Everyday cats
- Med–heavy spinning or baitcast
- 12–20 lb mono / fluoro or 20–30 lb braid + fluoro leader
- Circle hooks 2/0–5/0 · egg / no-roll sinkers ½–3 oz
- Rod holders (2–3) · headlamp · net · pliers
- Measuring board (28″ / 35″ trophy lines)
Hoover gear guide
Phone-first kits for Hoover Reservoir — cats, crappie, bass, saugeye. Bank vs boat cards, short buy lists, and packing checklists. Notebook voice.
Disclosure: No paid affiliate IDs on this page yet. If affiliate or sponsored links are added later, they will be labeled. Buy what fits your budget; confirm regs and safety gear yourself.
Overview
Hoover Reservoir (Westerville / Delaware–Franklin) is one of Ohio’s best multi-species lakes, especially for catfish. About ~2,800 acres, ~45 miles of shoreline, depths to ~60 ft near the dam.
10 HP outboard limit — idle-speed drinking-water reservoir. Lower pressure than many big lakes; kayaks and small boats work well. Night helps channel and flathead (blues too); it is not best for every species.
Before you go
License required ages 16+. Confirm 2026–27 rules on ODNR / HuntFish OH before you keep fish.
| Species | Reminder (VERIFY ONLY) |
|---|---|
| Crappie | Hoover long had 9″ min; daily bag often 20 or 30 depending on site-specific table — verify |
| Bass LM/SM | Typically 5/day, 12″ min |
| Walleye / saugeye / sauger | 6 combined; size often 14–15″ — verify |
| Cats | No limit on smaller fish; statewide trophy usually 1 channel ≥28″, 1 blue ≥35″, 1 flathead ≥35″. Older Hoover-specific slot language (18–28″ channel/blue) appeared in past booklets — check current pamphlet |
Local intel
Old Dutchman Bait & Tackle, 904 S Sunbury Rd, Westerville — cut shad, shrimp, liver, crawlers, goldfish, live bluegill, maps, floating-rig parts.
How to use
- Optimal kit
- Rigs with buy list
- Bait / lures
- Bank vs boat + public spots
Universal extras
- License, measuring board, pliers, clippers, hook-out, large landing net
- Headlamp + batteries, rod holders / bank sticks, cooler + ice, polarized glasses
- Life jacket (boat), insect repellent
- Boat: fish finder / FFS helps crappie, saugeye, and cats
Kit cards
1. Catfish — Channel, Blue, Flathead
Headline Hoover fishery. Blues commonly run into the 30–50+ lb class. Night is strong for channel and flathead (blues too); daytime boat work still scores.
Optimal kits
Trophy blues / flatheads
- Heavy baitcast or stout spinning
- 40–65 lb braid · 40–60 lb mono/fluoro leader
- Circle hooks 5/0–8/0 · heavier sinkers / 3-way
- Large net · strong rod holders · cooler + ice
- Circle-hook tip: wait for steady pull, then reel — don’t “set” hard
Rigs (buy list)
| Rig | Pieces |
|---|---|
| Slip-sinker / Carolina | Egg sinker → bead → swivel → 18–36″ leader → circle hook |
| Floating / hover | Same as slip + foam float or floating hook to lift bait off silt |
| 3-way | 3-way swivel · dropper to sinker · longer arm to bait (channel edges) |
| Balloon mid-depth (boat) | Balloon or float set bait mid-column while slow-trolling cut bait |
| Bank night | Rod holders · slip or floating · clicker / drag set · headlamp |
Baits
- Cut shad / skipjack · shrimp · chicken liver · nightcrawlers
- Live bluegill / goldfish where legal — verify bait rules
- Flatheads lean live; blues love fresh cut; channels eat almost anything smelly
Bank vs boat
Bank
- Public shoreline near Oxbow, Redbank, Walnut flats
- Night: multiple rods in holders, quiet lights
- Watch private docks — public only
Boat / kayak
- Channel edges, dam basin, north-end deeper holes
- 3-way or balloon troll for blues
- ≤10 HP · PFD · fish finder helps
2. Crappie
Optimal kit
- Light spinning 4–8 lb mono or light braid + fluoro leader
- 1/16–1/8 oz jigs · slip floats · small hooks
- Ruler for 9″ · small net · minnow bucket if using live bait legally
Rigs
- Slip-float: bead · stop · float · small shot · jig or minnow — depth tune under brush / docks (public)
- Vertical jig: boat over brush / timber · slow lift-drop
- Cast-retrieve: small curly-tail or tube along points and riprap
Baits / lures
- Live minnows · small plastics (chartreuse, white, natural)
- Tungsten or lead jigs matched to wind
Bank vs boat
Bank
- Riprap, bridges, public docks / shore brush
- Slip-float covers depth without a graph
Boat
- Brush piles, creek arms, suspended schools
- FFS / sonar speeds finding timber
3. Bass
Largemouth primary on Hoover; smallmouth show in rockier / clearer stretches. Stick worms are a Hoover staple.
