Lake Hope Fishing
A 121-acre Ohio lake in Vinton County, electric motors only.
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Ohio notes on Lake Hope
Measured from its ODNR outline, Lake Hope holds 121 acres of water in Vinton County. Shoreline on the ODNR outline totals about 6.6 miles. Zaleski is the closest Census place, about 4 miles from the outline point. Fisheries staff of ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office) manage it.
The horsepower layer sets electric motors only. Division of Wildlife hot spots point to catfish, crappie, largemouth bass and sunfish. Trailers go in at 1 public launch. Divers and anglers will find 6 ODNR fish attractors on the bottom.
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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Tap a chip to open the Ohio page for that fish, as recorded at Lake Hope.
ODNR fish hot-spot layers, ODNR stocking records and Outdoor Writers of Ohio records, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Man-made cover at Lake Hope
The attractor layer shows 6 sites around Lake Hope, placed in 2019, from 10 to 18 feet deep.
| Site | Type | Points | Depth | Year placed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-mas Tree Bundles | Tree | 6 | 10 to 18 ft | 2019 |
ODNR DOW Lake Fishing layer, fish attractors (type, year, depth as mapped), retrieved October 26, 2026.
Ramps ODNR lists for Lake Hope
- Lake Hope State Park Rampconcrete ramp, 1 lane, 12 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, electric motors only; ODNR-Division of Parks & Recreation
More public ramps near Lake Hope
- Fox Lake Wildlife AreaFox Lake, 9 miles east
- Lake Snowden Launch RampLake Snowden, 11 miles southeast
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
How many fish to keep at Lake Hope
| 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 Lake Hope unless a site-specific entry below changes them.
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 Lake Hope
ODNR stocking records list 51 releases into Lake Hope between 1979 and 2021; the largest totals are 274,004 yellow perch, 132,014 saugeye, 93,465 channel catfish.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Channel Catfish | 6,742 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Yellow Perch | 34,293 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Yellow Perch | 67,702 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Yellow Perch | 33,538 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Channel Catfish | 3,354 | yearling |
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 38,340 | fingerlings |
| 2017 | Channel Catfish | 3,368 | yearling |
| 2017 | Yellow Perch | 35,178 | fingerlings |
| 2016 | Yellow Perch | 64,953 | fingerlings |
| 2015 | Channel Catfish | 3,238 | yearling |
| 2015 | Channel Catfish | 126 | yearling |
| 2013 | Channel Catfish | 3,350 | 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.
Sizing Lake Hope against its Ohio neighbors
If you want more room, Lake Rupert offers 327 acres within this group.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Hope | 121 | 1 | electric motors only | 4 | |
| Fox Lake | 9 miles east | 52 | 1 | 10 HP limit | 4 |
| Lake Snowden | 10 miles southeast | 143 | 1 | unlimited horsepower, no wake | 4 |
| Rose Lake | 12 miles northwest | 21 | 0 | 0 | |
| Lake Rupert | 13 miles southwest | 327 | 1 | unlimited horsepower, no wake | 5 |
| Lake Alma | 15 miles southwest | 68 | 2 | electric motors only | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Beside Lake Hope
Other Ohio lakes close to Lake Hope
- Fox Lake9 miles east
- Lake Snowden10 miles southeast
- Rose Lake12 miles northwest
- Lake Rupert13 miles southwest
- Lake Alma15 miles southwest
Bait shops a short drive from Lake Hope
- Downs Bait & Gunsbait and tackle shop, Logan, 16 miles
Towns to sleep in near Lake Hope
- McArthur9 miles
- Nelsonville12 miles
- The Plains12 miles
Ohio county pages for Lake Hope
- Vinton Countyseat: McArthur
A Piscifun setup matched to Lake Hope
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Spotting the fish of Lake Hope by photo
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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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
Lake Hope, answered in short
How do I find Lake Hope on an Ohio map?
Its outline falls in Vinton County, ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office), about 4 miles from Zaleski.
Is Lake Hope a big lake by Ohio standards?
121 acres on the ODNR map, with about 6.6 miles of shoreline.
Is there a trailer ramp ODNR lists for Lake Hope?
1 public launch; Lake Hope State Park Ramp has the most trailer room on file.
What does the ODNR fish roster say about Lake Hope?
catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, sunfish, channel catfish, saugeye and yellow perch, by ODNR records.
How many bass may an Ohio angler keep from Lake Hope?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round.
What will an Ohio license set me back for Lake Hope?
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 Lake Hope to electric motors?
Plan for electric motors only.
Where do Lake Hope anglers stock up?
Downs Bait & Guns is nearest at 16 miles.
What year did ODNR last stock Lake Hope?
51 stocking lines, the latest year 2021, chiefly yellow perch.
Has ODNR added cover to Lake Hope?
The structure band maps 6 ODNR sites.
Drive the Ohio back roads to Lake Hope
Fees, seasons and site rules sit on the license page.