Kokosing Lake Fishing
A 154-acre Ohio lake in Knox County, 10 HP limit.
Pick for channel catfishPiscifun LumiCat II catfish rod48% OFFSale $114.99 Photo of Pleasant Hill Reservoir: Chris Rycroft, CC BY 2.0
Meet Kokosing Lake, an Ohio water
Kokosing Lake spreads across 154 acres of Knox County, by the Division of Wildlife outline. The outline traces close to 4.8 miles of bank. Count on about 3 miles of driving to reach Fredericktown, the nearest town. Management runs through ODNR Wildlife District One (Columbus office).
The posted motor rule is 10 HP limit. Boaters can use 1 public launch.
ODNR Division of Wildlife lake outlines (acres and shoreline miles), horsepower and fish hot-spot layers, Census places, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Fish ODNR ties to Kokosing Lake
The fish below link to Kokosing Lake 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.
For the channel catfish herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 Public ramps serving Kokosing Lake
- Kokosing Lake launchconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 40 trailer spaces, no launch fee, 10 HP limit; Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District
Nearby launch sites from Kokosing Lake
- Knox Lake – South Shore Ramp (CLOSED JUNE 2020 to SPRING 2021 FOR LAKE IMPROVEMENTS)Knox Lake, 4 miles east
- Knox Lake – North Shore Ramp (CLOSED JUNE 2020 to SPRING 2021 FOR LAKE IMPROVEMENTS)Knox Lake, 4 miles east
- Knox Lake – Old Mansfield Rd Ramp (CLOSED JUNE 2020 to SPRING 2021 FOR LAKE IMPROVEMENTS)Knox Lake, 4 miles east
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Daily limits for Kokosing 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 |
The baseline at Kokosing Lake is the inland table of the 2026-27 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 Kokosing Lake, year by year
73 hatchery releases reached Kokosing Lake from 1972 to 2017 in the ODNR ledger, the biggest totals 126,335 channel catfish, 37,609 largemouth bass, 32,344 saugeye.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Channel Catfish | 2,950 | yearling |
| 2017 | Channel Catfish | 5,158 | fingerlings |
| 2016 | Channel Catfish | 1,306 | yearling |
| 2016 | Channel Catfish | 3,641 | yearling |
| 2015 | Channel Catfish | 3,883 | yearling |
| 2013 | Channel Catfish | 762 | yearling |
| 2011 | Channel Catfish | 3,984 | yearling |
| 2009 | Channel Catfish | 1,191 | yearling |
| 2009 | Channel Catfish | 2,528 | yearling |
| 2008 | Channel Catfish | 3,221 | yearling |
| 2008 | Channel Catfish | 545 | yearling |
| 2006 | Channel Catfish | 970 | 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.
How Kokosing Lake stacks up locally in Ohio
Among the nearby lakes listed, Clear Fork Reservoir covers the most water, 1,034 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kokosing Lake | 154 | 1 | 10 HP limit | 0 | |
| Knox Lake | 4 miles east | 491 | 3 | unlimited horsepower, no wake | 3 |
| Mount Gilead | 12 miles west | 13 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Clear Fork Reservoir | 14 miles north | 1,034 | 1 | unlimited horsepower | 5 |
| Pleasant Hill Reservoir | 16 miles northeast | 790 | 1 | unlimited horsepower | 6 |
| Amick Reservoir | 18 miles northwest | 53 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Surrounding Kokosing Lake
Still water near Kokosing Lake in Ohio
- Knox Lake4 miles east
- Mount Gilead12 miles west
- Clear Fork Reservoir14 miles north
- Pleasant Hill Reservoir16 miles northeast
- Amick Reservoir18 miles northwest
Tackle stops en route to Kokosing Lake
- Grandpa's Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, Fredericktown, 4 miles
- Rick's Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Mount Vernon, 12 miles
- Apple Valley Marinamarina, Howard, 14 miles
- Pleasant Hill Marinamarina, Perrysville, 16 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Ontariosporting goods store, Ontario, 19 miles
- Mifflin Lakes Trading Postbait and tackle shop, Ashland, 21 miles
Hiring an Ohio guide for Kokosing Lake
- The Trout Clubfishing guide, Brinkhaven, (740) 824-4757
Lodging handy for Kokosing Lake
- Fredericktown3 miles
- Bellville8 miles
- Mount Vernon10 miles
Ohio county pages that take in Kokosing Lake
- Knox Countyseat: Mount Vernon
What to grab from Piscifun before Kokosing Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Camera views of fishing water by Kokosing Lake

Photo: Aaron Zhu, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Tim Kiser ( w:Malepheasant ), CC BY-SA 2.5

Photo: Aaron Zhu, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 2.5
What first-timers at Kokosing Lake want cleared up
In what part of Ohio is Kokosing Lake?
On an Ohio map it sits in Knox County, ODNR Wildlife District One (Columbus office), about 3 miles from Fredericktown.
How many surface acres does Ohio map for Kokosing Lake?
The outline measures 154 acres, with about 4.8 miles of shoreline.
Does Kokosing Lake have a public ramp?
Ohio boaters can try Kokosing Lake launch, one of 1 public launch.
What bites for Ohio anglers at Kokosing Lake?
The records point to channel catfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, saugeye, bluegill, steelhead and muskellunge.
Which length limits apply on Kokosing Lake?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round.
Does Ohio want a trout stamp for Kokosing 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.
What boats can use Kokosing Lake?
The rule is 10 HP limit.
Which Ohio bait counter is handiest to Kokosing Lake?
Closest on our list: Grandpa's Tackle Box, 4 miles.
How often has ODNR stocked Kokosing Lake over the years?
Yes: 73 entries between 1972 and 2017, led by channel catfish.
Put Kokosing Lake on the Buckeye fishing list
Buy the Ohio license online before the trip.

