Ferguson Reservoirs Fishing
A 308-acre Ohio reservoir in Allen County, electric motors only.
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Meet Ferguson Reservoirs, an Ohio water
Ferguson Reservoirs spreads across 308 acres of Allen County, by the Division of Wildlife outline. The outline traces close to 3.3 miles of bank. Count on about 4 miles of driving to reach Lima, the nearest town. Management runs through ODNR Wildlife District Two (Findlay office).
The posted motor rule is electric motors only. Hot spots on the ODNR map cover catfish, crappie, saugeye/walleye, smallmouth bass, sunfish and yellow perch. The booklet prints 1 site-specific entry written for it.
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres and shoreline miles), horsepower and fish hot-spot layers, Census places, retrieved October 26, 2026.
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The fish below link to Ferguson Reservoirs by ODNR mapping, hatchery records or a state record, not by a full netting survey.
ODNR fish hot-spot layers, ODNR stocking records and Outdoor Writers of Ohio records, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Public ramps serving Ferguson Reservoirs
The ODNR launch inventory has no ramp on Ferguson Reservoirs, so the closest ones elsewhere follow.
Nearby launch sites from Ferguson Reservoirs
- Ferguson Reservoir launch on Metzger ReservoirMetzger Reservoir, under a mile northwest
- Metzer Reservoir launch on Metzger ReservoirMetzger Reservoir, under a mile northwest
- Lost Creek Reservoir launchLost Creek Reservoir, 1 mile west
- Lima Lake – Ottawa Metro ParkLima Lake, 1 mile north
- Bresler Reservoir launchBresler Reservoir, 10 miles west
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Daily limits for Ferguson Reservoirs
| 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 |
The baseline at Ferguson Reservoirs is the inland table of the 2026-27 booklet.
The exceptions ODNR prints for Ferguson Reservoirs
| Water as printed | Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferguson | Black & White Crappie | 30; minimum 9 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.
ODNR releases at Ferguson Reservoirs, year by year
78 hatchery releases reached Ferguson Reservoirs from 1970 to 2022 in the ODNR ledger, the biggest totals 1,429,938 yellow perch, 728,032 walleye, 217,498 saugeye.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Saugeye | 31,208 | fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 30,831 | fingerlings |
| 2022 | Yellow Perch | 78,260 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 30,835 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 31,108 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Yellow Perch | 77,789 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Saugeye | 31,180 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 30,803 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Yellow Perch | 77,595 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Saugeye | 31,107 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 40,376 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 16,836 | 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.
How Ferguson Reservoirs stacks up locally in Ohio
Among the nearby lakes listed, Bresler Reservoir covers the most water, 583 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferguson Reservoirs | 308 | 0 | electric motors only | 6 | |
| Metzger Reservoir | under a mile northwest | 157 | 2 | electric motors only | 6 |
| Lima Lake | 1 mile north | 88 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Lost Creek Reservoir | 1 mile west | 130 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Bresler Reservoir | 10 miles west | 583 | 1 | electric motors only | 6 |
| Williams Reservoir | 11 miles west | 426 | 0 | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Surrounding Ferguson Reservoirs
Still water near Ferguson Reservoirs in Ohio
- Metzger Reservoirunder a mile northwest
- Lima Lake1 mile north
- Lost Creek Reservoir1 mile west
- Bresler Reservoir10 miles west
- Williams Reservoir11 miles west
Tackle stops en route to Ferguson Reservoirs
- Milans Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Lima, 1 mile
- Black Swamp Marinamarina, Lakeview, 17 miles
- Let's Go Fishingbait and tackle shop, Lakeview, 17 miles
- Tanner's Marinemarina, Lakeview, 17 miles
- Mike's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Lakeview, 17 miles
- Lakeside Bass Pro Shopbait and tackle shop, Lakeview, 18 miles
Lodging handy for Ferguson Reservoirs
- Lima4 miles
- Fort Shawnee7 miles
- Cridersville8 miles
Ohio county pages that take in Ferguson Reservoirs
- Allen Countyseat: Lima
What to grab from Piscifun before Ferguson Reservoirs
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Camera views of fishing water by Ferguson Reservoirs
Photo: Notorious4life ( Uploads ), CC0 1.0
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Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Nyttend, Public domain
What first-timers at Ferguson Reservoirs want cleared up
In what part of Ohio is Ferguson Reservoirs?
On an Ohio map it sits in Allen County, ODNR Wildlife District Two (Findlay office), about 4 miles from Lima.
How many surface acres does Ohio map for Ferguson Reservoirs?
The outline measures 308 acres, with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
Does Ferguson Reservoirs have a public ramp?
None mapped; use a nearby ramp.
What bites for Ohio anglers at Ferguson Reservoirs?
The records point to catfish, crappie, saugeye/walleye, smallmouth bass, sunfish, yellow perch and walleye.
Which length limits apply on Ferguson Reservoirs?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round. A site-specific entry changes part of that here; see above.
Does Ohio want a trout stamp for Ferguson Reservoirs?
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.
What boats can use Ferguson Reservoirs?
The rule is electric motors only.
Which Ohio bait counter is handiest to Ferguson Reservoirs?
Closest on our list: Milans Bait Shop, 1 mile.
How often has ODNR stocked Ferguson Reservoirs over the years?
Yes: 78 entries between 1970 and 2022, led by yellow perch.
Put Ferguson Reservoirs on the Buckeye fishing list
Buy the Ohio license online before the trip.