NW Indiana......

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

weedless topwater choices:

  1. T-rigged Tiki Worm with a 5/0 Gamakatsu deep gap hook, weightless;

  2. spro frog;

  3. MossBoss

  4. Bettencourt Slop Rodent (my favorite, but a little pricey)

  5. Johnson Silver Minnow, with a 3-6" trailer

  6. Snag-Pruf Frog

  7. Snagless Sally - cranked in just below the surface

  8. KVD Buzz Bait

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

I'm in Calumet City about 5 min from Hammond and 10 min from Cabelas. Caught my personal best LM in NW indiana this summer. Just looked up some info on Grand Kankakee Marsh and if fishing from the shore is good there then that I will be trying to get to very soon.

I'm quite familiar with where you're located, I'm originally from Hammond myself...if you're in Cal City, the Grand Calumet River is excellent for smallies; as well as the Illinois side of Wolf Lake...the Indiana side of Wolf Lake is awesome for some really big largemouths.

Because of your location, try Area 3, Black Oak Bayou at the LaSalle Fish & Wildlife Area...my personal best day out there was a 50 bass day with all bass caught between 17 - 21 inches.

[ChiCityBasser]

I'm in Calumet City about 5 min from Hammond and 10 min from Cabelas. Caught my personal best LM in NW indiana this summer. Just looked up some info on Grand Kankakee Marsh and if fishing from the shore is good there then that I will be trying to get to very soon.

I'm quite familiar with where you're located, I'm originally from Hammond myself...if you're in Cal City, the Grand Calumet River is excellent for smallies; as well as the Illinois side of Wolf Lake...the Indiana side of Wolf Lake is awesome for some really big largemouths.

Because of your location, try Area 3, Black Oak Bayou at the LaSalle Fish & Wildlife Area...my personal best day out there was a 50 bass day with all bass caught between 17 - 21 inches.

If the shore fishing is good at LaSalle in Area 3 Black Oak I might be trying it this weekend.  What was your most productive lure?

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

A 5" Black/Blue Tiki Worm T-rigged, weightless on a 5/0 Gamakatsu hook, using 6lb. test Cajun Red line on a spinning rod/reel.

I used this rig as a swim bait most of the time, but when I found good cover close to shore with depth, worked it very slow.

Buzz Baits and topwater wood baits also worked well for me, especially the Bettencourt Wallie.

[Sledge]

Can I fish a top water lure with a spinning reel? I always thought I needed a bait caster. And if I do need a baitcaster can anyone recommend an affordable idiotproof one? Sorry I have been fishing for 25 years but usually always just with a worm on a hook lol.

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

Can I fish a top water lure with a spinning reel? I always thought I needed a bait caster. And if I do need a baitcaster can anyone recommend an affordable idiotproof one? Sorry I have been fishing for 25 years but usually always just with a worm on a hook lol.

Sledge you ABSOLUTELY CAN fish topwater baits with spinning gear...use a 6 or 6.5 foot medium to medium heavy rod and load your reel up with some 8 - 14 lb. test mono, or 30 lb. test braid

[Sledge]

Can I fish a top water lure with a spinning reel? I always thought I needed a bait caster. And if I do need a baitcaster can anyone recommend an affordable idiotproof one? Sorry I have been fishing for 25 years but usually always just with a worm on a hook lol.

Sledge you ABSOLUTELY CAN fish topwater baits with spinning gear...use a 6 or 6.5 foot medium to medium heavy rod and load your reel up with some 8 - 14 lb. test mono, or 30 lb. test braid

it's funny you should mention that because I just got home from having my reels serviced and 30 lb test put on them and I bought a new 6' medium ugly stick. Now my question is, should I use a swivel or something when using using any particular type of lure? I need to go and see if i can't find some videos on presentation. I have $300 in soft plastics I bought years ago that I have never even attempted to use.

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

$300 in soft plastics, LOL, I don't even own that much.

Hope you enjoy your Ugly Stick...they don't feel right to me (I prefer mid-rang to high end rods, some custom builts too).

[Sledge]

$300 in soft plastics, LOL, I don't even own that much.

Hope you enjoy your Ugly Stick...they don't feel right to me (I prefer mid-rang to high end rods, some custom builts too).

I would love to have a high end rod but I just can't afford it lol.

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

$300 in soft plastics, LOL, I don't even own that much.

Hope you enjoy your Ugly Stick...they don't feel right to me (I prefer mid-rang to high end rods, some custom builts too).

I would love to have a high end rod but I just can't afford it lol.

