Fishing is available at Pine Hill Lakes Park in Mason. The twin lakes are continuously stocked during the fishing season. Fishing passes, which are required to fish, are available at the Mason Community Center whenever it is open (it's just a short walk through the trees near the lake to the the center.) Passes are also available during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday) at the customer service counter in the Mason Municipal Center.

SEASON FISHING PASS RATES:

2010 passes are on sale at Mason Community Center and Mason Municipal Center.

DAILY FISHING PASS RATES:

Adult: $8
Youth (10-12) and Senior: $5

Children under 10 may fish for free and do not require a pass.

Passes are checked by Parks staff and volunteers. Volunteers are identified by a name badge with the Parks logo and are available to answer questions and assist people using the parks. Persons without valid passes will be asked to purchase a pass.

Season Passes make great gifts for the holidays or birthdays! For more information, call the Parks & Recreation Office at 513-229-8550.

DAILY FISHING LIMITS FOR THE LARGE LAKE AT PINE HILL LAKES PARK

(per calendar day per person)

• Two bass (13-inch minimum)
• No bass during spawning season
• Four trout
• Seven carp, catfish, pike, or sheepshead
• Twelve bluegill, rock bass, perch, sunfish, or crappie

The small lake is a catch-and-release lake.

Lake and Fish Habitat

The small lake at the park was drained in early 2009 to allow for the removal of the silt that has accumulated in the pond over the years. The lake was also deepened so that it can be used as a stormwater detention basin for the Community Center expansion. This will allow two detention basins on the community campus to be eliminated, opening the way for more parking. The work in the lake will also provide better fish habitat.

The photo above was taken before the lake filled back up. The feature that looks like a dam with large rock on top is a forebay. It will keep silt from moving into the larger portion of the lake. This will prevent the silt from re-filling the main part of the lake over the next several decades.

Cement pipe has been placed in several locations on the bottom of the small lake to promote fish habitat. In the photo, it looks like large rocks in the water beyond the forebay. It will provide a new home for the fish.

The small lake has been designated as a "catch and release" lake for the next year so that the fish population will increase. Signs will be posted. Regular stocking of the small lake will resume at the end of the year. In the meantime, small fish will be added as bait fish.

Last updated: January 4, 2010