Freeman and Shafer

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Originally Posted by foolfishin

I would suggest waiting until after Labor Day due to the pleasure boaters. If you're looking for someone to fish with let me know. These lakes are basiclly in my back yard and I have never fished them due to access, boat traffic, and the banks being lined with cottages and homes. Contact 10 point, he fishes them quite often. These lake are heavily fished and you don't here of them producing much.

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Haha, I haven't really been fishing it because I do better going down to Eagle Creek. I've had a few good days fishing docks at Shafer. As mentioned lots of pleasure boaters and people swimming in the water. It would be interesting to see what kind of fish you all would get out of there.

I think an early May tournament would be good there. I am all for it next year. With over 2000 acres of water to fish and prespawn females, it could be a good tournament!

Why don't a few of ya's just get together and do a fish test on them...go fish them and see if you want to hold a tournament on them? I would think that would answer your questions.

And,,,have been thinking,,,you might want to check with DNR,,,don't know anymore about the permit process for fishing tourneys...I do know Indiana Bass quite a few years ago had to quit fishing these lakes cause they had too many boats (entries) to hold a tournament there on Freeman and it may also been do to complaining of the cottage owners also as well as the problems of launching and parking that many contestants. I don't remember,,and I am sure its all different rules now,,, holding tournaments here and there,,than when I was affiliated with IBF. As your club grows, you may encounter rules as to when, where, and what waters the DNR can allow you to fish. Good luck and enjoy your fishing.

There is some good fishing on Freeman, but it can be hard locating the schools. The DNR does not control the two lakes, NIPSCO does. However they do patrol them heavily. If you are worried about boat traffic, stay off of Shafer as they rent boats and there are morons running them. There is a public access point on Freeman, but it is up in the river section.

wow! it dont look like anyone like morons, water lice & pleasure boaters... lol
Freeman only 190 miles from ohio Shafer 200...sounds like a hoot...

I did a quick scan of the bass tourneys held on these 2 lakes and only saw 4 small club tourneys for the entire fishing season being held. The clubs and IBF used to pound them in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. Don't know why they don't now. See for yourself. I still think your better off to go up,,check out the launches,,and the lakes,,and the fish and see if you want to hold a tourney up on them. Good luck in your endevours.

http://indianabass.com/?s=tournaments&search_404=1

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Originally Posted by cevans

I did a quick scan of the bass tourneys held on these 2 lakes and only saw 4 small club tourneys for the entire fishing season being held. The clubs and IBF used to pound them in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. Don't know why they don't now. See for yourself. I still think your better off to go up,,check out the launches,,and the lakes,,and the fish and see if you want to hold a tourney up on them. Good luck in your endevours.

http://indianabass.com/?s=tournaments&search_404=1

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Seems like there is a tournament out of the Big Monon ramp on Shafer about every weekend. Freeman has a bass tournament every Wednesday night. Twin lakes bait and tackle would be the people to talk to.

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Originally Posted by 10point

Seems like there is a tournament out of the Big Monon ramp on Shafer about every weekend. Freeman has a bass tournament every Wednesday night. Twin lakes bait and tackle would be the people to talk to.

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good to know..I figured there has to be bass clubs hitting these waters as they are too good to miss out on especially Freeman for the smallies. It was always my fav. of the 2 for that reason. And I always like the color of the water too not to mention the lake bottom of sand, rock and other structure to fish.

The actual plan for the Indiana Slab Masters and it is still in the works is to fish Freeman, and the tournament would proabably be held in April due to the boat traffic. I have been working with "A Jewel in the Woods" in Lafayette. They have worked out a deal with Tall Timbers to give our club members a free launch on tournament day. We only have to have permits for state owned and operated lakes. Tall Timbers has boat parking for at least 35 trailers which is a minimum requirement for our club.

I know nothing about the crappie fishing there, but have been told that it is very good. We are always loooking for something to mix up the tournament schedule as we have become kind of redundant with our schedule. We are also looking at Glendale (Dogwood) in southern Indiana and possibly a natural lake such as the Barbi chain or one of the other large natural lakes that have the parking requirements required. If anyone out there knows of a lake that is popular, has a decent population of crappie, and can handle our parking requirements please let us know as we are always interested. Prairie Creek is another lake that is on our radar too. Thanks for the information everyone on this board is sharing! It is very much appreciated!

Good fishing to all of you!