Fishing Leighty Lake in Shelby County, Ohio

• Overview

  The Shelby County end of Ohio holds Leighty Lake. The ground round it is rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. On size it sits at the modest end of our Shelby County list. Fort Loramie is the closest town at 4.2 miles. Then Minster, 7.1 miles, and Versailles, 7.8 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Leighty Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Reported across Shelby County: bluegill, rock bass, smallmouth bass and green sunfish. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Leighty Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 73°F and January near 24°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid March. The water is typically free of ice between mid March and late December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Leighty Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A campsite lies 0.9 miles away for anyone staying over. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Lake Evergreen, 3.5 miles away. The position on Leighty Lake is worth confirming on the day.