Featured Story Casting Call
Casting Call
It’s picture-perfect by John C. Gill Shutterstock.com
As spring evolves, anglers gaze across open waters. Amidst the reawakened outdoors, they envision opportunities about to surface. Kosciusko’s 100 lakes and varied species make the county a haven for those seeking access to recreational fishing. Diverse lake environments, from sleepy to bustling, intersperse the area, and anglers enjoy ease of travel between them. They fish from shorelines and piers, and launch boats from public ramps, including handicap accessible sites at multiple lakes. Whatever the route, quality fishing is the destination. According to Tyler Delauder, Fisheries Biologist with Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), abundant bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie, and yellow perch—all naturally reproducing species—populate the glacial lakes countywide and elicit interest among
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LakeLife Magazine April 2020
anglers. Furthermore, and bolstering the enthusiasm, the DNR stocks trout in Wyland Lake within Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area; walleye in Winona Lake and Pike Lake; and muskies in Webster Lake, the Barbee Chain, and the Tippecanoe (Tippy) Chain. “We’re hearing good things from anglers,” Delauder reported, adding, “Tippy is known as the chain that has larger fish in it.” But hooking them entails more than mere bait and tackle. Studying lake contours, depth, and weed cover facilitates success. Both the DNR and Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams offer excellent resources, including lake directories, interactive maps, and fishing reports online at in.gov/dnr and lakes.grace.edu.
His findings have led Syracuse fisherman Dennis Wright to the wide and flat spots where panfish dwell in weedy, shallow water, and the deeper areas preferred by perch. On the inside turns of lakes, he pursues bass, and on the outside turns, pike. An ultralight rod and open face spinning reel combo, with flies or grubs as bait, will hook panfish. But bass anglers choose medium action rods with spinning reels, or baitcasters. Among the endless assortment of bass lures, jigs and crankbaits, and topwater frogs for lily pads, prove effective. Wright favors smaller lakes like Waubee and Chapman where light boat traffic ensures a peaceful atmosphere. Further, the lakes at Tri-County, surrounded by
