indiana is awful! where do you rate it?

[Moose1am]

Patoka Lake is very nice but it's somewhat crowded on the weekends. I rate Patoka Lake right up there next to KY and Barkley Lakes. I would rate it 3rd while KY lake would be Number 1 and Barkley Lake number 2 on my fishing lakes list.

I have fished up in Ontario Canada at Eagle Lake and that was a great fishing lake. We use to drive up to Ontario to fish for a few weeks at a time.

Indiana is too industrialized to really have good fishing like KY which is more rural in nature.]

I think that IN is more developed with a larger human population.

One resource we both have in the Ohio River. Since the USEPA was formed in the 1970's the amount of raw sewage dumped into the Ohio River has declined to some extent.

The Ohio appears to have less of some pollutants than in the past and some fish are making a comeback in the River. I still don't advice eating any fish caught from the Ohio River as there are many other chemicals (organics) that are in the water that were not there 100 years ago.

I read about other folks in IN fishing the White River and some other rivers in IN for small mouth bass. Now SM Bass must have good water quality to survive so that's a good sign.

While we don't have the number of really good places like Ky and Tenn we do have some excellent fishing if you know where to find it. It may not be popular to say so but Our man Mitch has done more for the sportsman than any of the previous administrations. Before he was elected some of the ramps on Patoka were not being serviced and there was talk of closing several. We now have handicap fishing areas, all ramps are open and we have new docks that were badly needed. We must not be to bad as I see several Ky, Illinois and Ohio boats on our lakes.

[TR21Bassin]

I've fished several states in my life and no matter how long the list Indiana would be at the bottom. I live in Indiana and probably fish less than 10 times a year here. I would rather drive and spend the money on gas and fish some good fisheries.

Besides I've already paid taxes on my boat and registration in Indiana. Why should I have to buy another boating permit to fish state lakes. Haven't in 3 years and never plan to.

I guess it sums it up when you live 45 minutes from Patoka but would much rather driver 2.5 hours to Barkley or Ky.

Charlie

[wkerber]

I grew up there fishing the Eel river and Wabash river in Cass County. Thirty years ago those 2 rivers were great fisheries, especially for smallmouth. Then farm land went up in price and the farmers started plowing right up to the creeks that feed these rivers. Any rain turns the water to chocolate milk due to a lack of watershed. Most years are poor spawns due to water quality and the weed beds are almost gone as well. Use to turn over a large flat rock in a riffle and get 30+ crayfish and 2 or 3 hellgramites, now you might get a crayfish or 2. Sad to go from what was probably number 2 or 3 with regards to river fishing to dead last. And, I do mean dead.

[olducker]

I guess it sums it up when you live 45 minutes from Patoka but would much rather driver 2.5 hours to Barkley or Ky.

Charlie

I'm with you just 1.5 hours to Barkley or KY FOR ME

Kentucky # 2 Tennessee #3 FLorida #1 Indiana #5 That's all I Fish eH

[Jim_H]

wkerber, were you a conservation officer? I also fished the Eel and Wabash as a kid and still do once in awhile, and I remember a conservation officer name Kerber, just curious.

[MikeAxsom]

This discussion is of particular interest to me from a resource management professional perspective. For those here who may not know me, I work in a county management agency that receives no revenue from the state. But many of the issues are the same no matter who is running things.

One such constant seems to be a direct correlation between user satisfaction and fee levels in many minds. While I agree that fees should not be excessive, and that fees for recreation resource use should never be used to fund any other public services; I have to wonder about a few of the comments I read here and some I hear in the field.

Can anyone here state what IS the correct price for license/boating/launch fees? And if the fees were lower would that make up for what you feel to be poor service and insufficient opportunity? I don’t mean that to be a smart aleck question either. I would like to hear exactly how tight is the connection between cost and value perceptions in these types of discussions.

Conversely, if an agency, state or local, were to develop a plan to drastically improve management of a fishery, build new facilities and increase overall production and service, would you recommend that fees be raised then to cover the real and actual cost of all that?

