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Indiana Fishing
Locations
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Indiana Fishing Spots
Locations
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Indiana Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) have spent countless hours compiling fish
population surveys, angler interviews and in habitat
improvement and revitalization, all with anglers in mind.
Stockings of some species have resulted in self-sustaining
populations of fish, while others are stocked more on a
put-and-take level.
Big Blue River
White Suckers
Suckers on the Blue River are in deeper holes that are
located along the entire length of river. Just about every
hole, cut or river bend dip of any size can be stacked with
suckers lying close to the bottom. It doesn't take much of a
hole to hold numerous suckers.
Turtle Creek Reservoir
Largemouth Bass
Turtle Creek Reservoir is always a good bet for springtime bucket mouths.
Anglers have taken fish in the 8-pound range from this
1,550-acre water. A 20-inch minimum size limit is in place
to make this a trophy-class bass lake. The Hoosier Energy
Corporation owns the land around the reservoir. There is a
warm water discharge located at the northern end of the
lake. Shore-fishing is allowed from the bridge on county
Road 25.Water access is limited near the discharge, but
anglers can fish up along the barrier to take advantage of
the higher water temperatures and active early-season bass.
Large mouths are becoming more active as the water warms
throughout the lake. Bass metabolism slows down considerably
in the winter and bass slow down their feeding accordingly.
Patoka Lake
Largemouth Bass
Five-pound bass are taken quite frequently from Patoka Lake, a bass
factory in Dubois, Crawford and Orange counties. The minimum
15-inch size limit has helped increase the overall sizes of
bass in Patoka. Post-spawn bass will still be near spawning
areas, but they will be holding in developing weed beds,
especially where weed edges are adjacent to deeper water.
Shoreline points dropping into deep water are also June
hotspots. Oddly, boaters won't have to travel far to reach
some of the most productive points, many of which are just
off the lake's boat launches. atoka Lake is loaded with
coves, deep points and drop offs, all of which attract large
mouths. Patoka Lake covers 8,800 acres and sports big bucket
mouths throughout.
Ohio River
Flathead Catfish
Flatheads up to 50 pounds are available in all of Indiana's Ohio River
pools. Tackle busters this size are rare but possible. As a
matter of fact, flatheads can exceed 100 pounds but 20- to
30-pounders are more the norm.
The tail waters produce most the river's flathead catfish.
Look for these whisker fish not only in the more turbid
areas but also near warm water discharges, stream
confluences, such as where the Ohio and Cumberland rivers
join, and on gravel flats near deeper water. At times, huge
flatheads wait in tangled blow downs and other woody cover
or in deep-water holes. Look for a variety of habitat
located in the same area where catfish don't have to move
far to find their temperature, cover and feeding needs.
Night-fishing from May through July is best. Use heavy
enough gear to pull in these monster-sized cats through deep
rocks and tangles. Heavy-duty hooks are a necessity, since
one of these big fish can easily straighten a light hook and
make a shambles out of light-action rods and reels.
Brookville Lake
Hybrid Stripers
Hybrid stripers, a cross between white bass and stripers, are notorious
roamers and may be anywhere on Brookville's 5,260 acres of
water surface. Look for shad jumping frantically to locate
schools of hybrids chasing the baitfish to the surface. In
1995, the DNR started stocking hybrid stripers in Brookville
at the rate of over 20,000 fish every year or so to control
the shad population. With a good forage base, anglers
frequently catch big hybrid stripers from this lake. Hybrids
are open-water roamers. They can be just about anywhere, so
try trolling to cover a good stretch of water if schools of
shad aren't jumping and rolling on the surface. These fish
are a schooling game fish, so if you catch one, you'll find
plenty more if you stay on the school.
Lake Of The Woods
Walleyes
Walleyes can be caught through the ice from this Marshall County hotspot.
Lake of the Woods reaches depths to 50 feet with sharp
contours next to deeper water throughout the lake. The lake
covers 416 acres and traditionally produces good numbers of
walleyes every year. A large sandbar extends across most of
the lake starting near the end of Denver Street on the
southeast corner of the lake. At times, the walleyes move up
to feed here. Thousands of walleyes have been stocked since
1995 and the results speak for themselves. Anglers can
expect walleyes up to 23 inches with good numbers of
smaller, pan-sized fish as well. |
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