LAKEVIEW, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife celebrated Ohio’s inland fishing during the Governor’s Inland Fish Ohio Day.

This year’s event was held at Indian Lake State Park in Logan County.

“Great fishing can be found all across Ohio, but the inland waters at Indian Lake offer some of the best public places for fishing,” said DeWine. “It was great to be back here on the water today and see firsthand the progress Indian Lake State Park and the community have made since last year’s tornado. I encourage everyone to visit Indian Lake and cast a line.”

Indian Lake and Indian Lake State Park are popular destinations for fishing, camping, boating, hunting, birding, and more.

“Indian Lake can be fished by boat or from shore and has been a destination fishery for decades,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “It is one of Ohio’s largest reservoirs and offers five boat ramps and several piers for easy access.”

Indian Lake is in Logan County and contains more than 5,100 acres of water. The lake is the top location in the state to catch a Fish Ohio qualifying saugeye (longer than 21 inches), with 170 reported from this location in 2024. Indian Lake’s shallow waters are ideal habitat for saugeye and support strong abundances and sizes of bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, largemouth bass, and white bass.

“The Division of Wildlife will stock approximately 2.5 million saugeye in Indian Lake this year to contribute to the future of this top-notch fishery,” said ODNR Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker. “Saugeye are the most stocked fish in Ohio, with around 15 million stocked across the state. Last year, the Division of Wildlife’s six state fish hatcheries stocked 46 million fish of 11 different species statewide.”

Anglers who travel to inland waters such as Indian Lake support the economies in those regions. Anglers generated $5.5 billion in economic spending in Ohio in 2022, according to a report released by the Wildlife Management Institute, Responsive Management, and Southwick Associates.

The research found that 18% of Ohio’s adults, about 1.7 million individuals, participate in fishing.

Governor’s Inland Fish Ohio Day was coordinated by ODNR’s Division of Wildlife and its Ohio State Parks and Watercraft division.