Lower Bear Lake near Bainbridge: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lower Bear Lake is set in Geauga County, Ohio. The bank is 1,112 feet above sea level. It covers about 11 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Bainbridge, is 3.2 miles away. After that come Aurora at 3.6 miles and Reminderville at 5.2 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Lower Bear Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Geauga County records list rainbow darter, redfin pickerel, bluegill and johnny darter among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Lower Bear Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 70°F, with January the cold end at about 24°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late March. The open-water window runs from around late March to about late December in an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Plan around that when you fish Lower Bear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. There is somewhere to leave the car, 140 yards off. Public toilets are recorded roughly 130 yards off. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Middle Bear Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Lower Bear Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.