Optimal kit
- Medium spinning or baitcast · 8–14 lb line (or 10–20 lb braid + leader)
- Soft plastics · spinnerbait / chatter · topwater for low light
- Terminal kit · pliers · 12″ measure (black bass min — verify)
Rigs / presentations
- Texas-rig stick worm / creature — weightless or light bullet
- Wacky stick worm — docks, grass edges, calm pockets
- Jig + trailer — wood, rock, deeper banks
- Search: spinnerbait, squarebill, chatterbait
- Dropshot / Ned — clear water / pressured fish
Colors
Bank vs boat
Bank
- Points, riprap, laydowns on public shore
- Weightless stick worm covers water quietly
Boat
- Creek channel swings, brush, dam riprap
- Cover water with search baits, then slow down
4. Saugeye / Walleye
Hoover gets saugeye / walleye attention via stocking programs over the years — check current ODNR notes. Daily 6 combined walleye/sauger/saugeye is the usual reminder; size often 14–15″ — verify.
Optimal kit
- Medium spinning · 6–10 lb fluoro or braid + leader
- Jigheads 1/8–3/8 oz · paddle-tails / twisters · blades / spoons
- Headlamp for low-light unhooking · long-nose pliers
Rigs / methods
- Jig + minnow or soft plastic — slow hops on bottom
- Blade / spoon — vertical or cast when fish are up
- Slow troll crankbaits or harness (boat, ≤10 HP)
- Bank dam / riprap — cast after dark or low light
Baits
- Live minnows · soft plastics (white, chartreuse, natural perch)
- Thin crankbaits that dig without snagging constantly
Bank vs boat
Bank
- Dam / lower riprap when open and legal
- Points and current edges after dark
Boat
- Channel edges, flats adjacent to deep water
- Slow troll or vertical when marked on sonar
Quick packing lists
Bank day — mixed
- License · polarized glasses · sunscreen / bug spray
- Medium spinning + light spinning (or one medium + terminal swap)
- Plastics / jigs · one cat rod if targeting cats
- Pliers · clippers · measure · small net
- Water · snacks · trash bag
Boat / kayak
- All bank items + wearable PFD · throwable if required
- Anchor · lights · dry bag · whistle
- Fish finder if you have one · spare kill-switch lanyard
- Cooler + ice · measuring board · large net
- Stay ≤10 HP · pack out everything
Practical Hoover notes
- Night is better for channel and flathead (blues too) — not a rule for crappie/bass every trip.
- Wind piles bait on windward banks and points.
- North end often cited for trophy blues (Oxbow / Twin Bridges / above Sunbury Rd).
- Catch bait on an ultralight when legal and practical.
- 10 HP limit → a kayak covers a lot of lake without racing elsewhere.
Gear lists are notebook suggestions for Hoover’s 10 HP / bank reality — not sponsorships (yet).
License 16+ · ODNR / HuntFish OH.