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MFF US Midwest => Indiana => Topic started by: abishop on Feb 22, 2018, 08:21 AM

Title: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Feb 22, 2018, 08:21 AM
Anyone live close? ARE YOU ABLE TO LAUNCH A BOAT YET?
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: Boomer on Feb 22, 2018, 01:53 PM
Clear Lake in LaPorte is 98% open. Boat ramp clear. A couple of places yesterday on the northwest side had some ice.

Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Feb 26, 2018, 01:15 PM
Decided to give it a try on Tuesday. My first trip this open water season. Looks like it will be a nice day with a bit more wind that I would like. I am going to be happy to be on soft water in February. Can't remember the last time I was fishing from a boat then. FISH ON, LOL.....
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: Gartoon on Feb 26, 2018, 03:34 PM
 :thumbup_smilie:
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: icecleate on Feb 26, 2018, 05:37 PM
Better check out the roads. A lot of roads are closed.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: icecleate on Feb 26, 2018, 05:37 PM
Better check out the roads. A lot of roads are closed.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: den58 on Feb 26, 2018, 08:26 PM
Hey Al you looking to catch some of those 7 inch crappie
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Feb 26, 2018, 09:12 PM
Maybe a ski
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Feb 27, 2018, 01:56 PM
Only a couple missed bites and 1 20 inch ski. A bit early yet. Water temp on surface was 44. 2 other boats out. Help me out here cause I haven't caught many musky. The 1 I caught had black spots on it. Could this be a cross with something else.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: taxid on Feb 27, 2018, 04:09 PM
Could it have been one of the Great Lake muskies? They have spots vs. bars.

(https://i.imgur.com/EM67IJQ.jpg)

Where is Lake Bruce anyway? Is it connected to Lake Michigan somehow?
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Feb 27, 2018, 05:14 PM
Could it have been one of the Great Lake muskies? They have spots vs. bars.

(https://i.imgur.com/EM67IJQ.jpg)

Where is Lake Bruce anyway? Is it connected to Lake Michigan somehow?
Not sure only had about a dozen or so not a heavy pattern like the 1 u put in pic. Maybe they will come off, juvenile?????
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: taxid on Feb 27, 2018, 07:08 PM
Here's your picture you sent to me Al. Probably is something with it being a juvenile as you say. I sent it to a biologist to see what thinks. I'll let you know what he says.

(https://i.imgur.com/3F2xjTfl.jpg)

Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: hounds on Feb 27, 2018, 08:01 PM
Taxid......Bruce Lake is east of Winamac.  Very small lake, but I believe it has Tiger Muskie, as well as muskie in the lake.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: taxid on Feb 27, 2018, 08:38 PM
Taxid......Bruce Lake is east of Winamac.  Very small lake, but I believe it has Tiger Muskie, as well as muskie in the lake.

Definitely not a tiger musky as they haven't been planted for at least a couple of decades IIRR. Doesn't look like one either.

Thanks for telling me where it is.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: indianahooker on Feb 28, 2018, 05:42 AM
dont know about indiana, but other states have stocked spotted/leopard musky to diversify popuulation and try to establish self sustaining fisheries. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania come to mind.

its too bad they dont stock tigers anymore.  those things were stunningly gorgeous!  pulled many a big one from loon back then.  the biggest @ 2-3pound shy of the record.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: taxid on Feb 28, 2018, 06:33 AM
dont know about indiana, but other states have stocked spotted/leopard musky to diversify popuulation and try to establish self sustaining fisheries. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania come to mind.

its too bad they dont stock tigers anymore.  those things were stunningly gorgeous!  pulled many a big one from loon back then.  the biggest @ 2-3pound shy of the record.

Yeah they were really cool looking. Easy to paint for a taxidermist too. Bars were still visible when the skin dried and all I had to do was enhance them. On many of the regular strain muskies the markings fade out when the skin dries on the form and you have to start from scratch.

