FREMONT, OH (Toledo News Now) - Sandusky County anglers now have a new fishing spot to check out this summer.
Last year, the city of Fremont and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources went back and forth, debating whether to allow fishing at the Fremont Reservoir. Now, fish are in the water and ready for catching.
After city council voted last fall to allow gas powered boats on the reservoir, the ODNR stocked the waters with 93,000 yellow perch fingerlings and another 140,000 yellow perch fry this spring.
Officials say it's common in Ohio for cities to use one body of water for drinking water and recreation.
"Everybody likes to fish closer to home. They get off work, and they can drive 5 or 10 minutes to a lake and be able to fish. You know, that works much better for everybody than to drive for an hour or two hours to Lake Erie, or even the Ohio River," said ODNR District 2 spokesman Mike Wilkerson.
With the addition of the new fishing site, ODNR has been working with local officials to have the Ballville Dam removed. The removal of the dam would significantly broaden the spawning area for walleye and white bass. That could mean a walleye run similar to the one seen on the Maumee River on the Sandusky River.
"Somebody from the Toledo area said, 'you guys keep that dam, we'll continue taking the tourism up at the Maumee River," said Jerri Miller with the Sandusky County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
There is no catch size minimum for yellow perch, so fishermen can wrangle them in right now.
