Ohio · United States
Fishing in Columbus
Looking for somewhere to fish near Columbus? Columbus is rivers country: 61% of the 62 named waters within 20km are rivers, with reservoirs the next most common. The closest is Rich Street Low Head Reservoir, 0.7km out — and 4 more sit inside 5km.
What you can expect to catch near Columbus
What's realistic here follows the water you've actually got in range, and it varies by type:
- Rivers (38, closest 1.6km) — Smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish through most warmwater rivers; trout where the water runs cold and fast.
- Reservoirs (15, closest 0.7km) — Largemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in the larger impoundments.
- Canals (9, closest 11.0km) — Canals and channels tend to hold catfish, panfish and bass that have moved in from connected water.
Fishing the water around Columbus
On rivers, read the flow before you cast. Fish hold on the seam where fast water meets slow, in the crease behind obstructions, and under undercut banks. Approach from downstream where you can — fish face into the current, so you'll be behind them.
Before you go
Fishing licences in the US are issued by the state, so you'll need one for the state you're fishing in — check your state wildlife agency for the current rules, and note that seasons, size limits and bag limits vary by species and water.
Every named water within 20km
62 in total, closest first — a live slice of the 500,000+ waters in CastLog. Photograph a catch on any of them and the app names the species, estimates its size, and logs the spot and conditions automatically.
Rivers near Columbus
- Olentangy River · river · 1.6km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Bliss Run · river · 6.0km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Argyle-Woodland Run · river · 6.1km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Ackerman Run · river · 6.3km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Pleasant Run · river · 6.4km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Glen Echo Run · river · 6.5km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Kian Run · river · 6.6km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Litchford Run · river · 6.8km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Marsh Run · river · 7.2km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Walhalla Creek · river · 7.3km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Turkey Run · river · 8.7km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Scioto Big Run · river · 9.2km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Adena Brook · river · 9.3km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Mulberry Run · river · 10.9km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Mason Run · river · 11.0km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Grove City Creek · river · 11.1km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Republican Run · river · 11.4km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Bill Moose Run · river · 11.7km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Alum Creek · river · 11.8km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Blacklick Creek · river · 11.9km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Rocky Fork Creek · river · 11.9km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Rush Run · river · 12.9km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Slate Run · river · 13.1km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Grant Run · river · 13.1km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
- Gibboney Creek · river · 14.4km from Columbus centreTypically smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish; trout where the water runs cold.
+13 more within range — open CastLog to search the full list.
Reservoirs near Columbus
- Rich Street Low Head Reservoir · reservoir · 0.7km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Greenlawn Avenue Low Head Reservoir · reservoir · 2.2km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Fifth Avenue Low Head Reservoir · reservoir · 3.8km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Mirror Lake · reservoir · 4.3km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Spring Lakes · reservoir · 6.1km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Ohio State University Golf Course Lake · reservoir · 9.6km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Griggs Reservoir · reservoir · 10.1km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Poste Lake · reservoir · 13.7km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- City of Columbus Sludge Pond · reservoir · 14.6km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Brookside Country Club Lake · reservoir · 15.5km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Ashton Pond · reservoir · 16.2km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Thoreau Pond · reservoir · 16.7km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Schrock Lake · reservoir · 17.1km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Smith Pond · reservoir · 18.2km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
- Timber Lake · reservoir · 19.9km from Columbus centreLargemouth and spotted bass, crappie and catfish, with striped bass in bigger impoundments.
Canals near Columbus
- Roberts Millikin Ditch · canal · 11.0km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.
- Tudor Ditch · canal · 13.4km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.
- Hamilton Ditch · canal · 16.2km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.
- Clover Groff Ditch · canal · 16.7km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.
- Cramer Ditch · canal · 18.3km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.
- George Geary Ditch · canal · 18.6km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.
- Tussing Ditch · canal · 18.8km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.
- Cosgray Ditch · canal · 19.2km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.
- Cole Ditch · canal · 19.2km from Columbus centreCatfish, panfish and bass moved in from connected water.