Fishing Report For Eagle Creek Lake, IN

Current Report: Fair To Good

FALL. Crappie fishing reports have been decent lately at Eagle Creek Lake. Baitfish, which are moving into shallow flats, coves and bays, are drawing crappie into these areas. They are feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 5 to 15 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Docks, brush, wood, vegetation are a good place to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Concentrate on the north end of the lake from the 56th Street Bridge to Eagle Creek Park. Late fall starts the migration deeper, toward winter holding areas, for both crappie and baitfish. Small flutter spoons, fished in 15 to 25 feet of water, are a good option during this transition

WINTER. Once the shallows start cooling rapidly, crappie will migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. At this time they are typically caught using a very slow presentation, in 15 to 30 feet of water. Tree stumps and deep weedlines are good holding ares during the cold months. If they are suspending in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 5 to 10 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 4 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 10 to 12 feet of water. Once they move even deeper, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. Now that the spawn is over, and the hot Summer sun is warming the shallows, crappie have retreated to depths of 10 to 25 feet, or embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around timber and deeper brush piles. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges.

Current Report: Good

Eagle Creek Lake receives low fishing pressure due to boat restrictions, and locals regularly report catching quality bass.

FALL. Now that Fall has arrived, bass here have moved shallow, following schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays around 4 to 15 feet of water. Focus on the upper end of the lake. Currently topwater, jerkbaits, crankbaits, and are catching most of the bass. Later in Fall, as deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps where flutter spoons, jigs and slow-rolled spinnerbaits are often good choices.

WINTER. Winter will isolate them around slightly deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 15 to 30 feet deep. The main lake from Walnut Point to the Eagle Creek Dam tends to hold better populations of bass. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 10 to 20 feet of water, preparing for the spawn. Locals tend to focus on the upper end of the lake. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 8 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water. Crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms and swimbaits are catching bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught on topwater, crankbaits and swimbaits. Largemouth bass here feed on gizzard shad, small sunfish and crawfish. The main lake from Walnut Point to the Eagle Creek Dam tends to hold better populations of bass in these warmer months. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 10 to 30 feet deep.

Current Report: Poor To Fair

Fishing for walleye with deep-diving crankbaits, like the Bandit, are a great for trolling.

FALL. Fall brings cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish shallower. The best reports for walleye here come from anglers concentrating on main-lake flats, and river-channel drops. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. Early Fall finds them in 15 to 30 feet of water. Later in Fall, they move out deeper again. Dragging jigs or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, or bottom bouncers, around ledge drop-offs catches walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. Anglers report catching walleye in 25 to 40 feet of water, along creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. They primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. Blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, are all working while deep trolling or slow drifting.

SPRING. Early Spring brings warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye here to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. There are reports of shallower walleye being caught while fishing rip-rap around the dam. Here, in 5 to 15 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they move shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers are popular. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 20 to 35 feet deep around shallow points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Walleye tend to concentrate in 30 to 40 feet of water, preferring the cooler temperatures. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, where they are harder to locate. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom are catching walleye.