Lukens/Caldwell lakes report

[bigr]

Fished both lakes yesterday for bass. Managed a to catch a few from both. Water is up in both which i think is effecting the bite some. Lukens is good for big bass with caldwell having good numbers and that was the case yesterday. Caught a couple 18"s from lukens and biggest at caldwell was just under 16". Lots of fun using Texas rigged Berkley power worms in punpkinseed color. Ramps at both lakes are in good shape and easy to get a bass boat in and out of. I use a pelican 8' plastic boat that i slide right out of my truck,quick and easy. I'll be giving Caldwell another try wed morning for those hog gils. Good luck to you all over the holiday.

[billyex99]

Bigr, Thanks for the report. Do these lakes have public launches?

[bigr]

They are private that you drop a buck in a mail box  to use.

[rico]

do the owners ask any size or creel number rules?

Here is where you have to be careful.  Sometimes a private body of water aint as private as one might think and all laws concerning size limits and bag limits might very well apply.  Basically if a body of water has an inlet or an outlet the fish laws apply.  The state owns the fish as they can come and go as they please.  That is the info I received from my local CO here in Kosciusko County a few years back when questioning a ticket of a friend's friend.

[bigr]

Both are state owned lakes with only private access. All laws apply and the co's due check both lakes.

[rico]

Both are state owned lakes with only private access. All laws apply and the co's due check both lakes.

Neither lake is "state owned".   They are private bodies of water, that probably are subject to the size and bag limits. 

[rico]

 ok, it was just worded wrong then.  so if there is no dam or fence, to keep the fish in, its subject to state regulations more or less. good to know, thanks rico,  ill check into that law.

  i looked at it from space, after reading this post.  looks more like a shallow swamp from the satellite.  


  with it being a (pay) public access it could still be vulnerable to "the gravel pit" effect.  mite see a few more boats going after those "hog gills".

No, it aint about keeping the fish in.  It has to do with a natural inlet or out let.  If that is the case, then private bodies of water fall under all laws concerning harvesting of said fish. 

[rico]

confusing topic i guess.  ill see if i can find the written law this evening.  i guess, either way there is no limit on bluegill.

seems like there was a topic on the shanty a couple years back about this.

It is a very complex topic that involves more than just size and bag limits.

[bigr]

Yes fishhogger it was worded wrong. These are public lakes with private access only. All laws apply and the Co's due check on them. For me they are just the right size to get around on. They're are what I call huge gills and very nice bass in them but for most would be harder than normal to catch, that's why they are large in my opion.

[rico]

Yes fishhogger it was worded wrong. These are public lakes with private access only. All laws apply and the Co's due check on them. For me they are just the right size to get around on. They're are what I call huge gills and very nice bass in them but for most would be harder than normal to catch, that's why they are large in my opion.

I beg to differ.  They are private lakes that the public can access for a small fee.

[bigr]

I do agree that what makes bodies of water public or private is complicated and i sure couldn't make good sense in explanning the difference. Only going by a co friend of many using those complicated reasons why both are public waters land locked by private ownership. I can't disagree with you with certainty and I'll leave it at that. Topic of what makes a public/private waters has been touch on before but, as we have said before is complicated and interpretation is also involved and might make for good discussions in the future. Respectfully disagree.   

[billyex99]

A Lukens lake fish management report-The DFW and Lukens Lake residents should continue efforts to protect and conserve all
remaining natural shoreline and vegetation at Lukens Lake. State law requires that residents
of a public lake who want to chemically control or physically remove aquatic plants along
more than 25 ft of their shoreline, a total surface area of more than 625 square feet, or at
water depths greater than 6 feet must obtain a written permit.

[rico]

I do agree that what makes bodies of water public or private is complicated and i sure couldn't make good sense in explanning the difference. Only going by a co friend of many using those complicated reasons why both are public waters land locked by private ownership. I can't disagree with you with certainty and I'll leave it at that. Topic of what makes a public/private waters has been touch on before but, as we have said before is complicated and interpretation is also involved and might make for good discussions in the future. Respectfully disagree.   

It is very complicated to say the least.

[sprkplug]

My understanding has always been that if the fish in a BOW came from public water, and/or if the BOW is arranged in a manner that allows fish to migrate back and forth to public water, then game laws apply whether or not the BOW itself is classified public or private.

[rico]

My understanding has always been that if the fish in a BOW came from public water, and/or if the BOW is arranged in a manner that allows fish to migrate back and forth to public water, then game laws apply whether or not the BOW itself is classified public or private.

That is absolutely correct and very well said.  And the key there is "game laws", not "all laws".