West Lake in Portage County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  West Lake is a Portage County water, Ohio side. The ground around here is lake country bush. At about 88 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. With about 1.2 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Streetsboro is the closest town at 2.9 miles. It is 12 miles to Akron, the nearest city. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on West Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Portage County include bluegill, redfin pickerel, pumpkinseed, warmouth and green sunfish. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The near bank of West Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 71°F and January at 25°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late March. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about late December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to West Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, East Lake is 0.4 miles off. Signs at West Lake carry more weight than any list.