Indian Lake Ohio Kayak Bass Fishing Tournament & Camping Weekend - Life on the Tournament Trail

This weekend I headed to Indian Lake for the Buckeye Kayak Fishing Trail tournament, camping at Indian Lake State Park Campground with the BKFT camping crew. It was going to be the first warm weekend of my year, and I was excited to have another shot at Indian Lake and all the grass and lily pads it has to offer since I have been working on my grass fishing techniques. The only pattern I managed get on all day was flipping weightless Senkos to the front of the lily pads which got me 3 fish towards my 5-fish limit but I couldn’t close it out. The top finishers all went to the other end of the lake than I did which made me question my ramp choice, but I really feel like there should be enough fish all over that lake so that decision shouldn’t have doomed my tournament, I just didn’t catch them! Ramp choice is one of those things that is easier with experience… experience I am way behind on since I didn’t grow up fishing. But every time out I learn more and I’ll figure this out eventually!
When I started tournament fishing a handful of years ago, I had no plan other than get out there and learn and get more comfortable because I really didn’t even know how to fish! It was a great couple of years where everything was improvement and progress and I didn’t worry at all about results. But then this year I decided I needed to raise the bar and start pushing myself to catch a limit and get AOY points which is teaching me about the unexpected emotional and mental side of tournament fishing. When I aim high and fail it is hard to deal with when I have put everything into the tournament day and not succeeded. But I only see two choices, either push myself and learn to manage the emotions or back off and be satisfied with mediocracy, and I really don’t know how to back off when I want something!
I wouldn’t be this into tournament fishing if I hadn’t gotten my amazing Hobie Lynx from Strictly Sail & Kayak! My first year I paddled a sit-in kayak in tournaments and it was great for learning and I was so grateful to have the ability to get out on the water, but the Lynx has made me much more confident and competitive! So, thank you for the Lynx and for being such great supporters of the kayaking, angling, and sailing communities!
Next up is Cowan Lake with Cincinnati Kayak Fishing this weekend, then back up to Lake Erie East/West Harbors for my first tournament with the Kayak Anglers of Northeast Ohio.

[@chadshuster6582]

Great video! I love that you include photos of your lures.

[@MrFishingOhio]

I know that can be a tough place, glad you found some fish!

[@GirlGoneFishing]

I can't wait to explore more of the lake, the little bit I've seen has been so cool!

[@blazebasstv1347]

Yes the cotton wood is a pain so it’s less likely to be pressured by fisherman for that few weeks that it is like than and therefore is more likely to hold fish

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Smart thinking!

[@MrSteve280]

Thousands of videos out there of people catching fish. It's the little things that make you videos more enjoyable than most.

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Aw thank you! Hopefully someday they will be both enjoyable AND have fish! 🤣🎣

[@toddmiller2239]

What horizontal rod holders do you use?

[@GirlGoneFishing]

I have tried a few different ones, and these are the best for what I need: strictlysailinc.com/products/hobie-h-rail-rod-rack-horizontal-rod-storage?_pos=1&_sid=c83e07a3b&_ss=r

[@P--O]

Great and truly inspirational video! Kayak fishing seems awesome! Greetings from a new subscriber in Sweden

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Hello from Ohio! :)

[@fsupoutdoors]

New sub from Ohio 😀. You were on a roll before the bite decided to shut down! Great vid and I look forward to your future adventures 👍

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Thanks! :)

[@benwilkey2060]

Hope you have fun when you make it back to the Harbors with KANEO!

[@GirlGoneFishing]

That is my biggest goal... stop being so frustrated and get my mindset right! East Harbor is a great place to try and embrace that new attitude!

[@MakeItTakeItOutdoors]

Tight lines! I'm still trying to figure out lakes in my kayak. Been a river wader for 45+ years and the openness just confounds me!

[@GirlGoneFishing]

I got some good advice once to break it down in your mind as multiple tiny areas, then just fish each tiny area focusing only on that part. I haven't figured it out yet, but it sounds like solid advice!

[@luckyandblessedfishing]

Great video and tough bite! Sorry about your GoPros... come on update!

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Thanks! That was the third tournament in a row with the GoPro issues, so I am considering packing my Hero9 for this weekend but it wants to update first and I'm afraid that will make it buggy too! I might have to just use my MAX even though it means double the editing time as I have to convert the 360 footage first.

[@donduck6195]

I love your videos. Im in springboro and you seem to fish all the places i fish, you just do it MUCH better. Im always going to cowan and ceasars creek but i recently saw a birdseye view of indian lake and the northern part looks really cool with the little canals. Do you also fidh the great miami? I could have sworn that i saw you and a couple others fishing in the moraine area. I can't catch ANYTHING there. Thanks for another great video!

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Hi and thank you! I have fished the GMR a bit and for safety I usually pick very public ramps, so you probably did see me with a crowd of people. Indian Lake has some good bass fishing but you have to be able to deal with the grass...so much grass! I spend a lot of days out on the water not catching anything, and I am often so embarrassed to put out these videos with very few to no fish, but I figure that is real life fishing and I don't have much to offer in these videos that is unique other than just showing my struggles to learn to be a better angler! Good luck in your fishing!

