Summit Lake fishing report

[National Paylake Directory]

This page was last updated on AUG 28 2011 03:29 P.M.

Summit Lake
For more information about the lake please click on the lake name above.

Description:

Located in Summit Lake State Park, Summit Lake is approximately four miles north of New Castle. Bluegill, perch and largemouth bass provide the best angling opportunities at Summit Lake. Other opportunities also exist for perch, bluegill, crappie, redear and channel catfish.




Fish


Black crappie
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The Black crappie has seven to eight dorsal spines, as well as some random blotches on it's sides.

Bait: small jigs and minnows
Depth: 5-30 feet


Comments about fish:

There have been some good consistent catches of crappie lately even in the hot weather. Most are caught in the evenings and at night.
Bluegill
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The bluegill has five to nine vertical bars on its sides, a black opercle flat (ear) with no margin and a dark spot at the rear of it's dorsal fin.

Bait: maggots, wax worms, redworms or nightcrawlers, 1/64 oz jigs, artificial flies
Depth: 3-20 feet


Comments about fish:

Bluegill have been actively feeding. Some use ice fishing jigs year round tipped with live bait. Crickets are a favorite this time of year.
Channel catfish
Description:
The channel catfish has a smooth scaleless skin and barbels on its face resembling cat whiskers. The barbels help the channel catfish taste and feel objects and enable it to locate food in dark and turbid water. The channel catfish has 24-29 rays in its rounded anal fin. The caudal fin is deeply forked and the fish has dark spots on its sides when young.

Bait: nightcrawlers, liver, soft plastics
Depth: 6-20 feet


Comments about fish:

Channels have become active in the shallows in low light conditions. Along with live bait and stinky bait,they will hit slowly fished lures, especially jigs with curly tails.
Largemouth bass
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. On the largemouth bass, the upper jaw extends beyond back of eye, differentiating the fish from the smallmouth bass. The largemouth bass commonly reached six pounds.

Bait: rattlebaits, spinnerbaits, soft plastics
Depth: 2-20 feet


Comments about fish:

With the very hot temps, fishermen are targeting bass in early morning, late evening and at night.
Redear sunfish
Description:
Sunfishes include some of the best-known fish in Indiana. Bluegill, redear sunfish, black and white crappie, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass are all members of the sunfish family. The redear sunfish has an opercle flap (ear) that is tipped with a red or orange margin.

Bait: maggots, wax worms or worms
Depth: 4-20


Comments about fish:

The population is low.
Walleye
Description:
Indiana anglers have long since sought perch for their tasty flavor. The yellow perch, walleye and sauger are members of this popular family. The walleye has no spots on its dorsal fin and a dusky spot at the rear of its spiny dorsal fin, lower tip of tail and anal fin are white.

Bait: minnows, jigs, rattling crankbaits
Depth: 3-35 feet


Comments about fish:

The ones that have been caught lately are deep.
White bass
Description:
These bass belong to the temperate bass family. Temperate basses include the true fresh water basses, white and yellow bass, and the striped bass, which originally lived in the Atlantic Ocean but can live its entire life in fresh water. Temperate basses often school far from shore and feed on schooling fish. Hybrid striped bass are a cross of white and striped bass. The white bass has a single tooth patch on back of tongue, first stripe below lateral line not complete to tail.

Bait: small jigs, sthingys and in-line spinners in light colors
Depth: 1-10 feet


Comments about fish:

Schools of white bass have been feeding on the surface in the evening. Casting past the school and retrieving back through usually results in a strike.
Yellow perch
Description:
Indiana anglers have long since sought perch for their tasty flavor. The yellow perch, walleye and sauger are members of this popular family. The yellow perch ranges from 6 to 12 inches long and up to one or two pounds.

Bait: small lures and jigs, minnows and other live bait
Depth: 10-35 feet


Comments about fish:

Nothing heard about the perch catch lately. The larger perch will move to deep water when the water warms.

Comments about body of water:


The water is warm so a lot of the larger fish have gone deep during the day. The catch is better in early morning, late evening and at night. Please practice catch and release; remember - you can only eat them once. Rowboats, paddleboats and canoes can be rented at the park office. 2011 entrance and lake permits are on sale at the gatehouse. Remember sunscreen and bug repellant. The campground is open. Camp reservations: 866-622-6746 or www.CAMP.IN.gov. The beach is open sunrise to sunset through Labor Day and the concession stand is open on weekends. There are no lifeguards on duty. The office is open 8-4 every day. Take a kid fishing and make a memory.