Stripper Pits

[NFC]

Can anyone tell me how many of the pits east of Elberfeld are ok to fish. I don't want to get into trouble fishin Peabody mine property so any help and I would be thankful.

God 1st, Family 2nd and everyone else get in line . . .
A bad day of fishin is a day not fishin . . .
NFC

[fishNnut]

I don't think you are going to find many public pits east of Elberfeld. The pits and property in Bluegrass F&WA are clearly marked. As are most of the private pits that surround the property. If you head east, you are going to go directly into Peabody. Some great fishing to be had all over their property. Haven't been up there but a couple of times since turkey season, but my buddies have fished it all summer without any problems.

If people would just take their trash with them and not tear anything up, we could probably use Peabody ground for a long time without any problems.

[Moose1am]

Does Peabody give out permits to hunt and fish those properties?

I drove up that way last year during Oct and saw quite a few hunters up in this area.

I also talked to one of the security guards up at the old Tecumseh mine and was told that any vehicles found on their property would get towed away at the vehicle owners expense. So I won't be going up there.

Wish the IDNR had purchased all 10000 acres of the old AMEX Ayshire Mine instead of the private guy that bought most of that property. Now we have homes being built in what could have been the best hunting lands in Southern IN. What a shame for the hunters and fishermen of Warrick, Vanderburgh and the other surrounding counties. IDNR didn't have the funding to buy the entire mine and only got slightly less than 2500 acres.

I don't think you are going to find many public pits east of Elberfeld. The pits and property in Bluegrass F&WA are clearly marked. As are most of the private pits that surround the property. If you head east, you are going to go directly into Peabody. Some great fishing to be had all over their property. Haven't been up there but a couple of times since turkey season, but my buddies have fished it all summer without any problems.

If people would just take their trash with them and not tear anything up, we could probably use Peabody ground for a long time without any problems.

[fishNnut]

Peabody does not give permits to use their Indiana property. If the state would pony up the money, we could have an additional 27,000 acres to hunt/fish on. But I wouldn't wait on that to happen. It was nice of the state to let Newmaster get first choice on the ground that he wanted before they purchased Bluegrass. Now that ground is selling deer/turkey hunts and we got some good fishing and about 10 deer.

I have hunted and fished on Peabody for the last 15 years in Warrick County. Got checked one time and that was in Tecumseh fox hunting one night. Guard pulled up to my truck and waited for us to get back. He asked what we where doing and we told him and he proceeded to tell us where he had seen a few coyotes. He also told us, at that time, that the only people they had problems with were ATV's and people just out killing time. I guess borded people seem to tear stuff up/steal stuff and mess it up for the rest of us that respect the property.

The guard that ran you off probably worked 2nd shift. I've heard him tell others the same thing that you stated, but NOTHING has ever came of it. I think he just wants to make people think he has some authority.

[Moose1am]

I know a guy that works for IDNR that is in charge of acquiring new properties and taking care of the IDNR properties. I don't call him very often but I wish I could ask him about what happened with the AMAX mine property out by Blue grass. Maybe the next time I see him socially I'll bring up that subject. I do know that he's frustrated with the funding situation as he well should be. He and IDNR can only work with the money that the legislature gives to them. They get money from the taxes on hunters and fishing equipment purchases but I wonder if they actually get to use all that money for IDNR purposes.

Also the Northern Part of the State being more populated gets a lot of those funds. The build a new shooting range at Atterbury which is up by INDY. Seems that they get a lot of the money up in that part of the state. There are more people up there that request these funds.

I would love to see IDNR be able to purchase more lands for the general public to hunt and fish on. That would be great. I am thankful that we have blue grass F&W area, Sugar Ridge and Hoveys down here. There is a lot of public land but it's used heavily. I guess the grass always seem greener on the other side of the field.

