(Un)official Hoosiers Thread

[BrianMRetter]

Awesome! Thanks guys

 

[IndianaFinesse]

Today was one of those days where everything that could break did and usually took something else out with it.  Starter broke yesterday (after i had sprained my trolling motor foot on thursday) and left us without a prefishing day, but we found one in michigan that matched it and payed overnight shipping and was delivered this morning.  Except when we opened the motor up to replace it, we saw that when the starter essentially exploded it took the top off of the fuel pump.  

Six hours later and we had managed to hodge podge it back together using a tap kit after having to buy and modify the parts, but the motor wouldn't run after it had used the gas in the bowl.  Pulled it back out of the water and realized that it had vapor locked and the oil hoses had air in them so we had to go back into town to get another part to replace one that was modified a little to much. A local place happened into have a fuel pump in stock, but it turns out that the fuel pump side was working, but the oil pump portion of it wasn't. So we got the broken part replaced and the vapor lock handled almost two hours later, but the oil hose then got a leak in it and started spraying oil.  

Fixed that an hour later, and once again put it back in the lake to test it out before dark.  It started up on the first try and we drove around the lake for about 45 minutes just to make sure, and it was running better than it had in a while.  Except as we were pulling back into the marina to put it on the trailer the motor quit and would not start.  Don't know why, but we were out of time at that point.

So we obviously can't fish brookville tomorrow, which kind of screws us as far as AOY points go and we are going to have to do pretty well to make the state championship.  At least it didn't break tomorrow morning in the tournament 10 miles away from the ramp after having driven 2.5 hours and waking up at 2 a.m.

[BrianMRetter]

I don't get to fish rivers very often, or for smallmouth. What are some good lures?

[frosty]

5 minutes ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Today was one of those days where everything that could break did and usually took something else out with it.  Starter broke yesterday (after i had sprained my trolling motor foot on thursday) and left us without a prefishing day, but we found one in michigan that matched it and payed overnight shipping and was delivered this morning.  Except when we opened the motor up to replace it, we saw that when the starter essentially exploded it took the top off of the fuel pump.  

Six hours later and we had managed to hodge podge it back together using a tap kit after having to buy and modify the parts, but the motor wouldn't run after it had used the gas in the bowl.  Pulled it back out of the water and realized that it had vapor locked and the oil hoses had air in them so we had to go back into town to get another part to replace one that was modified a little to much. A local place happened into have a fuel pump in stock, but it turns out that the fuel pump side was working, but the oil pump portion of it wasn't. So we got the broken part replaced and the vapor lock handled almost two hours later, but the oil hose then got a leak in it and started spraying oil.  

Fixed that an hour later, and once again put it back in the lake to test it out before dark.  It started up on the first try and we drove around the lake for about 45 minutes just to make sure, and it was running better than it had in a while.  Except as we were pulling back into the marina to put it on the trailer the motor quit and would not start.  Don't know why, but we were out of time at that point.

So we obviously can't fish brookville tomorrow, which kind of screws us as far as AOY points go and we are going to have to do pretty well to make the state championship.  At least it didn't break tomorrow morning in the tournament 10 miles away from the ramp after having driven 2.5 hours and waking up at 2 a.m.

That sucks. Sorry for all the crap luck you've been having but good luck on the next one!

5 minutes ago, BrianMRetter said:

I don't get to fish rivers very often, or for smallmouth. What are some good lures?

I do good with the Ned rig, 1.5 square bills, small cranks, and drop shoting. I've done best on the ned rig with the big TRD, seemed to catch a better quality fish. 

[dsqui]

7 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Today was one of those days where everything that could break did and usually took something else out with it.  Starter broke yesterday (after i had sprained my trolling motor foot on thursday) and left us without a prefishing day, but we found one in michigan that matched it and payed overnight shipping and was delivered this morning.  Except when we opened the motor up to replace it, we saw that when the starter essentially exploded it took the top off of the fuel pump.  

