(Un)official Hoosiers Thread

[OddChase]

9 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Any ideas for weedless lures to fish the brush in deeper 46 degree water? They don't seem to want a jig (at least not fished away from the shore for some reason) and the brush is eating up the zinkerzs and shaky heads a lot faster than I'd like.  Or maybe that's just part of deeper water fishing until the water warms up enough to throw a jig.

Instead of using hooks with an attached weight - try a free moving bullet weight. The ole T-rig works well in deeper water with a 1/4 or 3/8oz weight. Could even go up to 1/2oz but I think that may spook bass this time of year. For a plastic you could always use a zinkerz or any other stick/senko type bait. You might also try a craw/beaver imitation in darker colors. 

[dsqui]

Try a neko rig it was very good to me last year ... I don't use worm weights either I just cut barb off old crappie jigs 

[Cole Richards]

Neko rig could work if you bury the hook , A damiki rig is also good if you can hold over the spot for a vertical presentation. If they want something in a more horizontal presentation then a texas rig or slow rolled swimbait on a weighted hook  or weedless jig head can smoke them if you hop it around brush piles.  I also do really well on deep brush pile fishing a creeper rig, which consists of a screw lock shaky head with a round head and a tiny craw rigged weedless.  I like a 3 in yum craw pappi , or 3 inch rage craw. Put a whole bunch of scent on it and it crawl it around and through the brush and hold on to your rod. It functions just like a Ned rig only comes through  cover way better because the hook is not exposed. Plus its small enough to not be to much for the fish early in the year.     

[frosty]

First bass of 2017! She weighed in at 1.41. I caught a few more smaller lmb, and caught one smallmouth that was very, very golden. All the colors of these bass were very rich and vibrant, must be the cold creek water?

[The Bassman]

That top one almost looks like a spot.

[frosty]

19 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

That top one almost looks like a spot.

Ya know that's the first thing that popped into my mind to. I caught another one that was smaller that the colors were even more pronounced. We don't have spots in Indiana do we?

i guess we do. Who knew... apparently just me  here's a better picture, let me know what you think

[The Bassman]

Some.  Years ago I caught one in a creek.  We call 'em Kentucky bass.

[frosty]

Just now, The Bassman said:

Some.  Years ago I caught one in a creek.  We call 'em Kentucky bass.

These came out of big Walnut Creek 

[The Bassman]

I used to wade Big Walnut upstream of Bainbridge.  I live on the eastside of Indy and focus my efforts on Sugar Creek and Flatrock now.

12 minutes ago, frosty said:

Ya know that's the first thing that popped into my mind to. I caught another one that was smaller that the colors were even more pronounced. We don't have spots in Indiana do we?

i guess we do. Who knew... apparently just me  here's a better picture, let me know what you think

 

What tips me off is how small the mouth is.  

[frosty]

3 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

I used to wade Big Walnut upstream of Bainbridge.  I live on the eastside of Indy and focus my efforts on Sugar Creek and Flatrock now.

 

What tips me off is how small the mouth is.  

Yeah, I think it might be, but I've never seen one up close, I'll just let you guys verify it for me. 

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, frosty said:

Yeah, I think it might be, but I've never seen one up close, I'll just let you guys verify it for me. 

 

Pics look like one spot and one smallie to me...didn't know spots were even in Big Walnut.

 

-T9

 

 

[IndianaFinesse]

Decided it was worth dealing with the 25+ miles per hour wind for a two and a half hours today.  Did surprisingly well, especially given that the winds kept me off of the offshore stuff.  Caught 23 bass with five over fifteen inches, and my biggest bass of the year weighing 6.4 pounds!  I thought I had a carp when I hooked it, cause it stayed on the bottom near the boat without going crazy or taking any runs.  It bit on one of the "last casts" (there always seems to be more than one "last cast") just before leaving.  Most of the fish hit half of a zinkerz on a 1/16 ounce head, and a few of them (including the 6.4) hit a 1/8 ounce shaky head with a four inch finesse worm, which was retrieved just like the ned rig except with a tight line.  Found them on shorelines at the opening of coves in 4-12 feet of water, and the big one was sitting in 12 feet.

