I am taking the better half on a little vacation to Table Rock Lake starting Sunday (she thinks we are going to Branson lol). Anyone getting out on the big water this year?

I get out on Lake Michigan every year, not as much as I used to but still a couple of times. Also have an annual trip to Lake Erie the first week of May each year.

Carlyle lake almost every week.. If that counts as big

High Rock Lake for catfish

Except for some saltwater fishing, I seldom fish public waters anymore.

But, we have a DNR owned/managed 60 acre lake about an hour from the house. I actually found it by accident a few years back when I was lost on a back road. It is mainly managed for big bluegill -- which it has. No bass can be taken from the lake. No gas motors are allowed on boats. It is a place where I very seldom every see anyone else.

It gets regular stockings of tiger musky too, but I've never caught one there. It has some great catfish. During the cool months it gets regular stockings of rainbows. I hope to get down there in the next few weeks to get a several big male bluegills to bring back to my pond to help diversify the gene pool.

Pohoja, Missouri River, Indian, Sarah, Big Spirit, Geneva, Le Homme Dieu, Lake of the Woods. Perhaps one or two others.

I don't fish big public waters much anymore because of the power boats, bass boats flying around with 200 horse motors, and idiots on jet skis that have no consideration for a guy in a regular 15 foot fishing boat. If you anchor it's like sitting in a hurricane and I've actually had water come over the transom. However I have found several smaller lakes locally that are not frequented by the above that I will be fishing on and off. I'm in the market for a small 4 cycle motor and will be off and running.

I'd love to make another trip to northern New England but with the price of gas...

I usually start out of the bigger lakes kayaking but usually head for the smaller tributaries and back waters where most boats and people can't get to. There you find another world of wild kingdom that you usually don't see in the cultivated civilization we live in, at least in east central Indiana, anyway. Peace and quiet & Serenity.

Cecil:

There's a trick to fishing the larger lakes. Don't fish during the weekends when all the weekend warriors are out, and don't fish in the high boat traffic areas. I don't think the fish bite the best in those areas anyway. I both fish and water ski, (well, it's been a while since I was dragged behind a boat) and usually fished until 9:00 a.m. or so.

There's a narrow channel that connects 2 portions of a local lake. It's wide enough (500-600 feet) for power boats to pass in both directions safely, and it's been the norm for that on the lake. But, every year you have fishermen that anchor in the center of that channel, and get mad when the boats go by.

Then you have irresponsible boaters/skiiers that don't obey the rules too. It takes a little bit of co-operation from both sides to both fish and ski on a lake.

I belonged to the ski club that was on the lake. We'd usually piss off a fisherman once or twice a year. Typically, they'd be anchored at the end of the ski jump on the lake. We'd need to practice for the show, and they'd be mad that we asked them to move.

Have you thought about a large electric trolling motor and another battery instead of the 4-stroke?

I thought I remembered something about speed limits on Indiana lakes. Here it is:

IC 14-15-3-10
Small lakes; speed limit
Sec. 10. Subject to section 11 of this chapter, a person may not operate a motorboat upon a small lake at a speed greater than ten (10) miles per hour.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.8.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IC 14-15-3-11
Small lakes; exemption from speed limit
Sec. 11. (a) The commission may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to exempt a small lake containing more than seventy (70) acres from section 10 of this chapter if the following conditions exist:
(1) A majority of the abutting property owners petitions the commission as provided in this section.
(2) An unreasonable hazard to persons would not result.
(3) An unreasonable harm to fish, wildlife, or botanical resources would not result.
(b) A petition under this section must specify one (1) of the following periods for exemption from section 10 of this chapter:
(1) Each day of the week (Sunday through Saturday) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (local time prevailing).
(2) Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (local time prevailing).
(3) Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (local time prevailing).
(4) Each day of the week (Sunday through Saturday) from sunrise to sunset if the small lake is owned, leased, or operated in whole or in part by a political subdivision (as defined in IC 36-1-2-13).
(5) Each day of the week (Sunday through Saturday) from sunrise to sunset if the small lake is connected by a natural channel to a lake having a surface area of more than three hundred (300) acres.
(c) The commission may not establish a period that deviates from the period requested in the petition. However, the commission may adopt rules to establish restrictions for the safe operation of watercraft if unusual conditions or hazards would otherwise result by granting the exemption.
(d) The commission may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to rescind or amend an exemption granted under subsection (a) if:
(1) a majority of the abutting property owners of a small lake that has been exempted under this section petitions the commission in substantial accordance with the appropriate corresponding requirements of subsection (f) to rescind the exemption; or
(2) the commission determines that because of the exemption:
(A) there is an unreasonable hazard to persons; or
(B) unreasonable harm to fish, wildlife, or botanical resources is occurring.
(e) Before the adoption of a rule under subsection (a), the commission must certify that the petition represents a majority of the abutting property owners. A determination under this subsection is subject to IC 4-21.5.
(f) A petition under this section must be in the following form:
To the State of Indiana
Department of Natural Resources
The undersigned, all owners of abutting property to (name of lake) and situated in ___________ County, Indiana, petition the
department to post time periods exempting (name of lake) from speed limits as specified in IC 14-15-3-10 as follows:
(Petition to specify one (1) of the time periods listed above.)
We certify that, according to land and water acreage maps on file with the department or certified survey attached, (name of lake) is less than three hundred (300) acres and more than seventy (70) acres, as specified in IC 14-15-3 and that the signatures listed on this petition represent a majority of bona fide property owners of abutting property of (name of lake), as recorded in the office of the county recorder of (name of county). The department may verify the validity of the signatures. We also understand and agree that this petition, when certified, may not be changed or altered within two (2) years from the date of the certification.
______________________ _____________________
Signed Lake Property Address
_____________________
Date
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.8.

