Turkeyfoot Lake in Summit County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Turkeyfoot Lake lies within the bounds of Summit County, Ohio. The setting is mixed woodland on every side. At 370 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. Size puts it in the front rank of our Summit County list. New Franklin lies 1.9 miles from the water. Further out sit Manchester (2.7 miles) and Portage Lakes (2.7 miles). Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Turkeyfoot Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Summit County cover bluegill, rainbow darter, common carp, fantail darter and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Turkeyfoot Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 72°F in July and bottom out at 25°F in January. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. It holds true on Turkeyfoot Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Boat moorings show in mapping some half a mile from here. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. For the carp, bait a margin spot and sit on it; corn and bread still work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Mud Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Turkeyfoot Lake locally before you travel.