Fishing in Shelby County, Ohio
Seat: Sidney. Fish management by ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
- 1lake pages
- 6launches
- 2river pages
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Shelby County water in one read
County business in Shelby County runs out of Sidney, and the 2020 count stood at 48,230. Census mapping shows 3 square miles of water inside 408 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, 870 acres in all, and Lake Loramie is the largest. ODNR prints a motor limit for 1 lake here, 0 electric-only. Boaters have 6 public launches to choose from; 6 have concrete lanes and 142 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.
Shelby 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 Shelby County worth a launch
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Loramie | 870 | 6 | unlimited horsepower | saugeye, channel catfish, tiger muskellunge |
Anglers in Sidney reach these lakes outside Shelby County first.
| Lake | From Sidney | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiser Lake | 13 miles southeast | 394 | 9 | No Motors | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Indian Lake | 20 miles northeast | 5,161 | 7 | unlimited horsepower | saugeye, largemouth bass, walleye |
| Grand Lake St. Marys | 23 miles northwest | 13,396 | 13 | unlimited horsepower | walleye, largemouth bass, yellow perch |
| Bresler Reservoir | 31 miles north | 583 | 1 | electric motors only | catfish, crappie, saugeye/walleye |
| Williams Reservoir | 31 miles north | 426 | 0 | yellow perch, bluegill, channel catfish | |
| Lost Creek Reservoir | 32 miles north | 130 | 1 | electric motors only | channel catfish, saugeye, walleye |
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
- Loramie Creek9 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
USGS stream gauges reporting from Shelby County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Great Miami River At Sidney Oh | 138 cfs, 1.18 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:30 pm |
| Loramie Creek At Lockington Oh | 11 cfs, 0.45 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:30 pm |
| Loramie Creek Near Newport Oh | 31 cfs, 3.73 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 10:32 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 Shelby County
- Lake Loramie State Park – Campground RampLake Loramie, concrete ramp, 1 lane, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Lake Loramie State Park – Earl's IslandLake Loramie, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 43 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Lake Loramie State Park – Filburn's Picnic Area RampLake Loramie, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 9 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Lake Loramie State Park – West Bank RampLake Loramie, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 64 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Luthman Road Launch Ramp on Lake LoramieLake Loramie, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 22 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
- Schmitmeyer-Baker North Fishing Access on Lake LoramieLake Loramie, concrete ramp, 1 lane, 4 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower
Fishing from land in Shelby County (4)
- Lake Loramie fishing access near Fort Loramie, Lake Loramie State Parkaccessible fishing site, Lake Loramie
- Lake Loramie fishing access near Fort Loramie, Lake Loramie State Park 2accessible fishing site, Lake Loramie
- Lake Loramie fishing access near Fort Loramie, Lake Loramie State Park 3accessible fishing site, Lake Loramie
- Lake Loramie fishing access near Fort Loramie, Lake Loramie State Park 4accessible fishing site, Lake Loramie
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.
Shelby County stocking history and record catches
The stocking file shows 102 releases on 1 county lakes, 1973 to 2022: 8,030,649 saugeye, 66,995 channel catfish, 20,918 tiger muskie, 4,445 largemouth bass.
Last recorded plants in Shelby County
| Year | Water | Species | Number and size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Lake Loramie | Saugeye | 118,130 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Lake Loramie | Saugeye | 56,244 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Lake Loramie | Channel Catfish | 505 catchable |
| 2021 | Lake Loramie | Saugeye | 87,142 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Lake Loramie | Saugeye | 86,680 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Lake Loramie | Saugeye | 87,079 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Lake Loramie | Channel Catfish | 505 catchable |
| 2019 | Lake Loramie | Saugeye | 175,550 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Lake Loramie | Channel Catfish | 500 catchable |
| 2018 | Lake Loramie | Saugeye | 76,694 fingerlings |
Record-book fish from Shelby 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 Shelby County
The statewide inland rows govern Shelby 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.
Shelby County tackle and guide listings
Shelby County tackle and marina listings
- Fisherman's Delight Baitsbait and tackle shop, Sidney
- Outpost Sport Centerbait and tackle shop, Sidney
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, charter and guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
Beside Shelby County
Where to sleep while fishing Shelby County
- Sidneypop. 20,589
- Fort Loramiepop. 1,590
- Annapop. 1,470
- Jackson Centerpop. 1,441
- Botkinspop. 1,155
County pages around Shelby County
- Auglaize County16 miles north
- Miami County20 miles south
- Logan County23 miles east
- Darke County26 miles southwest
A Piscifun setup matched to Shelby County
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Fish pictures for a trip to Shelby 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
What Buckeye anglers ask about Shelby County
Which Shelby County launches are on the ODNR list?
6 public launches; 6 offer a concrete lane.
What is the biggest still water in Shelby County?
Lake Loramie, 870 acres by its ODNR outline.
What engine limits apply in Shelby County?
1 lake pages here carry an ODNR motor rule, 0 electric only; the table shows each.
What Shelby County stores keep fishing gear on the shelf?
Fisherman's Delight Baits is one of 2 shops and marinas here.
Can I book a paid fishing day out of Shelby County?
No captain gives a county address.
Which town flies the flag over the Shelby County courthouse?
Sidney, where the courthouse stands.
Do I need a special permit in Shelby 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 Shelby County?
The list above starts with Auglaize County, Miami County and Logan County.
What district office serves Shelby County?
ODNR files it under ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
Work the lakes and rivers of Shelby County
Every launch opens with directions.