Fishing at Pine Lake, Geauga County, Ohio

• Overview

  Set in Geauga County, Ohio, this is Pine Lake. Around the bank it is mixed forest. With some 27 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Few waters listed in Geauga County are bigger. Supplies mean a trip to Burton, 4.3 miles off. It is 24 miles to Cleveland, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pine Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Geauga County include rainbow darter, redfin pickerel, bluegill and johnny darter. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Pine Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 70°F, with January the cold end at about 24°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late March. Average temperatures cross freezing around late March in spring and again near late December in autumn. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Pine Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There is a launch about 0.9 miles from the bank. A marina is mapped about 0.9 miles away. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. Mapping shows a jetty some 0.9 miles off. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Restful Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at Pine Lake are worth checking on the day.