Charles Mill Lake has a prominent place in the region as a great recreational fishing and boating lake. The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District manages the water and surrounding land for a variety of visitor uses that include fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, boating and other outdoor pursuits.
The dam was constructed in 1935 to impound 1,350 acres of water. The shoreline stretches for 25 miles. The fishing is, of course, excellent.