Lake Freeman Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

A lot of walleye are being caught using new technologies, cutting down the time it takes to locate them. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is assisting anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate fish. Fishing is better as anglers can focus on areas with good numbers of fish. This is true for either trolling or casting. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search the old fashion way, via test casting, until a school is located.

SUMMER. Summer walleye hold near the old Tippecanoe River channel, submerged points, riprap, and bridge structure. Low-light periods and nighttime offer the best fishing as walleyes move shallower to feed. Water temperatures rise notably in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early mornings, walleye tend to concentrate in 8 to 15 feet of water. As the day warms they descend into deeper water, around 15 to 30 feet deep. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye a little shallower. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

FALL. Fall is one of the best seasons for Lake Freeman walleye. Cooling water temperatures increase feeding activity as fish follow schools of shad and minnows onto points, flats, and rocky shorelines. Fall brings cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish into coves and bays. Walleye continue to be a major draw for anglers, even as the weather cools. This is a prime time to catch some of the bigger fish, and the fishing is generally good. Locals report catching nice walleye on long points, flats along the river and creek channels, and on structure off shore. Early Fall anglers report good results fishing deep weed edges and rocky points in 10 to 22 feet of water. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. In October anglers find them in 15 to 22 feet of water, in late Fall they hold 20 to 25 feet deep. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs catches walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. Winter walleye remain active throughout the reservoir, particularly near current and deeper channel structure. Slow jigging presentations produce consistent catches. Last Winter, fishing for walleye was pretty good, as it has been for the last few years. Before, and during early ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 18 to 35 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Popular areas include weed edges, next to rock piles, along northern and central basin drop-offs. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. These same areas in 15 to 25 feet of water are classic spots during the middle of ice fishing season. Tip-ups with minnows work well when ice fishing is safe. Walleye primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. After ice-out blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while deep trolling or drifting.

SPRING. Spring provides outstanding walleye fishing as fish move into rocky current areas to spawn before dispersing throughout the lake. Post-spawn fish remain active while feeding heavily on baitfish. Early Spring begins warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. They are usually caught 4 to 15 feet deep on points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, and wind-blown flats adjacent to deeper water. The upriver end of the lake, or on in-lake gravel bars and rip rap, is where many walleye spawn, starting in late February. Here, in 2 to 8 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they are shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits also work when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 10 to 20 feet deep around points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs tend to produce some nice fish.

Current Fishing Report: Good

Smallmouth bass fishing is currently experiencing good results using the latest high-tech fish finders and forward-facing sonar. Especially anglers who fish from a boat, are improving their catch rate. Even when fishing is slow, it's easier to catch them when you know exactly where they are holding. The advent of new lures and equipment has also improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study smallmouth movements and patterns, continue to catch nice fish, even without the new technology.

SUMMER. Smallmouth bass spend the summer around rocky shorelines, bridge riprap, main-lake points, and the old river channel. They are most active during early morning, evening, and after dark when they move shallower to feed. During the warmer months, Smallmouth bass typically feed shallow early and late in the day, in 5 to 12 feet of water. They are often caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, emerald shiners, minnows, gizzard shad and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. Popular Summer holding areas include rip rap shorelines, as well as rocky points, humps and structure near the thermocline. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 10 to 25 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action.

FALL. Smallmouth bass become less active during winter and typically hold near deep rocky structure, channel bends, and current breaks. Slow presentations produce the best results. Fall is one of the best seasons for Lake Freeman smallmouth bass. Cooling water temperatures increase feeding activity as bass chase shiners and crayfish along rocky structure and current breaks. Once Fall arrives smallmouth move into coves and bays, 6 to 18 feet deep. They thrive in the cooler, shallow water, which is an ideal environment for them. Locals report that tube jigs, and drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics, are popular in 10' water or deeper. Worms, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful when bass are shallow to mid depths. Later in Fall, smallies move to 10 to 20 feet deep.

