Cowan Lake Fishing
A 694-acre Ohio lake in Clinton County, 10 HP limit.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: R S Tsuchiya, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cowan Lake, sized up for Ohio anglers
The ODNR outline for Cowan Lake measures 694 acres of water in Clinton County. Roughly 14.2 miles of shoreline wrap around it on the ODNR outline. The nearest town on the Census list is Clarksville, about 4 miles off. The water sits inside ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
Boats run under a rule of 10 HP limit. There are 6 public launches on its shore. Some 6 attractor sites mark cover ODNR placed. Watch for 1 site-specific entry unique to this water.
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres and shoreline miles), horsepower and fish hot-spot layers, Census places, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Fish the Ohio files name for Cowan Lake
Each chip ties a fish to Cowan Lake through an ODNR hot spot, a stocking record, a trout release or the record book.
ODNR fish hot-spot layers, ODNR stocking records and Outdoor Writers of Ohio records, retrieved October 26, 2026.
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The Division of Wildlife set 6 pieces of cover in Cowan Lake, placed in 2020, from 8 to 15 feet deep.
| Site | Type | Points | Depth | Year placed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Christmas Trees | Tree | 2 | 9 to 15 ft | 2020 |
| 30 Christmas Trees | Tree | 2 | 8 to 14 ft | 2020 |
| 2 Pallet Structures | Pallets | 1 | 12 to 14 ft | 2020 |
| attractor | 1 | 2020 |
ODNR DOW Lake Fishing layer, fish attractors (type, year, depth as mapped), retrieved October 26, 2026.
Where trailers meet the water at Cowan Lake
- Cowan Lake State Park – Campground North Sideconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 49 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Cowan Lake State Park – West End Rampconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 40 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Cowan Lake State Park – East End Rampconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 10 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Public launch on Cowan Lake near Clarksvillehand launch; public
- Public launch on Cowan Lake near Wilmingtonboat ramp; public
- South Shore Marina on Cowan Lakeconcrete ramp, 1 lane, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
Where else boats go in near Cowan Lake
- Caesar Creek State Park – Wellman Meadows RampCaesar Creek Lake, 10 miles northwest
- Caesar Creek State Park – North Pool Hand Launch RampCaesar Creek Lake, 10 miles northwest
- Caesar Creek State Park – North Pool RampCaesar Creek Lake, 10 miles northwest
- Caesar Creek State Park – Furnas Shores RampCaesar Creek Lake, 11 miles northwest
- Caesar Creek State Park – Campground RampCaesar Creek Lake, 11 miles north
- Caesar Creek State Park – Young Rd. Boat LaunchCaesar Creek Lake, 12 miles north
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
What the booklet allows at Cowan Lake
| Species | Daily limit and size | 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 |
These are the Ohio inland limits; Cowan Lake follows them except where the booklet names it.
Rules that differ at Cowan Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowan | Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | 5; minimum 15 inches | Open year-round |
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.
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.
Fish planted at Cowan Lake over the years
The Division of Wildlife ledger shows 142 plantings at Cowan Lake from 1970 through 2022, mainly 4,195,463 saugeye, 316,384 sauger, 40,266 muskellunge.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Saugeye | 69,462 | fingerlings |
| 2022 | Saugeye | 69,368 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 69,462 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 69,479 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 34,763 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Channel Catfish | 306 | catchable |
| 2020 | Saugeye | 71,910 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Saugeye | 950,320 | fry |
| 2019 | Saugeye | 141,972 | fingerlings |
| 2018 | Saugeye | 45,041 | fingerlings |
| 2017 | Saugeye | 78,399 | fingerlings |
| 2017 | Saugeye | 69,759 | 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); retrieved October 26, 2026.
Cowan Lake and five Ohio lakes nearby
Of the five nearest Ohio lakes with pages, Caesar Creek Lake is the largest at 2,806 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowan Lake | 694 | 6 | 10 HP limit | 0 | |
| Caesar Creek Lake | 10 miles northwest | 2,806 | 7 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
| Stonelick Lake | 15 miles southwest | 161 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Rocky Fork Lake | 27 miles southeast | 1,953 | 6 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
| East Fork Lake | 28 miles south | 2,107 | 6 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
| Paint Creek Lake | 29 miles east | 1,177 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Close by Cowan Lake
Lakes a short drive past Cowan Lake
- Caesar Creek Lake10 miles northwest
- Stonelick Lake15 miles southwest
- Rocky Fork Lake27 miles southeast
- East Fork Lake28 miles south
- Paint Creek Lake29 miles east
Where anglers around Cowan Lake buy bait
- South Shore Marinamarina, Wilmington, under a mile
- South Shore Marina Salesmarina, Wilmington, 1 mile
- Fishing Pole Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Clarksville, 2 miles
- Tackle Town USAbait and tackle shop, Wilmington, 9 miles
- Taylor's South Shore Marinamarina, Waynesville, 13 miles
- Automotive Solutions & Marine Servicemarina, New Vienna, 13 miles
Ohio captains and guides for Cowan Lake
- Sportfishing Worldwidecharter, Cincinnati, (513) 984-8611
- Reel Fly Rodfly fishing guide, Dayton, (937) 434-8472
Villages and cities close to Cowan Lake
- Wilmington6 miles
- Blanchester7 miles
- Morrow12 miles
Counties on the map with Cowan Lake
- Clinton Countyseat: Wilmington
Reels and line from Piscifun for Cowan Lake
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Fish pictures for a trip to Cowan Lake
Photo: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY 4.0
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
The usual Cowan Lake questions, sorted
Which Ohio town gives the shortest drive to Cowan Lake?
Ohio places it in Clinton County, ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office), about 4 miles from Clarksville.
What does the ODNR outline say about the size of Cowan Lake?
Roughly 694 acres by the ODNR outline, with about 14.2 miles of shoreline.
Where do Buckeye boaters back a trailer into Cowan Lake?
ODNR lists 6 public launches; start with Cowan Lake State Park – Campground North Side.
Which species does ODNR tie to Cowan Lake?
Expect muskellunge, saugeye, sauger, channel catfish and largemouth bass.
Which 2026-27 booklet limits cover Cowan Lake?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round. The booklet adds a rule just for this water, shown in the limits band.
Which Ohio license fits Cowan Lake?
Anglers 16 and older need an Ohio fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $76.96 for nonresidents and $10.00 for residents 65 and older.
Are gas motors allowed on Cowan Lake?
ODNR lists 10 HP limit.
Can I grab crawlers and minnows close to Cowan Lake?
Try South Shore Marina, under a mile off.
Which fish has ODNR released into Cowan Lake?
142 releases from 1970 to 2022, mostly saugeye.
Does Cowan Lake have man-made fish cover?
Yes, 6 attractor sites, mapped in the structure band.
Pick a morning for Cowan Lake
Read the Ohio limits above, then pick the launch nearest your target.