# Indian 7-12-12



## ron92

4 hours of trolling only netted three fish, 13 in crappie, 19 in saugeye, both on bomber A 04 red craw, 21 in saugeye on chart/craw bomber 4. In front of pew island in middle of lake and end of oldfield beach 4ft water.


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## speedyr

chartreuse craws rock!


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## saugmon

How many channelcats did that chart craw pick up ron?

I gotta go to the logan county fair tonight then head over to speedyville tomorrow night to hit Bennys!!


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## Northern1

LimaEyeCatcher and I went out from 7:30 to 12:30 today. Decided to take the boat instead of the kayaks. Caught an 11 lb flattie. Man was it FAT! Got 5 white bass, one was really nice. But we also got snag, snag, snag. Couldn't find the saugeye for some reason.

Our Bomber 04's were dragging bottom whenever we were out past 25 feet. Is this normal? It would just seem you would want it up off of the bottom slightly to let it work. Got frustrated with them, so we switched off onto whatever would not get caught up. How are you guys keeping those B04's from dredging the lake?

Caught half of the fish off of the boards and half off of propwash lines.


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## saugmon

I keep my rod tips up as high as possible. On my 02's, I leave my side rods perpendicular to the water.This allows me 13-15 yds behind my main rod. I can only get out 10-11 yds with the 04's and not much action at the same perpendicular. The higher the tips,the more yardage you can release and seems like they're not major snags like my 02's are because there is a huge dive angle difference for the 04's compared to the flatter line of the 02's running out from the side.

Seeing as how the tipped up propwash rod is taking the majority of the eyes in the last couple weeks,I now tip up my side rod/s up as high as they go. Now my counter reads 17 yds and it tore up the eyes tuesday night. Propwash rod is set to 65' and my other siderod says 95' is equal to that same 17 yds,65' rods.

If you have a portable shakespeare line counter, 51.5' on it = the same 17 yds on main cabelas depthmaster siderod,65' on propwash depthmaster ,and 95' on other cabelas depthmaster II side rod. Those aren't actual footage measurements because you'll get different readings with different amounts of line on your reel. My main line is running low,so I've been getting higher numbers in the 14-15 yds lately and usually it's 12-13 yds. I've got to add line to it for next season.

There's a utube vid that shows you how to calibrate linecounter reels,but I use that portable shakespeare and no need to keep adding or removing line.

That portable counter doesn't matter if you have a full,half,or near empty spool.


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## puge

That sounds about right. I run my bombers between 27-29ft, and bandit 200 36ft. I don't set mine to hit bottom continuously but a couple times a minute it hits here or there. I just go a crank at a time until it stops plowing. I also have raised my rod tips a little just to get to that distance but not way up, probably even a 45 degree angle. When I have rod tips down 24-25 is it for bombers. I've also had most of my luck 2.5-2.8mph. It doesn't seem like fish would hit a lure less than 1o yards from a moving motor but they have proved to me they just don't care.


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## Northern1

That makes sense. I'll have to adjust the rod holders for a higher tip then. Yeah, LimaEyeCatcher has some nice Cabela's Depthmasters that we were using today. They seemed like they were pretty close. 

I have a couple of Okuma linecounter reels on some Uglystick catfish rods. They're good setups, and it seems like the superbraid does help with the snags when they do happen so you can jostle around the lure until it pops back up.

When you're back out next season I'll look for you Saugmon and introduce myself if we're on the ramp at the same time. Thanks for all the help this year, and congrats on a great season!


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## Northern1

Puge, we were only going .8 to about 2 mph today, and we were experimenting with some speeds in between. We didn't touch 2.5 or 2.8. Is that speed still effective if the water temps are getting as high as they are? It was up to 85 degrees by the time we got off the water today. Started at 76 degrees when we put in.


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## saugmon

Water temps are so high, I threw away my saugeye book. I've never caught many once it hit 88. Last saturday morning,it was 92 and I caught 4. Still 90 degrees tuesday evening and limit'd out.

Since going with the 04's,I don't have to hold my siderod all the time to put extra action on the cranks. They've been hitting them better when the rod is sitting in the holder.

I've been going through some unorthodox ways of getting the eyes in the last couple weeks. The 3.0 mph speed is the only thing that I haven't changed. 3.0 mph in the 60 degree water of early may and 3.0 mph during the boiling 90+ degree water now.

I have a cabelas pedestal mount/8 tubes at the bottom. I put a cedar 2x4 to make a T out of that pedestal mount along with 3 sidemounts.That T bracket sits a good 2'+ above the side mounts.I run that propwash rod off the T around a 45 angle. The side rods are another story. 8.5-9' rods and I keep them up as high as possible.So high,that I have to use the safety slider to keep them from falling out of the holder.That's the only way that my siderods have been outperforming my propwash rod.


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## ron92

Saugmon, unlike speedyr I didn't catch any channel cats or anything else except those two saugeye and a crappie. Speedyr called and instisted I keep a chartruse craw on all the time. Caught more on the red craw. Didn't even lose any to the snags.


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## saugmon

I'm always dogging on speedyr about that chart craw being a channelcat slayer!! It did catch quite a few tuesday evening. Channelcats haven't been too bad this year. I'm usually pushing around 80+ keeper sized a season.It's kinda nice that they did slack off because they wreck the Tx3 trebles.

All my redcraws are 02's.They usually tear up the eyes when they're on the planerboards.Just never had much luck on them on the siderods.


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## speedyr

can't decide if I am going to give it one more try Saturday morning!!!!!!

I let the lures touch the water, then set the line counter to zero. When I run a high center rod I just adjust accordingly. If you think about it, if you are running 28 ft and hitting bottom, go to 26, or 25....that is only 2-3 feet of line out difference. sometimes i will stagger lures...especially if I am not in the mood to deal with snags. The amount of line you let out is, like saugmon eluded to, relative to the diameter or the spool of line. The line counter reel measures not the line out, but the revolution of the spool. I would let 25 feet out. get your speed at what you want it. Check your depth. if you are not dragging. Let 5 more feet out. Once you start dragging. reel in a foot till you stop dragging. Then you know, this pole, with this lure, going this speed, will be just of the bottom at this depth. Then you can replicate. That is why my rods and reels are pretty much the same. 
That is why this year, for the most part, I pulled all bomber 04's. Which removes one changing variable and made it constant. The more constants, the less thinking for me!

note pad
number your poles
take notes

replicate

My numbers went up when I started trolling 3mph.


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## TomC

Well me and riley got up to the lake and fished from 7:30PM till 1230ish. We landed 27 channel cats. West side of the lake only brought dinks. Once i moved to the east side it was on. Much bigger and fatter kitties on the eastside. We went back out at 7am and fished till 2:30 an managed close to 30 channels the largest being 13.46lbs! I had a guy in a boat stop to see what all the ruckus was all about when my son stated going crazy. I held up the net and he saw. Luckly he had a scale, my cell phone was dead and my camera was at the house, it sucked but it was my biggest cannel cat to date. All fish came on cut shad or shad guts. 

Side note.... While on the west end i came across alot of snags, stumps and what not. Alot of them came up as shallow as 1.5fow when the water was 5-7ft deep. I also noticed alot of large pieces of drift wood just at the surface or just under around lakeview and north east. Be careful guys i dont want to see any ones boat getting tore up. 

Speedy i think i found your sangs we were talking about. I found a series of stuff that may be what we were talking about. I remember looking on google earth and it seemed to be in the area. Heres what i found. The last 2 pics came from different areas of the lake that i found


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## speedyr

I was looking at my track today and I promise I will get you some points to look at. I will only send you the good snags. I can tell because when my route line goes in a real small circle over and over again, it is a snag and a ******* good one. There is ifo oldfield beech that it big and long. It locked me up once on three rods. It truly is the devil.


so do you mark the snags, then go drop cut bait around trying to pull out cat's. You don't clean all those fish do you? Cleaning 12 Eye's after a morning of fishing is about all I can handle, let alone cleaning that many cat's....More power to you if you got the energy.


