MyFishFinder Forum
MFF US Midwest => Indiana => Topic started by: bigr on Mar 03, 2021, 06:07 AM
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With open water this time of year the crappie and catfishing will get good. The corp is dumping water fast and levels are quickly returning to winter pool and never did get real dirty. I love the catfish bite this time of year because the water color or level doesn't make much difference. I use a pc of cut bait but I think any bait that's meant for cats will work. Bottom fish the flats near drops but again I haven't seen many places I couldn't get a bite. A couple locations I fish on the Sally is the lost bridge west camp area in pirates cove and at the beach. Both easy walks good parking. Take a third pole and cast a jigging bobber for the crappie while you wait on mr whiskers. On the miss the red bridge area and just about any portion of that area could be good. I plan on soaking some cut bait Friday. Those cats are good eating this time of year. I've found that if you really clean the meat up by trimming, removing anything that might make them alittle strong(red meat,yellow meat) they make for what may be the best fish of the year.
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Do you have better success fishing for the catfish in the afternoons as it warms up?
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Not much difference but I would say yes,
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I agree on the flatheads. I would trade a walleye in a second for a flathead and yes the right eating size is the challenge.
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Public announcement concerning Salamonie Lake Tailwaters. Beginning yesterday, Thursday, March 4, 2021:
Salamonie Lake, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District
t17hraSgponsorged ·
**CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION**
From today until further notice, the Salamonie Lake Tailwater Recreation Area will be closed for construction work on the Outlet Retreat Channel (Tailwater) to ensure public safety while the contractors are performing the improvements.
The closure includes shelter areas and restrooms, and access to the Tailwater from Hominy Ridge. Also, there will be no fishing in the Tailwater. #USACEChicago #SalamonieLake
For more information, go to https://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/.../salamonie-lake..
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Fished missy today for first time this year. Kept 22 and threw back probably 30 or more. Water was muddy and the fish were shallow up near the banks. I fished closer to the dam and was the only person there but i heard red bridge area was good as well.
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I fished the 550 area also yesterday and did well. Thru out a couple cat poles while jigging and caught a couple with several bites. Should only get better as week goes on. Water was a very good color up in that area. Cut bait for the cats.
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Catfishing is picking up about anywhere you want to cast a line. Had trouble fishing two poles yesterday evening. Cut bait is what I used. Probable better stuff out there but it's free and easy. Take a casting pole for the crappie while waiting for a cat bite. I couldn't use it yesterday but that's how I get my cut bait. If a fresh dead shad drift to shore use it they are the best. Crappie bite has been pretty good this week from watching and talking to others around me. Lets hope we don't get a lot of rain. Both Sally and Missy are back to winter pool and water is clearing nicely, cats don't care but crappie is better as clarity improves. Cooler weather shouldn't effect the bite much now. If we continue to get warmer weather the crappie will start moving upstream into the river soon along with white bass. That's when it gets real good and also very easy.
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Not sure of the exact dates the Corp starts holding water back to bring levels back to summer pool but that likely will begin by 1st of april and summer pool made by 15th of May. A slow rise is always best that's why I always hope for dry weather for the next month or so.
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Wish I could but I don't know how. I've tried in the past and it's beyond my skills. What I'm doing now is as far as it goes for me.
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Does anyone have an idea on how long the crappie bite will last at missy? Will the water temps or lake levels determine the bite? I saw a small white car with “fish on” written on the back window at Redbridge parking area, was this someone from this forum? Do members ever get together to fish?
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Best bite of the year is just beginning, rain or shine. You'll need to be mobile and follow migration of fish. With this rain the red bridge area will be done for a while but locations closer to the dam or further upstream in river will produce fish. Water color depending on depth and area your fishing won't make much difference. I see your from Marion. If water goes real high you won't have to travel far. Normally this time of year the majority of the fish move up stream and sometimes as far as the Dam in Marion. I love the chase up and down river finding those small remote slack areas holding fish. Great exercise and usually have the spots to myself until water levels change and fish move to new locations. Also in just a few weeks the white bass will start their run up river and they are a blast to catch and are decent table fare when clean proper. The bite will last til sometime late may early June. If your in to cats right now is I believe the easiest and best time for them. Cut bait on bottom and hold on.
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As usual BigR right on point great post...the Missy lake side bite has been good for a few weeks...after this rain I'm hoping the river bite gets going...easy Pickens!!!!
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Has anyone been able to catch any fish with the high water? Hopefully the warm weather and steady barometric pressure will help turn things around.
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I havent been over there since the rain but heard its up and muddy. I would think upriver will be good for crappie as soon as the levels drop and it clears up. I have all this week off so hopefully it clears soon...if not i may take my boy over and try for some cats instead.
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Took a trip upriver around hogsback at missy today just to see if any fish were up that way yet. Water was up a little and still kinda brown from the rain. Caught 3 white bass and one crappie. Didnt see anyone else fishing.
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Caught a couple of 14.5 inch white bass this afternoon on jigs looking for crappie upstream on missy as well. Caught several 12 inch and smaller. No crappies
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Fished missy today for first time this year. Kept 22 and threw back probably 30 or more. Water was muddy and the fish were shallow up near the banks. I fished closer to the dam and was the only person there but i heard red bridge area was good as well.
