Fishing in Ross County, Ohio
Seat: Chillicothe. Fish management by ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
- 4lake pages
- 4launches
- 5river pages
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Ross County from a fishing point of view
Ross County keeps its courthouse in Chillicothe, and its 2020 Census count was 77,093 people. Land covers 689 square miles here; water accounts for another 3.9. ODNR data place the county in ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
Paint Creek Lake heads a list of 4 county lakes with pages, which add up to 1,327 acres. 3 of the 4 lakes with a horsepower note are electric-only water. Anglers looking for cover can use 6 ODNR attractors spread over 2 lakes. The launch list shows 4 public launches; concrete lanes at 3, and 63 trailer spaces where a count is printed.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines, horsepower and attractor layers, ODNR launch list; retrieved October 2026.
Mapping lakes and ramps in Ross County
ODNR launch and fishing-access points, ODNR lake outlines (representative points) and ODNR stream access points. Checked October 2026.
Lakes with pages inside Ross County
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paint Creek Lake | 1,177 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | carp (common), saugeye, channel catfish |
| Ross Lake | 127 | 1 | electric motors only | channel catfish, northern pike, walleye |
| Pine Lake | 12 | 1 | electric motors only | |
| Caldwell Lake | 10 | 1 | electric motors only | channel catfish, steelhead, largemouth bass |
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres), horsepower restrictions, fish hot-spot maps and stocking records; retrieved October 2026.
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- Scioto River2 launchs, 40 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Paint Creek21 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Deer Creek10 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Salt Creek9 ODNR access points
- North Fork Paint Creek6 ODNR access points
How Ross County streams are flowing now
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Scioto River At Chillicothe Oh | 2,480 cfs, 3.39 ft gage height | Nov 11 4:45 pm |
| Scioto River At Higby Oh | 3,040 cfs, 2.77 ft gage height | Nov 11 5:00 pm |
| Paint Creek Near Bourneville Oh | 537 cfs, 2.98 ft gage height | Nov 11 4:45 pm |
| Paint Creek At Chillicothe Oh | 940 cfs, 6.82 ft gage height | Nov 11 5:15 pm |
| Paint Creek Near Bainbridge Oh | 11 cfs, 2.61 ft gage height | Sep 30 11:30 pm Not updated since Sep 30, 1991. |
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.
Launch lanes and shore sites in Ross County
- Ross Lake Wildlife AreaRoss Lake, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 38 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower, no wake
- Scioto Trail State Park – Caldwell launchCaldwell Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 5 trailer spaces, no launch fee, electric motors only
- Tar Hollow State Park Ramp on Pine LakePine Lake, gravel ramp, 1 lane, courtesy dock, no launch fee, electric motors only
- Yoctangee Park Scioto River AccessScioto River, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 20 trailer spaces, 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.
Ross County hatchery releases and records
County lakes took 111 ODNR stockings in 1970 to 2022 on 2 waters, topped by 171,774 channel catfish, 61,800 redear sunfish, 13,789 rainbow trout, 13,050 flathead catfish.
Trout days in Ross County, spring 2026
| Date | Water | Size |
|---|---|---|
| March 13, 2026 | Caldwell Lake | 10-13 inches |
Recent hatchery releases in Ross County
| Year | Water | Species | Number and size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Caldwell Lake | Rainbow Trout | 669 catchable |
| 2021 | Caldwell Lake | Channel Catfish | 504 catchable |
| 2021 | Caldwell Lake | Rainbow Trout | 604 catchable |
| 2020 | Caldwell Lake | Channel Catfish | 551 catchable |
| 2020 | Caldwell Lake | Rainbow Trout | 600 catchable |
| 2019 | Caldwell Lake | Channel Catfish | 500 catchable |
| 2019 | Caldwell Lake | Rainbow Trout | 750 catchable |
| 2019 | Ross Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,624 yearling |
| 2019 | Ross Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,755 yearling |
| 2018 | Caldwell Lake | Channel Catfish | 503 catchable |
Outdoor Writers of Ohio records from Ross County
| Species | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carp (Common) | 50 lb | Paint Creek | 1967 |
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.
Ross County limits from the ODNR booklet
Unless named in the site-specific list, a Ross County lake follows these statewide rows.
| 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.
Stocking up for Ross County water
Bait counters and marinas of Ross County
- Dick's Sporting Goods Chillicothesporting goods store, Chillicothe
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, charter and guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Close by Ross County
Overnight bases in Ross County
- Chillicothepop. 22,059
- Kingstonpop. 1,262
- Frankfortpop. 1,084
Next county pages over from Ross County
- Pike County17 miles south
- Pickaway County22 miles north
- Fayette County27 miles northwest
- Highland County31 miles west
Reels and line from Piscifun for Ross County
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Fish pictures for a trip to Ross County
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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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
Hunting in Ross County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Ross County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Ross County waters: frequent questions
How many boat launches serve Ross County?
4 public launches are listed above, 3 with concrete lanes.
Where is the most open water in Ross County?
Paint Creek Lake, 1,177 acres by its ODNR outline.
Do Ross County lakes have horsepower limits?
3 electric-only lakes and 4 with any motor rule.
Which Ross County stores carry Ohio tackle?
1 in the county, such as Dick's Sporting Goods Chillicothe.
Which guides list Ross County?
No guide business is on file for the county.
Which community is seat of Ross County?
Chillicothe is the seat.
How much does an out-of-state angler pay for Ross County water?
Ohio residents buy a $25.00 annual license, out-of-state anglers $76.96, and seniors living in Ohio $10.00; the rule starts at 16.
Which counties surround Ross County?
The nearest county pages are Pike County, Pickaway County and Fayette County.
Which ODNR district covers Ross County?
ODNR places it in ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
Choose an ODNR lake in Ross County
Open a lake for its ramps, limits and stocking history.