Fishing at Silver Lake, Preble County, Ohio

• Overview

  Set in Preble County, Ohio, this is Silver Lake. It sits at 1,001 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 12 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. New Paris at 0.4 miles is the nearest place to stop. Richmond is 5.3 miles and Centerville 11 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Silver Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name bluegill, rainbow darter, greenside darter, orangethroat darter and fantail darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Silver Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 25°F in January and 73°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid March. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid March until roughly late December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Anyone fishing Silver Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Boat access is recorded roughly 90 yards away. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Halls Lake is 3.7 miles distant. What applies at Silver Lake may have changed since it was mapped.