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## TomC

I only kept 15 of em. That would way too many to clean but it goes qiuick I got an electric filet knife. I have a fishfry comming so i keep some of the cats from each trip. I did do some anchoring around snags and stumps, but had no luck. I did get one good run on a live 8" shad but missed the hook up. Most of the time i try and drift around the stuff getting as close as i can without getting into em. I usually mark a wave pt every time i find something unique. For a lake thats mainly 6' deep or so and mainly flat, i mark anything that stands out,stumps, sharp drop offs(yeah theres a few in this lake), I marked a flat area today as well. Its in 7fow and its a raised flat that comes up to 3fow and completly surrounded by 7'-8' of water.


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## puge

Wish I was out there today, what a beautiful morning. I think im gonna give it a go again tomorrow morning if I can get the boat ready tonight. I may have an open seat, but I wont know until later. I started out with walleye speeds 1.8-2.2 the first 2 years. This year I went higher and have had more luck than ever. I have only flirted with 3mph a couple times for short burst, really only because im catching them at 2.6 so why change. When it gets slow I change it up 0.2mph at a time. Couple times back started 2.5 and nothing, went to 2.8 got 5 then nothing. Went back to 2.5 and got 4 more, coulda been speed, coulda been time who knows.

Trying to decide kings royal at eldora or fishing, think ill just rent a cottage next year and do both.


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## saugmon

I'm dying to know how they're hitting so I'm heading up there shortly. Looks like the weather looks decent. Will post back results! I may not make it to Benny's tonight.


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## speedyr

thank goodness you are going.....Let me know. I don't see how I can pass up tomorrow am unless the weather is bad.


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## saugmon

On the water by 4:15 this afternoon and 2 eyes in the boat before 5:00 p.m. Then slowed down with nothing til after 6 p.m. By 6:30,frenzy began at waypoint wes1 which I hit 2 previous trips with zilch. 5 keepers in the boat and threw back 4 in the 15" range. The bigger ones started hitting after 6:30 with a 20" fattie and a 19" slimjim. Kept a 15.5" to finish limit and fled. Both the bigger eyes on the mossback craws on port side. Propwash with sunrise craw skunked.Ran both siderods. Chart craw on starboard took a couple. Foxy shad took 1. Those catfish sure tore up that mossback craw as well as the short eyes. Lost a couple other decent ones just outside net range. Another wavy day. Less than 2' waves and no bites.White caps,bite was on.

Water Temp: 88. A bass fisherman told me the channel in blackhawk was 82.

1-20"
1-19"
2-16.5"- cooler scale measured them at 17" before they went in.
1-16"
1-15.5"


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## Northern1

Got out on the water at 4:40. Went out of Blackhawk. Like Saugmon said, the waves meant the fish were biting. The wind was out of the east. Caught A nice white bass right off the bat, and a 15.5 inch saugeye soon after that by Pew. The wind calmed down and the fish stopped biting for about 45 mins. The wind then picked back up and my propwash rod got a 16'' eye. About 10 mins later in front of pew, I had the biggest bite i've had of the season. My line went straight out of the counter reel for about 25 feet, and I began pulling back and it got off. Wish I would have seen what that was (wasn't a stump  ) Saw Saugmon and thanked him for the help he gave me. Thanks again man! Good to put a face to a name for me. I wish I could have stayed out, because he said they were just starting up again at 7:30 or so, but my dad was with me and he was done. 

Regardless, two good eater eyes, and its time for some late dinner!


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## Lima Eyecatcher

Great posts Guys. Wish I could have gone with ya Northern1, glad ya got a few. Saugmon and Speedyr, thanks for all the info you guys post. The rod up tip really makes sense. When we went the other day we could not figure out how you could let out 65'. I am so use to fishing Erie with some depth, we always put the rod close to the water. And I would never have guessed 3 mph. Thanks again guys.


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## Northern1

Yeah, they're still hitting, even though the water temps are in the mid 80's. Any morning you want to go, i'm game, just let me know. I just ordered a fresh batch of 04s from basspro and outfitted all of my trolling gear with some heavier lb. test. I didn't use any of the planars tonight. The 04 ditch craw was the only bait I caught them on. 

I hope your int. went well btw!


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## saugmon

With my B02's, I'd run the rods straight out from the gunnel. The eyes slacked off them the other week and started nailing the 04's.The straight out siderods with 04's didn't do squat. Been tipping them higher ever since and the action is still hot. I wish I had some 04 red craws to try out. Prettty much everything I throw at them has some sort of crawdad pattern to them,except for foxy shad.


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## TomC

When I was up the wed eve and thurs the water temp ranged from 78 to 82. Me and the kid took a swim at the beach thursday and in 4fow the water was alot colder than 78 degrees, it was chilly and even i was getting goose bumps. I noticed the water was heavily stained, and that the lake was down somewhere between 8"-12".


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## saugmon

Tom,water's been that stained ever since memorial day weekend.It got slightly muddier,but cleared back to the way it is now. Perfect saugeye conditions.Good thing too because it neutralized the weeds. I haven't pulled any weed off my hooks last couple 3 trips.

I keep track of my water temps from the livewell intake water. So basically a good 12"-18" below the surface. That bottom has to be cold because the eyes are still out there and biting.

Limit'd out this morning but nothing over 17".Threw back 2 in the 15" range and a couple 14". No catfish! 1 snag very early and lure retriever cord got wrapped around my kicker and that motor wouldn't pop up. Got lucky and forced the lure off the snag.

Lost a couple decent ones. Started out picking up a couple by 6:15 a.m. out by where I got the 20" last night-wp93. Then it died down so headed to vernon and back to wes1.Nothing,so headed to wes2 and didn't even mark anything. Did pull out a measley 15". By 8:45 I was back at wp93 and frenzy was on. Started with a dink crappie and as soon as the pole hit the rod holder,fish on.After boating it,the other rod took off and boated that one.. 15 mins later had another double.Too many eyes so I had to toss a couple in the middle of that minipack. This wp that I marked last night had a lot of boats trolling in the area because a green/blue boat threw out a green marker buoy 100' from my wp. The boat that had 3 people and pontoon with the guy in orange saw me net a bunch of fish, LOL!!!

That green/blue boat was doing pretty well too and then they pulled their marker buoy up by 8:15 after a fleet of boats was on our spot. I'm half tempted to get me some of those buoys and throw them in far away from my hotspots, LOL!

I was waiting for the next bite like the 7:45-8:15 bite but never did as I left at 11 a.m. I went 2+ hrs afterward without a hit.

Great cool morning out there along with a 20min drizzle.Great fishing buddies out there as well like speedyr,puge, and buckeyeguy.


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## speedyr

i was on the water at 530. Had two in the boat by 630, both 15's. In the area state park /chippewa. Both on propwash rod, with red and black BO4. Hooked a nice one around 9 on chartruese craw, and lost it due to crappy netting practices. It was an 18 or better. trolled the Chippewam, 1/2 to pew, oldfied triangle for awhile. Saw Saugmon, coming back from Pew-wolf troll. I picked up two 15's on pew wolf troll. I should have stayed there. Went back, did the tringle and a big fat goose egg. Two tiny cats and a white bass for the rest of the day. I think that I was over by wolf/pew when they turned back on for saugmon. 
My brother in law was with me. Can't decide if I like the single high propwash rod for rod 3, or one 45 degrees from each corner of the boat for rods 3 and 4. I am thinking 4 rods, when I am looking for active fish b/c i don't need to turn as tight and 3 rods when they are active, so I can turn tight on waypoints.

