Indiana Geist & Morse Reservoir Tackle

[IndyBass]

Long time stalker, first time poster. I want to start out by thanking everyone for the wealth of knowledge I have gained and the respect I have for everyone on this forum, including the forum itself.

I know this question gets beat to death but mine is more specific. Since I am new to the area however I am not new to fishing. What is new to me is fishing beyond your normal live bait and light lures. Since the holidays are coming up and I'm also lucky enough to have a birthday shortly after, I would like some input from anyone with experience on Geist & Morse Reservoir as to what baits, lures etc I can ask my family for. I realize several factors come into play and I will learn those as time goes on, I would just like to get my arsenal started. I should mention I am looking more toward bass tackle, I'm pretty good on crappie.

Thanks

[Frenchman83]

I've had success with jig & craw presentations, T-rig with a brush hawg, purple&silver and chartreuse&white spinnerbaits, and swimjigs.

[Frenchman83]

I've had success with jig & craw presentations, T-rig with a brush hawg, purple&silver and chartreuse&white spinnerbaits, and swimjigs.

[IndyBass]

Ok, thanks Dink, but what is a T-rig with brush hawg. I will search it as well.

[laduckhunter]

T rig = Texas rig. A brush hawg is a type of soft plastic creature bait by a company called zoom.

[IndyBass]

T rig = Texas rig. A brush hawg is a type of soft plastic creature bait by a company called zoom.

Ok, thanks. I have seen Texas Rig mentioned but I didn't put the two together and I am familiar with zoom. Thanks again.

[Preytorien]

I lived on Morse before I got married, and fish Geist quite a bit in the summer. Here's my two cents worth.

 

Both bodies are similar in ways but Geist is much cleaner.

 

Morse did a major drawdown about 10 years ago and hasn't been as clean since. Indianapolis Water pulls a ton from it. Typically it produces good bass, few north of 5lbs, but has notably good populations of stripers, which if you get into them, are really fun to catch. I've had good luck with squarebill crankbaits in flashy/bright colors and topwater lures (frogs, buzzbaits, spooks) especially on warm spring/summer mornings.

 

Geist is much cleaner so your lure assortment can be a bit more varied, but I've had good luck with cranks, topwaters, weightless plastics (flukes and senkos), Ned Rigs, and jigs. 

 

Both lakes have good reports of crappie schools too. 

 

Those lakes are some of the only large bodies of water adjacent to Indy, so on the weekends (unless you're in a tournament) it fills up with pleasure boaters and becomes difficult to fish. Tuesday through Thursday mornings are best. 

 

Myself and a few others on here like to hit them both in kayaks or inflatables since the launch fees are borderline ridiculous. Might give that a whirl if it's your thing.

[IndyBass]

I lived on Morse before I got married, and fish Geist quite a bit in the summer. Here's my two cents worth.

 

Both bodies are similar in ways but Geist is much cleaner.

 

Morse did a major drawdown about 10 years ago and hasn't been as clean since. Indianapolis Water pulls a ton from it. Typically it produces good bass, few north of 5lbs, but has notably good populations of stripers, which if you get into them, are really fun to catch. I've had good luck with squarebill crankbaits in flashy/bright colors and topwater lures (frogs, buzzbaits, spooks) especially on warm spring/summer mornings.

 

Geist is much cleaner so your lure assortment can be a bit more varied, but I've had good luck with cranks, topwaters, weightless plastics (flukes and senkos), Ned Rigs, and jigs. 

 

Both lakes have good reports of crappie schools too. 

 

Those lakes are some of the only large bodies of water adjacent to Indy, so on the weekends (unless you're in a tournament) it fills up with pleasure boaters and becomes difficult to fish. Tuesday through Thursday mornings are best. 

 

Myself and a few others on here like to hit them both in kayaks or inflatables since the launch fees are borderline ridiculous. Might give that a whirl if it's your thing.

Thanks, since I knew you fished Geist & Morse you were one I was wanting to hear from. Can you elaborate more on colors and brands you prefer. I was curious about the lake traffic as well and I plan on doing most of my fishing during the week

[Darren.]

Let me just welcome you to the forums!

 

Seems you have info you need well in hand.

