Fishing

report

Marion Reservoir

CHANNEL CAT — Good, 12 inches and larger. Fishing for catfish has been fair using shad sides and prepared baits. If area receives more rain, try shad sides in the river.

WHITE CRAPPIE — Fair, up to 15 inches. Crappie fishing has been fair in shallow water using jigs and roadrunners. Good catches have been taken in Cottonwood Cove. Fishing for crappie should be better this spring than in the past.

WALLEYE — Fair to good, 15 to 26 inches. Walleye fishing has picked up and fish can be caught on a jig and night crawler combo on the flats. Walleye less than 18 inches must be released.

WHITE BASS — Fair, up to two pounds. White bass fishing has slowed down in the river due to high water. White bass can be caught on the dam using sassy shad and curly tailed grubs. Marion ranked number one in the fishing forecast for white bass.

WIPERS — Slow to fair, up to eight pounds. Wipers can be caught on points and drops with crankbaits and curly tailed grubs. Wipers also can be caught in the river.

GENERAL COMMENTS — White bass and wiper fishing should be very good in 2009. The reservoir ranked number one in our 2009 fishing forecast for white bass and number two for wiper. Sampling indicated lots of white bass in the six to 12 inch range and a few up to 15 inches. Wiper fishing should also be good in 2009.

Marion County Lake

CHANNEL CATFISH — Slow, 13 to 18 inches. Catfish can be caught using shad sides fishing off of points.

WHITE CRAPPIE — Good, five to 13 inches. Crappie fishing has been good in the heated dock using small jigs.

LARGEMOUTH BASS — Good, eight to 18 inches. Largemouth bass can be caught using soft plastics around brush. A few fish can be caught on small topwater lures early in the day.

SAUGEYE — Fair to good, up to 18 inches. Saugeye fishing has slowed down, but fish can still be caught using minnows off of docks.

WIPERS — Slow, one to 5 pounds. A few wipers have been caught in shallow water using curly tailed grubs.