One of the common complaints we get where I work, at West Boggs, is also about fees. But we are often taken to task because some of our fees are higher than the state’s, and or that state permits are not accepted here. When we try to explain that we do not accept state passes because the state does not share that money with us, many people actually seem to think we are ripping them off like they were lied to when they bought the state pass.

Another thing we see often is that some of the loudest and rude complaints about fees come from people who obviously spend a lot of money on boats, trucks and RVs. It is not unusual to have a person in a $40K truck pulling a $50K boat spend ten minutes raising sand and berating a gate attendant that does not make any rules about having to pay a $5 launch fee when they already have a state permit. We hear about how stupid the governor and all the legislature are, how crooked IDNR is and how bad fishing is all over this state.
Then one of the next few vehicles in will be a young family in a 10 year old car blowing oil and with kids hanging out all the windows. Sometimes those folks are counting quarters to get the entry fee, but they are almost always happy and think a day fishing for $5 for the family is a great deal.

Anyone here know why that is?

[ttwigg]

The deer hunting has picked up over the last few years. It seems like the fishing just stays the same. I stay in Indiana to fish and go south to catch.

[silver seeker]

Sorry I don't have any input about Indiana.(only there once & it was not to fish)
But Moose1am Eagle Lake was my early stompin grounds, we used to fish there when I was just a boy. I live in a city close to Toronto, fished all my life, but I cannot seem to get that lake outa my head.
I have two boys now, The first is three the other is one, I just would like to know what the fishing is like there now? I remember great smallmouth, huge boulders, and you don't see a soul.....But the Black Bears...

[zorki1]

I agree with most of the statements here. I will add that I would like to see us get rid of that dumb trout program.We are a warm water state and they just dont last, yeah , you hear of an occasional survivor caught thats grown to 18 inches. I think that program should be dumped and take that money and invest it in a large smallmouth program stocking the more fishable creeks. Imagne White Water creek heavily stocked,after a couple of years it could be like the Elkhorn in Ky drawing lots of fishermen into the area bringing their cash to the local economy and perpetuating the fishery.Dont get me wrong, Im a flyfisherman and trout are my number one target, I go out of state.Its just not realistic to pay for all those trout, the majority of which wont survive, just to have a "trout season" for a couple of weeks.We could keep the trout program up in the northern part of the state as they do a little better and that could be the attraction for that area. I would also like to see a little more creek access also, just some simple inexpensive flat pull offs with gravel to park.With all the popularity of kayaks now a little more access for shuttling vechicles would also get people out more to fish for all our upgraded streams.

[Dakota Kid]

I travel from Louisville to Patoka as often as I can. Fish the lower third of the lake and most always have good luck. Very few short fish in comparison to the keepers that are caught. I don't have much of a problem with traffic on that end either. I personally have better luck there verses Rough or Taylorsville or even Nolin. And I have had some outstanding days at Nolin.

[MikeAxsom]

I’m sure there are people in all categories in this issue, but from my many years of dealing with anglers there is some inverse correlation between the amount of money spent on boats, gear and toys, and the level of satisfaction in the individual. If what I see is in part correct it may be the ultimate example of the adage that money can’t buy happiness.

[psprowler]

I'd rate Indiana just slightly below "doing the best it can with what is available". Until IDNR becomes its own entity politrix will always have to be dealt with.

If you are strictly a lake fisherman then Indiana doesn't have nearly as much to offer as surrounding states. Flowing water - this state can hold its own. I've stepped foot in over 70 different streams/rivers in this state and I'm not even close to seeing/fishing all that's available.

Mike: do you seriously believe that about the working man spending all that cash to chase the dream? I know you probably see it everyday and I'm not doubting that. The reason I ask is that I couldn't fathom spending that kind of money on truck, boat, and tackle with the belief that someday I'll be flippin' with the big boys. That's a lot of investment with a very minute chance of any return.