Round Lake, Starke County

[SuzyQTpie]

Good ice, for now and the gills are on fire.  Will be going back tomorrow.

[Bob6504]

Where is this lake? Never heard of it

[armentroutlucas]

I lived there most my life and never heard of that lake. But then we do have different names for different locations

[Bob6504]

I found it on the map. It's on S150E in Toto. Down the road from Bailey's Discount Center. Looks like a small lake. I'll have to check it out.

[Derslayer1]

yes, its small. Lived a quarter mile from it for 20+yrs... Nice duck huntin spot. Good luck gettin anything bigger than 7 maybe 8in... BILLIONS of dinks

[crappieslayer37]

I found it on the map. It's on S150E in Toto. Down the road from Bailey's Discount Center. Looks like a small lake. I'll have to check it out.

this is an example of how little lakes get fished out. Today there will be 45 guys out there cuz the gills are on fire lol.

[Bob6504]

Thanks for the info derslayer1.

[Steve Sr]

Sounds like if there is " a bunch of dinks" it's NEEDS to be fished.

Also sounds like a good lake to just go out and have FUN catching a few fish and enjoying being outside doing what we love.  Thanks Suzy. 

For those feeling lakes get "fished out", you might want to take a look at the list of lakes the DNR stocks fish in.
Due to weed kills and other things the more popular lakes most of us fish are stocked by the DNR.  Their ability to reproduce in numbers left years ago.  Yeah, mankind........such a success story.
The DNR wont let this one become "fished out" either but what it would take to DO that is beyond most's comprehension.

I saw literally THOUSANDS of panfish come off of Manitou EVERY weekend in the winter for decades.
The fishing went to crap when they killed the weeds. We couldn't TOUCH the numbers till then.

IMO way too many think they are like experts they see on TV and seriously have something "they own" and refuse to share with their fellow sportsmen and women.   That day will never come for anyone I call a friend.

I'd rather have fun with friends than feel I have to hoard back info on a PUBLIC lake just to THINK I have "outfoxed" everyone else.

THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION.  MOST OF US DONT EVEN KEEP LARGE NUMBERS ANYMORE.  The few that do....well, heck.......they can only eat so much and a lake like this needs the dinks OUT if "big fish" are mandatory for anyone to have a good time.......just fishing.

My 2 cents only. Anyone thinking "they won" doing otherwise.  Have at it.
It takes all kinds.

If I get into a mess of fish that are biting and going back. Heck, I'll show you the holes I used the day before, let you use them, show you the jig I used, how deep I fished.........and go drill some other holes. 

It's called SPORTSMANSHIP.

I'm a proud believer in that till I die, and have never, ever regretted it.
God Bless

[Derslayer1]

You wont have a problem finding weeds. This is a wetland conservation area. A Muck bottomed depression in a sandy plain. Im an old-timer, however older Oldtimers(lol), have told me there is quicksand in some spots. More like bottomless areas in the emergant marsh. There is not much of a bottom. Dense roots with alot of floating plantlife. Dnr constructed a a Head Berm coming out of this lake back in 2010, (i think 2010) They did a good job in my opinion, topping off the berm with large riprap. The purpose being to bring water level to a respectable par for the wetland, flow control. The water is Stained dark. The property IS MANAGED by the DNR.   I dont doubt that there could be larger specimens making the dinks, I just gave up looking for them. Its my opinion this is springfed but cannot confirm, so be careful. Depth is Very shallow,  Not much to Hoard on this wetland area... Tight Lines

[crappieslayer37]

Wow didn't mean to rattle any chains, just saying that sometimes it is wise not to talk about individual lakes too much on the internet. For every shanty member that sees the post, there is 10 lurkers trying to get on some ice without having to spend any time looking for themselves. I'm not against sharing info at all, just have seen one particular lake in stueben get so many fisherman packed in the parking lot and clear down both sides of the road that you couldn't park, let alone get out of there if you wanted to leave. Just wanted to clarify the reasoning behind my thoughts.

[Steve Sr]

I have to wonder how a guy could do going "big" on his choice of jig there.
I agree there has to be some bigger but a pile of 7 inchers eat pretty awesome on my old table.

Gonna have to give it a shot or two but Ill have one pole with "perch" spoons or maybe even try the 1.5 inch lipless or shorter jigging Raps.......maybe weed out the dinks?   Be fun trying anyway.

I do have a couple poles that makes reg ice jigs and 7 inch gills a crap-load of fun.

I do agree "too many" fishing can be a deterrent , but it's because so few places have adequate parking.
I wish the state would fix that, or have the funds to fix that or whatever the reason is it's that way.

Maybe I'll win Powerball someday.  That would be a as good a contribution to our state's fishing as any. Offer to pay for adequate parking areas.

Heck, even if they CHARGED for permits to park on them, I'd pay it.  Anything to improve the ability TO fish is as important as the lake anymore.

God Bless

[Jig_Head]

Amen Steve

[troutline]

You can over fish a small lake, good thing it has a small parking area.

[crappiePRO]

Thanks for the info derslayer1.

Ya they'll be parked down the side of the county road, there's only room for a few trucks to get in and it's a small hike. It's a floating sedge marsh, a lot of the weeds and cattails are growing on floating mats.  Never fished it but have hunted it. When not frozen the mud around the lake is very much like quick sand.

[IUBUTCH]

All,

Just browsing after being home for Easter.  My dad and I were driving and mentioned round lake and ice fishing when we drove by. He said can't fish anymore due to DNR closing due to some endangered Fern. So I decided to Google and this link came up.

My name is Carl Troike Jr, AKA Butch.  I have fond memories of fishing on this lake with my dad and grandfather.  I probably started when I was 8 yr :)s old, wow 43 years ago!

We used to have a blast out there.  Some nice gils and crappie. 

We learned from probably 2 of the best ice fishing guys in the area at that time.  Lee and Lloyd Benson.  The were ahead of their time.  They probably could have taught Dave Gentz.  They always preached be mobile, move around.   They didn't have all the fancy gear I have now.  No flasher, but they did have a neat sled and turned it into a one man shelter.  It had a neat way to hold a Coleman lantern in the front that provided heat for your hands, warmed up a cheese sandwich and gave light for getting off the ice at night.  I still have mine that I built with my dad.  I also built one for my wife and daughter about 20 years ago.

I still remember a joke that Lloyd used on all the new kids that came out for their first trip.  I have used with some kids I have taken out for the first time.   He would come over and ask, "are they biting"..  The kid would normally say "no"   He would then take out a bag of frozen peas and place around the hole.  The kid would look at him strangely.  He said, now when the fish comes out to take a pee, you grab him"... 

I will have to go check this out next winter.  I live in central Illinois so sometimes not as much ice as up there.  I'll also post a picture of my sled.

Can't wait till ice!

Butch[/size]

[fishogger]

SuzyQTpie,  no reply no more reports ?