photo by Mike Deak
All things considered, it’s probably easier to learn the formula for Coca-Cola® than it would be for an angler to divulge his favorite fishing spot. But if you’re looking to get started fishing, or just enjoy a casual day relaxing—and a day that may pay off with a freshly-caught dinner, there’s one fish you might consider going after: Bass. Kosciusko County has plenty of lakes, and largemouth bass can be found in nearly all of them, said Tyler Delauder, the District 3 fisheries biologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. “Almost every lake in Kosciusko County is going to have largemouth bass,” he said. Lakes that would be a good place to start, he suggested, include Palestine, Wawasee, Tri-County Fish and Wildlife (Shock and Spear lakes in particular), and Winona. No matter where you cast your line, bass are a safe bet, agreed Mark Dillon, owner and proprietor of Number 1 Stop Bait & Tackle Shop in Pierceton. Bass fishing is good, he said, and can be caught in a variety of ways: trolling, casting, live-bait, lures. Even fly fishing, which tends to be mostly for pan fish, Dillon said, could bag a bass. The best bet for a catch, Delauder said, is to use bait that mimics things bass eat:
Artificial worms, frogs, crayfish and bait fish, to name a few. “Knowing which baits to fish, and when, is something anglers learn with experience,” he said. “The best way to learn is to find someone who has been fishing for a while and knows how to catch fish. Go fishing with them and ask questions and watch how they use different baits. This can be a great way to learn to use a new bait or lure.” Finding bass, according to Delauder and Dillon, isn’t too difficult. “The main habitat in our lakes for largemouth bass is aquatic vegetation,” Delauder said. Other areas you might look, he added, are in and around piers, fallen trees and drop offs. According to Dillon, anywhere there is some sort of cover is a possibility for finding bass.
photo by Jeff Beeler While bass are plentiful and generally able to sustain themselves and reproduce successfully, Delauder encouraged that it never hurts to fish responsibly to preserve them. It’s, of course, important to obey laws and observe size and catch limits, but Delauder added a few additional practices for the responsible angler: “Once you land the fish, try to take the hook out as quickly as possible,” he said. “Do not keep fish out of the water longer than you have to if you plan to release the fish back into the water. Also remember to never throw old fishing line into the lake. This can get caught around fish or other anglers’ outboard motors.” With the plentiful lakes and plentiful bass around Kosciusko County, you should be able to spend more time fishing (and catching!) great fish—instead of sharing stories of “the one that got away.” LAKElife Magazine July 2020
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