I was riding around the old Techumse mine area South of Lynville where the security guard talked to me. It was late in the afternoon so if it were a peabody guard it was most likely the one you are talking about. He is heavy set and short! There is a lot of abandoned mine land out there. When I was still in college I was driving around this mine area in four wheel drive jeeps and on my dirt bike scouting this area. We went scuba diving in those pits back in the early 1970's. Now I don't even recognize the place. I remember turning off State Hwy 161 which goese from Boonville to Lynville and driving East on a gravel road. There were active open pit mines on the North Side back then and they were using one of them big Shovels to mine the coal. We drove down that gravel road and then turned left onto a old dirt road to get back to the old stripper pits that were already full of water. There were areas of coal fines in some spots that covered acres of ground. And the there were plenty of pits with water in them. Lots of Warrick County residents (teenagers) were out there swimming in the pits. I am not sure but I think that old gravel road is now a paved road called Dickeyville Road?

Peabody does not give permits to use their Indiana property. If the state would pony up the money, we could have an additional 27,000 acres to hunt/fish on. But I wouldn't wait on that to happen. It was nice of the state to let Newmaster get first choice on the ground that he wanted before they purchased Bluegrass. Now that ground is selling deer/turkey hunts and we got some good fishing and about 10 deer.

I have hunted and fished on Peabody for the last 15 years in Warrick County. Got checked one time and that was in Tecumseh fox hunting one night. Guard pulled up to my truck and waited for us to get back. He asked what we where doing and we told him and he proceeded to tell us where he had seen a few coyotes. He also told us, at that time, that the only people they had problems with were ATV's and people just out killing time. I guess bored people seem to tear stuff up/steal stuff and mess it up for the rest of us that respect the property.

The guard that ran you off probably worked 2nd shift. I've heard him tell others the same thing that you stated, but NOTHING has ever came of it. I think he just wants to make people think he has some authority.

[NFC]

The pits I've been fishing are due East of Elberfield about 2 miles out Stanley Rd.
A couple of the pits are just past the 4th sharp 90. The other are straight through the 3rd one going into a gravel lane. Only folks I've seen in there are fishermen and ATV riders. The first lake on the right I have done pretty darn well in. All around the banks for at least 15 ft is fantastic cover for bass. I'm wanting to get out on it in my boat but for now fishing from the banks is still great. if ya fish from the bank there ya must have weedless topwater. I spent the day there today (9/8) from 5:45am till almost 3pm, had one of my better days.

God Bless
NFC

[Moose1am]

Thanks for the information and the details. I went to goggle earth and pulled up the satellite view of that area and now I understand where you are talking about. That appears to be a part of the Pigeon Creek Drainage area that eventually drains down though Evansville and into the Ohio River. I have never been up in that area before.

Who owns that area? Are those abandoned mines now or is there any current mining activity going on in that area?

At first I was thinking about the area East of Lynville and then I realized that you were talking about Elberfeld not Lynville. Guess I had Lynville on my mind.

[fishNnut]

I is still owned by Peabody. The lake you are doing so well in, do you have to take a little path about 100 yards off the road to get to the water. On the right? If that is the one that I am thinking about, it has some good bluegill in it also. The road used to run right next to it, but they moved the road a few years ago. If you go straight off the last curve (4WD probably needed) there is a nice pit back in there. Found it one day duck hunting. My buddies have caught some good fish out of it also.

[NFC]

Yes, those are the pits. The one off to the right is where I have been going for the last few weeks. There is also another pit off to the left that I'd like to hit some day after I get my boat legal and water ready. It's quite large and down the hill. There are a couple places to launch a boat and yes you are correct about needing a 4 x 4. I have been hung up on back into the path ways. There are several dips in the path and 4 x 4 tracks, just be very careful going back there. There are several pits back in there of various sizes. When I went this past Saturday I hooked into 13 bucket mouths. One of my best days yet. Now granted, only about half would been keepers but it's the thrill of the fight I'm after. I thank the fish then God for puttin that fish on my hook, otherwise I'm not that good. HA HA HA
If ya go back in there, best of luck and happy fishing.

[NFC]

I took a trip back to the pit this evening to see what was still available to fish in because I'd heard that Peabody took all that area back over and started strip mining again. So far the only change I've noticed is the heavy equipment roadway that cuts through that area. I've not been able to get back in there for a couple yrs because of the ATV's and 4x4 that tore up the roadway. I can finally get back to some of the lakes again and it doesn't look to get back to again. Yeah, it's a little rough in spots but I didn't have to put my truck in 4 wheel to get where I got to.
May have to take the boat back there this coming weekend if I get time.

Praise and Glory be His.
NFC