620 fry |
| 2018 | Lake Wayne R. Carr | Channel Catfish | 792 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Paulding Reservoir | Saugeye | 67,584 fry |
Record-book fish from Paulding County
| Species | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sucker (other than buffalo) | 11.21 lb | Maumee River | 2007 |
| Sauger | 7.31 lb | Maumee River | 1981 |
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 Paulding County
The statewide inland rows govern Paulding 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.
Paulding County tackle and guide listings
Paulding County tackle and marina listings
- Five Span Marinamarina, Defiance
- Flat Rock Marinamarina, Defiance
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, charter and guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Beside Paulding County
Where to sleep while fishing Paulding County
- Pauldingpop. 3,555
- Antwerppop. 1,676
- Paynepop. 1,192
County pages around Paulding County
- Defiance County15 miles north
- Van Wert County18 miles south
- Putnam County24 miles east
- Henry County30 miles northeast
A Piscifun setup matched to Paulding County
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Lakes, rivers and shore close to Paulding County, pictured
Photo: Nyttend, Public domain
Photo: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Nyttend, Public domain
Photo: Dustin M. Ramsey, Attribution
What Buckeye anglers ask about Paulding County
Which Paulding County launches are on the ODNR list?
1 public launch; 1 offer a concrete lane.
What is the biggest still water in Paulding County?
Paulding Reservoir, 67 acres by its ODNR outline.
What engine limits apply in Paulding County?
1 lake pages here carry an ODNR motor rule, 1 electric only; the table shows each.
What Paulding County stores keep fishing gear on the shelf?
Five Span Marina is one of 2 shops and marinas here.
Can I book a paid fishing day out of Paulding County?
No captain gives a county address.
Which town flies the flag over the Paulding County courthouse?
Paulding, where the courthouse stands.
Do I need a special permit in Paulding 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 Paulding County?
The list above starts with Defiance County, Van Wert County and Putnam County.
Work the lakes and rivers of Paulding County
Every launch opens with directions.