ALUM CREEK LAKE, Ohio — Fish Ohio Day has been an event sponsored by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the state’s current governor for many years. The site for this event has always been Lake Erie, primarily because our Great Lake is known as the “Walleye Capital of the World.” However, Gov. Mike DeWine added an additional day to spotlight fishing in the Buckeye State when he instituted Inland Fish Ohio Day.
This event has taken place at the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area and Acton Lake the last two years, and the 2024 Inland Fish Ohio Day was held at Alum Creek Lake north of Columbus. With Ohio Division of Wildlife (DOW) personnel at the helm of angler-loaded pontoon boats, and volunteer boat captains using their personal boats for guest anglers, the fishing took place from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 27.
The most popular piscatorial target for the day was Alum Creek Lake’s outstanding population of crappies. While catch and release has become near gospel among bass anglers, the phrase most often aligned with crappie anglers is “release to the grease.”
The anglers of the day included Ohio Division of Wildlife personnel, Gov. DeWine and his family, members of the media, and invited guests. While not every boat returned with good catches, many of them returned to the marina with coolers full of soon-to-be crappie fillets. One boat returned with the guest angler having landed a limit of bass. Rich Zweifel, Inland Fisheries Program administrator for the DOW, put on a bass fishing clinic that could have been titled, “How to fish a Texas rigged worm for Ohio bass.”
Governor DeWine, his five grandsons, two sons, and one son-in-law were on one of the boats that returned with an excellent catch of crappies. Many times, Ohio governors in the past who participated in Fish Ohio Day have put in only a token effort in the promotion, but that is not the case with Governor DeWine. His efforts on behalf of Ohio’s outdoor traditions and facilities are genuine. A conversation with the governor quickly revealed his passion for these traditions.
“Yes, I proposed Inland Fish Ohio Day,” DeWine confirmed. “I grew up fishing for bluegills and crappies in small ponds near my home in Green County, and Inland Fish Ohio Day is a great way to feature all the great fishing our state has in addition to Lake Erie. We only have one Great Lake, but we have 78 state parks.”
DeWine then quickly added, ”Soon to be 79!” He then described Ohio’s next state park-to-be, that will be called Great Council State Park. The park will be located in a place known as Oldtown, that lies between Yellow Springs and Xenia.
“The visitor center will be open in June,” stated Gov. DeWine. “The focus will be on Native Americans and the interaction that took place with the settlers that poured into the Ohio wilderness. For the first time, we are going to tell this story, the true story of Ohio history.”
The site for the new state park was once a major Shawnee village. However, the governor had more information concerning state park facilities in addition to the newest one about to open.
“In the next two years every state park lodge and every cabin in our parks will be renovated,” said the Governor. “This work is long overdue.”
Gov. DeWine had high praise for ODNR Director Mary Mertz and Chief of the Division of Wildlife, Kendra Wecker. The DOW Chief was among the anglers participating at Inland Fish Ohio Day, and she returned to the marina with a cooler full of good sized crappies. Wecker was quick to credit her boat captain.
“Captain Lawless is a great guide. He fishes for crappies all over the country, even as far away as Alabama,” stated Wecker. The DOW Chief had a brief but direct comment when it came to the quality of Ohio’s fisheries.
“As long as we protect the resource, we can have recreation for Ohio’s citizens,” commented Wecker.
But the bottom line of Inland Fish Ohio Day is the one that carried the bait to the fish. The day is about the fun fishing provides and the kind of memories only made on the water. Some of those memories will be easier to recall for three anglers participating at Alum Creek Lake because they took home awards for their catches.
Tadhg Dudukovich, one of the Governor’s grandsons, took home the prize for “The Most” fish caught while Camden Baker claimed “The Smallest Fish” award.
The angler who brought a big bass reputation to the event, Solomon “Bass” Curtis, caught the biggest fish of the day, a 2.65 pound largemouth bass. Solomon was recently named to the Ohio Wildlife Council and has served as a Fishing Ambassador for Ohio for the last four years. Corneilus Harris of Zanesville was also named as an Ohio Fishing Ambassador at the same time Curtis was tabbed for that role.
Inland Fish Ohio Day does not draw the number of participants that the Fish Ohio Day on Lake Erie does. It also has a completely different atmosphere, one that is more family- and friend-oriented. Many thanks to Scott Hale and Nick Radabaugh of the Division of Wildlife for my invitation to participate in Inland Fish Ohio Day and the reception held on Friday evening before the Saturday event.
And regardless of where your political loyalties lie, it is more than evident that no Ohio governor has made a greater commitment to the anglers and hunters of this state than Gov. Mike DeWine. His influence on behalf Ohio’s outdoor opportunities and state park facilities will have a lasting impact long after his time in office ends.
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