Hardy lake anybody ?

First time I fished this lake this year. I like the lilypads and underwater grass cover. Saw what I thought to be a bald eagle dive on a fish. Huge black bird with white head and white tail. Don't know anything about the underwater structure of the lake but would like to learn. Any free maps out there ? Don't have any electronics on my kayak. : ) Anybody have any tips on good spots or baits they like to use on the lake? I've been using top water alot around the pads ( I like the action) but have got nothing on cranks and plastics. Though it would help if I would use them more then I do : )
Any responses would be appreciated.

Fished a tourney on Sept. 2. Bass we caught was from the ramp to the beach on plastics and spinnerbaits. Middle of the day and unbelievable boat traffic. Highlight of the day was a 5 lb. walleye on a spinnerbait. We didn't even know they was in there. We had 5 bass at 8lbs. Had some good fun. Fished the timber at the end of the lake and didn't do so well earlier that day. The winning weight came from in there however. They went shallower than us. Good luck.

Been there once only caught one keeper on a deep diving crankbait caught several short fish. The lake looks like bass paradise though. I would love to learn more about that lake, looks like a good fall and spring lake? Hope some one has the inside.

Thanks for the input.

DNR did post a new report for Hardy lake just today.

do you have a link?

I cannot find it.......

Thanks,

Geo

Keep in mind the weather has changed since this report was posted. Heres the report:
Hardy Lake - 2005/09/26 11:08
This page was last updated on SEP 26 2005 01:20 P.M..

Hardy Lake
[email][email protected][/email]
Description:


A 741-acre lake, Hardy Lake is located in Scottsburg in Scott County. Facilities include an archery range, basketball and volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, boating ramps, camping, and cultural arts programs. The reservoir also has hunting and fishing, hiking, interpretive programs, picnicking, rowboat rentals, shelterhouses, a swimming beach and waterskiing.




Fish


Black crappie
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The Black crappie has seven to eight dorsal spines, as well as some random blotches on it's sides.

Bait: Minnows and tube jigs baits
Depth: 10ft to 12ft


Comments about fish:

Activity is slow. Most activity at dusk or night.
Bluegill
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The bluegill has five to nine vertical bars on its sides, a black opercle flat (ear) with no margin and a dark spot at the rear of it's dorsal fin.

Bait: beemoths and crickets
Depth: 15'to 20'


Comments about fish:

Activity is good. Best activity near stumps.
Channel catfish
Description:
The channel catfish has a smooth scaleless skin and barbels on its face resembling cat whiskers. The barbels help the channel catfish taste and feel objects and enable it to locate food in dark and turbid water. The channel catfish has 24-29 rays in its rounded anal fin. The caudal fin is deeply forked and the fish has dark spots on its sides when young.

Bait: Night Crawlers, blood baits and liver
Depth: 10ft to 20ft


Comments about fish:

Fishing activity is normal. Best activity at night.
Largemouth bass
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. On the largemouth bass, the upper jaw extends beyond back of eye, differentiating the fish from the smallmouth bass. The largemouth bass commonly reached six pounds.

Bait: Various artificial Baits
Depth: Various depths


Comments about fish:

Activity is good.
Muskellunge
Description:
Members of the Pike family, the muskellunge, tiger muskellunge and northern pike have established themselves as remarkable adversaries through the years. The muskie, native to Indiana, is now usually found in stocked bodies of water. The northern pike, a voracious eater and popular among anglers, can be found in northern Indiana in natural lakes and streams. The muskie has three distinct color patterns, including green to silver "clear" sides, dark spots or dark vertical bars, six or more sensory pores on each side and scales covering only the top half of both cheeks. The muskie can weigh 10-20 pounds, but can reach weights over 30 pounds and lengths up to four feet long. Lures up to 12 inches are designed to resemble medium-sized fish and even small ducks.

Bait: Crank Bait
Depth: 10 to 15 ft.


Comments about fish:

Activity slow, not many fishermen fishing for them.
Redear sunfish
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The redear sunfish has an opercle flap (ear) that is tipped with a red or orange margin.

Bait: live worms and crickets
Depth: 7' to 20'


Comments about fish:

Same activity as Bluegill.
Striped bass
Description:
These bass belong to the temperate bass family. Temperate basses include the true fresh water basses, white and yellow bass, and the striped bass, which originally lived in the Atlantic Ocean but can live its entire life in fresh water. Temperate basses often school far from shore and feed on schooling fish. Hybrid striped bass are a cross of white and striped bass. The striped bass has tooth patches on back of tongue in two parallel patches, first stripe below lateral line complete to tail, stripes above lateral line are unbroken.

Bait: Shad raps and tube jigs
Depth: open water


Comments about fish:

Activity is good.

Comments about body of water:


Water temp at surface low to mid 70 degrees. Normal pool.

Try fishing spooks or buzzbaits over the submerged grass in front of the beach.Try the deeper grass that extends out into the lake between 50 and 100 yards,there are quite a few schools of bass in that area right now.Caught a lot of fish right there on top in the last two weeks,no big fish but a lot of numbers in the 12-14 inch size range.You'll see the most activity when there's some kind of chop on the water,even waves from boat traffic seem to get them in the feeding mode.When its calm you can fish the same area with small texas rigged worms and do ok also.

DNR used to offer a map of the lake on their website, but I don't remember the cost. I obtained one about 8 years ago. Also, if you go to Wal-Mart, there is a book of maps showing just about every public lake in the state, including Hardy. It runs about $20. Each map includes a little write-up about the lake and fishery. I bought one and have been pleased. There are better maps available for the big lakes (Patoka, Monroe) but it is very handy for all the smaller lakes.

Joe