West Boggs Lake is home to numerous species of fish, including bluegills and bass, but crappies are what draw many anglers to this southern Indiana hotspot. In order to improve the crappie fishery, the Indiana DNR is currently conducting a study to research crappies and is asking for help from anglers.

According to a press release from DNR, more than 550 crappies measuring at least 7 inches have been tagged so far. The ultimate goal is tagging more than 1,000 by early spring. It’s going to take angler participation to collect the data.

There are three main ways for anglers to help complete this study. First, if you catch a crappie at West Boggs, look it over real well for a tag. It looks like a yellow piece of spaghetti located near the dorsal fin. Older tags could be more brown or black, but if something is hanging there, you likely have a tagged fish.

Second, if you do find a tag, remove it and place the tag in a return envelope, which are available at the West Boggs Lake gatehouse. Be sure to fill out the information on the outside of the tag return envelope. If a DNR creel clerk is around you can give it to them, or drop the envelop in a tag return box located near the boat ramp. If you end up with more than one tag, place the tag from each fish into a separate envelope. Tagged fish do not have to be kept or released. Anglers are encouraged to either harvest or release the fish as they normally would.

If you do not have a tag return envelope, please return the tag with the following information to DNR Bloomington Field Office, 5596 East State Road 46, Bloomington, IN 47401: Date of Capture: (month, day, and year of capture); whether you released the fish or brought it home; and your name and address.

Located just north of Loogootee on Highway 231, West Boggs Park offers more than just West Boggs Lake. The 1,500-acre property is home to a campground, boat rental, beach and numerous picnic areas. Whether you’re only interested in fishing or looking for a destination to spend a fun-filled weekend outdoors, West Boggs Park fits the bill.

The lake is 625 acres of prime fishing habitat. With no motor-size restrictions and a liberal 35 mph speed limit on the main body of water, water sports do coincide with fishing, but all of the coves and inlets are idle zones. This means there will always be plenty of room for fishermen, water skiers and pleasure boaters.

There are fees associated with entering the park and launching a boat, so be prepared with a little cash in your pocket.

The campground offers more than 200 campsites, all of which have electricity and water. Many of the campsites are on or very near the water, so you can fish from your campsite or at least enjoy a great view. Pets are welcome but must remain under control at all times.

A lot of West Boggs is fishable from shore. If you don’t have a boat, a canoe, kayak or float tube should be easy to launch and will get you around much of the lake. A boat rental is another option.

West Boggs Lake is a popular destination for families and anglers. It may be difficult to find a campsite on some of the busier weekends of summer, so making reservations is a good idea. Once you discover this little gem of an outdoor destination, I suspect you’ll return for years to come.