New to Ohio

[Wog]

Hi everyone and great site.  My wife and I just moved here from Minnesota and I'm already in need of my fishing fix.  We moved just east of Cleveland and I have no idea where to head.  If anyone has some suggestions or wants to head out let me know.  I mostly stick to the usual (crappie, eyes and gills with the occasional tip-up for pike).

Rick

[slabslayer]

Welcome!!  I'm an hour from you in Canton.  There's good gill and slab fishing in this area.  Other than Erie, I'm not that familiar with Cleveland, but Nimisila and Mogadore have good gills. Deer Creek in Alliance has good crappies. That's all within an hour from you.  Love to fish sometime.

[Wog]

Thanks for the info.  Most of my stuff is still in boxes, but I'm going to try to get out this week.  Friday is open for sure and possibly Sat or Sunday depending on what my wife has planned.  If you want to head out let me know.  How thick does this ice usually get around here?  Heavy power auger or lite hand auger?

[slabslayer]

Depends on the year. Last 2 seasons were a bust, maybe 2 weeks fish able ice between the 2. In 2010 we had 16"+ in a lot of areas! This season is looking to be a great one too.  Ice many places is 6-9" already, and getting thicker, so I'd use a power auger. The only time I hand drill is first and last ice when I'm on 2-3" and want to reduce weight, or am fishing Mogadore. No gas augers allowed there.    Looks like my Friday is open if I'm feeling better, battling flu. Sunday there's a walleye tournament on Berlin that I'm running with fellow member A@C where a lot of IFO members will be fishing. There's a pot for largest non walleye too. If you're interested you can meet a lot of great local fishermen there and get some ideas who fishes where. The details are in the Berlin Lake board. Would be a great place to meet a lot of the NE Ohio guys who all fish the same waters as you will be fishing. It's 100% payback, so Chuck and I don't make anything, unless we win something!   But I'm more if a panfish angler than walleye.  I like gills and crappie thru the ice!