WINTER. Winter isolates smallies around deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. Before, during and after any potential ice fishing season, they can generally be found from 18 to 35 feet deep. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs tempt smallmouth to bite in deep water. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly in cold weather, as the bass are somewhat sluggish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Smallmouth fishing can be very good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

SPRING. Spring offers exceptional smallmouth fishing as bass stage along rocky points before moving onto gravel flats to spawn. Post-spawn fish remain active and feed aggressively throughout late spring. Water temperatures have risen into the 50's, and smallmouth are moving from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. They are feeding aggressively in 3 to 12 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, 3 to 8 feet deep and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. Some of the better spawning areas include protected, shallow flats and points. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 15 to 20 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Although forward-facing sonar and other high-tech fish finders were designed for bass fishing, many catfish anglers, who fish from a boat, are now using them to locate channel catfish. With this, they are now catching more catfish by focusing on productive water. The catch rate has increased considerably, and anglers are picking their targets to catch the bigger cats. New baits, line and rigging methods have also improved success for bank fishing enthusiasts. Savvy anglers, who study catfish life cycle and patterns, are still managing to catch nice fish, with or without these new tools.

SUMMER. Summer is one of the best seasons for channel catfish. Fish feed heavily after dark, moving onto flats, riprap, and shallow channel edges while spending daylight hours in deeper holes and current areas. In Summer, slow-moving water, at the river end of the lake may draw catfish to feed. Otherwise they are scattering, locating cover in slightly cooler water. Reports indicate the most successful anglers are using nightcrawlers, cut bait, minnows or shrimp. In June, most channel cats hold in 10 to 25 feet during the day, and more shallow during the night. They spawn in June, in 2 to 10 feet of water. Fishing from late in the day until midnight produces some of the best results, as this is their prime feeding time.

FALL. Cooling water temperatures keep channel catfish actively feeding as they follow schools of baitfish along channel edges and flats. Fishing remains very productive throughout much of the season. Fall is one of the better times of year for catching channel catfish. Early in Fall they cruise the shallows in 8 to 20 feet of water, in search of food. Later in the season they migrate shallower, to flats and channel edges on the main body of the lake, in 6 to 15 feet of water. Come November they can typically be found from 10 to 20 feet deep. Fishing for channel catfish is often productive around any kind of structure. Road beds, stumps, wood, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin. Drift fishing or slow-trolling baits along mid-depth structure is popular and generally productive. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig setup, with cut bait, nightcrawlers, shrimp or prepared baits. They typically remain in these areas and feed aggressively in preparation for Winter.

WINTER. Channel catfish become less active during winter, gathering in deep holes with slow current. They continue feeding during stable weather but require slow presentations. Cold Winter weather drives channel catfish to gather in deep pockets, ledges and holes. They become virtually dormant, especially once the water cools into the mid 40's to mid 50's. They hole up in pockets, along river channels, ledges, deep holes, and structure in the basin areas from 20 to 35 feet deep, staying deeper in January. Here, they await the warmer water of Spring. Slow presentations, especially cut bait, can still entice strikes. Often during mid day, through the afternoon, anglers report catching them a bit shallower on the same structure.

SPRING. Spring fishing improves steadily as water temperatures rise. Catfish become increasingly active before the spawn and feed aggressively along current breaks, rocky shorelines, and channel edges. Water temperatures have typically risen into the high 50's, and channel catfish are migrating into coves, and up into the river. Early in the season, look for them 5 to 15 feet deep during pre-spawn. They hold here, and feed aggressively, around relatively shallow cover until water warms into the mid 70's. At which time (usually May or June) they begin the spawn process. They spawn in 2 to 10 feet of water. Following the spawn, they move out toward the basin in 5 to 15 feet of water. Anglers are using slip sinkers, 3-way rigs, or Carolina rigs to get, and keep, the bait close to the bottom. Later in Spring focus on shallower flats, during late evening and into the night.