It is my experience in Central Indiana, most of the medium or less rivers and creeks have bass on beds right now. A good time to leave the bass alone. It will save you a lot of frustration on why your lures aren't consistently bitten. The best reason to leave smallmouth alone is to help ensure a good year's recruitment class after last year's cold winter. Catching a spawning smallmouth can cause it to abandon the nest and allow the eggs to be eaten.
Saw the same thing on 2 different rivers/streams this week. I figured they'd wait a bit after the cold winter, but the quick warm up changed things.
ReplyDeleteWell, that probably washed them out. Look for a reboot when things stabilize. Maybe a brief feed before doing it again.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a tough Spring to get on the rivers when the conditions are good. Back here in Indy, any nice day when the water levels have been reasonable, the wind has been blowing 100 mph. Glad you're putting out the conservation message!
ReplyDeleteI've been working a new stretch lately with pretty mixed results. Any experience below ECR?
ECR? Lost me there, Ben.
ReplyDeleteJust below Eagle Creek Reservoir. Looks like amazing water, but I just can't seem to find any patterns. The levels go straight from normal flow, to crazy high, and then shuts back down due to the output from the dam. This is the only thing I can guess is keeping any consistency in the feeding patterns. All I'm seeing are walleye and schools of silver with a SMB mixed in here and there. It's just too convenient not to fish! Hope your move is treating you well. Smallies have quit since you left anyway!
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