Thread: Kids and Bluegill - Where would you go????

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

As a long time bluegill/redear angler in Southern In., Glendale used to be the best for catching big redear and gills. Indian was special too, I've got a buddy who caught a 3.1lb crappie out of Indian twelve tears ago. Rumors of two plus pound redear being caught at Celina have circulated for years too.

The very best chance of catching trophy bluegill and redear are at LBL though, hands down trophy shellcrackers that will blow you away. We went down there for the first time last spring and we're now buying a fishing camp, it's world class fishing for crappie, redear, bass and BIG cats too.

Couldn't agree more REH. I will be there mid May chasing those huge redears.
Was there last May and the water was real high. We ended up catching a bunch of gills and redears in a gravel parking lot the was flooded.
On the National Forest lakes do you think a limit on the gills and a smaller limit on redears would benefit the lakes? They are a great resource that is being abused.

They need to do something about the Forestry Lakes no doubt about that. I emailed the biologist down there and a lady responded that they don't do creel surveys anymore because it's Federal instead of State owned. I guess 20 years ago it was a state owned and managed deal?? Since it turned over, I guess the creel surveys stopped and that's a big mistake IMO because now we don't have a clue about the health of the lake.

I did talk to a fireman buddy of mine today about Celina and Indian and he said those lakes run in cycles. They're not managed good enough but then again, Indiana is lacking in this area. If you compare our management practices to states like Ky, Tn, Mo, and other states that produce trophy fisheries, we're in the stone ages.

My advice for kids and bluegill fishing is to stay close to your local fishing hole. If it's memories your looking to make with em, you can't beat the pond/lake they grew up by and frequented for a sentimental place in there hearts. Other than that, if they are little kids, like under 10, bring a bucket and let em watch the fish swim around in the bucket for a bit, most kids love that. Remember to take some pics, and let the kids take pics too. Hope this helps; have fun!

good advice...BTW, when I take my grandkids fishing, I pack a "kid friendly" lunch/snack/fruit drinks...if at all possible, I don't attempt to teach them too much at one time and if you have a local pond with a playground nearby, better yet...if they don't take to fishing (which some kids don't) you can salvage the day by playing with them in other ways.

Looking for a farm pond here in southern indiana to take the kiddos, if anyone has one be much abliged! PM me wouldnt mind doing some bush hogging for permission to fish work something out

redearhoosier if you are referring to state forest lakes like Ferdinand State Forest you got some bad info. If you were referring to Indian, Celina, and Saddle lakes they are Federal have always been they are in the are tucked into the Hoosier National Forest which is Fed but Ferdinand State Forest and Lincoln State Forest are state. It is a bit confusing when you go a bit farther Ferdinand State forest has land holdings in Dubois, Perry, and Crawford counties some of which are in the area called Hoosier National Forest and there are also a lot of private holdings and other state holdings in Hoosier National Forest.

Oh one other thing it could be that at one time the state managed those lakes even though they were Federally owned.

I read an article about Redear fishing written by Don Jordan and he mentioned that Indian had changed hands in the article. This article is still on the internet if you google his name/redear fishing. I remember going there as a kid and it's always been the Hoosier National Forest.