Super User HoosierHawgs Posted March 14, 2016 Author Super User Share Posted March 14, 2016 This weekend was fruitless. Will be getting out tonight, and finally it will 100% be overcast skies with some weather coming in. The rest of this week should be stable as well, so maybe that will fix things up for this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaFinesse Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 They were holding in two to twelve feet of water on rip-rap points. Just get a one eighth or one sixth ounce white roostertail, cast it out and let sink to the bottom, and reel it just fast enough to keep the blade turning. The trick is to keep moving until you find them, if I don't get them in the first five to ten minutes I am moving. Sometimes I will use a two inch white curly-tail, but the spinner usually works better. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddChase Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Are the whites spawning/running up rivers? I love catching them in the river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaFinesse Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Don't know, I was planning on trying the river that feeds into the lake yesterday, but they were biting so well on the lake I didn't end up trying it. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaFinesse Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 I was able to get out for a few hours this afternoon again, and started out fishing for largemouth bass without any success. Â After about an hour we switched to white bass, and had another awesome day of white bass fishing. Â The grand total of two hours of fishing was 31 fish, plus a bonus three pound spotted bass. Â They had moved up shallower on the steep rip rap banks, this time in only one to four feet of water. Â My guess is they were starting to spawn, since the water temperature is fifty-four degrees. Â A bummer the bass weren't hitting, but still a great day of fishing with mid seventy's degree air temperature. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyerbassman Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Sounds like a good day to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaFinesse Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Got out for a half an hour today, didn't have enough time to use the boat so I was stuck shore fishing. Since I didn't have much time I just grabbed one rod with a roostertail on it. Surprisingly I caught three crappie and a small bass in one to four feet of water in a area protected from the wind. I wish I had brought a crappie jig, but at least I know were they are now so I can go back and get some more another day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Smith Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 3 hours ago, Centralinfinnesse said: Got out for a half an hour today, didn't have enough time to use the boat so I was stuck shore fishing. Since I didn't have much time I just grabbed one rod with a roostertail on it. Surprisingly I caught three crappie and a small bass in one to four feet of water in a area protected from the wind. I wish I had brought a crappie jig, but at least I know were they are now so I can go back and get some more another day. You know, lots of times crappie jigs serve well to finesse bass when they need a light touch. I mentioned on this board bass fishing with an ultralight at times, in relation to a question about a high modulus ultralight rod. One person who answered started with "If you're going to handicap yourself by bass fishing with an ultralight rod..." Problem is ultralight weight, small lures are all some of them will bite. My biggest bass last year was caught on a small plastic worm whacky rigged on an ultralight. It didn't look like it had ever been caught before, and I'd been through its hangout many, many times with bass jigs, topwater, and pretty much anything else you'd throw on a bass rig. It was a heck of a fight -- the bass did more dragging than I did reeling, I think -- but I eventually wore it out and landed it. I didn't weigh it, but it was of a size I'd not have tried swinging with a M/F rod. I'm also convinced that there are a lot more large bass available from shore than we generally realize. About half my lifetime fishing experience has been from a boat, and I'm currently repairing that boat with new decking etc. However, I'm not as urgent about it as I might be otherwise. I'm finding that I'm primarily a shore fisherman, meaning, even from the boat, I would fish the shore. The boat was just a way to fish from the other side of the shore, and to more easily parallel the shoreline. (Still, there's a nice matte of vegetation accessible only from boat that I want to hit this year with frogs!) Just some random thoughts. Regards, Josh 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyerbassman Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 1 minute ago, Josh Smith said: You know, lots of times crappie jigs serve well to finesse bass when they need a light touch. I mentioned on this board bass fishing with an ultralight at times, in relation to a question about a high modulus ultralight rod. One person who answered started with "If you're going to handicap yourself by bass fishing with an ultralight rod..." Problem is ultralight weight, small lures are all some of them will bite. My biggest bass last year was caught on a small plastic worm whacky rigged on an ultralight. It didn't look like it had ever been caught before, and I'd been through its hangout many, many times with bass jigs, topwater, and pretty much anything else you'd throw on a bass rig. It was a heck of a fight -- the bass did more dragging than I did reeling, I think -- but I eventually wore it out and landed it. I didn't weigh it, but it was of a size I'd not have tried swinging with a M/F rod. I'm also convinced that there are a lot more large bass available from shore than we generally realize. About half my lifetime fishing experience has been from a boat, and I'm currently repairing that boat with new decking etc. However, I'm not as urgent about it as I might be otherwise. I'm finding that I'm primarily a shore fisherman, meaning, even from the boat, I would fish the shore. The boat was just a way to fish from the other side of the shore, and to more easily parallel the shoreline. (Still, there's a nice matte of vegetation accessible only from boat that I want to hit this year with frogs!) Just some random thoughts. Regards, Josh Well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaFinesse Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Definitely agree on the shore fishing part, my biggest bass was caught from shore in a gravel pit in Nebraska, a mile and a half hike from the nearest road. Â And I to have caught some big bass on tiny jigs, I once caught a nice bass on a tiny hook with a pipe cleaner rapped around it because that was all I had with me at the time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddChase Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Hey guys I'm looking for some info on great fishing lakes in Indiana. I currently live 45 minutes from Summit but I've heard bad things about it. Looking for a lake/reservoir that can be fished from bank for bass/panfish. Thanks!  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Team9nine Posted March 18, 2016 Super User Share Posted March 18, 2016 1 hour ago, OddChase said: Hey guys I'm looking for some info on great fishing lakes in Indiana. I currently live 45 minutes from Summit but I've heard bad things about it. Looking for a lake/reservoir that can be fished from bank for bass/panfish. Thanks!  