[MLAROSA]

I couldn't help but notice the fishing reports for central Ohio BigDaddy posted.

Madison Lake (Madison County) - Cast shallow crank baits and spinner baits for largemouth bass at this 104-acre lake in Madison County. Fish the rock riprap on the dam. Decent numbers of carp and catfish, ranging from 10 to 18 inches in length, are available using doughballs, cut bait and chicken livers on the bottom near shore or try drifting in a boat. Crappies and bluegills are holding in woody cover around the island and in the upper end on the east side. Look for areas with weedbeds or submerged structures when seeking largemouth bass. Use 6-inch plastic worms, small spinners, crankbaits, and live bait for best results. Largemouth bass measure up to 18 inches. Electric motors only.
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Just curious has anyone fished Madison Lake? Bait shops near there? Or anything els you could provide about it would be helpful.

Since I am fairly new to the West side I thought about running out there and checking it out.

 

[twistertail]

There is a bait shop right by the lake, cant remeber the name of the road its on but if can find the lake chances are you will go by the bait shop. Its pretty shallow and muddy. I have only fished it a few times and have only caught a few small gills. Sometimes in the witner they put trout in there. I have never really heard any great fishing reports about the lake but it is a nice quiet place to go for a picnic or take a canoe out for a spin.

 

[MLAROSA]

Thanks for the info.

I think I am going to run out in the morning and see if I can't catch anything worth talking about. It's not far from the house, I have no idea how I missed it on maps...

 

[firecat]

It is on Spring Valley Rd. easy to get to and there are quite a few people that I work with that live and fish out there.

Larry

 

[fisher1700]

When I had a smaller boat I used to fish Madison Lake weekly. The best time for me was always in the morning. There used to be a tournament at night and only about half of the people ever caught fish at dusk. If you can use a boat go to the north end of the lake and follow the creek back, this is where I always did the best. Fish the heaviest laydowns with 1/8 oz bitsy bug blue/black . You need a boat like a jon boat to get into the creek, and just follow that creek until you are ready to go home. Good numbers lake but no sizes.

 

[Sharkbite]

There are a lot of crappie in the lake,..most of the lake is 5-6 ft deep,..I have seen good size crappies taken on floats and minnows..before you get to the spillway on spring valley,,Pappys bait store is on the right....

 

[MLAROSA]

Well I tried Madison Lake.

Was using minnows in a cove on the east side of the lake, and didn't catch anything, not even a bite. So I move to the west side where a guy tells me there is a channel that runs threw and you can catch the crappie all day. To my surprise still no bites.

I go buy some wax worms and think I'll just catch some gills while out here, ha can't even get them to hit.

Water was real muddy but seemed low. Lilly pads on the east side were probably 18"-24" out of the water..

Anyways, thanks for the info on the lake guys, and maybe I'll try it some more this summer after all the rains quit. It did look like a nice place to go have a picinic sometime.

 

[smith.3583]

I was out at Madison about three weeks ago. There is a bait shop there not too far below the dam, but I don't know the name of the road either. It's not that hard to find your way around though. It was really windy the day I was there, and I didn't even put the boat in. I did catch a few crappie by walking the rip rap along the dam. I'd agree that it's a pretty place, but that the bass are probably not universally large, from what I read about it.

 

[xdusty]

im a very avid fishermen and ive been hooked since i was a young boy. strangely enough i grew up in london and fished madison lake hundreds of times a year so i know the lake like the back of my hand. i can honestly tell you that this lake is the opposite of what people think. ive caught some huge fish out of this lake. including my biggest lm to date. 10.2lbs and 24 in. ive also pulled a few 20lb channel cats from that lake and at least 2 dozen fish ohio white crappie. for some reason that lake never produces numbers. ive always had my best luck texas rigging big plastic and working them slow over rockpiles. also i might add that lake choctaw in that area has some great fishing. tons of wiper and great crappie fishing. after fishing all over the country im yet to see a lake that has consistently produced 5 lbs lm more so then this one.

 

[Dandaman]

The name of the bait store is Pappy's and I drive out of the way to get my bait there. Ask for the Pappy's dozen. Caught tons of crappie but mostly dinks.