Bloomington

[Oaktree1215]

Im headed south,  there is good ice all the way to santa clause, see ya!

[RoeBoat]

Gotta love going south to ice fish.  Hope yall got the dust knocked off your stuff and some new line on those reels or golf tees.  Hope to head south myself soon.

[drine_11]

are there many public lakes down that way?   Monroe is about the only lake that I can think of in that area...maybe Hardy Lake?  Ice fishing seems so rare in southern IN anymore, I wouldn't imagine there is too much information on what lakes are good ice fishing in the far southern half of the state.

[bwalker]

There is more lakes in the southern half of the state than Northern half probably.  Well if you count pits

[walleyedan]

Head southwest of Indy.  You can find more lakes and pits plus State Parks than you do you north.  What I like about it is usually no crowds and nobody seems to drill you in when you are catching them.  Always friendly folks.  It is amazing how many people down there are from north of FT Wayne.

[AyrshireBoy]

the 6" of snow we got on top of what little to skim ice we had really messed up ice growth.  I just checked a small pond and it has 2" of junk snow ice.
I've been thinking about Monroe though...anyone been by there today?  I gotta think some of the coves are starting to get some ice.

[drine_11]

Maybe i'll just pull up google maps to see if I can figure out the public vs private lakes/pits.  Got family around Bedford...could pay them a visit and do some fishing if there is many places within an hour of there.

[Oaktree1215]

Yellowood has some nice crappie and leftover stocked rainbows. Be real careful tho it has a couple springs

[bwalker]

Yellowood has some nice crappie and leftover stocked rainbows. Be real careful tho it has a couple springs

They must really be hanging in then cuz they haven't stocked rainbows in yellowood for years

[Oaktree1215]

Caught one by the dam this summer

[bwalker]

Caught one by the dam this summer

Have you caught any pearch out of there.  I heard there was a few of those swimming around in there too.  Buitiful lake i just have never had much luck

[Vernal Pike]

There aint no perch at Yellowood

[bwalker]

There was years ago I dont know now.  I looked up an old survey from early 2000s and they are in it.  There used to be a video on YouTube of a guy having a good day catching gills and he had a perch in his cooler with them.  There also in monroe and lemon.  Just like the trout they maybe few and far between but you you would be surprised how many ponds have fish in them naturally or stocked by mistake

[Oaktree1215]

Have you caught any pearch out of there.  I heard there was a few of those swimming around in there too.  Buitiful lake i just have never had much luck

nope.

[Oaktree1215]

There was years ago I dont know now.  I looked up an old survey from early 2000s and they are in it.  There used to be a video on YouTube of a guy having a good day catching gills and he had a perch in his cooler with them.  There also in monroe and lemon.  Just like the trout they maybe few and far between but you you would be surprised how many ponds have fish in them naturally or stocked by mistake

very interesting. I caught one in a private lack near there once in 2014

[AyrshireBoy]

Go time!!
There some fishable around.

If you have the safety gear, another person, and know what you are doing...there are areas where you can get out on Monroe tomorrow.

[walleyeboater]

I know where I'd like to go at Monore, but it's too far offshore.

[JDH46151]

Just checked and it's 3" about 50 yards off the ramp at Paynetown.  I didn't go any farther.

[AyrshireBoy]

Just checked and it's 3" about 50 yards off the ramp at Paynetown.  I didn't go any farther.

Found 5” there yesterday.

[JDH46151]

Found 5” there yesterday.

You going out there this weekend?  I'm trying to decide whether I want to stay local or head back up north.

[AyrshireBoy]

You going out there this weekend?  I'm trying to decide whether I want to stay local or head back up north.

I doubt I make it back to Monroe this weekend.  there is decent ice in a few shallow areas/coves.  there are also areas of crap ice in other coves so be careful.  dragging my shanty thru the snow out to where I'd like to get would likely kill me anyway...HAHA! 

there are several spots reasonably close to monroe that have better ice conditions. 

good luck!

[JDH46151]

I went to Greene-Sullivan Saturday to try and get on the ice.  I tried Res 26 but as soon as I got out of the coves the ice dropped to 2.5" so I backed out to try another lake.
My second spot already had a group on it so I just went to the nearest pit on the map and had some luck, probably caught 25 bluegills.  Kept 11 after sorting.  I kept trying for 12 but the bite tapered off right before dark.   

[RoeBoat]

Glad you made it out.  I wanted to get down last weekend but didn't work out.  Might be too late now.