LAKEVIEW, Ohio — The Buckeye Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine will return to Indian Lake for the first time in two years on August 1. A “fish factory” according to local Michael Nesbitt, the lake should yield lots of limits. But finding big bites will be vital to separate from the pack, and anglers will have to navigate a few variables in order to do so.
What to expect
Nesbitt has won twice before on Indian Lake, including the last time the fishery hosted a BFL, in September 2024. However, he called that event “predictable” and thinks this one will be anything but. The main reason: Authorities have been spraying and mowing the aquatic vegetation in the lake, which is usually the most dependable habitat for producing bigger bites.
“They sprayed a few weeks ago, a whole bunch of areas, and then there’s two weed cutters out there cutting weeds daily,” Nesbitt said. “So, it’s changing daily right now.”
Nesbitt still thinks there’s a good chance this event will be won out of grass. But finding healthy, lush vegetation isn’t easy, and anglers will have to worry about not only their fellow competitors finding the same spot but the fishery managers.
“The big key is finding the green grass that’s not dead,” Nesbitt said. “They didn’t kill it all. There’s still patches, and that’s going to be the key is to find that green grass – the patches that are still left that the state missed. Now, you might find them today, and the state might find them tomorrow, and they’re gone. That’s the problem. Every time I find a good patch, they come through and mow it.”
Even with the lack of grass, Nesbitt still thinks this event is going to be won shallow. He noted that there aren’t a lot of deep options on Indian Lake. But he thinks main-lake boat docks could also be a winning pattern.
In addition to finding the right habitat, Nesbitt’s other key to victory is taking advantage of the morning bite. Indian Lake’s bass, and especially the big ones, are notorious for disappearing once the sun gets high.
“The early-morning bite up there has been key to get the big ones – that first hour,” he explained. “The big fish have really been coming first thing in the morning. You get some cloud cover and everything, and it’ll extend your bite window on those big ones a little bit. Where your first spot, it may tank that day, and your second spot, you might have enough time left that you can still get a big one.
“Once the sun comes up, you’ve got to slow down and dig deep for the big ones.”
Baits to bring
Nesbitt thinks topwater presentations will give anglers their best shot at catching a kicker early, especially frogs.
“You never go to Indian Lake without a frog,” he said.
Reaction baits like spinnerbaits and bladed jigs should play, too, especially in low-light conditions. Once the sun gets up, it’s probably best to slow down with a soft-plastic bait that can be punched through grass or pitched around shady cover.
What will it take?
Nesbitt said Indian Lake is “absolutely full” of 1 1/2-pound bass. So, catching limits shouldn’t be too tough. He expects boaters to be tightly bunched around the check line, with about 8 pounds being enough to get in the money. To win, though, he thinks it’ll take two or three big bites that push an angler into the 13- to 15-pound range.