It was nice to be out without the sun beating you down.

Saugmon told me who buckeye guy was and Puge also. I trolled by Puge a bunch. He was working the area I picked my first two up on. I need to pay better attention to what people say they are driving. Buckeyeguy's should have been pretty obvious!


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## saugmon

I trolled by buckeyeguy an entire weekend south of pew a while back and didn't even notice the buckeye decor on his toon. I usually have my face burried on the gps to keep my speed and heading on a waypoint. Less crowded today.

Propwash hasn't yielded much for me last 2 days. Ran it for a short bit this morning with sunrise craw and zilch. That 2 hr dry spell sucked. I'm not used to that this season. Also used to those 1 hr feeding frenzy's and barely lasted 30 mins at the most with the only one today.

Hit her 1 more time tomorrow morning. Same gameplan- Blackhawk to wp 93 then to wes1 and vernon. They're down there,just gotta be there when they decide to feast!


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## speedyr

i think a fat 16" saugeye is the perfect size to eat...Does any any agree or disagree?


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## Northern1

Just had one last night that was 16''. Good size fillet. I agree with you. Put butter, some Sam Adams beer (1 tbsp), and some herb/spices on it. Wrapped it in foil to help the flavors cook in. Put it in the oven for 20 mins at 350. Great well-earned dinner.


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## TomC

Why dont we take pics of our boats and post em here so we all know who each other is? Mines easy to spot just find the poor sap with the small silver boat!


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## saugmon

I got a pic of my boat in the what's your boat look like thread.

Here's speedy:









My camera doesn't do distant shots very well.There was another one identical to speedyr's out there but he had a mercury on it. It's hard for me to remember people when they say they were in a tracker. Usually a dozen trackers out there every weekend, LOL!

Northern1: I tried doing that on a grill and those saugeye filets looked like bluegill filets after i got done with them.

2- 16" eyes easily a meal for the 3 of us. Saugeye sammiches!


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## speedyr

thanks saugmon. Does anyone know where I can get a white flag,maybe 2ftx2ft. I want to put a flag on my boat, but I need that to put my design on?


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## TomC

Heres a pic of the silver bullet!


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## saugmon

speedyr said:


> thanks saugmon. Does anyone know where I can get a white flag,maybe 2ftx2ft. I want to put a flag on my boat, but I need that to put my design on?


Every house in France has a white flag!!! They do surrender very easily!!!


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## speedyr

9 more people with pictures and we can have a calender...."The boats of Indian Lake"

My tracker has the CUSTOM white PVC net holder....You can't get that at no basspro....


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## TomC

You cant get that at no basspro! Now thats funny! If you look in my boat i got a bunch of rod holders that i made from pvc that hold the poles up and out of the way while on the move. I need to make one for a landing net, I lost mine two weeks ago, it fell out the back of the boat. Good news is i found a new one in 10fow under dream bridge this past week, i snagged it with my cat rod, had a wee bit of slime on it but it cleaned up well.


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## puge

Got out saturday morning and had a slow start. I didn't get the first one until 7:45, then got another 100yds later. 8:15 and 9:00 got the next 2. Then nothing... Decided to leave at 11:00 then at 10:40 got the last 2 close together. Red craw bomber took 4 and a 14" natural goby took 2 and okie craw took a 15 that was too close to call. Chart/silver fleck got skunked, I think it likes the sun...I'll be out tomorrow and see if I can get a pic of the boat.

Tom C what model of fish finder to you have, those images are impressive. I have looked hard at down scan imaging and the customer reviews are pretty negative overall for both lowrance and humminbird, especially in shallow water. Just trying to figure out if it is user error (most likely) or if the capabilities are being overstated by the manufacturer.


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## Northern1

saugmon said:


> Every house in France has a white flag!!! They do surrender very easily!!!


Haha, good one saugmon! I can picture them having those along with fresh baguettes and berets on their heads. Stinkin' French 

I'll get my boat on here tomorrow. Too dark to take a pic of it right now.


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## Northern1

Here's my 14ft Alumacraft in an attachment. Got my kayak in the pic as well! See you all on the lake.....if the calendar happens, i'll take March! haha


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## speedyr

Today was a slow day today for me AGAIN. 2 keepers from 530-10 am. One16", red /black bomber at 715-Chippewa area One 16" over between pew-wolf at the buoy at 930. Caught 3 14.75 throwbacks in around Chippewa/blachhawk. Did have a double hookup in front of Saugmon-14.74 and a 6lb 24" flattie. Caught another flattie-maybe 3lbs, over by pew. One small channel. No pattern to the lures. Caught a fish on each one...Lost 3 lures to snags. 

I think I saw Puge and I waved. It was a fischer boat. Had somebody with him...


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## saugmon

Out there again this morning and about as rough as usual. Caught a 16" eye right out the gate at 5:45 a.m. at the same hotspot as yesterday. Then nothing til a while later for another 16" eye. Headed further north to pick up a straggler 16.5" and nothing. By around 10 a.m. decided to hit pew and picked up a loner at 17". Didn't pick up any weed all weekend til north of pew.Then trolled to wp 43 and moosebuoy with nothing.

Headed back to wp's victor and wes1 and zilch. Finally headed back to oldfield beach around 10 a.m. or so and the cats started hitting. The 2nd channecat wrapped my other line around it and had to cut the line. minutes later,another channelcat hits.I decided to start the main motor and get the kicker shut down and unhooked and call it quits. My pole was bent in half. A 4lb flattie decides to hit the nestrobber pole and halfway in it snagged onto someone else's 50+ yards of powerline with a bandit. Fish is suspended in air while I'm trying to get the other line in. Finally got it in and cut the powerline off. I grabbed the end of it with a glove and started pulling hard and the bandit popped up. That was 1 tough line and that bandit had lots of teethmarks,so should be a good color, LOL. Mossback craw caught all the eyes on port side. a dink channelcat was the only thing caught until the cats started hitting in the end.Nestrobber craw took the flattie and bandit.Only thing chart craw took was a 8" channelcat dink.










I did forget to mention the monster hawg today:









That's about the size of the fingerlings stocked this year.

Thought I saw puge out there in his fisher,but it was the other fisher that I always see out there. Speedyr and I decided to name that guy Puge Junior! Puge Jr had quit a bit of net action but must have been cats and dinks because he said they had 3 when I had 3. Buckeyeguy was out there as well.


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## saugmon

speedyr said:


> I think I saw Puge and I waved. It was a fischer boat. Had somebody with him...


We're calling that guy Puge Jr! I saw them net a 10" fish, LOL!

That pontoon pulling the offshore boards with the stars and stripes was out there again. Seen him half a dozen times lately and have yet to see them catch a fish.Looked like 6-8 people on it this time. His planerboards run very good. Looked like a huge Triton out there as well pulling inlines.Saw them catch a dink.

3 bombers? Ouch!! Was that another greenhorn with you today doug?
Saw you working on that 1 snag earlier. Looked like you circled it half a dozen times. My port rod had 1 snag so I thumbed the spool and freed it.Reeled in the 20' of line to get it back to 65' and seconds later,it snagged again. Thumbed it got it out again. I haven't lost any since that chart craw that you gave me.


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## speedyr

yep...another green horn. This was his second trip with me. He was with me when we went out and it started storming and my electronics stopped working. He really likes to fish and is a pretty good 1st mate. I have had 7 different guest this year and only two have only had one trip. I did not reel any fish in today, nor yesterday. I let my guests until they get maybe 4 keepers under their belt. It is a lot of fun taking people, especially if they have never trolled before.

Plus my lure retriever broke off, two weeks ago and my new one has yet to arrive.


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## speedyr

those stars and stripes planerboards do look like they pulled smooth. I thought I could only see one line hanging from each. 
Man I was snagging left and right today....maybe 5-6 times. One snag I ran right over a waypoint I marked as a snag yesterday...duh

Haha...100th post. I am now a SR Member. Do I get a pension or anything?