[Preytorien]

I use most colors with effect most of the time. With soft plastics I can usually always do well with natural colors (greens, browns, pumpkin) and with flukes I use almost exclusively pearl. With crank colors I'll use whatever the water color calls for. Stained I'll use something loud (chartreuse or firetiger), clear I'll use something that matches a bluegill forage. Jigs I usually keep it natural colors (browns, greens, pumpkin). I had Mike Siebert (a site sponser here - Siebert Outdoors) make me some jigs that were green pumpkin skirts on top with some chartreuse skirt on the bottom that would be the colors of a frog, then I add a green trailer to it, and those seem to do well also. Frogs and topwaters - doesn't seem to matter the color. The Ned Rigs do well, and I have good luck with Mud Minnow and Coppertreuse colors. I rig them on a 1/16oz and let them slow-fall.

 

If you fish during the week you'll be okay, although some days are busier than others. Just try and avoid them during spring and summer weekends. The launch fee goes up and it's so busy you could almost jump from one boat to another and cross the lake.

 

Both lakes are muddier at their headwaters - Geist at Fall Creek and Morse at Crooked and Cicero Creeks - but clearing as you get closer to the dams. Fall Creek is quite a bit cleaner so you can effectively fish all the way up into it pretty well, Cicero and Crooked Creeks....not so much, they have a pretty good deal of runoff. 

[IndyBass]

Let me just welcome you to the forums!

 

Seems you have info you need well in hand.

Thanks, can never have to much info. Please feel free to add anything

[IndyBass]

I use most colors with effect most of the time. With soft plastics I can usually always do well with natural colors (greens, browns, pumpkin) and with flukes I use almost exclusively pearl. With crank colors I'll use whatever the water color calls for. Stained I'll use something loud (chartreuse or firetiger), clear I'll use something that matches a bluegill forage. Jigs I usually keep it natural colors (browns, greens, pumpkin). I had Mike Siebert (a site sponser here - Siebert Outdoors) make me some jigs that were green pumpkin skirts on top with some chartreuse skirt on the bottom that would be the colors of a frog, then I add a green trailer to it, and those seem to do well also. Frogs and topwaters - doesn't seem to matter the color. The Ned Rigs do well, and I have good luck with Mud Minnow and Coppertreuse colors. I rig them on a 1/16oz and let them slow-fall.

 

If you fish during the week you'll be okay, although some days are busier than others. Just try and avoid them during spring and summer weekends. The launch fee goes up and it's so busy you could almost jump from one boat to another and cross the lake.

 

Both lakes are muddier at their headwaters - Geist at Fall Creek and Morse at Crooked and Cicero Creeks - but clearing as you get closer to the dams. Fall Creek is quite a bit cleaner so you can effectively fish all the way up into it pretty well, Cicero and Crooked Creeks....not so much, they have a pretty good deal of runoff.

Thanks for such detail, I'll processs everything over the next few days and get back to you with questions I'm sure. Also what about White River and any other areas within a couple hours drive.

[Preytorien]

I fish the White River quite often as it's known as some of the best smallmouth fishing around. It's easy to wade, especially south/west of Anderson. There are a few public access sites as well as bridges you can park at to wade if it's your thing. They had a chemical spill and a resulting fish kill about 15 years ago, since then the DNR and various cleanup groups have done a better job of keeping it clean. In the parts I fish, it's gin clear most of the year. 

 

There are a few local reservoirs that are decent but not great. Eagle Creek is okay, I never hear anything great from it though. It's got motor restrictions on it. Kokomo Reservoir is also decent, unfortunately it's pretty busy too. 

 

The best bet is to find local fishing ponds/lakes and get permission. I've got a few I fish that I literally cold-called the property owners and asked permission with the promise that I'd do my part to keep it clean and pick up any found trash. Most say no, but just a few will say yes, then you've got your own private-ish fishin' hole!

[IndyBass]

I fish the White River quite often as it's known as some of the best smallmouth fishing around. It's easy to wade, especially south/west of Anderson. There are a few public access sites as well as bridges you can park at to wade if it's your thing. They had a chemical spill and a resulting fish kill about 15 years ago, since then the DNR and various cleanup groups have done a better job of keeping it clean. In the parts I fish, it's gin clear most of the year. 

 

There are a few local reservoirs that are decent but not great. Eagle Creek is okay, I never hear anything great from it though. It's got motor restrictions on it. Kokomo Reservoir is also decent, unfortunately it's pretty busy too. 

 

The best bet is to find local fishing ponds/lakes and get permission. I've got a few I fish that I literally cold-called the property owners and asked permission with the promise that I'd do my part to keep it clean and pick up any found trash. Most say no, but just a few will say yes, then you've got your own private-ish fishin' hole!

Thanks again for all the great information. I'll put it to good use