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Deer Creek Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Central Ohio saugeye water: Deer Creek fishes hard for walleye-sauger hybrids and crappie.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
27 cfs
Air / High
91 / 91 F
Wind
N 7 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 03230800, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Deer Creek Lake lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 27 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings a mixed sky, wind N around 7 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 91. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 82 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Deer Creek at Mount Sterling (inflow).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 03230800.

8172,3033,79027 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp91 F
High / Low91 / 70 F
WindN 7-12 mph
Pressure1013.1 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain30% cloud, 9%
Sunrise / Sunset07:04 / 19:59
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 91/70 F, wind 13 mph, rain 9%

Fair or better. A 13 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Deer Creek Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Deer Creek Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Deer Creek Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 94 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 94 F, wind to 11 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 92 F, wind to 11 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Ohio requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Ohio license. Saugeye, bass and crappie limits per current ODNR regulations.

Access

Deer Creek State Park ramps, lodge, cabins and camping; tailwater access below the dam.

About this water

A 1,300-acre Corps flood-control reservoir on Deer Creek, Pickaway and Fayette counties, Ohio.

Fishing Deer Creek Lake: the full guide

A Corps lake south of Columbus

Deer Creek Lake covers about 1,300 acres at summer pool on Deer Creek southwest of Columbus, a Corps flood-control reservoir with a state park on its shore. Ohio manages it primarily for saugeye, which thrive in the somewhat stained water, alongside largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill and white bass.

Saugeye first

Saugeye are the headline: they hold the riprap, dam face, points and channel edges, taking jerkbaits, jigs and blade baits from fall through spring, with cold, windy evenings producing best. Summer moves them to the deeper flats where slow-trolled harnesses work. The tailwater below the dam concentrates fish and is a productive shore fishery.

Bass, crappie and catfish

Largemouth relate to the shoreline cover, timber and riprap. Crappie stack the brush and structure, with spring the peak. Channel catfish work the flats and are reliable on cut bait. The lake’s modest size makes it easy to learn, and the state park provides good access for anglers without boats.

Pickaway County logistics

Deer Creek State Park provides ramps, a lodge, cabins, camping and beach access, with the Corps managing water levels. Mount Sterling and Circleville are the nearby towns, with Columbus about 40 minutes northeast. Flood-control operations move the level substantially, particularly in spring.

Common questions

When is the saugeye bite best?

Fall through spring on the riprap and points, with cold windy evenings producing the best fishing.

Is the tailwater good?

Yes: releases concentrate saugeye and other species below the dam, with straightforward shore access.

Is there lodging?

Yes: the state park includes a lodge and cabins, making it an easy overnight destination.

Is fishing good at Deer Creek Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Hoover Reservoir41 miAlum Creek Lake42 miBuckeye Lake44 miCaesar Creek Lake45 miIndian Lake70 miLicking River89 mi
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