Fishing at Refinery Reservoir, Allen County, Ohio

• Overview

  Set in Allen County, Refinery Reservoir is an Ohio water. It sits at 830 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Allen County. Head to Lima, 2.1 miles away, for anything you forgot. Fort Wayne is the closest city, 59 miles away. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Refinery Reservoir

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Allen County records list bluegill, green sunfish and greenside darter among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Refinery Reservoir repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 74°F in July and bottom out at 25°F in January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid March. From about mid March to around late December, expect open water on the long-run figures. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Anyone fishing Refinery Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. The nearest car park we can see is 0.9 miles out, so expect a walk with your gear. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, McClintock Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Where Refinery Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.