State park lake

Buckeye Lake

Fairfield County, Ohio

Buckeye Lake is Ohio's oldest state park lake, a shallow 3,100-acre lake spanning Fairfield, Licking and Perry counties east of Columbus. It permits unlimited horsepower and is used by pontoons, sailboats and fishing boats.

Air temp in Buckeye Lake, OH Not available right now.

Red pins match the numbered boat launches below. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Buckeye Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area3,100 acres

Max depth—

Shoreline—

Boat motorsUnlimited horsepower

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Crappie●●●●○

Docks and brush are productive, especially in spring.

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Caught in open water and through the ice.

Bluegill●●●●○

Abundant around docks and weed edges.

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Fish docks, weeds and channels.

Channel Catfish●●●○○

Commonly caught at night and from shore.

Boat launches

9 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

1North Shore Launch RampPublic
State park ramp, village of Buckeye LakeDirections ↗
2Fairfield Beach Launch RampPublic
State park ramp, south sideDirections ↗
3Lieb's Island Launch RampPublic
State park ramp near park office, MillersportDirections ↗
4Alexander LandingPublic
Public access, west endDirections ↗
5Avondale MarinaPublic
Marina launch, east end (fees likely)Directions ↗
6Brooks ParkRamp
Public boat launch, South Bank, Millersport. No horsepower limit. (740) 467-2690.Directions ↗
7Buckeye Lake MarinaMarina
Launch with dock or marina, Canal Drive Box 415, Millersport. No horsepower limit. Privately operated, so confirm access and fees. (740) 467-2697.Directions ↗
8Fisher's MarinaMarina
Launch with dock or marina, 3227 Fisher Avenue NE, Millersport. No horsepower limit. Privately operated, so confirm access and fees. ODNR notes a possible closure during dam repair, so check before you go. (740) 467-2905.Directions ↗
More public accessPublic
See ODNR or the lake manager's website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Crappie Black and white combined	9 in	30 / day

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

R & R Bait and TackleNearby
10905 Hebron Rd, Buckeye Lake, OH 43008(740) 928-2248 Directions ↗
Millersport Bait & TackleNearby
12325 Lancaster St, Millersport, OH 43046(740) 467-2707 Directions ↗
Millersport Drive-Thru, Deli & Bait ShopNearby
Millersport, OHDirections ↗

Search more bait shops near Buckeye Lake ↗

Local tips

Fishing pier on Mud Island has limited parking.
The lake is shallow; watch stumps and low-water areas.
Expect heavy boat traffic on summer weekends.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.

More Ohio lakes

Seneca Lake Alum Creek Lake Salt Fork Lake Hoover Reservoir West Branch Reservoir (Michael J. Kirwan Reservoir) Caesar Creek Lake Tappan Lake Piedmont Lake All Ohio lakes →

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.