Fishing Report For Lake Wawasee, IN

Current Report: Good

Heavy aquatic vegetation is a part of the reason Lake Wawasee is a good bass factory. Fertile water and plenty of forage keep the lake among the top bass lakes in the state. The lake is loaded with weeds from Buttermilk Point to Johnson's Bay.

WINTER. Winter isolates largemouth around slightly deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 15 to 40 feet deep, around main-lake channel edges, rock piles, stump fields and brush piles. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate from the group in 5 to 15 feet deeper water. Here they hold, in areas like Black Stump Point and ledges along the main channel, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs or finesse worms are often the key to getting bites. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move a bit shallower to feed.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 8 to 15 feet of water, preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 6 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, around 10 to 18 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow around weeds, early and late in the day, where they are caught in 2 to 10 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 10 to 25 feet deep. Some of the best reports seem to be from anglers fishing around the Oakwood shoreline, Kale Island, and the north basin channel toward Syracuse.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. Anglers typically have success in 8 to 20 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps where flutter spoons are often the ideal bait. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves from the school, in water 5 to 15 feet deeper.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Crappie fishing has been quite good here for the last several years. Reports from locals indicate docks and areas with vegetation are producing good crappie.

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 35 feet of water. Most are caught around deep brush piles, creek channel bends, and main-lake structure. If they are suspending in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 8 to 15 feet of water to feed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 8 to 15 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 8 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 12 to 15 feet of water. Early and late in the day they are being caught in 3 to 8 feet of water. Once they move deep, 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 get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 12 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 10 to 20 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. Baitfish, which have moved into shallow flats, coves and bays, have drawn crappie into these areas. Decent crappie are being caught while feeding heavily, in preparation for the cold Winter. Anglers report that 8 to 12 feet of water is where most bites are coming. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. 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. Good results are coming around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

Current Report: Good

With all the shad, bluegill and sunfish swimming in Lake wawasee, and all the weedy areas as hunting grounds, northern pike are thriving here.

WINTER. Pike remain active in Winter, often congregating in or near remaining weedbeds, especially along the edges. Other structure options include long points, reefs, ledge drop-offs, and rocky humps, ideally nearby deeper water. Ice fishing is usually good here in winter. At times, when oxygen is depleted in deeper water, northerns suspend directly under the ice, where maximum oxygen is available. Other times they hold on structure in 15 to 30 feet of water, sometimes deeper.

SPRING. After ice out, northern pike migrate to shallow, warmer pockets, bays and coves. Once water temperatures reach around 40 degrees, they move into even shallower areas with vegetation, to spawn. Ideal depths range from 1 to 15 feet. After spawning they linger in the shallow bays for a short period. Once water temperatures rise into the 50's, they move to slightly deeper weedbeds, and shallow structures adjacent to even deeper water. Crow Bay, Buttermilk Bay, Pickwick Park, and Kale Island are classic Spring areas for pike. Bright colors, whites and flashy lures appeal to these predators. Noisy topwater lures can also produce some spectacular strikes. Alternate between baits until you identify which one triggers the most bites for the day.

SUMMER. Northern pike scatter all around the lake, rather than gather in groups. This makes them difficult to locate. During the day they are holding from 10 to 20 feet deep, on ledges, reefs, weedbeds, rock piles, islands and channel edges. Some of the larger specimens are suspending in open water, just outside feeding areas. Trolling or drift fishing produces some nice catches, using spoons, big spinners, cut bait, and deep diving crankbaits. Early and late in the day, they move shallow to feed and can be caught around most weedy shorelines, in 2 to 12 feet of water. Noisy topwater lures, spinnerbaits and Johnson spoons with curly-tail grubs, are catching nice pike shallow.

FALL. As the weather starts turning cold, water temperatures cool fastest in the shallows. This brings baitfish into shallower waters, and northerns follow along with this food source. They hang around weedbed edges, main-lake points, reefs, and rocky shorelines to ambush prey in 8 to 25 feet of water. This is a prime feeding time as they prepare for winter. It is also a good time to catch a trophy pike.