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Post by Decatur on Nov 21, 2005 15:51:49 GMT -5
I know this is an odd time to be asking this, but I am a "Pre-planner". Anyway, can you guys give me some ideas of where to wade-fish in Indiana for Smallies next spring/summer. I used to do it all the time in Missouri and I miss it. Thanks.
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Post by raporter1 on Nov 22, 2005 10:33:15 GMT -5
Decatur, there are several rivers in that part of the state that have smallies in them. The Wabash, Missisinawa, Salamoni, Eel etc. Just get out the map and start looking and driving, good luck.
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Post by Indyhunter on Nov 23, 2005 12:35:02 GMT -5
The White River produces some nice smallmouth also.
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Post by Decatur on Nov 25, 2005 11:52:01 GMT -5
Any particular stretch?
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Post by Indyhunter on Nov 25, 2005 13:17:21 GMT -5
I only fish it around the Anderson/Muncie area and I do pretty well there (as far as Indiana smallmouth are concerned). I've heard other guys mention they do well around the north side of Indy where the water is deeper. I prefer to jump in the river in shorts and walk, so I stay where it is more shallow.
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Post by bsutravis on Nov 26, 2005 5:44:16 GMT -5
Decatur...
Sugar Creek through Parke County offers some of the best Smallie fishing in the state, and you cannot beat the beauty! Plenty of wadeable areas with some deep holes as well... Big Walnut Creek over in Putnam County is also very good.
I haven't fished it in years, but as a kid my buddy and I would slay the bronzebacks on White Lick Creek between Avon and Plainfield in Hendricks County. I didn't have a scale as a youngster, but I caught a 21" that I know had to be over 5lbs. We would always catch 15"+ fish daily during the heat of the summer. We almost exclusively tossed "Tiny Torpedos" as our lure of choice... That creek doesn't look as wide and deep to me as it was as a teen, the area is WAY more developed with subdivisions along it's shores....so I dunno if the fishing is as good as it once was or not. Ahh the memories of a long days wading, fishing, and swimming.... to be a kid again.....
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Post by daworz on Nov 30, 2005 16:07:16 GMT -5
I love the St Joe river, we tore the smallie up this year, and did well with the eyes as well..
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Post by duff on Nov 30, 2005 21:16:03 GMT -5
A 21" smallie is a lunker. Biggest for me has been 19". I have seen a 23" dead one near Noblesville. It was huge.
Throw a rock in dang near any river in Indiana and you will find some smallies. Eel, Wabash, White(s), Wildcat, St. Joe, Blue(s), Flatrock, Deer Cr, Sugar Cr. The list could go on forever. I am partial to White R. but if I lived next to any other I am sure it would soon be my favorite. I am not much for driving.
Tiny torpedo is a tough one to beat, but my favorite artificial is a crank bait that bounces off the bottom. But my numero uno is fresh caught minnows. The bigger and fiestier the better. Put under a bobber with little to no weight, watch out!!! Been out before with a buddy and we caught smallies one after the other for about 30-45 min. straight. Easily 25-30 fish in that time span. Rarely keep any, figure one of these days one of us is bound to land a true lunker.
No wall hangers but good quality fish for my area.
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Post by jcceadotcom on Dec 3, 2005 9:18:12 GMT -5
Muscatatuck river. Start just outside of Vernon at the Tunnel Mill and walk your way to the back side of the mill. Be prepared it's an all day walk.
There are also some nice holes at the green bridge in Crosley. The Muscatatuck can be hard to wade if we've had a big rain recently.
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Post by whitetail1 on Dec 4, 2005 10:47:03 GMT -5
I also used to wade Whitelick creek a lot as a kid back in the 80's. It was a great place to catch some smallies. I haven't waded that creek in probably 14-15 years. Maybe I should try it again this next spring.
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Post by bsutravis on Dec 7, 2005 14:36:39 GMT -5
That's when I fished it Whitetail1...... What stretch did you fish?