Six hours later and we had managed to hodge podge it back together using a tap kit after having to buy and modify the parts, but the motor wouldn't run after it had used the gas in the bowl.  Pulled it back out of the water and realized that it had vapor locked and the oil hoses had air in them so we had to go back into town to get another part to replace one that was modified a little to much. A local place happened into have a fuel pump in stock, but it turns out that the fuel pump side was working, but the oil pump portion of it wasn't. So we got the broken part replaced and the vapor lock handled almost two hours later, but the oil hose then got a leak in it and started spraying oil.  

Fixed that an hour later, and once again put it back in the lake to test it out before dark.  It started up on the first try and we drove around the lake for about 45 minutes just to make sure, and it was running better than it had in a while.  Except as we were pulling back into the marina to put it on the trailer the motor quit and would not start.  Don't know why, but we were out of time at that point.

So we obviously can't fish brookville tomorrow, which kind of screws us as far as AOY points go and we are going to have to do pretty well to make the state championship.  At least it didn't break tomorrow morning in the tournament 10 miles away from the ramp after having driven 2.5 hours and waking up at 2 a.m.

Must have been one of those days of your bad luck must be rubbing off on me lol my motor wouldn't start spilled oil everywhere filling it up control box is messed up once u get started won't shift into gear and to top it off my trolling motor to K a crap guess it's true boat really does stand for 

Break

Out

Another

Thousand

[The Bassman]

8 hours ago, BrianMRetter said:

I don't get to fish rivers very often, or for smallmouth. What are some good lures?

 

Ned rig and small paddletails like Swimmin' Fluke Jr. on 1/16-1/8 head will keep you very busy.  Good luck.

[OddChase]

23 hours ago, BrianMRetter said:

I don't get to fish rivers very often, or for smallmouth. What are some good lures?

Seems like several others suggested the Ned - I used a TRD in the color "Real Deal" on Sugar Creek and the smallies loved it. My father used an old Mepps and caught just as many. Just use whatever you happen to have! 

[BrianMRetter]

Thanks guys, appreciate it : )

[lonnie g]

On ‎4‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 10:43 PM, IndianaFinesse said:

Long story short, our starter went out at the ramp while attempting to launch the boat to prefish brookville.  Bottom of the starter completely blew off.  Couldn't find any matching starters in Indiana, so we are having one shipped overnight from Michigan.  So we obviously could not prefish, but we did get the water temperature in roughly the center of the lake which is 60.5 degrees.  Still planning on fishing the tournament this Sunday, but without prefishing we will be fishing an entirely new type of lake (for me) and for smallies which I have little experience with.  How do you guys go about fishing a tournament on a lake that you have never fished before?  Cover water quickly like in prefishing or slower?  Any specific areas to hit would also be a bonus via pm, there is going to be 84 boats again in the tournament so our first spot or two will likely be the only chance we get at fish.

 

 

Brookville dam area rocky. just before you get to causeway coming from park ramp there is a huge flat on the left. and  once you pass causeway and get to no wake point the water is shallow and sandy bottom on right side. best of luck! that lake is loaded with white bass if they are hitting they will wear you out. hope they are  not if you are after smallies

[frosty]

7 hours ago, OddChase said:

Seems like several others suggested the Ned - I used a TRD in the color "Real Deal" on Sugar Creek and the smallies loved it. My father used an old Mepps and caught just as many. Just use whatever you happen to have! 

I had the same experience with that color. 

[IndianaFinesse]

Fishing's been great here lately, and today was no exception.  Caught 32 bass in a little under four hours, and 11 of them were keepers with the best five weighing 13-14 pounds.  No monsters, bot lots of one to three pound fish.  They are on the beds big time now in parts of the lake, water temps about 69-70 degrees with 4-5 feet of clarity depending on location.  Most of the fish were caught on and around spawning areas, and about a quarter were sight fished.  Half of a zinkerz accounted for most of the fish, but some hit a swim bait, senko, and a popper once the rain started.  

On a side note, I also accidentally caught a monster 15 inch crappie while throwing a 6 inch savage linethru trout yesterday.  It had a huge mouth, but it was stretched to the limit with the big swim bait.  It failed to catch any big bass though.

[OddChase]

10 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

On a side note, I also accidentally caught a monster 15 inch crappie while throwing a 6 inch savage linethru trout yesterday.  It had a huge mouth, but it was stretched to the limit with the big swim bait.  It failed to catch any big bass though.