Same here. Just small white bass. I know crappie are close by. Their migration starts over night and locations change day by day. Don't be surprised to go back to same location and catch nothing but crappie today or next time you go.
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Worked the river further upstream on the missy around the jalapa battle ground area yesterday. The white bass are running in good numbers. Caught atleast 40 in several different spots. A few crappie. They havn't made it up that far yet but I'm certain a person could work the river down stream closer to the resi they would find larger numbers of both crappie and white bass. If weather permits I may work that section this evening. Predicted rain will move the fish but should get the big run going real fast.
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I tried yesterday in the river closer to the resi a little east of 13 and didnt find any crappie and just a couple white bass. I then tried a spot between red bridge and 13 and didnt get a bite. Water was muddier at that spot though. I did not go up to 688 area which i fished monday but i did drive by a popular spot just down from there and didnt see a single vehicle in the parking area. I almost feel like the big push of crappie didnt happen with that latest rain. Either that or there just being tight lipped. I think the lake needs to be a little higher to back up into these spots. The first spot i tried tonight was low and the big stumps i get fish off usually were not yet under water. If we get a bunch of rain i think the run will happen this time especially as they start holding water in april.
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I think your right bherr about the crappie. I fished the river around the pearson mill area a couple days ago and picked up a few small crappie and a few white bass but not the big push of fish. Everyday is different now with the warm air but the water level rising or fallen from a rain is what really drives them. I expect the big push also after the rain as long as its not followed by a real cold front. If that happens the big run may be closer to the next full moon phase. The white bass run has started with the early smaller fish. The bigger fish will follow soon but even that run will slow until the next moon phase. I think we're just a few days from it being full so after that the fish will loss their drive for awhile but the days leading up to the april full moon you can mark on your calendar.
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Caught about 12 crappie at Red Bridge this morning on jigs, only 6 were in the 10 inch range. Fished upstream missy yesterday but only caught small white bass.
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i caught some crappie up river a long ways. I pitched minnows on floats by the tube off bellville rd by hw69. all sizes caught from 6" to 14". kept 18 for dinner. fished till rain got me wet.
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I too got into some crappie today fishing just downstream from red bridge on north side. Slow bite to be sure but kept 6 fish from 10 to 12 inches and cleaned em up to give to my wifes grandfather. Water still dirty but not near as bad as it was the other day. Rainin now and radar dont look promising...guessing my next outing will be up river and there should be some fish up there then.
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I fished the reenactment area again and the white bass were stacked. Used a white 3in twister with my 8ft crappie rod. What a pull they give in the slow current. 30 to 40 all sizes but not sure I caught even one female. Still very early but they are there in good numbers when you find the spots. Just a few black crappie. We'll need some more water in the river to bring em up that far.
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Over an inch in our area as well. It will slow the bite down a few days but should really turn them on when we get back out after conditions settles.
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Took the boy over to the resi last evening..it had muddied up considerably fron the day before. We still caught fish though. Had to fish very tight to cliff walls and was just letting the chop move our jigs for us. Caught several nice black crappies. Toward dark the wind went flat calm and the bite completely shut off. To my surprise it shows online that the river up at marion barely went up at all from that rain.
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what? it was up about 2 feet from few days ago.
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Drove down yesterday ( I'm from the Albion area ) to the reenactment area. Water was really muddy, didn't see anyone else fishing . I didn't catch anything and didn't really expect to but it was a beautiful day to be out to explore and enjoy the day.
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what? it was up about 2 feet from few days ago.
No it wasnt. Not as of my post which was the morning of march 27th. It did go up after that though.
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oh ok guess i didnt look when u posted sorry. i was looking at the rivers to judge walleye movement. the rains seem to move them at times.
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Any reports if the crappie have started to push up into the Missy spillway yet?
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If your referring to below the dam yes they are catching crappie now. Shoulder to shoulder fishing but good numbers and size if you can squeeze in.
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If your referring to below the dam yes they are catching crappie now. Shoulder to shoulder fishing but good numbers and size if you can squeeze in.
Yes sir, I have been doing well in the river, just looking for a back up plan. Thank you
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Do you need to be close to the actual spillway to catch the crappie? I see people fishing quite a distance from it, may be fishing for other species.
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It figures the river bite would pick up the week im back at work and busy every night. Hoping to get over there for a few hours tomorrow after i get off and then again sat morning.
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Tried below spillway today...entire bank was just loaded with people all the way down in the woods. I found a section maybe 8 yards wide to fish down near the cable box. Got into a pretty good school of big black crappies. Ended up taking home 20 and of those 18 were blacks. Biggest was 13 inches lost an even bigger one right at the bank. Had some foreign guy start casting right in front of me in the hole i was fishing. I kindly told him unless he wanted to go swim with the fishes not to throw over me again. Amazing how inconsiderate a lot of them clowns down there are. Reminded me why i dont fish much there anymore.
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I fish a lot but not below the dams. I don't mind fishing with others but that area goes alittle to far for even me. I guess thats the same reason I don't do the Maumee either. I fortunately have plenty of quality places I can choose to catch about any species I want at the right times.