Veto Lake Fishing
A 135-acre Ohio lake in Washington County, 10 HP limit.
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Veto Lake, sized up for Ohio anglers
The ODNR outline for Veto Lake measures 135 acres of water in Washington County. Roughly 5 miles of shoreline wrap around it on the ODNR outline. The nearest town on the Census list is Vincent, about 2 miles off. The water sits inside ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office).
Boats run under a rule of 10 HP limit. There are 1 public launch on its shore.
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 Veto Lake
Each chip ties a fish to Veto 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.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Where trailers meet the water at Veto Lake
- Veto Lake Wildlife Areaconcrete ramp, 1 lane, 13 trailer spaces, courtesy dock, no launch fee, 10 HP limit; ODNR Division of Wildlife-District Four
Where else boats go in near Veto Lake
- Coolville Ramp on Hocking RiverHocking River, 11 miles southwest
- Rivers Bend RV Campground launch on Hocking RiverHocking River, 12 miles southwest
- Indian Acres Boat Ramp on Muskingum RiverMuskingum River, 12 miles northeast
- Ketchums Marina on Hocking RiverHocking River, 12 miles southwest
ODNR Parks and Watercraft boating facilities and DOW facility points, retrieved October 26, 2026.
What the booklet allows at Veto 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; Veto Lake follows them except where the booklet names it.
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 Veto Lake over the years
The Division of Wildlife ledger shows 46 plantings at Veto Lake from 1970 through 2020, mainly 165,675 saugeye, 147,234 channel catfish, 44,000 redear sunfish.
| Year | Species | Number | Size or stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Channel Catfish | 374 | yearling |
| 2020 | Channel Catfish | 3,203 | yearling |
| 2016 | Channel Catfish | 3,575 | yearling |
| 2014 | Channel Catfish | 3,020 | yearling |
| 2012 | Channel Catfish | 3,620 | yearling |
| 2010 | Channel Catfish | 4,063 | yearling |
| 2008 | Channel Catfish | 3,670 | yearling |
| 2006 | Channel Catfish | 3,687 | yearling |
| 2004 | Channel Catfish | 3,828 | yearling |
| 2002 | Channel Catfish | 1,471 | yearling |
| 2002 | Channel Catfish | 2,175 | yearling |
| 2000 | Channel Catfish | 3,934 | 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.
Veto Lake and five Ohio lakes nearby
Of the five nearest Ohio lakes with pages, Burr Oak Lake is the largest at 668 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Motor rule | Hot-spot species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veto Lake | 135 | 1 | 10 HP limit | 0 | |
| Dow Lake | 20 miles west | 161 | 1 | 10 HP limit | 4 |
| Burr Oak Lake | 24 miles northwest | 668 | 4 | unlimited horsepower, no wake | 4 |
| Pond MB-42 | 27 miles north | 27 | 1 | 6 HP limit | 0 |
| Fox Lake | 28 miles west | 52 | 1 | 10 HP limit | 4 |
| Lake Snowden | 29 miles west | 143 | 1 | unlimited horsepower, no wake | 4 |
ODNR lake outlines, horsepower and hot-spot layers and the launch inventory, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Close by Veto Lake
Lakes a short drive past Veto Lake
- Dow Lake20 miles west
- Burr Oak Lake24 miles northwest
- Pond MB-4227 miles north
- Fox Lake28 miles west
- Lake Snowden29 miles west
Where anglers around Veto Lake buy bait
- Basswood Bait & Bowsbait and tackle shop, Vincent, under a mile
- Hornbeck's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Belpre, 5 miles
- Catfish Paradisebait and tackle shop, Marietta, 6 miles
- Constitution Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Marietta, 6 miles
- Harmar Docksidemarina, Marietta, 12 miles
- The Marietta Harbormarina, Marietta, 12 miles
Villages and cities close to Veto Lake
- Belpre6 miles
- Marietta13 miles
- Devola14 miles
Counties on the map with Veto Lake
- Washington Countyseat: Marietta
Reels and line from Piscifun for Veto Lake
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Fish pictures for a trip to Veto Lake
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Mike Heine, CC BY 4.0
The usual Veto Lake questions, sorted
Which Ohio town gives the shortest drive to Veto Lake?
Ohio places it in Washington County, ODNR Wildlife District Four (Athens office), about 2 miles from Vincent.
What does the ODNR outline say about the size of Veto Lake?
Roughly 135 acres by the ODNR outline, with about 5 miles of shoreline.
Where do Buckeye boaters back a trailer into Veto Lake?
ODNR lists 1 public launch; start with Veto Lake Wildlife Area.
Which species does ODNR tie to Veto Lake?
Expect channel catfish, saugeye, northern pike, flathead catfish, largemouth bass and redear sunfish.
Which 2026-27 booklet limits cover Veto Lake?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass: 5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches; Open year-round.
Which Ohio license fits Veto 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 Veto Lake?
ODNR lists 10 HP limit.
Can I grab crawlers and minnows close to Veto Lake?
Try Basswood Bait & Bows, under a mile off.
Which fish has ODNR released into Veto Lake?
46 releases from 1970 to 2020, mostly saugeye.
Pick a morning for Veto Lake
Read the Ohio limits above, then pick the launch nearest your target.