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## TomC

Its the humminbird 597ci hd di. As you can see the down imaging works in shallower water, but it does work better in deeper water. Ive had it in 20fow and gone over trees, you can see the individual branches which way they go and everything. I have noticed that in shallow water 2-6' i really dont mark alot of fish unless they are big or are near the bottom. There are other sonar setups with this unit i havent really used and they all can be set more sentitive as well. I keep my settings a the basic factory settings, im sure i could pick up more if i tweek the settings but they work good for me where their at. If you guys are around when im up there sometime and want to take a look at it just give me a shout.


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## saugmon

Season's about over now senio'r speedy!!!I marked very few fish in th 4'-5' range last couple trips and a lot of large ones (Carp?)1' down. I marked a nice fish 4' down at oldfield beach and 5 seconds before it hit my crank. Turned out to be a 2 lb channelcat.. 

The eyes sure did spoil us this season! I believe we pulled out 180 keepers last year,but very few limits. Maybe a 2 man limit a couple trips? 


Water temp was 80,I still wanna try it on the new moon after work this week.It would help if we had a good soaking of cold rain for a couple days.


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## speedyr

I need the season to be over, I got to get some stuff done. Does it start back up again when it gets cool? Like in the fall. I have to admit that I had a good time this year. I am not fisherman by first love, I am a die hard hunter. But, I really had a good time this year. I met a lot of new people. I got to fish on the mighty saugmon's boat, but sadly I did not see the planerboards in action first hand. And I got to take 8 different people fishing that do not fish for saugeye. I don't think I would be a cast fisherman much, but I like the science behind the trolling. We still are going to have to give alum a try..

My initial season goal was 40...I think I am over 60...so I am happy. I think I got 2 limits, one 11 fish , and a 10 fish day. Hell, I might be over 70. When you get a limit with your 6 1/2 year old son, what more can you ask for?


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## Northern1

Speedy,

I hear you on getting some stuff done. Trying to remodel the house right now...spending 5 hours fishing puts a dent in that sometimes. But, its always worth it IMO...I'll still be going out. I'll let you guys know how I do. I'm getting started late due to lots of May/June commitments. If you get out in the fall, i'll be sure to say hi


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## speedyr

hopefully, my boat will be real recognizable soon. I am sure that I will be out now and again, but 3 times a week, with my other commitments is tough. I think the middle of the weekers, Off at 4pm, on lake by 530. Fish til 930 bed by 1130 are the hard trips....Nothing worse than going into the weekend tired. I have yet to decided how I am going to balance fall. I start getting real edgy around Sept 1...with bow season right around the corner. Then I will start doing the same thing bowhunting 1-2 times after work and 1-2 times on the weekend. I managed to turn my outdoor obsession into a year long ordeal!


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## puge

That was me with a friend. Launched from chippewa after blackhawk was backed up with bass boats, ugggh...Had another slow start, but after 8 am it was a fish maybe every 15 minutes and had one double. Lost at least 4 fish, couple 14" and two fingerlings. Mistake bandit was on fire with 7, mossback craw took 2, Okie craw took 1, chart/silver fleck bandit took 2 after the sun was out, lost my goby bandit early. Had a nice 23". Red craw hot all week was skunked. Its probably the last time I'll be out for a while, unless I try to get out in the afternoon after work. Its been a great week for me and a great year. 
I want to thank saugmon very much!!! For the past 3 years I have basically learned saugeye fishing from reading his reports. I didn't even know what a bandit was back then. I have taken his info to alum, buckeye and indian and have had good results at each. He gives true "fishing reports" and not just braggin board material, and I'm sure it has helped tens if not hundreds of people.
Thank you everyone for the reports, hopefully I have given back a little of what I have taken.















Oh by the way, picked up an electric fillet knife on the way home after years of doubt, wow what a time saver. Had them cleaned and put away in 25 minutes, fantastic...


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## saugmon

Nice mess of eyes puge. I just couldn't find that hot bite.

I'm on my 3rd electric knife this season puge. They just don't make them like they used to.It does make it faster.


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## speedyr

good run of fish Puge....Did you figure which boat I was in? We were trolling the same run sat and sunday. I bought an electric knife halfway through the season. They are a must.

I agree about saugmon...


How did you troll alum? I have been itching to give it a try.


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## Lynxis

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/picture.php?albumid=2182&pictureid=12160

In the United States, the traditional dimensions for the front page half of a broadsheet are 15 inches (381 mm) wide by 22+3&#8260;4 inches (578 mm) long.

Something doesn't add up.


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## bassfisher1

Looks to me they are under the size limit.


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## puge

Oh boy here we go. Yep I kept several illegal fish and was smart enough to post proof of that where anyone and their brother can see them. Ill be sure and lay the tape measure that was sitting right beside the table out next time, that way all the 13" will stand out for ya. Get real.


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## Lynxis

You are the one that would know.

I am just noting what it looks like.
Several of them are honkers though.


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## puge

Well went dumpster diving on my lunch break... Could only find one bag, and although it did have the last 5 and smallest 5 in it I'm sure it wont be enough to prove to you but its the best I could do, cleaned the big ones first to get used to the electric knife. I looked for 10 minutes but I couldn't find the other bag. 3 fish are right at 15", which the state of ohio says is perfectly legal.
By the way a columbus dispatch opened and measured to half way is 11 3/8" just so ya know, im willing to say 11 1/2 but we are being technical so there ya go.















I take great offense to your accusations. I am by the book all the way when it comes to limits and game regulations and to have someone say otherwise is a slap in the face and I am not gonna stand for it. I'll be happy to look for the other bag after work and I can stop by and drop them off to you for your approval if need be, but don't accuse me of being a bad sportsman unless you know what the hell you are talking about.


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## Northern1

Nice morning, puge. I went out early- about 515-830. Got skunked! I only have one bomber, and i'm paying the price dearly by not getting any fish. I was marking them, they just didnt want my lures today. Ordered some from basspro online over the weekend. Anyone know how long that usually takes?


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## Saugeyefisher

puge said:


> Well went dumpster diving on my lunch break... Could only find one bag, and although it did have the last 5 and smallest 5 in it I'm sure it wont be enough to prove to you but its the best I could do, cleaned the big ones first to get used to the electric knife. I looked for 10 minutes but I couldn't find the other bag. 3 fish are right at 15", which the state of ohio says is perfectly legal.
> By the way a columbus dispatch opened and measured to half way is 11 3/8" just so ya know, im willing to say 11 1/2 but we are being technical so there ya go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I take great offense to your accusations. I am by the book all the way when it comes to limits and game regulations and to have someone say otherwise is a slap in the face and I am not gonna stand for it. I'll be happy to look for the other bag after work and I can stop by and drop them off to you for your approval if need be, but don't accuse me of being a bad sportsman unless you know what the hell you are talking about.


Actually if ya pinch the tail(like shown in handbook) you could get 15 1/4 out of them. Nice fish! and good job to all for all the eyes yall have gotten!


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## puge

Northern I ordered on a Thursday and got mine on Monday afternoon. It might only take 2 days if you do it early in the week.


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## misterbreeze

puge those two pics don't measure up. I gotta agree with bassfisher 1. Sorry


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## Lynxis

If the paper in the orignal pic is only 11.5 inches wide, then you have a real ordeal on your hands.
I can tell that that is not the case however. I am certain it's a standard broadsheet.

It doesn't look like the bottom right fish in the original picture is 15" long. It very well could be, I am just noting what it looks like.


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## Northern1

Thanks puge. Are you using 100s or 200 bandits? I have a mistake 200 that I use for deeper waters, but it drags bottom here on Indian. Its crazy how you really have to modify your tackle lake to lake.