I can hear the pan sizzling already. Sounds like a great day on the water, thanks for the update about the spawn. 

[IndianaFinesse]

6 hours ago, OddChase said:

I can hear the pan sizzling already. Sounds like a great day on the water, thanks for the update about the spawn. 

I like to let the big girls go, but I did keep a nice limit of crappie last week that tasted pretty good.

[frosty]

2 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

I like to let the big girls go, but I did keep a nice limit of crappie last week that tasted pretty good.

I've got to fry up a mess of bluegill this year! I haven't had fresh caught fish for years! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

[The Bassman]

Just got in from fishing a customer's retention lake.  Had an absolute blast with big bluegill 8" and round as a ball. Caught 'em on small tubes and Mepps. Nice change of pace. Gonna hate it when these housing addition ponds get mossed up soon.

[frosty]

Just now, The Bassman said:

Just got in from fishing a customer's retention lake.  Had an absolute blast with big bluegill 8" and round as a ball. Caught 'em on small tubes and Mepps. Nice change of pace. Gonna hate it when these housing addition ponds get mossed up soon.

That's why they make weedless frogs ? 

[The Bassman]

Just never liked fishing the slop especially from shore. I gravitate towards creeks later on.

[dsqui]

Smallies are bedding and PM are starting in my area on one lake that I know of.  Managed quite a few today with the big girl coming in close to 4.5 all came on a Ned rig and a megabass 110 .  On a side note I've never seen so many rock bass omg I probably caught 40 Of em all on the Ned it was a fun day on the lake

[OddChase]

Anyone get out for trout this morning? New Castle was blown out, saw 1 fish in 3 hours. Heard Missy was producing before the rain. 

Smallies were feeding heavily this week in the White River around Muncie, rain will shut them down for a few weeks unfortunately. 

[frosty]

It was storming here since I woke up, and after seeing the creeks around here I don't figure there's much point in trying, but I'm tempted because it just stopped raining and it's gotten really humid...

[CroakHunter]

Wanted to hit my favorite farm pond today, but with 147 inches of rain last night and this morning i decided against it. So dinner and a movie with the wife and little one will have to do. Tourney prep for this weekend as well.

[The Bassman]

Fished an office park lake this afternoon.  It has a large storm drain feeding it. I live for these situations after a big rain.  Bass were stacked up in the flow. No bigs (one 18") but nonstop action on whatever I threw. This is usually a good opportunity to catch my season best or something different like a big cat. Might try tomorrow if timing with next storm round works out.

[IndianaFinesse]

Snuck out for an hour and a half in between thunderstorms, caught 16 bass with the best five weighing about 11-12 pounds and the largest weighing a tad over 3 1/2 (3.6 pounds).  Water is high and muddied from all of the rain, plus the water temperature dropped to 62 degrees from about 70 that it was before the cold front.  Found them on the now flooded bankline (next to and in the spawning areas) where the bankline is at normal water level, in less than one foot of water.  Most of them hit half of a zinkerz on a 1/16 ounce mushroom head, but also caught half a dozen on frogs pulled of the bank into the water.

[IndianaFinesse]

Fished for about three hours today in the rain, but spent 45 minutes idling between spots because of a temporary idle only mandate because of the high water. Water was very muddy in the upper half of the lake today (where I was fishing yesterday), so I found some small coves lower in the lake with little or no inflow of water to avoid the bulk of the mud.  Caught 19 bass with the best five weighing ~11 pounds (and a double humped 9 3/4 inch bluegill), mostly on a chartreuse bandit 100 and the rest on half of a zinkerz.  Crank was catching the numbers and the ned was catching the better quality fish.  All fish we're caught in less than five feet of water, but they weren't hugging the bank as tightly as yesterday. 

[Cole Richards]

Got out with the best friend last weekend on a small neightborhood pond in my hometown.  Fish were on the beds, Caught these two pigs on a texas rigged vile craw and 3/8 oz woo tungsten weight with rattle bead.  Caught a bunch of buck bass on spinner baits, and buzz baits. It was fun to fish some small water again ... never overlook the neighborhood pond for quality fish .....