[frosty]

8 hours ago, Team9nine said:

 

Pics look like one spot and one smallie to me...didn't know spots were even in Big Walnut.

 

-T9

 

 

Neither did I, to be honest I didn't pay a whole lot of attention either. I was just happy my first one of the year was over a pound 

[HoosierHawgs]

I know I've asked about this before, but would anybody be up for a get together of the Indiana guys this month? If anyone is up for meeting for dinner for Saturday, I would be available. Like I said I'd be willing to drive about an hour and am open to suggestions! 

[IndianaFinesse]

Anyone else stupid enough to fish in the 50 mile per hour wind gusts today?  

[The Bassman]

3 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Anyone else stupid enough to fish in the 50 mile per hour wind gusts today?  

 

 

In my front yard on a busy road.  No hits, but lots of looks.

[frosty]

3 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Anyone else stupid enough to fish in the 50 mile per hour wind gusts today?  

I drove by eagle creek reservoir this afternoon, I'd guess the rollers were 2 foot with whitecaps  looked pretty vacant though!

[IndianaFinesse]

43 minutes ago, frosty said:

I drove by eagle creek reservoir this afternoon, I'd guess the rollers were 2 foot with whitecaps  looked pretty vacant though!

Yeah, nobody else was out fishing in the wind here today either.  Fished for about an hour and a half, but the main lake was unfishable and the coves weren't much better.  I had to run the trolling motor full blast just to slow us down, which drained the battery and forced me to give up after an hour and a half when the trolling motor ran out of juice.  Still managed half a dozen fish on jerkbaits, couldn't throw much else with the wind.

[frosty]

7 minutes ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Yeah, nobody else was out fishing in the wind here today either.  Fished for about an hour and a half, but the main lake was unfishable and the coves weren't much better.  I had to run the trolling motor full blast just to slow us down, which drained the battery and forced me to give up after an hour and a half when the trolling motor ran out of juice.  Still managed half a dozen fish on jerkbaits, couldn't throw much else with the wind.

Well I'd take fishing in the wind over working any day, but man it sure is frustrating trying to fishing and keep the boat in one place, at least you caught a few. I did see a couple older gentlemen fishing a small public pond in Plainfield, didn't look like they were having much luck though. 

[lonnie g]

Not home in Indiana but the winds in Texas ,making 3ft. Plus waves got to wear a rain suit even when it's not raining ?

[BrianMRetter]

Anyone fished Summit Lake or Westwood Reservoir yet this year? This is only my 2nd season bass fihsing. Does Indiana prespawn start around early April-ish generally?

[Team9nine]

Have some friends who've been hitting Summit and the bite has been really good. Not sure what they've been throwing, but I'd have to guess jerkbaits and/or traps.

[OddChase]

15 hours ago, BrianMRetter said:

Anyone fished Summit Lake or Westwood Reservoir yet this year? This is only my 2nd season bass fihsing. Does Indiana prespawn start around early April-ish generally?

I'll be hitting Summit and Westwood a lot this spring and summer if you want meet up. Planning on renting some kayaks as well as staying in the campgrounds a few times. Prespawn should be happening with full spawn starting mid-april. I'll be spending my time restocking the freezer with crappie during that time though. 

[neocrunch]

1 hour ago, OddChase said:

... if you want meet up. 

 

+1  I've had better luck fishing at Summit but my kayaking experiences have been more enjoyable at Westwood. Sometimes it feels like you're getting walked all over at Summit. I'd love to meet up with some other kayak anglers in the area.

[BrianMRetter]

 

On 3/15/2017 at 4:48 PM, neocrunch said:

 

+1  I've had better luck fishing at Summit but my kayaking experiences have been more enjoyable at Westwood. Sometimes it feels like you're getting walked all over at Summit. I'd love to meet up with some other kayak anglers in the area.

I completely agree. Westwood is a great lake to kayak. I have yet to catch a decent keeper there though, lots of 1-2lb bass.

 

On 3/15/2017 at 3:18 PM, OddChase said:

I'll be hitting Summit and Westwood a lot this spring and summer if you want meet up. 

I'm in Muncie, I'd love to meet up with some other kayakers to fish sometime.