The extreme drought conditions in Southern Indiana have caused the water levels in the Blue Grass Area's lakes to drop to very low levels.

The concrete ramps at the South End of Blue Grass Pit and at the North end of Loon Pit are being exposed more and more. The ends of these two concrete ramps are getting closer and closer to the shoreline.

Vehicles launching trailers have been seen with the back trailer wheels dropping off the end of the ramp by a few inches.

Large boats with bigger motors are using the larger motor to power the boat onto the trailer. With more and more boats using this procedure there could be more and more erosion of the dirt/mud at the end of these ramps during low water periods.

There is still some algae on the concrete at the Blue Grass launch ramp. I waded out into the water at the top edge of the ramp and found it getting slippery. It's not nearly as bad as the concrete ramp at Lynville though.

Now I was wearing those flip flop type beach shoes and that may be why it was slippery. The North side of the ramp has more algae on it as I saw it. I normally use the South side of the ramp and launch closer to the Handicap pier thing so that I can tie my boat off to the rails when I am parking my vehicle. Most people will park their boat on the North Side along the bank where there is some dirt and no big rocks.

Yesterday the Waterfowl USA guys and DNR held a youth hunt for the kids. Yesterday was the first day of Dove hunting season in IN. The parking lot at Blue Grass Pit's South launch ramp was filled with vehicles and everyone was wearing camo. I took one picture of the group as the DNR guy, Mike Kelner CO, gave a safety speech to the kids.

I asked the Sugar Ridge/Blue Grass F&W Areas DNR property manager a question about fishing and when it ended so that waterfowl season could begin. Nate was very kind to give me a few minutes of his time. I appreciated that. I asked him the question because someone told me that when the nuisance goose season started that fishing would be closed and I wondered if that was correct. So that's why I addressed this question to the property manager. If anyone knows the rules its the guy that runs the property for DNR. He said that fishing will close when the REGULAR WATERFOWL SEASON OPENS UP. I guess that's in Dec sometime but I am not sure. I'll have to look that up in the fishing/hunting pamphlets that are given out free at Walmart. Fishing would then resume back in March after the waterfowl season is over.

I don't know the results of the Dove hunt as I have not read about it yet. Maybe Steve Ford or Phil Potter will do an article on it in today's Sunday Courier and Press. I have not read the sports section yet. But I think that all the 70+ kids and their parents had a great time. It sure got hot out there yesterday at around 1 pm. Not as hot as two weeks ago but still pretty warm. I drove by some of the fields checking to see if anyone else was fishing and noticed how they conducted the hunt. They had the parties spread out pretty well. Looks like they have a safe hunt and a lot of fun. The kids got to play around the water at the launch ramp after they all had a nice meal and before the hunt started.

Blue grass F&W area is a great asset for the Evansville Area Community. We are very lucky to have this place to fish and hunt.

BTW I found out that the Waterfowl USA guys helped the DNR to put in the extra Sunflower plots to help attract the birds. But the farmers in the area are already harvesting their dried up corn crop so that's going to compete with the sunflower seeds for the birds attentions. There will be a lot of corn on the ground to attract mice and the birds. I have noticed a few more birds of prey in the area. They were very scare this past month. ... We sure could use more rain...

I also had the opportunity to meet and talk with the Assistant property manager of Hovey Lake. I asked him about the crappie fishing and the about the drain. I thought that they installed the drain to help maintain the lakes level when the river fell. But the main problem at Hovey is not the silting in of the lake. Each passing year the silt fills in the lake more and more. This occurs with most old oxbow lakes over time. The process is called Eutrophication. Anyway I was told that the DRAIN at HOVEY now is opened up to allow water flow though the drain in and out of the lake. The crappie can now enter the drain and go in and out of the lake. The concrete structure is still there in place but it's gates are keep open. He said this was opened and been open for the last three years. No wonder the the DNR fish studies at Hovey Lake show the fish getting bigger and growing faster than any other lake in IN.

Give Hovey's Lake a trial for crappie and catfish. I was told that the lake was good for catfish too.