Fishing in Stark County, Ohio
Seat: Canton. Fish management by ODNR Wildlife District Three (Akron office).
- 4lake pages
- 4launches
- 4river pages
Pick for crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Berlin Lake: Eric Haake, CC BY 2.0
Starting points for fishing Stark County
374,853 Ohioans lived in Stark County in 2020, and the courthouse sits in Canton. The Census Gazetteer gives it 575 square miles of land and 5.3 square miles of water. Biologists from ODNR Wildlife District Three (Akron office) cover these waters.
Lake pages cover 4 waters here totalling 4,434 acres, led by Berlin Lake. Check the motor rule: 4 lakes have one, and 1 ban gas engines. The attractor layer marks 41 sites on 2 lakes in the county. There are 4 public launches in the county, 2 of them concrete, with 55 trailer spaces reported.
Census 2020 population and 2023 Gazetteer areas; ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines, horsepower and attractor layers, ODNR launch list; retrieved October 2026.
Where to put in across Stark County, mapped
ODNR launch and fishing-access points, ODNR lake outlines (representative points) and ODNR stream access points. Checked October 2026.
The Stark County lake lineup
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Fish on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin Lake | 3,344 | 5 | unlimited horsepower | catfish, crappie, largemouth bass |
| Dale Walborn Reservoir | 657 | 1 | 6 HP limit | channel catfish, walleye, largemouth bass |
| Deer Creek Reservoir | 334 | 1 | Electric Only, Unlimited | channel catfish, largemouth bass, walleye |
| Sippo Lake | 100 | 1 | 10 HP limit | channel catfish, hybrid striped bass, northern pike |
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 Creeks and rivers draining Stark County
- Tuscarawas River3 launchs, 20 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Mahoning River34 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Sandy Creek7 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
- Sugar Creek4 ODNR access points, USGS gauge
Live creek and river readings, Stark County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuscarawas River At Massillon Oh | 136 cfs, 7.78 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:15 pm |
| Nimishillen Creek At North Industry Oh | 117 cfs, 4.01 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:15 pm |
| Sandy Creek At Waynesburg Oh | 77 cfs, 1.38 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:00 pm |
| Middle Branch Nimishillen Creek At Canton Oh | 8 cfs, 1.23 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:15 pm |
| Mahoning River At Alliance Oh | 1 cfs, 3.71 ft gage height | Sep 4 11:00 pm Not updated since Sep 4, 1993. |
| East Branch Nimishillen Creek At Louisville Oh | 4.08 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 9:33 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.
Ramps and shore access, Stark County
- Deer Creek Reservoir-Stark Co.ParksDeer Creek Reservoir, gravel ramp, 1 lane, 33 trailer spaces, no launch fee, electric motors only
- Sippo Lake ParkSippo Lake, concrete ramp, 1 lane, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit
- Walborn Marina – Stark Co. Parks on Dale Walborn ReservoirDale Walborn Reservoir, concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 22 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit
- Public launch on Berlin LakeBerlin Lake, boat ramp
Stark County piers and bank access (1)
- Shady Lane Pondshore fishing,
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.
ODNR stocking and Ohio records, Stark County
Between 1970 and 2020 the hatcheries made 182 recorded stockings into 3 lakes here, most of all 24,674,693 walleye, 399,035 hybrid-striped bass, 383,995 channel catfish, 243,593 largemouth bass.
Latest ODNR stockings on file for Stark County
| Year | Water | Species | Number and size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dale Walborn Reservoir | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 38,318 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Sippo Lake | Channel Catfish | 1,763 yearling |
| 2020 | Sippo Lake | Channel Catfish | 749 yearling |
| 2020 | Sippo Lake | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 9,346 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Dale Walborn Reservoir | Channel Catfish | 1,511 yearling |
| 2019 | Dale Walborn Reservoir | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 2,268 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Dale Walborn Reservoir | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 11,080 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Deer Creek Reservoir | Channel Catfish | 1,686 yearling |
| 2019 | Sippo Lake | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 1,134 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Sippo Lake | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 1,667 fingerlings |
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.
What anglers may keep in Stark County
For Stark County inland water, start with the statewide rows and then check the site list.
| 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.
Club and circuit days in Stark County
Organizers have posted 1 event from county launches, 0 still to come.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29, 2026 | Kayak Fishing Tournament, Deer Creek Reservoir (2026) | Deer Creek Reservoir | Kayak Anglers of Northeast Ohio with Stark Parks |
Organizer schedule and results pages (ODNR publishes no tournament calendar), checked October 2026.
Gear and guides for Stark County trips
Where Stark County anglers shop
- Academy Sports + Outdoors, 6687 Strip Ave NWbait and tackle shop, North Canton
- Assassin Lures-Trading Postbait and tackle shop, Massillon
- Kames Sports Centerbait and tackle shop, North Canton
- Ohio Outdoor Sportsbait and tackle shop, Canton
- Dick's Sporting Goods Cantonsporting goods store, Canton
- Meyers Lake Fish Dockmarina, Canton
- Walborn Marinamarina, Alliance
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, charter and guide listings (county of business); retrieved October 2026.
A short hop from Stark County
Town pages inside Stark County
- Cantonpop. 70,872
- Massillonpop. 32,146
- Alliancepop. 21,672
- North Cantonpop. 17,842
- Louisvillepop. 9,521
- Perry Heightspop. 8,391
- Uniontownpop. 7,173
- Reedurbanpop. 5,889
- Canal Fultonpop. 5,325
- Minervapop. 3,684
- Greentownpop. 3,382
- Hartvillepop. 3,329
- Richvillepop. 3,209
- Brewsterpop. 2,113
- Navarrepop. 1,846
- East Cantonpop. 1,521
The counties ringing Stark County
- Carroll County22 miles southeast
- Summit County23 miles north
- Tuscarawas County26 miles south
- Portage County26 miles north
Piscifun picks for a run at Stark County
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Spotting the fish of Stark County by photo
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 Stark County
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for Stark County are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
The fishing questions Stark County raises
Can a bass boat find a free-to-use ramp in Stark County?
There are 4 public launches, 2 concrete, each listed above.
Which Stark County lake leads by size?
Berlin Lake, 3,344 acres by its ODNR outline.
Is Stark County lake water open to any motor?
Yes on 4 lakes, 1 of them electric only.
Where do Stark County anglers buy bait?
Start with Academy Sports + Outdoors; the list has 7.
Do walleye or bass captains work from Stark County?
The listings hold nobody based here.
What town governs Stark County?
Commissioners meet in Canton.
Which license covers Stark County water?
The ODNR annual license costs $25.00 resident and $76.96 nonresident, and Ohioans 65 or older pay $10.00.
What is the nearest county to Stark County?
Closest by center point: Carroll County, Summit County and Tuscarawas County.
Under which district does Stark County fall?
It falls under ODNR Wildlife District Three (Akron office).
How many events launch from Stark County?
1 event on file from organizer pages, none still ahead.
Make a trip of Stark County this season
Lake pages carry launches, motor rules and stocking.