Do you like to fish? Me too. As a kid, one of my earliest memories was of sitting beside a pond fishing for bluegills with my father. As he instructed me, I stared intently at the small, round, red-and-white bobber floating on the surface of the water a few feet in front of us, willing it to move. When it finally danced sideways, Dad quickly issued further advice. “Let it go all the way under before you begin to reel.” The excitement of watching that bobber slowly descend into the depths is a thrill I’ve never forgotten. I’ve been hooked ever since. — Chip
The responsibility of making sure that the Buckeye State’s public lakes, rivers, and streams are full of fish for Ohio’s 2 million anglers is the job of the Division of Wildlife of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. One of Ohio’s oldest state agencies, the division was created in 1873 (then named the Ohio Fish Commission) in response to declining native fish populations.
As a result, fish hatcheries were built throughout the state, and since then, more than 2.7 billion fish have been stocked in Ohio's waters — 41 million last year alone. Many of those fish are stocked as fry, no bigger than “two eyes and a wiggle,” as fishery biologists term it. Those fry quickly grow into fingerlings, then yearlings, and eventually adults.
The Hebron State Fish Hatchery is one of six fish hatcheries in the state of Ohio that are in charge of ensuring the state's lakes, rivers, and streams are full of fish.
“The majority of Ohio’s fish populations are sustained through natural reproduction,” says Chris French, fish hatchery program administrator. “However, stocking expands and diversifies fishing opportunities in waters where existing habitats don’t support some fish populations. Stocking is only one of many fish management tools used by the Division of Wildlife to improve angling.”
Six state fish hatcheries are operated by the division, and if you’ve ever wondered what magic is involved in raising fish for stocking, here’s an opportunity to peek behind the curtain: Each of the hatcheries hosts an open house each spring. The events are very popular with the public, especially families with kids. In short, you’re invited, so find a fish hatchery near you and check it out.
All of the open houses are held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on a Saturday. If you can’t make any of the scheduled dates, self-guided hatchery tours are conducted during normal business hours, and educational tours can also be arranged.
“The funding for Ohio’s state fish hatcheries comes from the sale of Ohio fishing licenses and the Sport Fish Restoration Act,” French says. “Enacted in 1950, the Sport Fish Restoration program provides funding for sport fish conservation through federal excise taxes on sport fishing equipment, import duties on fishing tackle and pleasure boats, and a portion of the gasoline fuel tax attributable to small engines and motorboats.”
If you’re new to fishing, or maybe would like to give it a try again, the annual Free Fishing Days weekend is scheduled for June 14–15, when no fishing license is required of Ohio residents. But don’t be surprised if you’re the one who gets hooked. Note: Kids under 16 years of age are never required to have a fishing license in Ohio.
W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor. Email him with your outdoors questions at whchipgross@gmail.com. Be sure to include “Ask Chip” in the subject of the email. Your question may be answered on www.ohiocoopliving.com!
Ohio’s 2025 state fish hatchery open houses
- March 22: St. Marys State Fish Hatchery, 01735 Feeder Road, St. Marys, 45885.
Fish species: saugeye, walleye, yellow perch, channel catfish, blue catfish. - April 5: Hebron State Fish Hatchery, 10517 Canal Road SE, Hebron, 43025.
Fish species: blue catfish, bluegill, walleye, saugeye. A kids’ fishing pond will also be available. - April 5: Senecaville State Fish Hatchery, 57199 Senecaville Dam Road, Senecaville, 43780.
Fish species: saugeye, walleye, channel catfish, hybrid-striped bass, bluegill. - April 12: Castalia State Fish Hatchery, 7018 Homegardner Road, Castalia, 44824.
Fish species: rainbow trout, steelhead trout. - April 12: Kincaid State Fish Hatchery, 7487 State Route 124, Latham, 45646.
Fish species: rainbow trout, hybrid-striped bass, muskellunge. - May 3: London State Fish Hatchery, 270 Roberts Mill Road, London, 43140.
Fish species: rainbow trout, brown trout, muskellunge. A kids’ fishing pond will be available.
