Sylvan Lake in Wayne County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Sylvan Lake lies in Wayne County, Ohio. It stands 988 feet above sea level. On water this small, stealth matters more than range. On size it sits at the modest end of our Wayne County list. Supplies mean a trip to Wooster, 1.6 miles off. Then Apple Creek, 4.7 miles, and Smithville, 5.7 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Sylvan Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Wayne County include white sucker, johnny darter, bluegill, green sunfish and rainbow darter. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The near bank of Sylvan Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 25°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After mid March the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages place the thaw at mid March and the freeze at late December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Sylvan Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. For the panfish, a small hook, a float and a piece of worm outfish everything fancy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Gross Lake is 4.2 miles distant. Check the position on Sylvan Lake before loading the car.