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LOCATION
Atwood Lake is located at the western edge of Dellroy in western Carroll County along State Route 542. The dam is in Tuscarawas County on State Route 212.
HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION
The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District was organized under state law in 1933 for the primary purpose of flood control, conservation, and recreation. The first waters to form the permanent lakes were impounded in 1938. In 1939 the flood control aspect became the responsibility of the United States Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Ohio-Mississippi Flood Control Program.
By agreement with the Corps of Engineers, the ODNR Division of Wildlife is responsible for all hunting and fishing in the District's 52,000 acres of land and water. There are 16,000 acres of Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District lakes with 365 miles of shoreline for the fishermen to enjoy.
Atwood Lake, one of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District lakes, was constructed as a flood control lake. It was impounded by building a dam across Indian Fork, a branch of Conottan Creek. Atwood Lake has 1,540 surface acres and 28 miles of shoreline.
FISH OF INTEREST TO ANGLERS
Atwood Lake is stocked with saugeye annually and is considered one of the finest saugeye fisheries in Northeast Ohio. It also has excellent populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, crappies, and channel catfish.
FISHING FORECAST
| Type of Fish |
|
Size |
Largest
(inches) |
| Channel Catfish |
Good
|
Excellent
|
20.9
|
| Crappie |
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
11.9
|
| Largemouth Bass |
Good
|
Good
|
20.9
|
| Saugeye |
Excellent
|
Good
|
27.4
|
| Sunfish |
Good
|
Good
|
7.5
|
White Bass
|
Good
|
Good
|
15.2
|
Fish Survey Report
| Type of Fish |
Percent Seeking |
Catch Rates |
Fishing Pressure |
| Catfish |
12%
|
Poor
|
High
|
| Crappie |
21%
|
Fair
|
High
|
Largemouth Bass and
Smallmouth Bass |
24%
|
Good
|
High
|
| Saugeye |
23%
|
Excellent
|
High
|
| Sunfish |
2%
|
Poor
|
High
|
White Bass
|
4%
|
Good
|
High
|
Angler Survey Report
METHODS OF FISHING AND BEST FISHING SITES
Saugeye can be caught all season long around mid-lake points and drop-offs. Successful anglers primarily use jig and minnow or jig and nightcrawler combinations to take saugeye. Good numbers of bass are caught each spring in the upper reaches of the lake. Bluegills are harvested by both boat and shore anglers each May and June using redworms, wax worms, or maggots. Crappies can be taken on live minnows or small jigs from sunken shoreline brush each spring just as the dogwood trees bloom. Mid-season fishing, especially at night, with shrimp, nightcrawlers, or prepared bait is the best way to catch catfish.
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
Recreational facilities include a lodge, cabins, picnic, and camping areas, swimming beach, park and playground, ski slope, golf course, and marina.
FISH OHIO
Anglers who catch a big fish should enter their prize in the Fish Ohio angler recognition program. A fish qualifies for an award if it meets the minimum size requirement set for the Fish Ohio program. Applications are available online at FishOhio.org.
FISH MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
The ODNR Division of Wildlife’s fish management activities include stocking, conducting periodic angler surveys, constructing fishing access facilities, improving in-lake habitat, regulation enforcement, and monitoring fish populations with nets, seines, and electrofishing gear. These activities are vital to providing adequate public access and determining the management practices necessary to produce quality fishing.
Each year, the Ohio Division of Wildlife places fish concentration structures into various reservoirs. These structures are not meant to change fish populations, but instead concentrate fish to particular areas for anglers to target. Below are the locations for some of the structure projects that have been completed for this lake. All GPS coordinates are in NAD 83 map datum, and the coordinates are in degrees (o) minutes (’) and seconds (”).
Fish Attractor Locations
| Date |
Structure Type |
Location |
Number Placed |
Water Depth |
GPS Coordinates |
| 8 / 2005 |
Pallet Structure |
ESE of dam on flat |
53 |
16 – 18 |
N40o31’29.2” /W81o16’38.1” |
| 1 / 2006 |
Christmas tree structure |
Shoreline by 212 pull off |
55 |
7 – 8 |
N 40o 31’41.3” /W81o17’5.1”
to
N 40o31’43.5” / W81o17’3.7” |
| 2 / 2010 |
Christmas tree structure |
Atwood Lake Park bay |
164 |
4 – 8 |
40o32’21.7” / W 81o15’37.1”
to
N40o32’24.9” /W81o15’42.3” |
| 2 / 2010 |
Christmas tree structure |
Handicap fishing pier |
14 |
4 – 8 |
40o 32’ 23.9”/ W81o15’45.7” |
To download a .pdf of the structure locations, please click here.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Questions and inquiries can be directed to Wildlife District Three, 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron, Ohio 44319, telephone 330/644-2293.
For additional information on other MWCD lakes access their Web site at www.mwcdlakes.com.
TURN IN A POACHER
Ohio’s TIP, “Turn In a Poacher,” program is helping to curtail poaching throughout the state. TIP is designed to involve the public in reporting wildlife violations. Citizens who observe wildlife violations should call the TIP toll-free hotline, 1-800-POACHER. |
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Major Sportfish
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