ASHVILLE INDIANA, ANYONE KNOW IT???

[RBManufacturing]

I RECENTLY DROVE TO LOUISVILLE KY., AND ON INTERSTATE
64 NEAR ASHVILLE INDIANA, THERE ARE ALLOT OF LITTLE
COVES FROM WHAT APPEARS TO BE A LAKE, NEAR THE
HIGHWAY. IS THIS TRULY A LAKE, OR JUST ALLOT OF LITTLE
PONDS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY??? I'M A BASS
FISHERMAN FROM WAY BACK, AND THOSE LITTLE WATER
HOLES SURE LOOKED BASSY. ANYONE KNOW WHERE I'M
TALKING ABOUT??? IS IT A LAKE? IS IT OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC, OR PRIVATE???. ANY INFO. WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
THANKS IN ADVANCE. RICK

 

[Mosey]

I don't know where Ashville IN is, I couldn't find it on any IN map so are you sure you got the name right?

Anyway, those ponds are very frequent along the sides of the interstates in IN. From what I gather, when the interstates were put in, they needed fill dirt for the overpasses, so they dug out the ponds to get the fill dirt. The property owners got free ponds out of the deal.

 

[RBManufacturing]

Hi Danny,
I could be wrong about the town name. I do know there was
a town nearby called Santa Claus. I do not think it was a
highway dept. pond. They lay between hills like a cove has
backed up water into them. Steep sides and appear deep.
I think it was pretty close to Ky. In. state line. Sure would
appreciate anything about them. I have been known to
call in sick (I own the company - so not hard to do.) and go
bass fishing. I fished a tournament a few years back, and
caught 1 keeper bass. 6lbs. When I went to check in,
everyone had 2 or more bass, so I threw him back and went
to watch check in. I did not have total weight, but I did have
biggest single bass. I threw a $800.00 bass back
without checking him in. Next biggest was 4 lbs. My wife was
my partner that day. I still haven't heard the end of it.
A week later at another tournament, during practice the day
before, I caught 9 keepers in 4 hours. Biggest was 7 lbs.
On tournament day, I did not catch one single bass.
(never bet money based on the day before.) I lost $100.00
to a friend on a bet. Expensive habit, this bass fishing.
Rick

 

[MossRoad]

There's a US 64 and a State Road 64 that run parallel to each other. The only large body of water down there that I know of is Potaka lake, a large reservoir on the north side of SR64, about 25 miles north east of Santa Claus, IN.

 

[RBManufacturing]

MossRoad,
Sounds like it might be the place.
Thanks guy!!! If I ever get that way again, I'm going to
find out more. I plan on going back to Louisville next Feb.
for the Farm Equipment show. Rick

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Rick, There are a lot of Interstate Ponds down there that were dug for the dirt for the construction of bridges and also a lot of abanded mines and quarries. If you get on a web page for bass fishers in Indiana I am sure you could get the low down from some locals. Patoka Lake is also a pretty good fishing lake.. Several of my friends go down there. Tom

 

[RBManufacturing]

Hoosier Daddy,
Hey, Thanks guy!!!
I'll do just that. If I get time, I'm going to start doing more fishing.
That sure looks like a great area to try. Rick

 

[wasabi]

Rick,

Although I can't attest to the exact nature of the ponds in question along the freeway, I can affirm that quarries and ponds in Indiana hold big bass...I spent fourteen years in Bloomington, and fished east, west and south....and, although I am basically biased towards (dry) fly fishng for trout, I still occasionally wield a bass rod...and know from personal experience that there are some great bass waters in southern Indiana, mostly man-made!

One night on apond in Brown County near Nashville, the bass were hitting so well that I fished well beyond dusk. I'll never forget the experience nor the (unique to that point to me) feeling!. I would make a cast, get a hit, and either haul in a lunker or break the line. Well, as dark turned to black, I cast just "one more time". only to feel a GIANT tug on the line.....whatever hit the deep running plug immediately broke the line, so I quickly reeled in, figuring I'd have time for one more cast before it got too dark....carefully tied the knot entirely by feel (already too dark to see), clipped the end with my swiss army knife, and VERY CAREFULLY set my treasured red pocket knife down into the water along side the canoe.......

 

[RBManufacturing]

wasabi,
I know the feeling! I have a ton of stories to tell. There is a
farm pond near here, and the owner NEVER let anyone fish
there, but I gave him a ride home one night when his truck
broke down. When he directed me to his house, I said " hey
do you own that pond out back"??? He did. Let me fish
there after that. I was working allot of overtime, so had to
fish after dark sometimes. If you paddle 12 ft. flatbottom boat
to center of pond, drop anchor, and cast as hard as you can
in any direction, and slowly work a top water plug, you're in
for a real treat. First, you hear the explosion of water, and
immediately feel a real slam on the rod. I caught some
HUGE bass that way. The really big ones come out after
dark. Rick

 

[IndianaPaul]

Rick:

If you were near Santa Claus Indiana, then you were probably near the Linville Exit. If you were on the Interstate, the majority of the lakes you saw from Illinois to Santa Claus were strip pits, though others have also pointed out that virtually every bridge built in Indiana has a pond near it as well due to need for raising the overpass. Patoka Res. would have been about 15 miles north of Interstate or highway you travelled on.

Southwest/South Central Indiana has been heavily mined )surface mining since late 1800s. As example, my county has more 3,000 strip pits. Majority good for fishing, but only from bank, canoe or small jonboat. Trick is getting to some of the lakes.

If you're ever interested in fishing this area, drop me a line & I'll send a couple maps which show most of the lakes/roads in county! Bass fishing is wonderful here if you find/know which pit to hit!

Paul