Buckeye Lake Business Closes Down

Tourism is down this summer at one of Ohio’s most popular fishing destinations, causing one business owner to close up shop.

Many businesses surrounding Buckeye Lake are suffering, as the low water levels are keeping both fisherman and tourists away.

“Well, when they come out to the lake, the publicity was that most of it was drained, so everybody who comes out here thinks well our lake is drained, but then they come out and they see water and go ‘wow, didn’t know you had that much water,” said Jim McKittrick, owner of Millersport Deli, Drive-thru and Bait.

McKittrick has owned Millersport Deli and Bait since 1971. This season’s decline in business forced him to close his bait and tackle shop for the first time in 44 years.

“My bait shop is totally closed down, we do have bait and tackle here, but not like we were running it, no,” McKittrick said.

McKittrick still sells bait at his deli and drive-thru, but only what’s left of it. He said in all of his years as a business owner, he’s never seen a downfall quite like this.

“Our busy time runs through Memorial Day, it runs through July 4, then after July 4 it starts to go down a little bit, and then into the winter months, so we have to make our money between that time to get through the winter, and without that money there it’s going to be very hard… for any business out here to survive, it’s going to be a miracle,” he said.

Water levels may be low, but McKittrick said the fish are biting, and those who do come out are taking advantage. Saugeye and striped bass are some of the popular catches. As summer slowly comes to an end, McKittrick said he hopes to see an increase in business during the winter months for ice-fishing.

“Fishing has been real well out here because the fish have littler space to move around in, and they catch a lot of fish, but what the problem is when people act like it’s been drained nobody’s coming out,” he said. “We’re open, that’s the main thing we are open, come on out and go fishing, as the water temperature cools down out here, fishing’s going to get a lot better.”

Work is already underway to rebuild the deteriorated earthen dam, which is expected to be completed by 2019.

“The lake will be a very beautiful lake when they get it done, it’s just being able to hold on that long,” McKittrick said.