The usual choice of lures/baits will work for most anglers -- minnows and jigs. But the water in Cagles Mill can be murky and so many times a little color will get the attention of papermouths. Try a bright, shiny gold or red hook, maybe with a fluorescent bead just above it. If all else fails, try hooking a minnow to a flashy jig and suspending it below a bobber. Anything that adds color is likely to be beneficial.

Of course, during the spawn -- most likely early May in a normal year or late April in an especially warm one -- the fish will follow the water up into the shallows. Usually, isolated big fish can be caught flipping or pitching minnows or small plastics around flooded bushes. Here, too, a little color is a good thing.

Cages Mill is located in Putnam and Owen counties, just off I-70, a short hour west of Indianapolis and a long one east of Terre Haute. There are plenty of ramps located around this lake and a fair number of good shore spots. For current information, call District 5 at (765) 342-5527 or check the Corps Web site at www.lrl.usace.army.mil/cml/

LOON & OTTER PITS
Both of these old strip-mine pits are found within the Blue Grass Fish and Wildlife Area (FWA). Blue Grass FWA is a 2,532-acre reclaimed strip-mining project that has turned into one of the true gems of southwestern Indiana.

“I’d say the best areas in the southwestern part of the state are Loon Pit and Otter Pit,” said Dan Carnahan, a biologist for District 7. “These waters aren’t very big, but the crappie population is good and so is their size . . .”

Loon Pit is the more traditional water. It covers about 200 acres and fishes much like a small lake. This pit is deep, 70 feet in places, and the water level tends to be stable. As a consequence, there’s a fair amount of weed growth throughout its waters to go with the woody debris, laydowns and stumps scattered about.

During most of the year, crappies can be found hiding in the wood or along the outside edges of the weeds. Traditional baits, such as minnows hung below a bobber or small plastics pulled through the water, are effective. If you’re looking for a really big wallhanger, try a small safety-pin-style spinnerbait or a miniature crankbait.

As the spawn approaches in early May, crappies tend to move shallow. Schools of 100 or more fish are common. They’ll bite almost anything when the spawn is on.

Otter Pit is really small at 90 acres and fishes very differently than Loon Pit. Nevertheless, it’s a real honeyhole. “There’s not much in Otter except water. It’s clean as far as cover and structure are concerned. Most of the crappies are caught by guys who drift live bait over open water looking for suspended schools of crappies,” Carnahan said.