Turtle Creek ( Merom )

[fishNnut]

While I was going to school in Vincennes ('95-'97), we fished Turtle creek a couple of times a week. Pretty much through out the whole school year. I remember fishing it on my birthday (Dec. 13) one of the years and two of us caught 72 bass. I don't know how many were between 5-6 lb. It was amazing. They would hit that blue/chrome Rattling Rapala all day long. In the middle of winter, there was nothing better.

Late one fall we took the little boat, a 12 ft. jon, and fished with the trolling motor only. I remember it was late in the evening when we got there and only had a couple of hours to fish. We threw some 10" Culprit Pumkinseed worms around the standing timber and caught 13 bass over 4 lbs.

It is awesome how some fishing trips never escape your memory.

[persingerxc]

How is the redear fishing? Are there big crackers in this lake? I read a creel survey that showed the numbers of redear caught have basically fell off the map compared to what they were. Apparently it did have big redear in it at one time??

I'm a redear fisherman, would it be worth the drive up from the Jeffersonville area???

Sir-
Honestly, I wouldn't waste your time on the redear. Few and far from what it once was. Honestly your best bet would be Patoka, I'm not going to say where at on Patoka I was fishing. I ran into a few guys and they were slaying some good size redear.

There are some good size gills at Turtle Creek, but I was just there last two weeks ago and the temp was 98.9 (coldest) to 101.7 (warmest).

[roadrunner]

Persingerxc I fished Merom during its heyday I did not post this because not many people will believe it but we were dissapointed if we did not catch 300 lbs of bass a day. that was 100 3lbers. The heyday was when they had all the grass but we fished points on the main lake or we would fish standing timber on the old creek bed and left the grass beds alone. I know what you are talking about with the 2 and 2 1/2 lb crappie. I did keep crappie but never kept any largemouth. I know the lake is overrun with cats now. It is interesting your info on the spraying and the heating of the water. We used to catch tons of fish in August and the water would be 90 to 95 degrees. What a lake.

The first year it was open I fished a jump in some stickups for 45 minutes and left fish that were still busting because our arms were so sore. What a lake or have I said that.

One other thing I remember we were fishing the lake and they vented steam and two of us almost jumped in the lake I have never heard anything so loud I know my heart stopped beating for five minutes.

[redearhoosier]

Sir-
Honestly, I wouldn't waste your time on the redear. Few and far from what it once was. Honestly your best bet would be Patoka, I'm not going to say where at on Patoka I was fishing. I ran into a few guys and they were slaying some good size redear.

There are some good size gills at Turtle Creek, but I was just there last two weeks ago and the temp was 98.9 (coldest) to 101.7 (warmest).

Patoka? You've got to be kidding me, I'm not a big fan of Patoka for several reasons. You're the first person in fifteen years say something positive about the redear there...they went down hill when the shad overran the place.

[persingerxc]

Persingerxc I fished Merom during its heyday I did not post this because not many people will believe it but we were dissapointed if we did not catch 300 lbs of bass a day. that was 100 3lbers. The heyday was when they had all the grass but we fished points on the main lake or we would fish standing timber on the old creek bed and left the grass beds alone. I know what you are talking about with the 2 and 2 1/2 lb crappie. I did keep crappie but never kept any largemouth. I know the lake is overrun with cats now. It is interesting your info on the spraying and the heating of the water. We used to catch tons of fish in August and the water would be 90 to 95 degrees. What a lake.

The first year it was open I fished a jump in some stickups for 45 minutes and left fish that were still busting because our arms were so sore. What a lake or have I said that.

One other thing I remember we were fishing the lake and they vented steam and two of us almost jumped in the lake I have never heard anything so loud I know my heart stopped beating for five minutes.

Brother, I believe every bit of it...Merom's 3 poundes was like catching a 15 inch bass at Patoka. It was seriously every cast. I was trying to stay away from fish stories, but some just have to be told.

One of my secrets way back in the day was the "touchdown worm". I would seriously throw into the Eddy and sit my pole down. Let the worm work the current for about 5 mins. Then I would pick it up and start working etc...Well I had put down my rod (before I starting anchoring it down) and whoosh...Gone in the lake. Usually it didn't take a big fish to do that because of the current...I know this because I've successfully recovered rod/reels (contributed a few). So I got my weighted trebble hook system out and eventually snagged my pole back (took about 10 mins). No ****, I get the reel out of the water and the **** fish is still on. If I'm accurate the touchdown has 3 or 4 trebble hooks within the worm etc...The fish had inhaled it...It was only like a 3 pounder but it was still very cool.


The cats HAVE taken over the lake...I went through about 3 dozens night crawlers, 3 containers of chichen livers, cut bait, and a big container of bee moths in about 8 hours...My hands looked like hamburger by the end of the day...I'm not complaining because I've put about 100 cats in the pond behind my house in the last year. I bought a couple 120 qt coolers and hooked them up to air systems. I have a good little system going...

Did you ever have the opportunity to get into the employees finger or intank canal? HWY 54 side (as soon as you pass the entrance to merom, the yellow gate straight ahead in the corner).

If you have some time in OCT or early NOV give merom a try...There are some nice bass still there...You can still go and hook into a 4,5,6 pounder per trip. I'm fishing with current in the water so it's a BIG difference compared to the boiling water on the main lake. If you can find current you will find bass

I know I got spoiled from fishing there...It's hard comparing ANY lake in INDIANA when Merom was in it's prime...

I will have to dig up some old pictures from merom. See what I got.

Did you ever see the pics or newspaper article of the snake DNR killed out of Turtle Creek? It would make you think twice before wading...A 14 foot python etc...I have a picture and the news article somewhere...It apparently wrapped around a trolling motor of an aluminmum boat and the old man beat it off with an oar. He went back and told the CO etc...Well the guy was old and the CO thought he was just crazy...Old man took the CO back to the spot and within about 100 meters they found the snake and killed it...Scary huge!!!

[persingerxc]

Patoka? You've got to be kidding me, I'm not a big fan of Patoka for several reasons. You're the first person in fifteen years say something positive about the redear there...they went down hill when the shad overran the place.

I must have been in their honey hole then. I watched them catch 10 or so while I was worm fishing around them.

Do you have any suggestions on redear? My old man loves catching gills/redear. I just got a new boat, so I'm sure we are going to start traveling again.

[persingerxc]

Guys, I also forgot one huge point pertaining to Turtle Creek and the shad population...When the lake gets low, they have two units down on the Wabash pulling water into Turtle creek. This opens the door for four or five different shad populations.

[roadrunner]

Persingerxc I have a rod and reel in that lake with a fish on it now that you reminded me and yes I saw the article of the snake being killed ----scary!! I have not fished any of the off limit waters. At its heyday I did not need to.

[slimshad09]

I remember fishing in tournys that you could only keep 2 that were 20 in. They were a blast. I also remember my brother helping me skip school in january and we crushed them on rattletraps. They were feeding at the firing line like piranah. Then we moved over to the bridge and caught 100 bass on a 6in culprit wor
m. Those were the days. Thanks for bringing them up again