Well, if you're looking for "great" fishing you're in the wrong state  JK, but you might look at Westwood, Province Pond and Prairie Cr. Res. as good alternatives to Summit. All are in the same general area and have decent bank access. -T9 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midwest Fisherman Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 1 hour ago, OddChase said: Hey guys I'm looking for some info on great fishing lakes in Indiana. I currently live 45 minutes from Summit but I've heard bad things about it. Looking for a lake/reservoir that can be fished from bank for bass/panfish. Thanks!  I'm not familiar with your area but what about Prarie Creek Reservoir 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Smith Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Are you willing to drive? I can put you on some fish, but figuring out the how and where of the bigger ones is up to you! ? Josh Hey guys I'm looking for some info on great fishing lakes in Indiana. I currently live 45 minutes from Summit but I've heard bad things about it. Looking for a lake/reservoir that can be fished from bank for bass/panfish. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddChase Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 22 minutes ago, Josh Smith said: Are you willing to drive? I can put you on some fish, but figuring out the how and where of the bigger ones is up to you! ? Josh  I would appreciate any input. I'm not a fan of driving through Indy but I wouldn't mind putting in 2 or 3 hours if I can catch some fish. I've been dry all year so far. 3 hours ago, Team9nine said: Well, if you're looking for "great" fishing you're in the wrong state  JK, but you might look at Westwood, Province Pond and Prairie Cr. Res. as good alternatives to Summit. All are in the same general area and have decent bank access. -T9 I plan on visiting Province Pond this evening and checking it out. Never heard of it and haven't read about it online, so hopefully low pressure. Thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amoore9900 Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 We put the boat in the water for the first time today it was 40 when we started so I wasn't sure...but a guy across the lake got 2 6 pound bass so I was hoping....we started out at the North end of the lake and got 1 fish on a lizard bait where the lake flows out..we threw cranks around that end and nothing so we headed to the south end....we got 1 nice bass a the mouth of a channel on a strike king red eye shad in about 4 feet of water...we then went around and fished the mouth of another channel and the 1st fish in this pic came at that spot...they were just off the mouth of the channel in about 3 feet...(surprised they were not deeper)...we then went to the little lake and fished the beaver dam...and got bass 3 in the pic....5 or 6 feet of water....we then fished some trees and got bass 2 Â in the pic 5 or 6 feet deep...we lost 3 big fish...one bass that was huge was at that boat and I can still see the bass jump and spit the boat and jump over the net and land about 4 inches from the net....the fish were thick looks like they have been feeding most of the winter.. Â 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tstraub Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 9 hours ago, OddChase said: Hey guys I'm looking for some info on great fishing lakes in Indiana. I currently live 45 minutes from Summit but I've heard bad things about it. Looking for a lake/reservoir that can be fished from bank for bass/panfish. Thanks!  I wish I had some good advice for you but I can't find the fish this year myself.  I'm off work on vacation and don't go back until Tuesday the 29th so I'm hoping to find some fish.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddChase Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 @Team9nine I visited Province Pond this afternoon. Doesn't seem to bank-friendly unfortunately. Thanks for the suggestion though. I may have to buy a fishing pass for Prairie Creek. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Team9nine Posted March 19, 2016 Super User Share Posted March 19, 2016 Sorry about that. I haven't been there, but had read many reports over the years from those that have fished there and new it was right in the area. Maybe they were all in tubes or small jon boats. Heard the fishing was pretty decent though. Figured being a state F&W area with a boat ramp there might have been more bank access.  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaFinesse Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 30 minutes ago, OddChase said: @Team9nine I visited Province Pond this afternoon. Doesn't seem to bank-friendly unfortunately. Thanks for the suggestion though. I may have to buy a fishing pass for Prairie Creek. Try some of the ponds around there, it looks like there are a number of them. They warm up faster than larger lakes in the spring, and are usually small enough that you can cast to any point in the pond. Sometimes ponds only have small, stunted fish but occasionally you will find a true gem of a pond. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Smith Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 9 hours ago, OddChase said: I would appreciate any input. I'm not a fan of driving through Indy but I wouldn't mind putting in 2 or 3 hours if I can catch some fish. I've been dry all year so far. I plan on visiting Province Pond this evening and checking it out. Never heard of it and haven't read about it online, so hopefully low pressure. Thanks for the help! You'd not need to go through Indianapolis. We're both north of there. It's pretty much a straight shot from Muncie to Salamonie on I69, about an hour's drive. I'd probably put you on smallmouth, but the river's up right now (The average size is about 15in in the area I go. Lots foot traffic but no real fishing anymore -- we'd go there for walleye all the time when I was a teenager. No idea why folks stopped going there.) Hominy Ridge Lake will be moving into pre-spawn in the next month or so if it's not already; thing is there are a lot of smaller (10-12") bass you have to catch in that lake before you figure out what the big ones want. I have a business without a storefront, so it's easier for me to take off than most other folks. Let me know when you're free and want to come up and I'll clear it with the wife. I'd recommend waiting about a month, though. Regards, Josh 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianMRetter Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 What season are most Indiana LMB in right now? Early pre-spawn or late winter? I'm in East Central Indiana.  I fish Summit/Westwood from a kayak and am going to check out Province Pond that someone previously mentioned. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaFinesse Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Early pre-spawn, the water temperature here is 51degrees, but this cold front will slow them down and possibly push them out deeper. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amoore9900 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 We are going out again in 3 hours I think the cold front will have moved them off but will see...I went out last evenin again and got a few and lost one 7 or 8 pounds... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Team9nine Posted March 19, 2016 Super User Share Posted March 19, 2016 They were chewing today. Had to have caught 75 or more in just over 3.5 hours. Cold front doesn't seem to be bothering them at all. May even try and tempt fate and go again tomorrow -T9 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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