A fish survey was conducted at Brush Creek in August of 1999 and it revealed that both black and white crappies are found in this impoundment in good numbers. The survey also showed that white crappies vary in size from 5.1 inches to 14.4 inches. And the survey revealed that black crappies ranged in size from 5 inches all the way up to 13.2 inches. As all crappie fishermen can attest to -- including this writer -- when crappies come in at around 14 inches, they earn the nickname of slabsides.

But there's good and bad news from Brush Creek in terms of its status as a public fishery. Renovations of the dam were taking place as of this writing, which is the good news. However, District 8 fisheries biologist Larry Lehman said, "It's still up in the air," about whether the impoundment will continue to have public access. Lehman said the Department of Homeland Security will be using the impoundment for training, and that public access could be stopped. But he also noted that a shared concept is a possibility whereby training and public access could take place on alternate days.

This reservoir has a maximum depth of 32 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The north branch of the reservoir has contour lines that range in depth from 5 feet nearshore to 25 and 30 feet near the middle of the impoundment. Crappie fishermen should target downed trees, stickups and aquatic vegetation, which afford both black and white crappies cover near the contour lines and break points.

The weather during the tournament was mostly sunny with air temps in the upper 60s during the afternoon. Water temperatures were between 64 and 65 degrees, and the water was stained.

Shore-fishing is not very good at this location, but there is a boat ramp off county Road 500 that provides boaters nice access to the lake. Since public access to this fishery is going to change, please be sure to call the Brush Creek FWA office for details before you plan a trip. For more information, call Brush Creek FWA at (812) 346-5596.

HARDY LAKE RESERVOIR
Hardy Lake Reservoir covers 741 acres in Scott County near Austin. Well known for being one of Indiana's best muskie fisheries, Hardy has come on strong as a crappie producer as well.

A creel and fish survey was conducted here in 2003 from April through October; and for slabside seekers the news is very good.

"Some 12,000 black crappies were caught in the 2003 creel survey, and they were the second most common fish caught right behind bluegills," fisheries biologist Lehman noted. A total of 12,000 crappies is a heck of a lot of fish in anyone's book! "They ranged in size from 6 inches to 14 inches," Lehman said.

Hardly Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet, and an average depth of 16 feet. Hardy is manmade and is very typical of a body of water that is created by a dam. The lake has many fingers, coves and tributaries. Hardy Lake has three very sizable fingers; each of these juts out from the main portion of the lake in an easterly direction. All are good bets for crappies, especially the finger that is located the farthest north. This finger here has a 20-foot contour line and would be a good bet if the crappies were suspended.