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## saugmon

Actually the tail is squeezed together and then it'll slightly spread out again to it's natural shape.You measure it after it goes back to it's natural state. 

These Indian Lake saugeye aren't symmetrical. Last friday's 20" was twice the weight of the 19" that night.1 eye at 25" may go 5-5.5 lbs and next 25" will go 3.5 lbs.There's some plump ones and skinny ones. Take a pic of all of them together and the little-uns really stick out and the dissers jump in.. 

I'll measure them with my built-in tape on my cooler and they shrink after they've been iced. Simple expansion and contraction.

I've already been boarded by the division of wildlife and passed. Anyone else been boarded?


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## speedyr

Lynxis said:


> http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/picture.php?albumid=2182&pictureid=12160
> 
> In the United States, the traditional dimensions for the front page half of a broadsheet are 15 inches (381 mm) wide by 22+3&#8260;4 inches (578 mm) long.
> 
> Something doesn't add up.



Columbus dispatch is 11.5 inches wide at least this Sunday and the one before...I did a quick analysis using the fold of the paper-(under the top right fish) to the edge of the paper. Taking that as 11.5 inches, I completed a ratio, which i then measured the fish and multiplied by that ratio and found the fish to appear to be legal in size. The big fish on at the top right came out to 20" or so. If I have to, I will get the Columbus dispatch, find the picture under the word "heat" in the photo, and then it will be and exact known standard and we can do a more in depth analysis. PS. Using the 15" "standard" paper size and the crease, the top right fish would have been over 30"...
I will admit that unless I can get the paper with the picture, I can only say that it appears to be the crease and it appears to be the edge. But I would be willing to do so....Then if I am wrong I am wrong. I wish you would have done the same.

I would be more than willing to entertain any thoughts and ideas to the contrary. I also measured the Marysville paper and it also was not 15 inches. It was either 11.5 or 12".

It is sad that Puge went to the trouble to post his catch and talk about it, share his lures to help others, and someone questions his integrity. I also measured the Marysville paper and it also was not 15 inches. It was either 11.5 or 12".


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## puge

maybe they don't realize its not just 1 paper spread out. the piece on the right with the 3 pictures is a single piece, one side. It is overlapping the piece in the middle, which is overlapped by the piece left of center, which is over lapped by the piece all the way left. It is 4 different pages overlapped not 1, that is the only thing I can think of why you would say this. I am working on something to show what I can and it will be my last post on the subject, but I feel I have to defend myself since im being accused of being a poacher, liar, and cheat.


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## misterbreeze

Puge I'm not accusing you of anything and i'm sure you measured the fish correctly. I don't know you,but if I where a judge just looking at the pictures I would have doughts. Just keep fishing and catch some biggins, and there will be no controversy. Kewl?


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## saugmon

All those carcass's are bent. Don't you need a straight line to get a true measurement?


BTW Puge: Those carcass's still had the ribs intact. I cut through them with my electric knives. Slab em,skin em,them rib them later. You going around the ribcage with that new electric knife? You're missing the best part,those cheeks are still on them. Even those 15"s have decent cheeks and most people don't mess with them unless they're a lot bigger.

I'm also interested on who advertised that 3.757% APR in that paper! Heck of a deal!!!


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## Northern1

Saugmon,

How do you get the ribs out if you go straight through. Do you pick them out individually after cutting through them with your knife. I too went around the ribs with mine..How long does it take to de-rib them.


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## countryfisher

Just want to say thanks to all of you Indian Lake fishermen that have so kindly posted all the reports on this site. I have read and learned so much from the wealth of all the information that has been posted here for the last couple years. My son and I have fished Indian faithfully for the last 3 years from our 17' Sea ray, and without the help of kind and knowlegeable fisherman like Saugmon and Speedyr we would be lucky to catch anything. We still have a lot to learn, but I respectfully tip my hat you guys, and thank you for your generous posts. We are finally starting to catch on some, and will post some results in the future. We still have a lot to learn. Unfortunately we only get to fish on Saturday mornings most of the time due to work schedules.


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## misterbreeze

I agree saugmon the cheek meat is just like a scallop. I love em.


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## saugmon

They were way too easy this year countryfisher.No boards needed and lots and lots of dink throwbacks. It's not normally like this.The curveballs they threw at me this season was like ignoring my bandits for the bombers,and then ignoring them for the deeper bombers.According to puge,the bandits were on fire yesterday.

Usually we have to chase them around the lake everyday.1 spot 1 day and an entirely different spot the next day. 2006 is the closest year to this year.They congregated in 2 spots that year and 1 of them is my #43 waypoint which I usually work religiously when in search mode,LOL!

It'll be a whole new ball game next year.We threw away a ton of 14"-15" this season and lost another ton.


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## puge

Yeah I went around them like a normal fillet knife, they still had a row of bones that needed removed anyway so it would probably be faster to do the whole rib cage. I messed with the cheeks last year twice and it didn't really do much for me fried up, maybe baked or grilled would be better, i'll give it another go next time.
Northern I bought about 10 100 series in may and june. But lately I have been using the 200 series and will probably just stick with those since they can be used at more lakes, just about perfect for those 8-9ft flats at alum.


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## countryfisher

Hey, Saugmon! I think the only reason we had SOME luck this year is because it was so easy, lol, or at least for someone who knows the IL game as well as you. We started out late in the trolling season last year with an electric trolling motor. After the May frenzie this year our numbers started dropping off badly, and thanks to the 3MPG recommendation on your posts, I knew that speed was our main problem. Just the last couple of times out I used our I/O. It worked better, but I think it's a bit too fast, and surely to noisey. So next year we need a kicker, some boards, and also need to get rid of our fish finder and get one that has gps and a speed display. Tight lines!


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## TomC

Keep them cheeks! Dont waste em! If you dont want them ill be happy to assist in removal!


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## speedyr

Country fisher---thanks for the props, but I am a rookie...Saugmon has helped me out a ton too. I just post the info because as Saugmon's helped me, I will let others know what is working, and the general area. If you are even struggling, I MIGHT PM you a waypoint I cannot stress enough GPS for Speed and Way points and a depth finder. All my best days have been working small areas 100yd diameter circle or so, on the same waypoints. I am pretty sure that there is enough eyes in Indian lake for everybody.
No as I start to get more areas..I go from spot to spot looking for fish. Structure scan-don't need it....but it is funny to see a clear snag on SS then know that it is going to grab a lure. Good luck...


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## speedyr

CountryFisher-here is my favorite post---it is my cost analysis at the beginning of the year
for saugeye. It makes me laugh still 

"Ijun Laker 45, I do not think that I will be hurting your odds much. My goal this year is to boat 40 keepers....I now have two from 5 trips. AT this rate, it will take me 100 trips!!!!I am not sure that I can neglect the rest of my life. I am not even going to factor the gas costs/lure cost to fish ratio...(but I am at about 60.00 as fish now!!!)" speedy 5-17-12


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## saugmon

Puge: You can try a reg knife to remove the cheeks. I can do it either way. Just start from the tail end of the cheek and angle slice down and toward mouth and stop before the skin on the mouth side.Then it just peels right off.

Speedy: Back when gas was slightly over a buck, I'd have $2 per fish. Now gas at $3.50, I'd guess and still say less than $2 per keeper eye. Costs me 2 gals of gas for truck and less than 1 gal for boat for 1 trip- So I'd guess $10-$12 per trip. Minus off $5 per bait lost. Those 2 adays is what racks up the $. I didn't lose my normal 20+ baits this season.

Then you'll still have the dissers that'll dog on you about why I didn't figure in food,beverages,boat insurance,lost fishing line,swivels,antacid medicine,and other expenses.