Al the biologist is out of the office until March 9th. I'll see if I can contact a musky guide I've done some reproductions for and see what he has to say. And there have to me be more muskie anglers here that can comment. 
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Feb 28, 2018, 08:02 AM
Cecil, not really a big deal. I was just curious cause I have never caught 1 like that. It is not like he is going on my wall LOL...
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: Teacherpreacher on Feb 28, 2018, 09:10 AM
My daughter in law's Mother has a cottage on Lake Bruce. Neighbor does really well on Musky. I'll see if I can find what kind they planted. They get some big 'uns out of there!
Teach
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: Teacherpreacher on Feb 28, 2018, 09:58 AM
Al,
I talked to DNR and they are to get back to me about what strain of Musky was planted in Bruce Lake. I looked up info on Indiana stockings and said they've stocked 10 lakes. Gave some stats on some of the stockings but not the strain. Said fish received came from MN, WI, MI. One article said test nets on Bruce Lake showed lots of 30-40" fish and one female in upper 40's. Showed numbers stocked, like 1,250 a year!!! Many were 5-6" long. That's a lot!!
Teach
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: taxid on Feb 28, 2018, 10:33 AM
Cecil, not really a big deal. I was just curious cause I have never caught 1 like that. It is not like he is going on my wall LOL...

Maybe not a big deal but you got us all curious.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: taxid on Feb 28, 2018, 07:54 PM
Biologist says normal. Says the spots will lighten up with age.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Feb 28, 2018, 09:23 PM
Biologist says normal. Says the spots will lighten up with age.
Thanks, that is kind of what I was thinking. Like a fawn with spots.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: indianahooker on Mar 01, 2018, 05:40 AM
dnr answer seems suspicious when you see this. http://www.musky.ca/muskieskinpatterns.htm (http://www.musky.ca/muskieskinpatterns.htm)
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: indianahooker on Mar 01, 2018, 06:42 AM
but then again you never can tell with the internet -->https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/tigerm-200x200.jpg

 :D lol

came across this looking on the net.  you guys should find it interesting. old but some good pics http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=94782&start=1 (http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=94782&start=1)
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Mar 01, 2018, 07:53 AM
dnr answer seems suspicious when you see this. http://www.musky.ca/muskieskinpatterns.htm (http://www.musky.ca/muskieskinpatterns.htm)
Kewl, according to this chart I caught the rarest species of musky. Thanks, to bad it wasn't 20 pounds bigger. would of made for a good mount. LOL
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Mar 01, 2018, 07:56 AM
but then again you never can tell with the internet -->https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/tigerm-200x200.jpg

 :D lol

came across this looking on the net.  you guys should find it interesting. old but some good pics http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=94782&start=1 (http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=94782&start=1)
The first pic looks like a tiger 4 sure.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: Teacherpreacher on Mar 01, 2018, 09:38 AM
Just talked to fish biologist. Said when Indiana started stocking, got fish from where ever they could so fish today are a combination of many!!
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: MC_angler on Mar 01, 2018, 11:23 AM
Just a normal looking juvenile musky
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Mar 22, 2018, 03:15 PM
Going in the morning. report 2 come after. Anyone else planning on going tomorrow?
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: northrn-duck-assassin on Mar 24, 2018, 11:11 AM
Going in the morning. report 2 come after. Anyone else planning on going tomorrow?

I know someone that been fishing over there lately. They keep going back..
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Apr 20, 2018, 09:27 PM
Going after some crappie in the morning. Looks like the first decent day we have had in a month. Say hello to spring finally.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on Apr 21, 2018, 05:30 PM
Must have been at least a dozen boats there today. Unfortunately the temp was 5 degrees warmer than 3 weeks ago, and the fish didn't want to bite. Kept enough for a meal with the largest at 13 1/4. Many small fish. Was marking 50 of the graph always. Just weren't hungry. Maybe they are more active in shallow waters. Must be ready to spawn. Think I am done chasing crappie. Time to stock up on the gills.
Title: Re: lake bruce
Post by: abishop on May 07, 2018, 07:09 AM
Have they moved into the shallow water yet?