Deer Creek Lake is a good lake for anglers seeking crappies. Use minnow and jigs in areas with brushy cover during April and May. Redworms and wax worms are used to catch bluegill.

For white bass, use spinners in Deer Creek above the lake during May.

For channel catfish, use nightcrawlers or cut shad fished on the bottom especially at night during the summer.

Seek largemouth bass along deep shorelines with heavy cover.

In 1978, Deer Creek Lake became the first lake in Ohio stocked with saugeye. This successful experiment lead to introductions of saugeye at more than 50 lakes statewide. To catch saugeye, try the dam face and other rip-rapped areas in early spring using imitation minnow baits. Also try the tailwater area below the dam in late fall, winter and early spring about one week after a major water release. Use twister tails tipped with minnows or night crawlers.