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## Biggun's

I too want to say thanks to Saugmon / SpeedyR for all the great posts this year. It was nice this year to put a face / boat with a name. On the cost invested, only thing I can say is "A day on the water with family / friends is PRICELESS!! the fish in the livewell is nice added bonus." Thaks again Rick


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## speedyr

bigguns--you are right...i just like to doing cost analysis..... fortunately, the last month has been really good to me. I think I got around 60 keepers....next year I will keep a log like saugmon's.


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## Northern1

I dont even want to think about the money I have spent on lures, boat, gasoline, etc. etc. Since I got into it late, my cost breakdown would be laughable per fish. But, I don't fish just so I can put them on the dinnerplate. I love the hunt for the fish, and I just enjoy being outdoors- its a great getaway for me.


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## Buckeye John

Biggun's said:


> I too want to say thanks to Saugmon / SpeedyR for all the great posts this year. It was nice this year to put a face / boat with a name. On the cost invested, only thing I can say is "A day on the water with family / friends is PRICELESS!! the fish in the livewell is nice added bonus." Thaks again Rick


I could not have said it better !! I hope we can make it last for a little while longer. Thanks to all and tight lines !!


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## rutty

puge said:


> That was me with a friend. Launched from chippewa after blackhawk was backed up with bass boats, ugggh...Had another slow start, but after 8 am it was a fish maybe every 15 minutes and had one double. Lost at least 4 fish, couple 14" and two fingerlings. Mistake bandit was on fire with 7, mossback craw took 2, Okie craw took 1, chart/silver fleck bandit took 2 after the sun was out, lost my goby bandit early. Had a nice 23". Red craw hot all week was skunked. Its probably the last time I'll be out for a while, unless I try to get out in the afternoon after work. Its been a great week for me and a great year.
> I want to thank saugmon very much!!! For the past 3 years I have basically learned saugeye fishing from reading his reports. I didn't even know what a bandit was back then. I have taken his info to alum, buckeye and indian and have had good results at each. He gives true "fishing reports" and not just braggin board material, and I'm sure it has helped tens if not hundreds of people.
> Thank you everyone for the reports, hopefully I have given back a little of what I have taken.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh by the way, picked up an electric fillet knife on the way home after years of doubt, wow what a time saver. Had them cleaned and put away in 25 minutes, fantastic...


Those are some great fish! Good job on the catch and great report. I also wanted to help you out a bit on all the negative people out there saying those fish aren't legal. You said it best, when the people don't see how the paper are laid over each other and etc. You shouldn't have to defend yourself on such a great site. Some people I guess just get jealous they don't have the same success catching fish. Here is a blown up version of the smallest fish, obviously the papers are overlapping and appear to me to be plenty big enough! Again, great catch and keep up the good work.


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## saugmon

I believe this is a pic of bigguns toon:










Nice and breezy. Half tempted to try it out again but it's hotter than crap out there!!!!!


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## countryfisher

Speedyr, I know from your posts that this is your first year, and that Saugmon has graciously helped you, but you are obviously a great student, as you've had some real success out there. I wish everyone had you and Saugmon's attitude. You two are sooo helpful, and I don't see you putting lesser fishermen down to make yourselves look better. Apparently you don't need to. I agree, there are plenty of fish in there for all, and as I learn more I will surely be willing to help others. And yes, we have struggled. Last Saturday morning my son and I were out on the lake from 6 to about 10:30 and only came out with two keepers while I know you guys did so much better, and that is typical for us. Your offer to possibly PM me a waypoint is too generous, Speedyr. I figure with my truck taking about 5 gallons of gas to make the trip plus all the other costs that you well know, I probably got about $50 a pound in the filets that we've taken, lol. The good part is that we always have fun anyway, and a great way to spend time with my son.


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## TomC

Ill be out tomorrow eve 7ish till bout 1-2am, then out thursday till noonish or so. Depending on the wind direction is going to deem where we go. Im going to put in at moundwood or lakeview, i need to castnet for some bait before we hit the water. Ill be out looking for them flatties and channels again and exploring the lake a bit.


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## saugmon

Speedy taught me 1 lesson on the deeper diving B04's including his favorite color. Typical with my luck with bomber,that color is discontinued! UGGH!!!

Got 2.5 hrs trolling in after work and was she hot and windy.Lucky it was mostly cloudy and the wind felt great. Marked more fish than sunday but only caught 1 eye out of 2 hits. Mossback took that 16.5"(after iced-LOL) that deepthroated it and left a blood trail all over my cooler and tacklebox-close to chippewa's channel on a sharp curve.. Lost 1 other fish but most likely a dink channelcat. 

Started around chippewa 4:45 p.m.,to pew,back to chippewa,to pew,south of pew and then halfway back to blackhawk when I called it quits at 7:15 p.m. Only 2 other fishing boats out there and 1 was that blue tarped idiot!

I kept mossback on the port side and starboard got skunked with mistake,sunrise craw,red craw,and chart craw. Water looked a lot clearer. 1 snag but luckily it came off after I did a quick 360 and passed back over it. I believe it's over for me now!

Tom: The lake is all yours now buddy!!!


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## countryfisher

Saugmon....if your season is over I can understand. The lake is getting warm and the main bite seems to be over. As a rookie and total fish nut I will continue to strive and learn, but 272 saugeye for one season is phenomenol! Congatulations, and hope to meet you out there sometime.


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## TomC

Saugmon you wana try drifting for cats with me sometime? You showed me sone stuff id like to have the chance to show you a little if possible.


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## speedyr

countryfisher said:


> Saugmon....if your season is over I can understand. The lake is getting warm and the main bite seems to be over. As a rookie and total fish nut I will continue to strive and learn, but 272 saugeye for one season is phenomenol! Congatulations, and hope to meet you out there sometime.


he only had 5 until I gave him a chatruese craw


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## Northern1

I'm not sure what it takes to be OGF fisherman of the year, but I would have to say with the information and knowledge Saugmon has distributed and applied on Indian Lake, he would have to be up for the award.  Also, Saugmon I understand if you want to stop, but 300 is so close! That would be legendary...sporadic trips will give that to you easy!


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## saugmon

speedyr said:


> he only had 5 until I gave him a chatruese craw


5 channelcats :T til speedy gave me that chart craw!!! Those cat #'s skyrocketed after that!!!


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## saugmon

TomC said:


> Saugmon you wana try drifting for cats with me sometime? You showed me sone stuff id like to have the chance to show you a little if possible.


I'd rather fish the bank for cats. Sit back,kick back,and relax. Usually the bugs/skeeters take over now.That last channelcat that I cleaned was so foul smelling,I about gagged.



I've still got an ace up my sleave to try out. I was waiting for this time of year to give it a try. Hopefully I'll try it the next day off that I get off.


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## TomC

Aint had no foul smelling cats, this year. Once the baits are out, i sit back and chill till one hits. I got a couple places that are on the list to check out but other than that im going to hit my usual areas. Less work and travel this trip is my plan.


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## saugmon

The foul odor is when I filet them up and cut their intestines. That's when the stench begins!! No problem with the filets.I've gotten into some nasty soul smelly/mushy filets from other lakes,but never a bad filet out of Indian.

The last channelcat I picked up sunday did have a smell to it when I got it out of the net.It had the smell of stagnant water/mud.


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## TomC

Huh, ill see if i cant find one of them rotten cats tonight, the goal is 50 in the boat by tomorrow afternoon. Ill be heading up in just a few and should be there by 530ish. hope the storms stay south.


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## speedyr

storming in marysville


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## Northern1

Nothing in Wapak...should be good at IL for a little while


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## saugmon

Take home all the catfish tom.

