One of the more popular spots on the Kankakee is at LaSalle FWA near the Schneider and Sumava resorts. Numerous small bayous and out-of-the-way backwaters that are filled with waterlogged timber and submerged tree branches, characterize the LaSalle area.

Past creel surveys showed good catches of black crappies here (up to 13 inches), but chunky bluegills are often the main target of fishermen during first-ice. Large numbers of bluegills can be iced in a short amount of time when they go on a feeding binge just before dark, so be ready for action. Some of the bluegills can top the 9-inch mark, and big crappies are often mixed in with these bluegills, too.

Since the water is typically very shallow in these backwater sloughs, it pays to be quiet to avoid spooking the fish. Many anglers will drill several holes in different locations before they even start fishing, so that later they can quietly walk from one spot to another without making any noise or drilling more holes.

A note of caution: When ice-fishing in any area with moving water, it is important to be very careful. Avoid areas with any appreciable current flow. Those spots can be extremely dangerous, since the moving water can melt away the ice from underneath, making it thin and unstable without any visible signs. Never fish alone, and make sure your fishing partners remain vigilant for thin ice, too. It's also a good idea to carry a walking stick and a coiled length of rope, just in case you or someone else falls through the ice.

WESTWOOD RUN LAKE
Westwood Run Lake, also called Westwood Lake, is located in Henry County's Westwood Park about four miles from New Castle. This impoundment covers 173 surface acres, and reaches depths of more than 40 feet at the south end near the dam. Most Hoosier winters are cold enough to provide safe ice at this popular lake, and once the ice has thickened, enthusiastic anglers arrive in good numbers.

Jan Crider is the property manager at Westwood Park. He said that the lake is an excellent destination for panfish anglers. "The bluegill fishing has been excellent lately," he said. "I would say the average size bluegill ranges from 7 to 10 inches. There are some really big bluegills here!"

Rhett Wisener, a District 5 fisheries biologist, also points to Westwood Lake as a good choice for hardwater anglers this year. "From recent surveys, I know that there are bluegills over 8 inches and redear sunfish over 9 inches at Westwood. Bluegills are the most prevalent species, also."

The survey shows that a very large percentage of redears caught from this lake measure between 7 and 9 inches long.