Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

Hoosier anglers don't have to go far for excellent largemouth bass fishing these days. As a matter of fact, some of the state's best big-bass waters are only a stone's throw from Indiana's urban areas. Here's a look at five lakes that will be producing lunker largemouths this year in our state.

CECIL HARDEN RESERVOIR
"Cecil Harden is a good lake to target larger bass," said Rhett Wisener, a District 5 fisheries biologist with the Division of Fish and Wildlife.

"Harden has one of the fastest growth rates for largemouth bass in this area of the state. As a matter of fact, we're seeing better growth rates than in any of our big reservoirs. There's a good forage base and predators of all sorts grow fast here."

The 16-inch minimum-length limit may have helped, according to Wisener. "It's provided more protection for the bigger bass than the 14-inch limit did, and now it's common to find 14- to 16-inch fish. There is definitely the possibility of catching a 5- or 6-pound largemouth bass in Harden, especially in the spring when the females are egg-laden. We caught a fair number of 18- to 20-inch bass during the last electro-shocking survey."

The last Department of Natural Resources (DNR) survey showed a nice year-class or two that will be moving up into the 18- to 20-inch range within the next couple of seasons. That means more bass are already growing up to replace those lunkers that are being caught and kept or are dying of natural causes.

Hotspots during the early summer months are the riprap and chunk rock shoreline areas of this lake. Bass always relate to the rocks, Wisener said. The woody laydowns and stumps are another draw for bass and excellent spots for anglers to key in on.

Other hotspots on Cecil Harden for late spring and early summer action include the stumpfield in the area known as the "12-foot line" on the Trottmans Branch side.

"There are a lot of big bass in there, but it's a tough lake to fish because of the heavy boat traffic," tournament angler William Twitchell said.

"If you get out there before 9:30 or 10 a.m., you can beat the traffic. Once the recreational boating starts, the bass will go deeper to get away from it. Fish from 5 to 15 feet deep along a sharp break or dropoff where the bass have dropped over the edge to avoid the boats. Firetiger-colored crankbaits or a Bagley with an orange belly work well in this situation."

Local fishing clubs and the DNR have cooperated to drop fish structures and Christmas trees into the lake during the winter drawdown. The trees were purposely sunk near docks to provide good bank-fishing opportunities.

Doing a little pre-season scouting for these fish structures when the water is low is the best way to find one of these hidden honeyholes when the water is high. Beginning in October, the Corps of Engineers draws the lake down as far as 20 feet. Water levels are generally back to normal pool by May 1, in time for the spawning bass to nest in the shallows.

Boat access includes the ramp off U.S. Route 36, the Portland Mills Ramp on the northern end of the lake, the Mansfield Ramp on the southwest shoreline and the Walker Dam access on the eastern end.

The lake is located nine miles east of Rockville on Route 36, 50 miles west of Indianapolis and 35 miles north of Terre Haute. Anglers from both Terre Haute and Indianapolis have a good bass fishery right around the corner.

Contact District 5 at (765) 342-5527 or the Raccoon State Recreation Area at (765) 344-1412 for more information.