Just before 1 p.m.,there was a huge cell at piqua and a smaller cell north of grand lake at spencerville on the radar.We weren't sure which direction it was heading.I thought northeast and everyone else said east. It must have went northeast because it stormed like heck around 2 p.m. at work today.My work place is right on st rt 47 on the west edge of bellefontaine.The rain and hail was so heavy,rain was leaking all over the glass on my line in 2 different spots.Storms shut down my line for 20 mins. One girl left her windows down in her car and it got flooded. Rained a good 45 mins or so total and had to be at least an inch or 2. Standing water at all the roads and driveways as I left the plant. I live 3 miles south and when I got 1/2 way home,pavement was half dry and no puddles. My rain guage read 1/4".

Looked darker at the lake at 3 p.m.. I'm only 5 miles southwest of the lake-straight line.Usually the lake gets hammered with storms more than my house.

Had to take the truck to walmart and get all new valve stems.We had a nice steady drizzle then. All the creeks and ditches in bellefontaine were flooded with rapids as I left town..


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## countryfisher

The cats are a lot of fun. When they get some weight to them they can give a great fight, but, even though I'm a native to the north, they sure don't taste like the cats you get in the south. Maybe they just know how to cook them better than I do. Hopefully this rain will cool the lake off enough to turn the eyes back on.


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## Northern1

LimaEyeCatcher and I are going out tomorrow in the AM. If anybody is out there, feel free to stop over and say hey


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## fishingdude

Hey Tom C. save some of those cats for the tourny. Or is your plan to do a david dudley and sore hook these fish so they won't bite for others? Nah, I'm only kidding!!! Are you worried at all about the water levels of the lake? Spoke with the dir. and the state and was informed that the lake level is 16-18" below normal pool. Since you're a local I'd figure I'd ask. BTW, good luck this year, im sure we'll cross paths.


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## TomC

Ill be there for possibly all of the tourney. Im still securing that saturday off. THe lake levels dont actually look that low, mabey 12" if best,(going off normal water line). Id be worried if i had a boat that sat deep in the water. A few of the stumps and things were comming up into the 1-2fow zone, in 6-7fow.

It was nice to have the lake pretty much to ourselfs both days. We managed quite a few cats, we could have got more but due to two inclement weather events it cut 2-3hrs off of the fishing time. The largest channel this week was 9.5lbs. I found a 10' deep hole in surrounded by 5-6fow. Cut shad took em all. A few other guys i talked to who were bank fishing with live gills and such said they werent catching a thing. I did get one good run on a live 6" shad but was unable to hook up.

We were getting alot of bites from saugeye, we would get hits and then nothing. We would reel the baits in and you could see the teeth marks where they were chewing and biting on the bait. 

The water had alot of surface clutter, water visability was mabey 8", water temp was from 78-83. Wind was comming mainly out of the south to southeast wed eve and thurs.


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## Northern1

Got on the water by 5:00am this morning. Launched out of Blackhawk. Conditions were perfect for saugeye. A little chop on the water and a south wind. Worked in front of Blackhawk, Chippewa, and Pew with no bites but a couple of snags. Went over by the hole around dream bridge and started getting hits and we ended up with a nice channelcat and white bass. At about 7:15 or so, the rain clouds began to move in and the radar looked bad. No longer did we hook up the boat and head home did it start pouring. Good call, Jim! We stopped by the bait shop off Oldfield beach and picked up some lures on our way out. It looked like someone had cleaned out the hot bandits and bombers, ha! I have a few people in mind who that could have been.  Would have like to have gone back and hit Pew to Wolf and possibly Oldfield, but mother nature wasn't going to have that today. STILL haven't gotten my Basspro order in yet. I've watched the Fed Ex guy drive by my house at 11 am the last 4 days this week...bummer. I might just have to plan a trip to Toledo


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## saugmon

I am well know for buying up all their hot color'd bombers!!! Not so much with the bandits because she's got a pretty big stock on them.

Their bomber selection used to be good until the owner's son Tim died a few winters ago and she had to move back up from tennessee to run it..I grew up in that place. Last time in there she told me no more orange crush because that's what they're catching them on. I bought 3 there earlier in the season and caught 1 eye on orange crush.

If you looked at the pricetags of all the baits you looked at,there was probably difference between packs. She didn't see the need to re-sticker the older stock baits so left them be and marked up the new stock. Next time in there,dig through them and you'll find some cheaper priced ones and they'll honor that sticker price..


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## HookSet Harvey

I love that tackle shop and little old lady.


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## fishingdude

Thanks Tom C. for the water level update. Hopin for a little more rain in the near future so as to not lose more. Next on my list is hoping for decent weather for the event. Good Luck once again this year and hopefully your boy upgrades from last year. Tight Lines!


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## TomC

Ill be up there again this evening thru tomorrow sometime. They did get some good rain up there, not sure how much or what the water level is now. If anyones going to be out let me know, ill be drifting somewhere depending on wind direction.


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## TomC

Well we started out with the usual plan and headed for deep water. Struck out big time, except for whitebass,a couple ding eyes and a couple crappie. After getting bored with them we went for shallow water. After a few minutes they stated hitting. The cats were stacked up in the shallows, we managed 10 before the heavy wind came in ran us off the lake.

We went back out in the morning and tried all over. The cats were still on fire in the shallow water (2-6fow). They kept comming in groups of 2 and 3. We stayed out till 2ish, as we got off the water and started for home, the storms came in.

The water temp was 78-82. We went to one of the beaches and swam for a bit The water in the 3-4ft range was chilly, which would possibly explain the cats in the shallows? The water was stained but not from the rain, had a greenish hue in places, and we did pick up some weeds in the shallows. Water still down bout 8" or so.


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## countryfisher

TomC....thanks for the report. This weekend is going to be a rare one for me. Normally out there every Sat, but it was so slow last Sat that I don't know that I want to go this week. I would have tried a couple different tactics if I were to going, but I should get some other things done this week anyway. I'm normally after eyes, but I think they're off till fall jigging season kicks in. I don't keep the cats but they are fun to catch when they get big. Was there any size to the ones you were on to today?


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## Lynxis

swam in the lake after fishin?

that sounds awesome


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## TomC

It was hot and humid, and felt good to get in. The sizes were all over the place, i wish the eyes and white bass would have been bigger, wouldnt have minded comming home with some of them. All the cats went back, i got plenty of em in the freezer. There were a few guys drifting and trolling for eyes but all reported the same thing zilch except for dinks. We shall see what happens this comming week. Ill be up there wed thru sunday.


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## TomC

Hada buddy call me today who fished indian. He had bout the same results as mine except he had keeper eyes. Dinks on everything else, water temp was about the same and the water clarity still sucked. He said he was getting into alot of weeds thou, not sure where he was at all he told me was in shallow water. He did trolling and some drifting, trolled with cranks and drifted nightcrawlers and shad.


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## TomC

Everyone with a deep riding boat, please be careful. The waterlevel is getting low right now and there is alot of debris and stumps that we are picking up just under the water. Some of the stuff is small while other stuff is quite large. If you got a boat that rides deeper than 12" keep your eyes open. Oh and uh slow down in the no wake zone, no wake means no wake!


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## Doctor

TomC,

Are the no wakes clearly marked? what are the locations of them on Indian lake................thanks

Doc


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## TomC

The no wakes are clearly marked up there, the problem is the blind people driving the boats and the lake lice. For some reason common since goes out the door when being on the water. I bought an extra air canister for the airhorn just for the tourney. Too many people just dont pay attention and me being in a smaller boat, i have to use extra caution.

The no wake zones are mainly close to the islands, at the mouths of the ramps and the big no wake zone is the dreambridge area.


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## saugmon

Those no wake buoys keep moving closer and closer to the bank every year.That 1 outside blackhawk is inside the north rock point. Lakeview harbor's very close as well. You'd figure they'd set them on waypoints every year but they don't. A couple of my favorite wp buoys are like .1-.2 of a mile off from the time I marked them a few years ago.

