Hargus Creek Lake Fishing
A 143-acre Ohio lake in Pickaway County, electric motors only.
Pick for channel catfishPiscifun LumiCat II catfish rod48% OFFSale $114.99 Photo: Dan Keck from Ohio, CC0 1.0
Hargus Creek Lake by the ODNR numbers
Inside Pickaway County, Hargus Creek Lake covers 143 acres on the ODNR lake map. Its edge measures near 4.3 miles on the Division of Wildlife map. From the lake point, Circleville is the nearest place at about 3 miles. It belongs to ODNR Wildlife District One (Columbus office).
Outboards follow a limit of electric motors only. Launching is possible at 1 public launch. ODNR gives it 1 site-specific entry of its own.
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres and shoreline miles), horsepower and fish hot-spot layers, Census places, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Ohio fish roster for Hargus Creek Lake
Species shown for Hargus Creek Lake come from Division of Wildlife layers and the stocking ledger.
ODNR fish hot-spot layers, ODNR stocking records and Outdoor Writers of Ohio records, retrieved October 26, 2026.
For the channel catfish herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 Launch sites on the shore of Hargus Creek Lake
- A.W. Marion State Park – Boat Ramp on Hargus Creek Lakeconcrete ramp, 1 lane, 22 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, electric motors only; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
Backup ramps around Hargus Creek Lake
- Elmon Richards Scioto River AccessScioto River, 4 miles southwest
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Booklet rows for Hargus Creek 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 |
For Hargus Creek Lake, start from the statewide inland rows shown here.
Booklet rules written for Hargus Creek Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hargus | Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | 4 fish split daily limit; minimum 2 fish less than 15 inches, & 2 fish 15 inches or longer | 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.
Ohio stocking ledger for Hargus Creek Lake
From 1970 to 2020 the Ohio stocking file holds 94 lines for Hargus Creek Lake, with 141,127 channel catfish, 36,500 bluegill, 14,480 rainbow trout at the head.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Channel Catfish | 671 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Channel Catfish | 6,479 | fingerlings |
| 2018 | Channel Catfish | 5,353 | fingerlings |
| 2018 | Channel Catfish | 1,817 | fingerlings |
| 2016 | Channel Catfish | 3,587 | yearling |
| 2014 | Channel Catfish | 3,597 | yearling |
| 2012 | Channel Catfish | 3,519 | yearling |
| 2011 | Channel Catfish | 3,591 | yearling |
| 2011 | Channel Catfish | 1,715 | yearling |
| 2010 | Channel Catfish | 525 | yearling |
| 2010 | Channel Catfish | 1,566 | yearling |
| 2010 | Channel Catfish | 1,499 | yearling |
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.
Nearby Ohio lakes measured against Hargus Creek Lake
Deer Creek Lake tops the nearby list for size at 1,301 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hargus Creek Lake | 143 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 | |
| Pine Lake | 18 miles southeast | 12 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Deer Creek Lake | 18 miles west | 1,301 | 2 | Electric Only, Unlimited | 0 |
| Ross Lake | 20 miles south | 127 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Lake Logan | 23 miles east | 333 | 2 | 10 HP limit | 5 |
| Rose Lake | 23 miles southeast | 21 | 0 | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Near Hargus Creek Lake
Ohio reservoirs around Hargus Creek Lake
- Pine Lake18 miles southeast
- Deer Creek Lake18 miles west
- Ross Lake20 miles south
- Lake Logan23 miles east
- Rose Lake23 miles southeast
Minnows, crawlers and line for Hargus Creek Lake
- Lending Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, Circleville, 3 miles
- J & R Live Bait & Gunsbait and tackle shop, Lancaster, 15 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Lancastersporting goods store, Lancaster, 15 miles
- Vance Outdoors, 4250 Alum Creek Drbait and tackle shop, Columbus, 18 miles
- Columbus Wholesale Fish Baitbait and tackle shop, Columbus, 18 miles
- Deer Creek Marinamarina, Mount Sterling, 18 miles
Home bases within reach of Hargus Creek Lake
- Circleville3 miles
- Ashville8 miles
- South Bloomfield9 miles
Ohio counties around Hargus Creek Lake
- Pickaway Countyseat: Circleville
Piscifun reels to stow for Hargus Creek Lake
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Shorelines and reservoirs by Hargus Creek Lake, photographed
Photo: Steven Miller, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Andyang45, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: dankeck, CC0 1.0
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Questions to settle before heading for Hargus Creek Lake
Where in Ohio is Hargus Creek Lake?
ODNR maps it in Pickaway County, ODNR Wildlife District One (Columbus office), about 3 miles from Circleville.
What surface area does ODNR give Hargus Creek Lake?
Some 143 acres of water, with about 4.3 miles of shoreline.
Which ramp has the most trailer parking at Hargus Creek Lake?
There are 1 public launch; A.W. Marion State Park – Boat Ramp on Hargus Creek Lake leads the list.
Which Ohio gamefish does the record tie to Hargus Creek Lake?
ODNR sources name channel catfish, muskellunge, largemouth bass, steelhead and bluegill.
Is Hargus Creek Lake named in the Ohio site-specific table?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round. One or more lines in the booklet override that here, printed above.
Do I need an Ohio license at Hargus Creek 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.
Can I run a big outboard on Hargus Creek Lake?
The horsepower layer shows electric motors only.
Who sells minnows on the road to Ohio's Hargus Creek Lake?
Drive about 3 miles to Lending Tackle Box.
What has ODNR stocked in Hargus Creek Lake?
ODNR records 94 releases through 2020, most of them channel catfish.
Give an Ohio weekend to Hargus Creek Lake
Check the daily limit before a fish goes in the cooler.