I am new here. This site seems the best place to get help.
The lake is located in Greene Co, IN, near Bloomfield, which is about 80 miles southwest of Indianapolis. I built the lake in 1998. It is about 30 acres. It was built in a flat valley so the average depth is about 5-6 feet. There is about 4-5 acres only 1-3 feet deep. Near the dam it is about 10 feet. I stocked it with the usual large mouth bass, crappie, blue gill, red ear, channel catfish and pounds of minnows.
It worked wonderfully. For years it was incredible fishing. Catching several large bass was normal. We ate some of the fish. Then about 3-4 years ago, we got coontail in the lake.
It took over except in the deep part. We put amurs in and they cleared it nicely. However, now we are catching bass but seldom any large ones. (The record bass was 9 lb 2 oz caught about 6 years ago.) Periodically we will catch a 4-6 lb. now. I also now realize that the decline was over a period of time, not suddenly. Over the years, there has never been caught a really large blue gill. The largest crappie was 2 lbs, last year. The cat fish are about 7 lbs, tho we seldom catch one since we do not fish for them. Several hang around the dock where I feed them every few days. They get the filet fish left overs.
Can a lake that age and size be restored to its "youth" when it produced so many large bass? I had not fished before I built this lake. I realize now that I have been spoiled!!!
When it was at its best, I once caught 2 four pound LMB on a single cast with my chug bug lure. Really, the preacher and my son were with me!
Thank you. Tooger Smith