Soon, very soon. I have a 20 foot long 1978 Ranger. It is one of the first pro fishing boats. At one time I guided and chased the bass money tournaments but quit when I went through a divorce and started chasing other things. It hasn't moved in about 15 years because I've been pond fishing. I've had the motor gone through and all of the gauges worked on. Now, I'm carpeting. When I finish that I'll replace the bunker boards on the trailer and be ready to go. I'll be chasing sand (white) bass on area lakes during the week and going to the country on weekends to mess with my ponds.

A couple of years ago I bought a 16 ft aluminum bass boat but need to sell it now. I never really got around to using it.

I've scheduled a guided trip on an area lake with my Grandson next Saturday. I know the guide pretty well and it will be a teaching trip. He will show me all of his places (humps) where the fish congregate.

Dang, 2 cycle oil has gotten expensive. I've thought about upgrading my depth finder but a couple of grand is out of the question.

I'll hit Lake Fork several times this year. 7 out of the the top 10 LMB in TX, and 3 miles from my water make this an easy pick.

As much as we love to get the Bass Cat out and stretch her legs, it's just spoiled us to have access to the quality small waters that we do.

Just last week, a buddy of mine had a 16.4 LMB pulled out of his 40 acre lake near Eustace. Stuff like this keeps my tin boat in the water.

A guy with a 16.4 could turn into a really good friend.

He is already! It's a very, very private lake that's blessed with "Ozarka" water and a very strict 14" cull policy. The results have been breathtaking to say the least.

It's a story I would love to be able to tell someday.

On the Alexandria lake chain twice for a week.

I prefer fishing our pond because I can go fishing any time there is a spare moment and the fishing is always good. Pond fishing negates all the drama and time expenditure consumed by: loading up the truck and boat, driving to a lake, launching the boat, putting the boat back on the trailer, driving back home and unloading everything. Seems to me like plenty of hassle for a few hours of fishing. I sometimes contemplate selling my Bass Boat for the little use that it receives.

Scott,

Why should I be pushed to weekdays? How can I get any work done or answer business calls if I fish on a weekday? How about the guy that works Monday through Friday?

But both on Wawasee (largest natural lake in Indiana) and Clear lake when you go doesn't matter in the summer. You see, the kids are off from school and they are on the lakes every day. If they live on those lakes they come from well to do families and don't have to work in the summer.
Every house on the lakes has at least two boats and jet ski.

Morning doesn't matter either. Many jet skiers like that glassy smooth water of day break. I've even seen them in late fall with wet suits on.

BTW I did go on a Friday once. Had to wait in line for the boats in a bass tournament to launch. Apparently they decided they didn't want to go on a weekend either although there is a bass tournament on Wawasee every weekend in the summer.

Call me grumpy but I'll stay on the smaller lakes and my ponds. Fishing isn't supposed to get my blood pressure up and it certainly isn't supposed to be unsafe. I've had a few near collisions from boaters that weren't even looking where they are going. And nothing against water skiing as I've done my share of that and enjoyed it.

Gulf of Mexico today

I talked to the pond manager Sunday

Hope he was listening ( he's a fisherman too I hear)

I sometimes find that HE likes His fish better than He does me.

Well here at Table Rock Lake and it's an absolutely beautiful lake. I wet a bit of line today, but only my bobber pole caught anything. Just a few small green sunfish and some bluegill. A guy in a boat was jigging and caught three nice bass I saw. The weather is about to get colder and wetter so I may not do much more fishing. Good luck to all who get out on the big lakes this year!

I went out fishing a couple of times last week with a friends and our kiddos. We had a ball. There is just something about driving the boat around and slaying sand bass that ids fun. We had a picnic on the boat and caught fish, and let Fatty jr steer the boat !!!

I still will go to my pond if I want to bass fish, and to the lake for sandies/hybrid/stripers and boating.

What's a freshwater sand bass look like? I know what a salt water one is from the Pacific (So. Cal.)

It's what Yankees call white bass.

That explains it! Like Perch. Not this guy.

Yeah but in parts of the South, mostly the Southeast, they will be pronounced "puhch".

perch in Texas is any panfish you can catch with a bobber & worm.