For starters, I would check the regulations.... Through a Striper message board based in East Tennessee, there was quite a bit of discussion on Indiana's "No Shad" law/regs... I know that some members of that forum got the IN DNR to review those regulations, but I am unsure of their current status... Basically you couldn't possess live Shad unless you were on a select few bodies of water, and Raccoon wasn't one... Kinda puts a kink into Striper fishing...

As far as the dynamics of the lake itself, it seems to fish just like any of the major Southern Resiviors... I'm sure that in summer, you're looking for the coolest, most oxygenated water that you can find... Spring/Fall, I'm sure the fish will chase shad back into coves and creeks, with most feeding happening under low light... I don't believe that there is much of a tailrace fishery there, but wouldn't be shocked if juvenile fish found their way through the dam...

Sorry I don't have a bunch more to offer, but I too am curious about this lake... With no stocking of pure Stripers happening on the IL Cooling Lakes, I would like to find a place to tie into them again... I miss living in East Tennessee :evil:

 

For starters, I would check the regulations.... Through a Striper message board based in East Tennessee, there was quite a bit of discussion on Indiana's "No Shad" law/regs... I know that some members of that forum got the IN DNR to review those regulations, but I am unsure of their current status... Basically you couldn't possess live Shad unless you were on a select few bodies of water, and Raccoon wasn't one... Kinda puts a kink into Striper fishing...
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The Proceeding quote is from the In.gov/dnr regulations :
Use wild fish as live bait as long as the fish was caught legally and meets any size, catch or possession limits for that species. Goldfish also can be used as live bait; carp and gizzard shad may not be used, except at Brookville Lake, where live shad may be used.

Thanx Great one for the heads up as i was considering fishing live shad as well.

 

[quote="The Great One":7xxg85sv]For starters, I would check the regulations.... Through a Striper message board based in East Tennessee, there was quite a bit of discussion on Indiana's "No Shad" law/regs... I know that some members of that forum got the IN DNR to review those regulations, but I am unsure of their current status... Basically you couldn't possess live Shad unless you were on a select few bodies of water, and Raccoon wasn't one... Kinda puts a kink into Striper fishing...
:

The Proceeding quote is from the In.gov/dnr regulations :
Use wild fish as live bait as long as the fish was caught legally and meets any size, catch or possession limits for that species. Goldfish also can be used as live bait; carp and gizzard shad may not be used, except at Brookville Lake, where live shad may be used.

Thanx Great one for the heads up as i was considering fishing live shad as well.[/quote:7xxg85sv]

Cool that we have clarification now 8

I wouldn't use this as reason to totally shut down on the lake, it just restricts your options... In Tennessee I have seen people have success by using Perch, Redhorse/Suckers, and Bluegill/Sunfish among the usual Skipjack and Shad... I'm sure that you could probably tie on some larger Creek Chubs and do well also... As long as it swims behind a planer board, I think a Striper will hit it...

 

Cool that we have clarification now
I wouldn't use this as reason to totally shut down on the lake, it just restricts your options... In Tennessee I have seen people have success by using Perch, Redhorse/Suckers, and Bluegill/Sunfish among the usual Skipjack and Shad... I'm sure that you could probably tie on some larger Creek Chubs and do well also... As long as it swims behind a planer board, I think a Striper will hit it...

I'm not going to shut down on this lake I plan on fishing it more often and possible quit going 10 hours south.
Normally I troll or cast cranks late winter/ early spring. I may try free swimming or drifting gills instead of shad.