Metzger Reservoir Fishing
A 157-acre Ohio reservoir in Allen County, electric motors only.
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Metzger Reservoir, sized up for Ohio anglers
The ODNR outline for Metzger Reservoir measures 157 acres of water in Allen County. Roughly 1.9 miles of shoreline wrap around it on the ODNR outline. The nearest town on the Census list is Lima, about 3 miles off. The water sits inside ODNR Wildlife District Two (Findlay office).
Boats run under a rule of electric motors only. The hot-spot layer flags areas for catfish, crappie, saugeye/walleye, smallmouth bass, sunfish and yellow perch. There are 2 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 Metzger Reservoir 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 Metzger Reservoir
- Ferguson Reservoir launch on Metzger Reservoirgravel ramp, 1 lane, 19 trailer spaces, no launch fee, electric motors only; City of Lima
- Metzer Reservoir launch on Metzger Reservoirgravel ramp, 1 lane, no launch fee, electric motors only; City of Lima
Where else boats go in near Metzger Reservoir
- Lost Creek Reservoir launchLost Creek Reservoir, under a mile west
- Lima Lake – Ottawa Metro ParkLima Lake, 1 mile north
- Bresler Reservoir launchBresler Reservoir, 9 miles west
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
What the booklet allows at Metzger Reservoir
| 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; Metzger Reservoir follows them except where the booklet names it.
Rules that differ at Metzger Reservoir
| Water as printed | Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metzger | 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.
Fish planted at Metzger Reservoir over the years
The Division of Wildlife ledger shows 113 plantings at Metzger Reservoir from 1970 through 2022, mainly 975,601 yellow perch, 663,896 saugeye, 151,174 channel catfish.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Saugeye | 15,843 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 16,088 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 15,610 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Yellow Perch | 39,746 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Saugeye | 15,730 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Yellow Perch | 39,288 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Saugeye | 16,771 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 40,107 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 26,026 | fingerlings |
| 2018 | Saugeye | 16,673 | fingerlings |
| 2018 | Yellow Perch | 12,212 | fingerlings |
| 2017 | Saugeye | 32,747 | 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.
Metzger Reservoir and five Ohio lakes nearby
Of the five nearest Ohio lakes with pages, Bresler Reservoir is the largest at 583 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metzger Reservoir | 157 | 2 | electric motors only | 6 | |
| Ferguson Reservoirs | under a mile southeast | 308 | 0 | electric motors only | 6 |
| Lost Creek Reservoir | under a mile west | 130 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Lima Lake | under a mile north | 88 | 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.
Close by Metzger Reservoir
Lakes a short drive past Metzger Reservoir
- Ferguson Reservoirsunder a mile southeast
- Lost Creek Reservoirunder a mile west
- Lima Lakeunder a mile north
- Bresler Reservoir10 miles west
- Williams Reservoir11 miles west
Where anglers around Metzger Reservoir buy bait
- Milans Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Lima, under a 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
Villages and cities close to Metzger Reservoir
- Lima3 miles
- Fort Shawnee7 miles
- Cridersville8 miles
Counties on the map with Metzger Reservoir
- Allen Countyseat: Lima
Reels and line from Piscifun for Metzger Reservoir
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Fish pictures for a trip to Metzger Reservoir
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
The usual Metzger Reservoir questions, sorted
Which Ohio town gives the shortest drive to Metzger Reservoir?
Ohio places it in Allen County, ODNR Wildlife District Two (Findlay office), about 3 miles from Lima.
What does the ODNR outline say about the size of Metzger Reservoir?
Roughly 157 acres by the ODNR outline, with about 1.9 miles of shoreline.
Where do Buckeye boaters back a trailer into Metzger Reservoir?
ODNR lists 2 public launches; start with Ferguson Reservoir launch on Metzger Reservoir.
Which species does ODNR tie to Metzger Reservoir?
Expect catfish, crappie, saugeye/walleye, smallmouth bass, sunfish, yellow perch and saugeye.
Which 2026-27 booklet limits cover Metzger Reservoir?
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 Metzger Reservoir?
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 Metzger Reservoir?
ODNR lists electric motors only.
Can I grab crawlers and minnows close to Metzger Reservoir?
Try Milans Bait Shop, under a mile off.
Which fish has ODNR released into Metzger Reservoir?
113 releases from 1970 to 2022, mostly yellow perch.
Pick a morning for Metzger Reservoir
Read the Ohio limits above, then pick the launch nearest your target.