East Fork Lake Fishing
A 2,107-acre Ohio lake in Clermont County, unlimited horsepower.
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Ohio notes on East Fork Lake
Measured from its ODNR outline, East Fork Lake holds 2,107 acres of water in Clermont County. Shoreline on the ODNR outline totals about 42.2 miles. Bethel is the closest Census place, about 4 miles from the outline point. Fisheries staff of ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office) manage it.
The horsepower layer sets unlimited horsepower. Trailers go in at 6 public launches. Divers and anglers will find 3 ODNR fish attractors on the bottom. Its limits differ from statewide in 1 site-specific entry.
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres and shoreline miles), horsepower and fish hot-spot layers, Census places, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Ohio fish found at East Fork Lake
Tap a chip to open the Ohio page for that fish, as recorded at East Fork Lake.
ODNR fish hot-spot layers, ODNR stocking records and Outdoor Writers of Ohio records, retrieved October 26, 2026.
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The attractor layer shows 3 sites around East Fork Lake, placed in 2020, from 8 to 14 feet deep.
| Site | Type | Points | Depth | Year placed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Christmas Trees | Tree | 3 | 8 to 14 ft | 2020 |
ODNR DOW Lake Fishing layer, fish attractors (type, year, depth as mapped), retrieved October 26, 2026.
Ramps ODNR lists for East Fork Lake
- East Fork State Park – Tate Rampconcrete ramp, 4 lanes, 96 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- East Fork State Park – North Shoreconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 55 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- East Fork State Park – Campgroundconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 50 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- East Fork State Park – Reisinger Roadconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 50 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- William H. Harsha Lake Dam Boat Ramp on East Fork Lakeconcrete ramp, 4 lanes, 44 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; US Army Corps of Engineers
- East Fork State Park – Tunnel Millconcrete ramp, 1 lane, 14 trailer spaces, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Wildlife District 5
More public ramps near East Fork Lake
- Grant Lake AccessGrant Lake, 9 miles east
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
The East Fork Lake level gauge
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| East Fork Lake Near Bantam Oh | 730.32 ft lake elevation | Oct 28 10:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 28, 2026 11:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
A USGS lake gauge watches East Fork Lake; its latest value shows above.
How many fish to keep at East Fork 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 |
Statewide inland rows cover East Fork Lake unless a site-specific entry below changes them.
Site-specific limits at East Fork Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Fork | Black & White Crappie | 30; minimum 9 inches | Open year-round |
| East Fork | Paddlefish | Possession is prohibited | 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.
What ODNR has stocked in East Fork Lake
ODNR stocking records list 206 releases into East Fork Lake between 1983 and 2022; the largest totals are 29,751,166 hybrid-striped bass, 10,132,516 striped bass (male) x white bass (female), 4,236,579 saugeye.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 1,050,000 | fry |
| 2022 | Saugeye | 210,865 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 1,150,000 | fry |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 300,000 | fry |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 250,000 | fry |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 1,600,000 | fry |
| 2020 | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 1,050,000 | fry |
| 2020 | Saugeye | 212,080 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Hybrid-Striped Bass | 1,050,000 | fry |
| 2019 | Saugeye | 830,000 | fry |
| 2019 | Saugeye | 232,155 | fry |
| 2019 | Saugeye | 36,047 | 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.
Sizing East Fork Lake against its Ohio neighbors
If you want more room, Caesar Creek Lake offers 2,806 acres within this group.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Fork Lake | 2,107 | 6 | unlimited horsepower | 0 | |
| Stonelick Lake | 14 miles north | 161 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Cowan Lake | 28 miles north | 694 | 6 | 10 HP limit | 0 |
| Adams Lake | 34 miles southeast | 35 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Caesar Creek Lake | 35 miles north | 2,806 | 7 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
| Rocky Fork Lake | 36 miles east | 1,953 | 6 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Beside East Fork Lake
Other Ohio lakes close to East Fork Lake
- Stonelick Lake14 miles north
- Cowan Lake28 miles north
- Adams Lake34 miles southeast
- Caesar Creek Lake35 miles north
- Rocky Fork Lake36 miles east
Bait shops a short drive from East Fork Lake
- Dick's Sporting Goods Cincinnati, 650 Eastgate South Drivesporting goods store, Cincinnati, 11 miles
- Steamboat Marinamarina, New Richmond, 11 miles
- Queen City Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Loveland, 15 miles
- Shelter Cove Marinamarina, Cincinnati, 18 miles
- Waynoka Marinamarina, Sardinia, 18 miles
- Morningstar Marinas, 4601 Kellogg Avemarina, Cincinnati, 18 miles
Ohio guide services around East Fork Lake
- Sportfishing Worldwidecharter, Cincinnati, (513) 984-8611
Towns to sleep in near East Fork Lake
- Bethel4 miles
- Williamsburg4 miles
- Batavia6 miles
Ohio county pages for East Fork Lake
- Clermont Countyseat: Batavia
A Piscifun setup matched to East Fork Lake
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Spotting the fish of East Fork Lake by photo
Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
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
East Fork Lake, answered in short
How do I find East Fork Lake on an Ohio map?
Its outline falls in Clermont County, ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office), about 4 miles from Bethel.
Is East Fork Lake a big lake by Ohio standards?
2,107 acres on the ODNR map, with about 42.2 miles of shoreline.
Is there a trailer ramp ODNR lists for East Fork Lake?
6 public launches; East Fork State Park – Tate Ramp has the most trailer room on file.
What does the ODNR fish roster say about East Fork Lake?
muskellunge, hybrid striped bass and saugeye, by ODNR records.
How many bass may an Ohio angler keep from East Fork Lake?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round. Check the site-specific table above as well.
What will an Ohio license set me back for East Fork 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.
Does Ohio limit East Fork Lake to electric motors?
Plan for unlimited horsepower.
Where do East Fork Lake anglers stock up?
Dick's Sporting Goods Cincinnati is nearest at 11 miles.
What year did ODNR last stock East Fork Lake?
206 stocking lines, the latest year 2022, chiefly hybrid-striped bass.
Is East Fork Lake running low?
A USGS gauge reports it in the level band above.
Has ODNR added cover to East Fork Lake?
The structure band maps 3 ODNR sites.
Drive the Ohio back roads to East Fork Lake
Fees, seasons and site rules sit on the license page.