The redear population is doing well, also. "We found redears up over 9 inches long," Wisener reported. "It is certainly feasible to believe that there are bigger redears out there. Just like with bluegills, we are not always going to see the biggest fish in the lake. Most of the redears that we found there were 7 to 9 inches long, so Whitewater is definitely the place to go for quality fish."

Besides the sunfish, there are a lot of largemouth bass in the lake now, too. This should be the year that anglers see a large percentage of bass hit the 14-inch size. "It looks like last year there was a big group of fish just under 10 inches," Wisener said. "They may have been pushing 12 inches by the end of 2004, and it would not surprise me if some of those fish would be at or near the 14-inch size limit by the end of this year."

Before the lake renovation, the water clarity was very poor because of the overpopulations of carp and shad. As a result, aquatic vegetation had become almost nonexistent. Since the renovation, the water clarity has improved dramatically and submerged weedbeds have become very abundant. This should increase the amount of productive habitat for panfish and bass, and benefit the fishery in general.

FERDINAND STATE FOREST LAKE
Ferdinand State Forest (SF) Lake in southern Indiana's Dubois County can be hit or miss when it comes to safe ice for winter fishermen, but when the deep freeze gets into high gear, it can be a great place to go. Since the lake is only 42 acres, it tends to freeze quicker and keep its ice a little longer than some of the other larger lakes in the area, too. Just keep an eye on the weather.

This small lake is located in Ferdinand SF, which is about seven miles east of Ferdinand. Historically, the lake has always possessed a very good bluegill fishery, and a recent survey earlier this year confirmed that fact. According to fisheries biologist Dan Carnahan from District 7, "We saw tons of big bluegills there during our bass sampling this spring.

"The lake has very good populations of bluegills, redears and black crappies. We saw bluegills up to 8.6 inches long, redears up to 10.1 inches, and crappies up to 12 inches. There was a good abundance of 7- to 8.5-inch bluegills, too," Carnahan said.

Channel catfish are stocked here every two years, so there is always a chance for a bonus catfish.

Bass fishermen should be aware of the bass management plans that were implemented here in 2002. A 12- to 15-inch bass slot limit went into effect (bass less than 12 inches and larger than 15 inches can be harvested), which resulted in improved bass fishing. The DNR survey completed on the lake in 2003 showed bass between 12 and 15 inches had become more abundant than at any time since the lake was renovated in 1981.

As far as where to fish, Carnahan suggests trying along the south end of the lake for winter bluegills and redears. "Try the south shoreline near the dam," he said. "There are some fallen trees in deep water there."

The timber will attract fish, but just be aware of how thick the ice is at all times. You don't want to find a thin spot and fall through!

As you prepare your ice-fishing gear for this season, keep some of the lakes above in mind. They can provide first-rate hardwater action for a variety of species. Chances are good that at least one of them is located close to you. If not, pack up the car and make a wintry road trip!