Near The Ohio Border Between Fort Wayne And Ann Arbor Is A Scenic Wildlife Area With Lake Views And Fishing

If casting a line at sunrise, enjoying quiet shorelines, and taking in panoramic lake views sounds like the perfect way to start a day, there's a little-known lake in Ohio that should be on your radar. The Lake La Su An Wildlife Area is often overlooked by day-trippers speeding past on their way elsewhere; and while there are a lot of lakes and natural areas for nature-seekers to explore in this mostly rural region of the state, Lake La Su An's under-the-radar nature makes it an uncrowded option for anglers and hikers just off the Ohio Turnpike.

Lake La Su An is located in Williams County in the far northwestern part of Ohio, about 92 miles southwest of Ann Arbor and nearly 62 miles northeast of Fort Wayne off of U.S. Highway 20. The wildlife area began as part of a private resort, Dreamland Acres, which was developed in the early 1960s and featured manmade lakes and ponds. The lakes of the nearly 900-acre resort were purchased by the state of Ohio in 1981, after the resort closed. Two years later, Lake La Su An Wildlife Area opened to anglers as a public fishing lake. Today, the wildlife area spans over 2,616 acres, offering quiet lake views and a variety of fishing opportunities among its numerous lakes. 

The Lake La Su An Wildlife Area is more than just the lake itself, as the 82-acre body of water is just one of 13 lakes and ponds that once made up the Dreamland Acres property. Over 127 acres of water are spread throughout the wildlife area, giving anglers plenty of spots to fish, either by boat or from the shorelines. Lake La Su An is the largest  of the area's four major lakes, and the boat ramp providing access to it is located at the parking lot off County Road R. In addition to the main lake, three more boat ramps are available at Lake Lavere, Lake Sue, and Lake Ann, which is the smallest at just 5 acres. For anglers without a boat, bank fishing is allowed within the wildlife area, and an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant fishing pier is also available on the main lake. 

Much like Ohio's other scenic lakes, such as Buckeye Lake State Park in Central Ohio and the underrated Leesville Lake near Akron, sunfish is particularly abundant within the lakes of La Su An, especially the bluegill, which is regulated by the state of Ohio to maintain high quality. Other fish species you can catch here include channel catfish (two fish daily bag limit), redear sunfish, and pumpkinseeds, all of which are plentiful. Anglers can keep only 15 sunfish per day, and the fishing season within the wildlife area runs from May until September. A valid fishing license is required, and fishing is only permitted on Fridays, weekends, and Mondays from sunrise to sunset.

Outside of fishing, the Lake La Su An Wildlife Area also features a 4.3 mile hiking loop that takes hikers around the area's four largest lakes. The path is natural-surfaced, and due to its rural nature, hikers can enjoy moments of solitude that can be absent at Ohio's more popular nature hikes. According to AllTrails, the loop is rated at easy, making it accessible to hikers of all skill levels. The La Su An Loop takes nearly two hours to complete and is best explored during the spring and summer months.

If you're looking for more hiking or fishing opportunities within Northwest Ohio, Oak Point State Park, within Lake Erie, is an island park with shoreline fishing on South Bass Island. Alternatively, if you want to stay on the mainland, Arcola Creek Park near Cleveland offers scenic lake fishing, migratory birdwatching, and more excellent hiking.