[@donduck6195]

@@GirlGoneFishing I enjoy the commentary when there's nothing being caught. I feel like I learn quite a bit from your struggles. I have seen SO many sketchy things / people on the river while bank fishing in Middletown/Hamilton/Franklin. Lots of druggies and weirdos. There have been MANY (probably 4-5 times) that I have been approached by homosexuals at Caesars Creek and the great miami river. I had to learn the hard way that these public parks/parking lots were hotbeds for random hook-ups for grown men. LoL. I guess I look like one when I'm sitting in my vehicle by myself at a park. I've learned that if you're at the lake/river by yourself and there's not a fishing pole in your hand, you might be a weirdo looking for trouble. Anyways, thanks for the videos. It really helps us local guys out. Good weather for the next few days!!!!!

[@everettsheets1037]

Love me some spike it! I got stains all over my gear from spilling it, too lol

[@GirlGoneFishing]

TW has them on closeout, I hope that doesn’t mean they will be harder for me to find!

[@jacobhenderson1763]

I’m still picking all that fluff out of my reels

[@GirlGoneFishing]

I just noticed that it had cemented around the barbs of the hooks on my frog, I never got a frog bite but apparently I would have lost it even if I did!

[@pendragofan]

hey first time here what brand is that paddle holder? it looks as though it locks onto your track am i correct?

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Hi! I use the Hobie Rod Racks horizontal rod holders to hold my paddle and stage rods for quick use.

[@GirlGoneFishing]

strictlysailinc.com/products/hobie-h-rail-rod-rack-horizontal-rod-storage

[@Alohasheree]

I think I’m in the same situation as you. Just pick the wrong place.

[@GirlGoneFishing]

It is such a crucial part of kayak fishing and I am not good at it yet! Do you use Google Earth for lake study? That is what I’m starting to rely on, in the free Pro version you can look back at previous years to see the water in changing conditions, maybe catch it at low water and find hidden features.

[@Alohasheree]

@@GirlGoneFishing i do use Google Earth and recently started using one of the fishing apps. That i actually paid for Most of the anglers here have motors on their yaks, so if they’re not in the right place they can zip over to another place. I think i have good intel, make a plan then…. I’m off base. I want to beat those boys so badly!!!

[@TheRoamingRosses]

Hey Melissa! This is Chris and Grace from Jungle Jim’s! Your videos are amazing. Just wanted to let you know we uploaded a few first vlogs. Trying to keep everyone updated!

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Hi! Oh wow your trip looks even more amazing than I imagined! Thanks for letting me know and please keep bringing us along on your magical journey!

[@davidwhelpley9839]

I LOOOOOVE your vids!!

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Thank you so much! :)

[@OutdoorQuests]

Great job, 3 keepers isn't anything to shake a stick at. :) Days on the water that are hard turns into future wisdom. Good call on taking the backwater back instead of battling the main lake wind. It was good to see you trying the topwater frog throughout, even when the morning bite didn't produce. Topwater can be in play all day depending on how the bass are setup and the conditions. Thanks for sharing Melissa.

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Thanks! It was an interesting learning day... I think I should have stayed with the pattern of bass just in front of the lily pads until the sun was up, then they probably pulled back into the pads where a frog would be better.

[@abidefishing]

That entire lake looks SOOOO fishy. Very cool spot. Thanks for taking us along.

[@GirlGoneFishing]

The recreational boaters are freaking out about the grass but it really helps the fishing!

[@martinreilly4845]

Great job as always Melissa. I've found out that when the bite dries up I downsize my baits. Best of luck on your next tournament and my granddaughter and we'll will be watching...

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Thanks and hi to your granddaughter! :) I agree that as the bite gets harder go more subtle, but I got thrown off because I started with a weightless Senko, so where do I go from there since that is already about my ultra-finesse technique? I guess a smaller Senko, and I did try a Big TRD but it wouldn't sink weightless. It is much easier when I start with a crankbait and can then go to finesse!

[@RobertWhitaker-pd9pk]

Really enjoy your videos! Thanks for including the baits you’re using. 😊

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Thank you! Is it so you know what lures not to try? 🤣

[@goatsfirewoodandfarms1918]

I have noticed when they aren’t biting the Texas rig they still bite the wacky rig and it’s a quick switch just use the same setup and put your senko on soideways. That was a great video and you did a great job. Thanks for sharing

[@GirlGoneFishing]

Thank you! I used to use the wacky rig a lot when I fished in California, but I don't use it much in Ohio because it always gets snarled in the grass. I need to figure out how to use it around here because you are right, it definitely works!

[@goatsfirewoodandfarms1918]

@@GirlGoneFishing I bite about 3/8 inch of the tail on my senko and put it over the end of the hook. It’s not completely seedless but it’s much better. Great videos thanks for sharing

[@SonjasSEAcrets]

Another inspirational tourney video to learn from! I need more gear, but almost there.

[@GirlGoneFishing]

I wish I hadn’t spent years refusing to use a weightless fluke.. it is so useful!