Knox Lake Fishing
A 491-acre Ohio lake in Knox County, unlimited horsepower, no wake.
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Knox Lake, sized up for Ohio anglers
The ODNR outline for Knox Lake measures 491 acres of water in Knox County. Roughly 13.3 miles of shoreline wrap around it on the ODNR outline. The nearest town on the Census list is Fredericktown, about 3 miles off. The water sits inside ODNR Wildlife District One (Columbus office).
Boats run under a rule of unlimited horsepower, no wake. The hot-spot layer flags areas for catfish, crappie and largemouth bass. There are 3 public launches on its shore. 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.
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Each chip ties a fish to Knox 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.
Where trailers meet the water at Knox Lake
- Knox Lake – South Shore Ramp (CLOSED JUNE 2020 to SPRING 2021 FOR LAKE IMPROVEMENTS)concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 27 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, Greater than 10 HP – No Wake; ODNR Division of Wildlife – District One
- Knox Lake – North Shore Ramp (CLOSED JUNE 2020 to SPRING 2021 FOR LAKE IMPROVEMENTS)concrete ramp, 2 lanes, 25 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, Greater than 10 HP – No Wake; ODNR Division of Wildlife – District One
- Knox Lake – Old Mansfield Rd Ramp (CLOSED JUNE 2020 to SPRING 2021 FOR LAKE IMPROVEMENTS)gravel ramp, 1 lane, no launch fee, Greater than 10 HP – No Wake; ODNR Division of Wildlife – District 1
Where else boats go in near Knox Lake
- Kokosing Lake launchKokosing Lake, 4 miles west
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
What the booklet allows at Knox 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; Knox Lake follows them except where the booklet names it.
Rules that differ at Knox Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox | Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | 5; minimum 18 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 Knox Lake over the years
The Division of Wildlife ledger shows 53 plantings at Knox Lake from 1970 through 2022, mainly 302,787 yellow perch, 85,395 channel catfish, 22,000 bluegill.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Yellow Perch | 121,737 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 119,082 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 61,968 | fingerlings |
| 2017 | Channel Catfish | 3,060 | yearling |
| 2015 | Channel Catfish | 4,664 | yearling |
| 2015 | Channel Catfish | 384 | yearling |
| 2013 | Channel Catfish | 4,705 | yearling |
| 2011 | Channel Catfish | 5,059 | yearling |
| 2011 | Channel Catfish | 4,321 | yearling |
| 2011 | Channel Catfish | 338 | yearling |
| 2009 | Channel Catfish | 892 | yearling |
| 2009 | Channel Catfish | 4,154 | 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.
Knox Lake and five Ohio lakes nearby
Of the five nearest Ohio lakes with pages, Charles Mill Lake is the largest at 1,348 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox Lake | 491 | 3 | unlimited horsepower, no wake | 3 | |
| Kokosing Lake | 4 miles west | 154 | 1 | 10 HP limit | 0 |
| Pleasant Hill Reservoir | 13 miles northeast | 790 | 1 | unlimited horsepower | 6 |
| Clear Fork Reservoir | 16 miles northwest | 1,034 | 1 | unlimited horsepower | 5 |
| Mount Gilead | 17 miles west | 13 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Charles Mill Lake | 19 miles north | 1,348 | 2 | 10 HP limit | 5 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Close by Knox Lake
Lakes a short drive past Knox Lake
- Kokosing Lake4 miles west
- Pleasant Hill Reservoir13 miles northeast
- Clear Fork Reservoir16 miles northwest
- Mount Gilead17 miles west
- Charles Mill Lake19 miles north
Where anglers around Knox Lake buy bait
- Grandpa's Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, Fredericktown, 1 mile
- Apple Valley Marinamarina, Howard, 9 miles
- Rick's Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Mount Vernon, 10 miles
- Pleasant Hill Marinamarina, Perrysville, 13 miles
- Mifflin Lakes Trading Postbait and tackle shop, Ashland, 20 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Ontariosporting goods store, Ontario, 20 miles
Ohio captains and guides for Knox Lake
- The Trout Clubfishing guide, Brinkhaven, (740) 824-4757
Villages and cities close to Knox Lake
- Fredericktown3 miles
- Bellville8 miles
- Mount Vernon8 miles
Counties on the map with Knox Lake
- Knox Countyseat: Mount Vernon
Reels and line from Piscifun for Knox Lake
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Fish pictures for a trip to Knox Lake
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Mike Heine, CC BY 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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The usual Knox Lake questions, sorted
Which Ohio town gives the shortest drive to Knox Lake?
Ohio places it in Knox County, ODNR Wildlife District One (Columbus office), about 3 miles from Fredericktown.
What does the ODNR outline say about the size of Knox Lake?
Roughly 491 acres by the ODNR outline, with about 13.3 miles of shoreline.
Where do Buckeye boaters back a trailer into Knox Lake?
ODNR lists 3 public launches; start with Knox Lake – South Shore Ramp (CLOSED JUNE 2020 to SPRING 2021 FOR LAKE IMPROVEMENTS).
Which species does ODNR tie to Knox Lake?
Expect catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, channel catfish, muskellunge, yellow perch and bluegill.
Which 2026-27 booklet limits cover Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox Lake?
ODNR lists unlimited horsepower, no wake.
Can I grab crawlers and minnows close to Knox Lake?
Try Grandpa's Tackle Box, roughly 1 mile off.
Which fish has ODNR released into Knox Lake?
53 releases from 1970 to 2022, mostly yellow perch.
Pick a morning for Knox Lake
Read the Ohio limits above, then pick the launch nearest your target.