By Danlette Grace Washington, Okon Ekpenyong, and Stephanie Barnes 

Having grown up fishing in rural Ohio, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted has a strong sense of the importance of fishing. “It keeps children out of trouble, helps them destress, which is a great way to cope with mental health issues, and helps them maintain a sense of competence,” Husted said. 

On Thursday, June 15, 2023, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted announced at the Marina Building of Alum Creek State Park a new data-driven technology tool on “DataOhio Portal” just before the busy upcoming Father’s Day weekend to help those who fish, whether you are a beginner or a pro.
It provides information on the best places to fish, what areas have specific fish, sport fish reports, an angel survey tool, a waterbody report, an Ohio fishing stocking report, and more. 

Father’s Day is a time to show appreciation for the extraordinary father figures in your life. You can do just that with a fun and meaningful outdoor activity this Father’s Day weekend. Fishing is a great way to relax, bond, and spend time outdoors. So, grab your fishing gear and poles and enjoy a day of fishing with your dad or family at your nearest lake, river, or state park. 

The tool is courtesy of InnovateOhio, the InnovateOhio Platform, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources- Division of Wildlife. These new technology tools are just in time for Father’s Day weekend and Ohio’s free fishing days, which will be June 17th and 18th, when Ohioans can fish without obtaining a fishing license. And this will help anglers find the best places to fish by providing data on current water levels, water temperature, and fish population in the state’s waterways. 

“Under 16-year-olds do not need a fishing license, but those who go fishing a lot can get a yearlong, three-year, five-year, ten-year, or lifetime license,” said Scott Hale, Executive Administrator at DNR. On the platform, it will also inform anglers about local bait shops, boat launches, and fishing regulations. It’s important to note that although a fishing license is optional for those two days, there are limits on fish size, fishing regulations, and bags.

“Ohio stocks more than 52 million fish per year in its lakes, reservoirs, and streams, which means there are many fishing opportunities available, and we have also invested more in expanding our state parks and wildlife areas,” said Husted. 

“The best places to fish are usually kept secret, but not in Ohio,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Now anglers can find out where the fish are through the DataOhio Portal that provides data-driven guidance on the best fishing opportunities across the state. This tool is to help to take you where the best fishing destinations are, but figuring out how to catch them is still on you.” 

I remember fishing in Nigeria, but we always kept the fish we caught for cooking. When I returned to the States, my father took me fishing, but he re-released some of the fish, and I needed clarification. As Pops explained, fishing is also for creation, but I looked at him as if he was out of his mind. For New Americans Residents, it is vital to know fishing regulations and the sizes of fish one can keep and must put back to avoid any violations. On the DNR website, you can also find information about fish species and other recreational activities besides fishing in parks and lakes.

To wrap up the day, Husted and several media members, along with Kendra Wecker, Chief of the Division of Wildlife at the Ohio Department of Nature Resources, Scott Hale, Executive Administrator Division of Wildlife, and Solomon Curtis, an expert guide and trophy bass hunter to tour some of the areas on the Boat at the Alum Creek State Park where people can catch some good bass, catfish, and others. 

Alum Creek State Park is the best fishing destination in Central Ohio. However, the DNR manages 124 thousand acres of inland water, 7,000 miles of streams, 2.5 million acres of Lake Erie, and 481 miles of the Ohio River. And so you won’t miss out on the best walleye, saugeye, yellow perch, rainbow trout, brown trout, muskellunge, channel catfish, blue catfish, or hybrid striped bass, per DNR website, and you have over 200 locations throughout the state for your extravagant fishing adventures. 

Scott Hale & Biologist at DNR:

Scott Hale, Executive Administrator of the Division of Wildlife, and another DNR employee, a biologist with over sixteen years of experience with the Department, shared some of their fishing stories during the boat ride. They shared some photos of fish they had caught, but when Hale stated they had to re-release some of them, we wondered why. 

“For instance, largemouth and smallmouth bass need to be around 12 inches to keep them statewide, and that regulation applies here at Alum Creek State Park. Some lakes have special bass or other fish regulations, which might change. The minimum length to keep it is 12 inches, and that information is at every State Park or wherever you’re deficient. The best way to find it is online, and you can look at our regulations, or we put out thousands of regulation pamphlets anywhere you buy a fishing license,” said DNR staff.

“Croppies are popular species to catch at the Alum Creek State Park. Those need to be 9 inches, and then there are also bag limits so you can keep up to 30 per person. Well, for bass, you can only keep five in a bag”.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources: Division of Wildlife reports that more than a quarter million datasets have been downloaded through the portal, which boasts over 300 datasets, dashboards, and visualizations.

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