$300 worth of plastic = a really nice rod.  ;D

[Sledge]

I bought them over 10 years ago when I was working. I'm agoraphobic and it has gotten worse. I'm on disability now and about $30.00 is about all I can afford on on a rod these days.

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

If I wasn't so tight for money myself, I'd probably give you one...times are tough.

[Sledge]

That is very kind of you to even consider that. Maybe one of these days we can get together for a fishing trip. I think I should be able to PM now so I'll PM you my email address and if your interested you can email me sometime.

[Sledge]

Thinking about going out Sunday to the kankakee river. Wanna get some practice in before my camping trip. Was just curious on what would be some good bait choices. The only type of Lures I am confident in my ability to use are rooster tails and the like. I'm looking on advise for Live bait. I have only been there twice and i never caught a thing lol.

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

Plastic worms, Spro Frogs, MossBoss, Johnson Silver Minnow...think weedless...this time of the year there's a lot of floating vegetation in the bayous and marshes.

In the main river - rapalas, crank baits, big spinners.

[Sledge]

lol so todays my birthday. My girlfriend is bailing on me to go do work with her friend. She has stuck me with her dog until she decides to return. I was going to go camping at willow slough this weekend but the forcast calls for thunderstorms in Morocco this weekend.

I just spent about $100 to get new line put on all my reels and other misc fishing related items. The only thing I wanted for my birthday was to spend it with the girlfriend...

Second best, I want to go fishing somewhere that I have a good chance of catching more than some small bluegill and bullheads. Just curious if anyone that knows of some good fishing would like to meet up either this Saturday or Sunday for some fishing.

I don't have a boat so I'm stuck with shore fishing unless anyone who may be interested has one. I'm trying to salvage this bust of a birthday weekend so if anyone is interested please feel free to post or send me a PM.

I should be able to meet anyone within a reasonable distance, preferably at a local bait shop or somewhere I can punch into the gps. Otherwise I'm afraid I'm going to be stuck either renting a boat at Rogers lakewood in valpo or taking my chances at Jasper Pulaski.

The last time I went to either of those the fishing was horrid. So again, If anyone is interested if a fishing trip this weekend Post or PM me. I'll buy the beer or the bait or whatever have you.

Just want to find some good fishing for once. The last time I caught anything decent was was well over 10 years ago ans that was an 18'' Largemouth. That place is sadly no longer there. Hope to hear from someone, and good luck to anyone going fishing soon.

Phill

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

Jasper Pulaski, LOL....the ditches are too low and only have small bass n gills in em; the ponds are loaded with small cats and bullheads.

GO TO LaSalle Fish & Wildlife Area, south of the river - take Rt. 10 West past Rt.41 until you see the sign for AREA 3, turn right and stay on the gravel road until you come to a deadend at the river; park and you have 3 good options: fish the main river, walk back to the south until you get to where the sluice gate is (one side good for big bass, the other side good for slab gills), or walk the bank along the slough (East) and work all the openings you come to with a buzz bait or swimming jig for big bass.

[Sledge]

Just checked the weather forcast for Lake village In and it looks like storms there all weekend too.

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

and that's gonna stop you from fishing?

[Sledge]

lol I just asked my brother of he wanted to chance a trip out there tomorrow morning with his gf and my buddy. Sun rise is supposed to be around 6 so I kinda wanna get over there around then. If you have any interest in coming out and fishing with us PM me or something and I can PM you my Cell number so you can call and we can meet up out there somewhere. Any advise on live bait? I was thinking my stand by night crawlers but besides that I'm just not sure. Thanks in advance.

Phill

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

buy your crawlers tonight, and condition them (you do know how to condition them don't you?) take them in an ice chest filled with ice water. take plenty of 100% DEET if you're going early.

I'm working tomorrow, sorry, can't go.

[Sledge]

No idea what you mean by condition and I have no idea what DEET is. http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-La_Salle_map.pdf That's the link to the map of the place... any chance you could explaine on the map where we'll be parking and where the 2 areas you were talking aabout fishing at are? Thanks.

Phill

[Sledge]

Wait, DEET sounds familliar... bug sprat right? lol I was gonna pick up some deep woods off.Oh and do you think I should pick up some bass minnows? my friend won't shut up about bass minnows.

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

Black Oak Bayou is the one you want. Take the minnows if he want em...I'll pm you how to condition your worms.

[TheOriginalFishaholic]

Kankakee backwater areas, marshes and bayous are heating up...awesome bass fishing AND with the cooler nights approaching soon it will be time to stock your freezers with some tasty crappie fillets too.

Best baits for bass have been T-rigged worms (4 inches or less); pop-r; and jig-n-float combos. Windy days seem to offer the best results.