A lot of people troll those new buoy lines,but I stick with the older buoy lines from years past.


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## fishingdude

The no wake continues to be ignored everywhere. And courtesy no longer exists. I am soooo tired of the brainless non caring people of this world. The education system did a fantastic job of dumbing these people down. Indian lake is filled with IDIOTS galore...... 2 years ago an older couple came screaming through the no wake with their damn pontoon having no idea what the laws of the water are. So I raised my hand for the 20th time like WTH!!! I hear the old lady say to the old man " I think he's in distress" so the old guy comes back to me and says "are you ok"? I said No you bleepn bleep bleep, learn the bleeping laws before I bleepn bleep you. He said OH Im Sorry and slowed down. 

The no wake markers are VERY clearly marked. It's that NO ONE gives a rats A$$ anymore. People need it beat into them to learn. Without recourse there's nothing goin to change. I will be there wed-sun. I spoke with the law down there last year. The best part, the dumb a$$ patrol was using the states high tech equipment to sonar the bottom of the lake to use to his advantage at another time, while the whole time boaters are flying through the no wake. I told him you do a great job patrolling, he said " we are limited with funds and do not have the numbers needed to patrol properly" but he said I have this great unit on board and I go around the lake and find the good stuff. It's just amazing and typical all at the same time. Good Luck to all this week and here's to a safe event.


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## fishingdude

Hey Tom, how low is low??? I thought you guys have been getting the rain.


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## saugmon

We've been getting a few spotty showers. Example: Bellefontaine got 1.5" rain during that last durecho last week. I'm a couple miles north and only got 1/4". Lake probably got less than 1/8".Kenton's further north and they got a few drops.

Even the creeks and rivers flowing into the lake from the west side were still low and almost dried up.Usually they're raging rapids after a good sized storm.


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## TomC

Bout 12" low at this point and i see it getting lower than that. I live bout 45 min south of that and we got rain but even the river down this way is low.


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## Northern1

Had an awesome day today. Was in the Smoky Mountains with my wife for a long weekend, and enjoyed it. Left this morning, but not before stopping at the Kodak, TN Basspro. I was able to peruse their Bombers and Bandits. Got a new selection for my tackle box of each. As we were driving up through Cincinnati, I just ran it by my wife- hey, do you think we could stop over at the Basspro here? They might have some other lures Kodak didn't. Well, since she was being wife of the year, yeah she let me! Got 3 more Bomber 4A lures that Kodak didn't have and a WalleyeBoard planar. Got home about 4:30. My wife actually then went straight up to my family's place in Canada with my dad and sister. (So I have the nice big bed to myself tonight) I went straight to Indian Lake. This was the first time I had my bombers, GPS, rodholders, and fishfinder all set and ready to go...and it paid off.

At 5:45, right as I was letting my line out, for the first time, got a hit as I was still letting it out. Pulled a healthy 19.5 out. He was hooked well, he must have been hungry. I didn't need to even net him. Marked the point on my GPS  Spent about another hour trying to figure out all of the settings on that thing, trying to find the waypoint I had just marked. Ha, it was fun though. Finally I figured out the tracking function where I didn't have to go by the compass direction, but simply the track my boat was making on the map. When I figured that out, I hit another 15.5 incher, and a catfish. Once again, the fish hit and stayed on. They were feeding.

I didn't need any more fish, as i'm the only one home for the next 4 or 5 days, so I called it an evening. But, it was a fun one. Glad the fish are still keeping it enjoyable at the lake.

Water temp was 81.5-83.5. Wind was straight from the south. Chop was 1-2 feet. Caught all fish on Bomber real craw series propwash rod. Planar got skunked. When I didn't throw a planar, side rod was skunked.


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## Lima Eyecatcher

Nice job on the fish and the wife with Bass Pro. Got all my rodds and tackle ready for Friday. I will give ya a call Thursday.


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## TomC

Wat kinda finder/gps did you get?


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## 9Left

money153... could you please explain what all that meaningless jibberish was that your posted?? It doesnt even make sense

_Moderator: The SPAM post was removed_


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## TomC

Looks like some sort of spam?????????????


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## Northern1

Lima Eyecatcher said:


> Nice job on the fish and the wife with Bass Pro. Got all my rodds and tackle ready for Friday. I will give ya a call Thursday.


LimaEyeCatcher- my buddy might want to come. He enjoys fishing quite a bit. What do you think? It'll split costs 3 ways which isnt a bad thing!


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## Northern1

TomC said:


> Wat kinda finder/gps did you get?


My fishfinder is an Echo 200. Gets water temp, nice ground readings for stumps so I can do a quick swerve so my lures dont get caught. That was only like $130 or $150 from Walmart I think. The handheld GPS is a Garmin etrex H. I got a little marine mount for it to so I dont have to hold it the whole time. Got it for $50 used on ebay. But it works perfectly for what I need it to do. Nothing super fancy, but its a nice little setup for under $200, and it keeps me on the fish easier. I had fun taking that GPS to the smoky mountains to see which way we were walking and marking where we started, etc.


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## Lynxis

Sounds like a great week or two for ya. Congrats on gettin a few.


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## speedyr

good work on the fish... you will be really happy with the gps. does it tell speed also?


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## Northern1

Yeah, it gets the speed, which is huge since you guys let me know to stay around 3 mph at Indian. Its also got the sun/moon rise and set. And its got the peak fishing times. It doesn't have lake maps on it or anything. But if you're familiar with the lakes you fish, or just check on the DNR website and print it off, that'll work too. If you're on a budget, its a good deal.


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## TomC

Whats the lake looking like? I know that the lake water was up about 3" after the rain saturday/sunday. I didnt know if it came up a little more and what the clarity is like now. Im thinkin about heading up wed eve thru thursday.


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## injun laker45

The lake came back up some and although I haven't actually had the boat out since the storm it really doesn't look too bad. Still no flow over the spillway though.


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## speedyr

wonder if these cooler nights will drop the water temp down and gt the fish going? Anybody thinking about giving the eyes a try soon? I have not been out in a while and am beginning to feel the itch.


norhtern1 and Lima eyecathcer---did you guys go out this weekend?


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## TomC

Shoot the fish have been going! Me and the kid managed almost 100 fish in the boat in the 3 day tourney. We did hit one school of eyes out in the ski zone. They were stacked up for a 30-50yrd strech. Water temp was from 78-86 degrees.


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## speedyr

Tom
what was you big fish for the tourney?


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## Northern1

speedyr said:


> wonder if these cooler nights will drop the water temp down and gt the fish going? Anybody thinking about giving the eyes a try soon? I have not been out in a while and am beginning to feel the itch.
> 
> 
> norhtern1 and Lima eyecathcer---did you guys go out this weekend?


speedy-

we were going to go to erie, but the waves were at a 3-5 foot forecast. thats no fun for anyone. but i've been out a couple times trolling in the last week. there is nothing to show for it trolling. i tried drifting, and got a couple. but drifting and jigging is just not my thing. i get too impatient. the eyes really do go away during the normal times at the normal spots this time of year. honestly......i dunno if i'd waste your time. if you do go out and get some, let us know, but i think im putting my rods up for a bit.


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## TomC

biggest was 6.5lbs. we couldnt find any bigger channels. Seems to work that way for us, we will have em dialed in until the tourney and then once it starts its like were starting all over. I cant compete with the flathead guys up there either so i try and find the big channels. We got a 13.5 and a 9.5 in back to back trips the dropped way down. 

Ive got 2 spots ive got to explore. I wish i had a side imaging unit to help cover the one area, the other area shouldnt be too difficult to figure out.

The eyes we got were in your usual area, they wer hugging the bottom in 5-6fow right on top of a bit of structure.


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## linebacker43

Speedyr-Heading up there this morning, will report back this afternoon or early evening.


Linebacker43


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