Rocky Fork Lake Fishing
A 1,953-acre Ohio lake in Highland County, unlimited horsepower.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Paint Creek Lake: Aesopposea, CC BY-SA 3.0
Rocky Fork Lake, sized up for Ohio anglers
The ODNR outline for Rocky Fork Lake measures 1,953 acres of water in Highland County. Roughly 30.9 miles of shoreline wrap around it on the ODNR outline. The nearest town on the Census list is Rocky Fork Point, under a mile off. The water sits inside ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office).
Boats run under a rule of unlimited horsepower. There are 6 public launches on its shore. Some 5 attractor sites mark cover ODNR placed. 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.
Fish the Ohio files name for Rocky Fork Lake
Each chip ties a fish to Rocky Fork 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.
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The Division of Wildlife set 5 pieces of cover in Rocky Fork Lake, placed in 2020, from 9 to 12 feet deep.
| Site | Type | Points | Depth | Year placed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 Christmas Trees | Tree | 3 | 9 to 12 ft | 2020 |
| 30 Christmas Trees | Tree | 2 | 9 to 12 ft | 2020 |
ODNR DOW Lake Fishing layer, fish attractors (type, year, depth as mapped), retrieved October 26, 2026.
Where trailers meet the water at Rocky Fork Lake
- Rocky Fork State Park – East Shore Marinaconcrete ramp, 6 lanes, 132 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Rocky Fork State Park – North Beach Launch Rampconcrete ramp, 6 lanes, 54 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Rocky Fork State Park – East Shore Driveconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 30 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Rocky Fork State Park – Campground Rampconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 27 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Rocky Fork State Park – Fishermans Wharfconcrete ramp, 2 lanes, 14 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
- Rocky Fork State Park – South Beachconcrete ramp, 1 lane, courtesy dock, no launch fee, unlimited horsepower; ODNR Division of Parks & Recreation
Where else boats go in near Rocky Fork Lake
- Paint Creek State Park – Rattlesnake RampPaint Creek Lake, 7 miles northeast
- Paint Creek State Park – (Campground) Taylor Rd.RampPaint Creek Lake, 7 miles northeast
- Paint Creek State Park – Deer Park RampPaint Creek Lake, 8 miles northeast
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
What the booklet allows at Rocky Fork 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; Rocky Fork Lake follows them except where the booklet names it.
Rules that differ at Rocky Fork Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Fork | 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 Rocky Fork Lake over the years
The Division of Wildlife ledger shows 216 plantings at Rocky Fork Lake from 1970 through 2022, mainly 9,487,562 saugeye, 9,262,723 walleye, 280,592 muskellunge.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Saugeye | 197,195 | fingerlings |
| 2022 | Saugeye | 51,744 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 600 | catchable |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 195,598 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 42,251 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 153,023 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 136,454 | fingerlings |
| 2021 | Saugeye | 58,970 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 600 | catchable |
| 2020 | Saugeye | 24,420 | fingerlings |
| 2020 | Saugeye | 171,762 | fingerlings |
| 2019 | Rainbow Trout | 1,625 | catchable |
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.
Club and trail events at Rocky Fork Lake
Upcoming Rocky Fork Lake dates and past winners are kept on a separate page.
Rocky Fork Lake and five Ohio lakes nearby
Of the five nearest Ohio lakes with pages, Paint Creek Lake is the largest at 1,177 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Fork Lake | 1,953 | 6 | unlimited horsepower | 0 | |
| Paint Creek Lake | 7 miles northeast | 1,177 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
| Lake White | 25 miles east | 333 | 3 | unlimited horsepower | 0 |
| Adams Lake | 26 miles south | 35 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
| Cowan Lake | 27 miles northwest | 694 | 6 | 10 HP limit | 0 |
| Caldwell Lake | 28 miles east | 10 | 1 | electric motors only | 0 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Close by Rocky Fork Lake
Lakes a short drive past Rocky Fork Lake
- Paint Creek Lake7 miles northeast
- Lake White25 miles east
- Adams Lake26 miles south
- Cowan Lake27 miles northwest
- Caldwell Lake28 miles east
Where anglers around Rocky Fork Lake buy bait
- Crossroads Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Greenfield, 4 miles
- Cole's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Bainbridge, 7 miles
- Automotive Solutions & Marine Servicemarina, New Vienna, 15 miles
- Dailey's Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Peebles, 17 miles
- Waynoka Marinamarina, Sardinia, 24 miles
- Bill's Bait Housebait and tackle shop, Waverly, 24 miles
Villages and cities close to Rocky Fork Lake
- Hillsboro7 miles
- Leesburg11 miles
- Greenfield12 miles
Counties on the map with Rocky Fork Lake
- Highland Countyseat: Hillsboro
Reels and line from Piscifun for Rocky Fork Lake
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Fish pictures for a trip to Rocky Fork Lake
Photo: Mike Heine, CC BY 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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The usual Rocky Fork Lake questions, sorted
Which Ohio town gives the shortest drive to Rocky Fork Lake?
Ohio places it in Highland County, ODNR Wildlife District Five (Xenia office), under a mile from Rocky Fork Point.
What does the ODNR outline say about the size of Rocky Fork Lake?
Roughly 1,953 acres by the ODNR outline, with about 30.9 miles of shoreline.
Where do Buckeye boaters back a trailer into Rocky Fork Lake?
ODNR lists 6 public launches; start with Rocky Fork State Park – East Shore Marina.
Which species does ODNR tie to Rocky Fork Lake?
Expect muskellunge, walleye, saugeye, steelhead, flathead catfish and largemouth bass.
Which 2026-27 booklet limits cover Rocky Fork 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 Rocky Fork 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 Rocky Fork Lake?
ODNR lists unlimited horsepower.
Can I grab crawlers and minnows close to Rocky Fork Lake?
Try Crossroads Bait & Tackle, roughly 4 miles off.
Which fish has ODNR released into Rocky Fork Lake?
216 releases from 1970 to 2022, mostly saugeye.
Does Rocky Fork Lake have man-made fish cover?
Yes, 5 attractor sites, mapped in the structure band.
Pick a morning for Rocky Fork Lake
Read the Ohio limits above, then pick the launch nearest your target.