Editor's note: Today's article is the first of a new feature fom Michiana Outdoors News. We'll be inviting guest columnists to share their experiences and expertihere from time to time. Be sure to watch for our next guest!
By David Hamerick, Guest Columnist
I had a great time fishing on Winona Lake in Warsaw, Ind. from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on March 13.
I was making my first trip out fishing in my Bass Tracker boat this season. I primarily wanted to make sure my boat was going to run after being in storage all winter. Thankfully, it started fine and I motored out of the public launch. As I exited the channel, I could see and feel the wind blowing pretty good to the south.
The air temp was in the 60s and the water temp was around 50. I motored over to the main lake and fished the north side of lake shoreline in hopes that it would be warmer. No luck there, so I went to some south side areas where the wind was blowing into shore pretty good.
I was bass fishing in 3 to 6 feet with a ¼-ounce underspin with a 4-inch Rapala CrushCity swimbait in chartreuse pearl on a baitcaster with 12-pound fluorocarbon line when I felt that familiar "thump" that reminded me why I love fishing.
I set the hook and I could tell right away this was a good bass, but she wasn't coming up or jumping. I reeled and then finally got her up to my net where I was happily surprised to land an 18-inch walleye which immediately went into the livewell for a later dinner. I dropped anchor so the wind wouldn't blow me out of position and casted back up to the same area multiple times with no luck. Was this a one off?
I knew this color would be good for bass and walleye so I kept throwing this lure. I moved a little down shore and again anchored up throwing into 3 to 6 feet between the few piers that were out. The fish Gods smiled upon me and I caught my first 3-pound largemouth bass and four to five more in the 2-pound range and multiple 2-2.5-pound white bass. I lost several other bass that threw the hook when they jumped.
I stayed in the same spot for two hours. The fish were hitting my bait hard, so I just made sure to make long casts and not spook the fish.
I caught all these fish in a 20-foot stretch of shoreline and caught all of my fish on the same bait the entire time.
I would say Winona Lake is my home lake since I live so close to it and highly recommend this lake for fishing.