I would like some tips on fishing for smallmouth bass or anything in the White River. I fished on the White River by the White River Bvd. in Muncie and didn't catch anything. I used jigs and a little rebel crank. Any tips on what lure to use and what structures to fish by would be great. Thanks in Advance. Also where are local bait shops?
Fishing for Smallmouth Bass in the White River
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
Joined
·
520 Posts
Hi, I fished in that same general area 2 years back while I was visiting my then g/f, now wife, who went to Ball State. If I remember correctly, the water is rather shallow through that stretch and I didnt catch a whole lot. I fish the Eel river where I live and the best way for me to catch the really big smallmouth was to use a live softcraw on the bottom. It works everytime. Softcraws can be expensive though, the other thing you can do is float a minnow.
Artificials that I have caught them on include little spinners, small crankbaits, and fake worms. Best action though has always been the softcraw. The hole I like to fish is about 5-7 feet deep and has a slight current with a rocky bottom. Thats what you want to look for. If you hook into a nice 3-4 pounder you will have a load of fun, pound for pound they are about the hardest fighting fish there is, besides the King Salmon.
Artificials that I have caught them on include little spinners, small crankbaits, and fake worms. Best action though has always been the softcraw. The hole I like to fish is about 5-7 feet deep and has a slight current with a rocky bottom. Thats what you want to look for. If you hook into a nice 3-4 pounder you will have a load of fun, pound for pound they are about the hardest fighting fish there is, besides the King Salmon.
Joined
·
2,803 Posts
Love that Eel River! Smallmouth, goggleyes, channel cats - It has been said that the Eel River has less development on it than about any other river in Indiana.
We used to do twice a year water quality testing on it. I have spent a lot of time on the Eel around Logansport, Adamsboro, Twelve Mile and Mexico.
We used to do twice a year water quality testing on it. I have spent a lot of time on the Eel around Logansport, Adamsboro, Twelve Mile and Mexico.
Joined
·
46 Posts
Where Rangeline Road near Anderson crosses the White, there is some decent rock and gravel that holds smallmouth. You can use rebel craws, bomber model a's (fire tiger), plastic, and topwater to catch them. I grew up in Alexandria and used to wade that section in the summer in shorts and tennis shoes, got to watch the E Coli counts, though, if Muncie cuts loose some sewage after a rain. You used to be able to park at the bridge and walk down to the river, but I think its posted now. You may have to go in at Mounds State Park.
I'm not sure where you live, but if you're in Muncie, a better bet it the Mississinewa from Eaton to Matthews. There are a lot of rocky stretches and smallmouths to 4 pounds (YES, I said 4 Pounds). Top water and jerk baits are great ways to cover the water. Lots of Bridges along the way. I have a few secret spots due north of Muncie, but I'm not giving up all my secrets :shhh:
I'm not sure where you live, but if you're in Muncie, a better bet it the Mississinewa from Eaton to Matthews. There are a lot of rocky stretches and smallmouths to 4 pounds (YES, I said 4 Pounds). Top water and jerk baits are great ways to cover the water. Lots of Bridges along the way. I have a few secret spots due north of Muncie, but I'm not giving up all my secrets
:shhh:
Joined
·
520 Posts
Yeah, the Eel is one of the better rivers for smallouth. Its absolutely loaded and holds quite a few really big ones. I live in Logansport, and mainly fish here in the city, right below the dam and about 3 miles before it is absolutely loaded with fish. Quite a few nice sized flatheads in there too.
First of all go downstream of Muncie to fish. The way they groom the bank sucks, good for college girls jogging though! Find a good stretch where the current is swift then slows down and deepens. Use the biggest most active minnows below a bobber or to run and gun I like a mid sized crankbait. Most action is in the swift water right where it eddies or forms a shoot. Deep water, current, and cover are good keys. You can find some fish in the shallow flats but the bunches are always in the current with deep water close by.
Thanks for all the info....I will try everything i can. The only bad thing is that i am pretty much restricted to this portion of the river because i lack a car. But as long is there is a chance to catch a fish i will be there Thanks AGain
But as long is there is a chance to catch a fish i will be there Thanks AGainYea when I went to BSU I fished the river quite a bit. Caught some rock bass and smallies but never really consistent. Take a bike ride down to Yorktown, just take a rod and reel with a small box of inline spinners, small cranks. Below the dam by the waste water plant wasn't bad, there was another dam close to Muncie central that would produce a few fish from time to time. Get a ride and go out to Prarie Creek, fish from the bank for bass, crappie, and white bass. I did that a lot too. The white runs close by there and I did fish that from time to time and caught suckers and crappie. Good luck, some mushrooms around Prarie Creek too.
Joined
·
3,013 Posts
Dug deep to find this,, just wanted to bring it to the top again.:cheeky-sm
Joined
·
4,553 Posts
Good job Pigeon!
Think a craw color tube jig would be great for these river smallies too.
Think a craw color tube jig would be great for these river smallies too.
Joined
·
2,457 Posts
soft shell crawls set adrift into deep wholes. try not to spook the fish. if you have a creek close by you should be able to seign some anytime they'll be shedding. if you can find some shallow rocky places you should try some hellgrumites. their great smallmouth baites. have someone hold the seign and kick up the rocks and they'll drift right in the seign.Sauger13 said:
Joined
·
3,013 Posts
I am hoping to find some softshells at the bait store this weekend. Last year they were $6 a dozen:yikes: , hope it stays the same. But, you cant beat a day on the river with about 5 dozen:banghead3
Joined
·
520 Posts
Softcraws are the ticket. I priced them at 4.50 a dozen at one bait shop this weekend. Shop around, i had a bait shop in the center of town last week try to sell me bass minnies at 1.50 per dozen:16suspect. That just didnt sound right to me so i elected to drive about 10 minutes out in the country to the other shop and he had them for .75 a dozen. The man downtown must think he can jack prices up with no competition nearby.pigeonflier said:
Joined
·
2,729 Posts
indy smallmouth
I've heard the smallmouth fishing is decent in and around the outskirts of downtown Indy (no chit 4 and 5lbers). Just be careful not to hook any terds. And, on a positive note, any carp caught accidentally can be sold by the pound locally. This post will never make it.
Eric
I've heard the smallmouth fishing is decent in and around the outskirts of downtown Indy (no chit 4 and 5lbers). Just be careful not to hook any terds. And, on a positive note, any carp caught accidentally can be sold by the pound locally. This post will never make it.
Eric
Joined
·
6,741 Posts
I love it.HuntinIN said:
Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!
Joined
·
448 Posts
144 and 37
fish up stream and down out of this access to the white river and you will find good smallies. normal artificials will work but drifting live night crawlers is deadly.split shot and tight line will set them on fire if you can keep the cats off it. also have picked up walleyes and saugers doing this. farther you go up stream the better. takes a light boat and wet tennis shoes unless you own a jet drive or go devil type motor, outboards will work but if you have a shear pin style take extras you will need them. good luck have fun
fish up stream and down out of this access to the white river and you will find good smallies. normal artificials will work but drifting live night crawlers is deadly.split shot and tight line will set them on fire if you can keep the cats off it. also have picked up walleyes and saugers doing this. farther you go up stream the better. takes a light boat and wet tennis shoes unless you own a jet drive or go devil type motor, outboards will work but if you have a shear pin style take extras you will need them. good luck have fun
Joined
·
3,013 Posts
bump :lol:
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!