Sandusky River Fishing Guides
Ohio's second great walleye run river, opened to far more spawning habitat by the 2020 removal of the Ballville Dam, with strong smallmouth fishing the rest of the year.
Guides on the Sandusky River
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About the Sandusky River
The Sandusky is the Maumee’s quieter neighbor and it runs the second largest walleye spawning migration in Ohio. Fish move out of Sandusky Bay and up through Fremont each spring to spawn on the river’s limestone riffles, and the fishery has changed substantially in recent years. The Ballville Dam at Fremont, which blocked the run for more than a century, was removed in 2018 and the channel reopened, giving walleye access to many miles of upstream gravel that had been unavailable since before anyone alive had fished it.
The result is a run that is still finding its shape. Fish now push well above Fremont, spreading angling effort along a longer stretch of river and reducing the shoulder-to-shoulder crowding that defines the Maumee. Tactics are the same – weighted jigs worked across the current by wading anglers – and Ohio applies the same special run regulations, including single-hook rules and enforced anti-snagging provisions. The run is generally a week or two behind the Maumee, which lets anglers fish both in a single spring.
Outside the run the Sandusky is an underrated smallmouth river. The riffle-and-pool water between Tiffin and Fremont fishes well from a kayak or on foot through the summer, and there are good channel and flathead catfish, white bass and drum. This gauge sits near Fremont at the heart of the run water and reports discharge, stage and water temperature. Both matter: the run keys to warming water, and spring discharge determines whether the riffles can be waded safely. The lower river below Fremont is slow and bay-influenced and fishes more like Lake Erie than like a river, which makes it a better boat trip than a wading one. Anglers wanting to wade should stay upstream of the old dam site.
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Access
Fremont and the former Ballville Dam site - the center of the spring walleye run.
Rodger Young Park in Fremont - bank and wading access on the run water.
River Cliff Park - walk-in access near the reach this gauge reads.
Tiffin and the Sandusky River Walk - middle-river bank access and summer smallmouth water.
Old Fort and the Highway 12 crossings - riffle water above Fremont, newly opened to the run.
Upper Sandusky and Indian Mill - upper-river wading and kayak access.
Sandusky Bay and the river mouth - open-water launching toward Lake Erie.
Seasons
Spring: the walleye run through late March and April, running a week or two behind the Maumee.
Summer: good smallmouth and catfish fishing on the riffle water between Tiffin and Fremont.
Fall: falling clear water, strong smallmouth and light pressure through the whole river.
Winter: cold, high and mostly unfished until the spring run begins to build.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Sandusky River?
As of Sep 17, 5:30 am, the USGS gauge Sandusky River near Fremont OH reads 174 cfs, with water temperature 72.7 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Sandusky River?
Anglers target Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass on the Sandusky River in Ohio.
Where can you access the Sandusky River?
Fremont and the former Ballville Dam site - the center of the spring walleye run. Rodger Young Park in Fremont - bank and wading access on the run water. River Cliff Park - walk-in access near the reach this gauge reads. Tiffin and the Sandusky River Walk - middle-river bank access and summer smallmouth water. Old Fort and the Highway 12 crossings - riffle water above Fremont, newly opened to the run. Upper Sandusky and Indian Mill - upper-river wading and kayak access. Sandusky Bay and the river mouth - open-water launching toward Lake Erie.
When is the best time to fish the Sandusky River?
Spring: the walleye run through late March and April, running a week or two behind the Maumee. Summer: good smallmouth and catfish fishing on the riffle water between Tiffin and Fremont. Fall: falling clear water, strong smallmouth and light pressure through the whole river. Winter: cold, high and mostly unfished until the spring run begins to build.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Sandusky River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Ohio agency site: https://ohiodnr.gov/buy-and-apply/hunting-fishing-boating/fishing-resources/fishing-regulations