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Grand Lake St Marys Fishing Report

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

Ohio’s canal-era giant: Grand Lake St Marys spreads shallow and fertile across 13,000 acres.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
85 / 87 F
Wind
SSE 6 mph

Sources: 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.

Grand Lake St Marys lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. Today brings a mixed sky, wind SSE around 6 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 87. 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. 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.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp85 F
High / Low87 / 71 F
WindSSE 6-10 mph
Pressure1012.8 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain48% cloud, 14%
Sunrise / Sunset07:08 / 20:05
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, 87/71 F, wind 18 mph, rain 14%

Fair or better. A 18 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Grand Lake St Marys: 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 Grand Lake St Marys 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 Grand Lake St Marys today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 91 F, wind to 17 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

2/5 Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing. Walleye led the card at good. High of 91 F, wind to 12 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 89 F, wind to 12 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. Crappie, bass and catfish limits per current ODNR regulations; check current water-quality advisories.

Access

Grand Lake St Marys State Park ramps, campgrounds and shoreline access at Celina and St Marys.

About this water

A 13,000-acre canal-era reservoir in Mercer and Auglaize counties, Ohio, built in the 1840s.

Fishing Grand Lake St Marys: the full guide

A canal reservoir

Grand Lake St Marys covers 13,000 acres in western Ohio, built in the 1840s to feed the Miami and Erie Canal and once the largest artificial lake in the world. It averages only about seven feet deep, which makes it warm, fertile and productive: crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, channel catfish and yellow perch, with the state working for years on water-quality improvement.

Crappie and panfish

Crappie are the signature fishery: they hold the channels, dock structure, rock piles and any submerged cover, with spring the peak and fall producing well. Bluegill fill the shallows and are excellent for families. The shallow lake warms early, starting the season ahead of deeper Ohio waters and drawing anglers as soon as ice leaves.

Bass and catfish

Largemouth relate to the shoreline rock, docks and whatever vegetation exists in a given year: shallow-water tactics dominate, with spinnerbaits, plastics and topwater all working. Channel catfish are abundant and reliable from the bank on cut and prepared baits, and they grow well in the fertile water.

Mercer County logistics

State park ramps, campgrounds and extensive shoreline access serve the lake, with Celina and St Marys at either end. Wind stirs the shallow basin quickly and affects clarity for days. Algae blooms have been a recurring summer issue: check current advisories, particularly if you plan to swim or bring dogs.

Common questions

How shallow is it?

About seven feet on average: it warms fast, fishes early and stirs up quickly in wind.

What about algae?

Summer blooms have been a recurring issue: check current advisories before swimming or bringing dogs.

What is the best fishery?

Crappie by tradition and numbers, with bluegill and catfish making it a strong family destination.

Is fishing good at Grand Lake St Marys 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

Indian Lake32 miSalamonie Lake62 miBrookville Lake75 miCaesar Creek Lake76 miMississinewa Lake77 miAlum Creek Lake83 mi
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