I'm from virginia and I just got into a college in Terre Haute.  I was wondering if there was any good fishing around there.  I don't have a boat so I'd be interested in any lakes you can fish from the shore or maybe rent a boat cheap.  I saw an earlier thread talking about Turtle Creek, is there any good fishing from shore there.  Thanks for your help.

You might look up Patoka Reservoir, not too far, but worth the drive.

yeah that lake looks good, too bad its 3 hours away.  What have you caught there?  Do you think it would really be worth the drive?

Racoon and Cagles Mill are close. I've been to racoon and it is a great lake. Big bas and big stripers. Not been to the other but hear some good things about it. Do you have a boat or are you bank fishing?

Unfortunately I don't have a boat so I would be shore fishing, but both of those lakes look nice and are pretty close.  Do you know if either would be any good from shore? Thanks for the help.

Racoon is fairly limited. There are a few areas that can be fished from shore though. The beach area has a few points that you can get out on. As far as the other lake, I have not been there so I'm not much help.

your pretty close to waveland and I know you can shore fish there. It is also loaded with bass. There is an overpass on your way to the boat ramp that I always see people fishing off of.

The schnook mines are pretty good, it's fishable from land and pretty good fishing too.  Great topwater nightime bite.  I'm pretty sure I spelled it wrong, but it's public fishing.  Iv'e been there a couple times with a buddy, but couldn't tell you how to get there.  Just ask some locals, they'll tell ya.  JI Case wetland used to be good too.  It's really shallow and has an awsome topwater frog bite in the summer.  Terre Haute has small water everywhere and can be awsome fishing.  You just have to go to people's doors and ask permission.  Google earth where you live and you will see there is a ton of small lakes.

The Chinook he talks about is just up I-70 right before Brazil... never been there befoer but sounds like it could be alright.  I live down in sullivan and fish lake sullivan alot.  The park and lake there has probably a mile of shoreline you can walk and fish.. but alot of it is rip-rap so becareful walking around on it.  I used to fish that lake alot when I was young from the shore and did very well, just run some cranks or Trigged worms parallel to the shore.  Its only 20min or so from you.  If you want to go a little further you can go down to minnehaha FWA or green sullivan state forestry... there are tons of areas and lakes to fish from shore.  Both are near the sullivan county and greene county line (go down 41 to 54 and head toward dugger/linton).  Would take you maybe 40 minutes tops.  

As others mentioned, Racoon lake isnt too far just outside brazil... mediocre bass fishing, not much experience from the shore there though.  Dont recommend turtle creek, its even hard from a boat.  Don't drive to Patoka, it will take you forever to get there for average shoreline fishing. That lake is good but wouldnt be worth that long of a drive without a boat. There is a lake that used to be called Issac Walton in west terre haute, know nothing about it but its worth a shot distance wise.  

Hey guys, thanks for all the help it sounds like there's a lot of good options.  If I do end up going up there it sounds like I should be able to keep pretty busy, at least when its not winter.  Again, thanks for all the suggestions.

yo, spinking. ihave my own private lake in brazil, just east of TH. email me at wilb007@gmail.com for more info

My wife works at ISU. We are always looking to make contact with the students and I do have a boat! If you would like to get together this spring for a day, e-mail me and we can work it out.

If fishing with an old ---t is troublesome, well you can fish the lake at Fowler park just south of TH and get into some good ones.

Good point hoosiergramps, completely forgot to mention the parks.  There are a couple parks in the area that do have ponds including Fowler, as well as Deming (East end of Ohio street).  I believe there is another also but I cannot think of it off hand.  They are rather small and get pressured by the panfisherman alot but you can catch fish there.

You also have plenty of creeks,streams and small rivers you can wade for smallmouth,spots and largemouth. All the strip pits over in Linton and Brazil. Lot's of options for the bank fisherman.

Ray Rigby

I live in Terre Haute, have been to Raccoon up north and Mill Creek in Illinois, both of which would be hard to fish from shore.  Sullivan is a nice lake, more shore fishing available but still not ideal.  The parks are ok, I'd say Fowler has the best bass fishing from shore.  I believe Rose Hulman has a park and lake out their way where you can rent a boat real cheap for the day, you might check into that.  Also, if your a college guy and know anyone that lives in Village Quarter Apartments (on Hwy 46, north of Wal-Mart), they have a lake that people living there and their guests can use, it's pretty good size and you can get around it completely from shore.  Don't know what kind of fish it has though.

I saw someone mentioned Patoka, which I fish frequently and think it's the best bass lake in Indiana, but if you don't have a boat or are going with someone with a boat, I wouldn't waste your time driving that far to shore fish, not much opportunity there if you really want to fish that 8800 acre lake.