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Post by whitetail1 on Dec 9, 2005 22:31:45 GMT -5
bsutravis,
I would normally start at the bridge on US 36 by where the softball diamonds are now and head north or start by the boy scout building on CR 100 S and fish my way up to 36. Sometimes I would head south of the boy scout building, but most of my fishing was done between CR 100 S (Morris Street) and 10th street.
Did you live around Avon?
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Post by bsutravis on Dec 11, 2005 20:04:39 GMT -5
I always fished just North of 10th street bridge (new bridge after they moved 10th) and would usually fish down past the Haunted Bridge..... We had to have crossed paths occassionally!
Yeah, I lived off 10th in Kingsway Woods........... Avon, class of '90.
You?
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Post by whitetail1 on Dec 12, 2005 7:10:56 GMT -5
Sounds like we fished the same areas. That was a pretty good stretch of creek. I almost always fished for smallmouth, but when they put in the new bridge over 36 and dammed it up you could go there and catch bullhead cats all day long. It's been a long time since I fished it, but I would like to wade it again this spring.
I grew up just west of the bridge on US 36, maybe 1/2 mile and went to Avon. Class of '89.
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Post by bsutravis on Dec 12, 2005 13:53:42 GMT -5
Small world! What's your name Whitetail1?
Yeah, when they put in the new 10th street bridge you could catch yellowbellies by the dozens right there at the culvert pipe that they had the creek draining through.
White Lick doesn't seen nearly as big as it did back in the 80's....looks like the flow is maybe 1/2 of what it was back then....but that could be that I am looking at it from an adults eyes instead of a kids. I'd like to try it this Spring if I get a chance....just to see if the old holes still hold some bronzebacks!
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Post by Fred McIntire on Jan 6, 2006 23:29:30 GMT -5
Hey Guys!
Man, it is a small world. I remember fishing that area with my Dad and Uncle many times back in the late 70's and early 80's. My Dad used to fish off of the old Iron bridge a lot down by the ball diamonds. We also used to wade a lot south of that iron bridge. Also fished up by the haunted bridge where they had all those old stumps and trees piled along the east side of the creek.
We used to catch a ton of turtles on set lines out of there. Mostly soft shells as I remember.
I agree that it doesn't look nearly as big and deep as it did back then. Maybe it's because we grew up and those "adventures" aren't such an adventure any more. I would like to fish it again. Maybe I'll get that done this year.
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Post by bsutravis on Jan 7, 2006 6:47:26 GMT -5
Welcome aboard Fred.... Yeah, I remember a lot of softshell turtles down there close to the AJAA diamonds. Ahhh, the old Iron Bridge, before they made it all a park. We use to ride horses back there where the old barn was.....there was an old grave marker behind that barn with the last name of Hornaday, I always wondered if it was just laying there, or if there truly was a grave. It was from the 1800's...can't believe I still recall the name on it! There were so many cool things about that creek and area. I can take you to a piece of petrified tree that's over 3 ft. in diameter just laying back in the weeds along the creek by the new 10th st. bridge. Something cool around every bend..... t'was a great place to grow up when Avon was a small town and all we had was the old Avon Pizza Palace.
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Post by whitetail1 on Jan 8, 2006 21:01:02 GMT -5
Yes, it is a small world. I remember the old iron bridge. And right there at haunted bridge was one of my favorite holes. I caught a bunch of smallies right there. My mom still lives in the same house I grew up in, so when we go to visit we cross the US 36 bridge that goes over whitelick. As we were driving over it on Christmas day, I told my son that I was going to introduce him to "creek wading" this summer. Man, I can't wait!
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Post by steiny on Jan 9, 2006 22:00:00 GMT -5
Try the Eel river, just about anywhere upstream of Logansport. Throw a canoe in at the bridge at Cass / Miami county line and float downstream to Spencer park at east edge of Logansport. Get out and wade the good looking spots, and you can make an all day deal out of that. There are a few nice islands along the route if you're into an overnight camp out. Nothing like a campfire on a sandbar, a few coldies, and catching channel cats.
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