Sites Lake near Lincoln Heights: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in Richland County, Ohio. The bank gives way to rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Lincoln Heights, is 4.9 miles distant. Mansfield lies 6.7 miles off, Ashland another 7.1 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Sites Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Richland County, recorded fish include bluegill, rainbow darter, common carp and gizzard shad. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Sites Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 24°F in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late March. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about late December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. At Sites Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The nearest mapped parking is 0.9 miles away, so the last stretch is on foot. Mapping shows a jetty some 0.9 miles off. Carp respond to sweetcorn or boilies fished patiently on the bottom near feeding areas. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Charles Mill Lake at 1.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Sites Lake before loading the car.