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By Louie Stout
Wolf Lake Walleyes
If you’ve driven to Chicago on I-90, you’ve crossed over Wolf Lake in Northwest Indiana near the state line.
If your windows were down, you may recall the sulfuric smell of the Gary mills and decided the lake didn’t look too appealing.
Well, don’t sell it too short. Northern Indiana biologist Tom Bacula was there last year to sample the fishery and came away with some surprising results.
Wolf is a 385-acre, shallow, sandy lake in Lake County with maximum depth of about 16 feet. It does have some weedy drop-off edges.
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By Louie Stout
Ice anglers finally got their wish this winter and several seem to be taking advantage of the frozen water throughout much of Michiana.
Those who are getting out are catching a lot of bluegill, crappie and an occasional northern pike.
However, not all bodies of water are equal and most of the heavy fishing is being done in channels or on the smaller, shallower and wind-protected lakes.
Ice thicknesses varied as of Thursday morning. For example, Gary Bussen at Clear H2o Tackle near Edwardsburg, Mich. said thicknesses range from 2 to 8 inches, depending upon the lake.
“The channels are full of fish,” said Bussen. “As the cold weather extends, the main lakes will get more ice but guys should still be careful.”
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By Louie Stout
Floyd Wolkins with nice bass
Floyd Wolkins is a firm believer in big bait, big fish.
The Cassopolis, Mich. angler has proven that time and again as an addicted glide bait angler.
Glide baits aren’t the typical crankbait or soft plastic size that most Michiana anglers fish. They have broad, fish-shaped bodies and measure 6- to 10-inches long and weigh 2 ounces or more.
Wolkins insists these giant lures catch big bass, pike, and muskie in Michiana’s waters and will reveal hulking fish you didn’t realize existed in area lakes.
“The first time I caught a nice bass (3½ pounder) on one (Storm Arashi Glide) was at Juno lake and that opened my eyes,” he says. “And one day I caught a 6½ and a 7 both within an hour on another lake and that really started my addiction.”
Those two big fish were caught on the 6-inch Megabass Mag Draft soft-bodied bait. Today, Wolkins prefers the larger, harder bodies that cost upwards of $150 or more.
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By Louie Stout
Anthony Burke with his state record burbot
Lake Michigan was a bit angry when Anthony Burke and his brother Matt launched the boat in pursuit of winter perch last Saturday.
“It was pretty rough out there and I almost turned back,” says the Cedar Lake, Ind. Angler.
Man, is he glad he didn’t. Not only did he and his brother catch a limit of nice perch, but he broke the Indiana record for burbot.
Correction – he shattered the record previously set last year. Burke’s fish weighed 14.3.6 ounces, erasing Phillip Duracz’s previous best of 11.6.4 ounces set last winter.
“I still can’t believe it,” said Burke, a carpenter by trade. “I’m still in shock and it’s hard to think straight while I’m working.”