Fishing Report For Indian Lake, OH

Current Report: Good

According to reports by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, this is considered one of the best saugeye lakes in the state.

FALL. Late Fall brings cold water temperatures to the shallows, driving saugeye and baitfish into deeper feeding areas. Saugeye, much like walleye, like to slowly cruise flats 4 to 12 feet deep, close to deeper water. They actively feed at night, and in low-light conditions. They primarily feed close to the bottom on baitfish and small sunfish along shorelines and flats around Moundwood, Lakeview Harbor, channel edges around islands, and the Blackhawk area. Jigs, swimbaits, and spoons are all catching saugeye.

WINTER. This Winter, fishing for saugeye was decent through the ice. Saugeye often migrate to slow-moving waters below dams, during winter. They primarily feed on gizzard shad and other small fish, close to the bottom, in 10 18 feet of water. Blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, live bait, and worm harness spinners all work well. Trolling, slow drifting and vertical jigging while anchoring along drop offs are all popular options..

SPRING. Anglers are finding saugeye in the shallows, especially rocky areas and inlet channels, where they will spawn once the water warms to the mid 40's. Afterwards, they move to shallow points, flats, shoals and ledges just off shore nearby their spawning location. Bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers are catching them in 3 to 15 feet of water. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when saugeye are up shallow. Later in Spring focus on deep points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, deeper flats and edges adjacent to deeper water.

SUMMER. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk until long after dark, are the best times to catch saugeye. This is when they move shallower to feed. Anglers report good catches on crankbaits, and jigs tipped with minnows in 6 to 10 feet of water. They are being caught up shallow around the mouth of coves, and on shallow flats, early and late in the day. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, where they are harder to locate. Most saugeye caught during the middle of the day are holding in 10 to 15 feet of water, where blade baits, spoons and jigs tipped with minnows are the ticket.

Current Report: Good

FALL. Baitfish, which are moving out of shallow flats, coves and bays, are drawing crappie into deeper water. They are feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 6 to 12 feet of water. Popular areas include the mouths of feeder creeks, the Moundwood area, shallow flats, channel edges, and around Pony island. 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 10 to 15 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results are coming around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

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 12 to 18 feet of water. Most are caught around deep brush piles, creek channel bends, submerged timber, 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 10 feet of water to feed.

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 both black crappie and white 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 8 to 12 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 10 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 16 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, bridge pilings and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

Current Report: Fair To Good

FALL. Now that late Fall is taking over, bass are moving out of shallow coves and shallow bays, following schools of baitfish back into 8 to 12 feet of water. Currently jerkbaits, deep-diving crankbaits, slow-rolled spinnerbaits, artificial worms, spoons and jigs 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 drop shots are often good choices .

WINTER. Winter will isolate largemouth around slightly deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 8 to 18 feet deep, around main-lake channel edges, rock piles, stump fields and brush piles. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Before, during and after any ice, very slow presentations are key to getting bites. Later, on warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move 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. Once the water warms above 50 degrees, locals report throwing buzzbaits around shallow cover. Once the sun gets high in the sky, vibrating jigs and spinnerbaits are catching some nice largemouth bass. 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 2 to 8 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 5 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 6 to 12 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, worms, and swimbaits catch 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 in 4 to 12 feet of water, on square-bill crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 10 to 14 feet deep. Some of the best reports seem to be from anglers fishing around vegetation, lily pad clusters, island channel edges, and deeper shady areas on structure.