Turtle Creek Reservoir Regulations, Tournament Rules and Registration

***Please check this page prior to any tournament.   I will announce any changes or cancellations on here up until midnight the night before a scheduled tournament.***

Update 3/4/26

Due to lack of participation, we will not be holding this series this year.  While we get several one-off boats, it has been a struggle to consistently get many boats to all 5 tournaments.  If you think you'd be interested in fishing all 5 tournaments in 2027, please let me know so I can keep a tally.  With enough interest, we may reopen this Division again next year.   

Turtle Creek Reservoir - Merom Indiana

Hello all, 

USA Bassin Turtle Creek will start on April 12th, weather permitting.  Remember the Turtle Creek Lake Fee has gone up to $5.00 per person and must be paid by credit card or debit card only.  You must check in and pay at the gate house in order to be eligible to fish.  Do not arrive at the gate prior to 6:00 a.m.

Please read following information below.​​

NEW FORMAT: We will be doing the new tourney format again this year, weighing fish on the water with USA Bassin supplied scales. 

• Boats will weigh their best 5 fish, no minimum length limit. 
• Each boat will draw for a USA Bassin provided scale at the registration/check-in.
• Each fish must have a short video taken using your cell phone, showing the scale at 0, the fish hanging unobstructed from the scale, the weight, the scales unique ID#, and a brief peak into the open mouth of the fish.  The video must also show the fish being released on the water.  Failure to log any one of these aspects for any fish will result in that fish not counting.
  • Turtle Creek has poor cell service.  This causes phones to naturally run lower on battery while they search for signal.  I highly encourage those who plan to fish this series to have a means to charge their phone on board the boat, whether you bring a power pack or use your boats battery.  Failure to have a video for any fish caught will result in that fish not counting toward your teams total weight or Big Bass.  
• At the end of the tournament, all fisherman will report back to the main gate house conference room, where we will total the weights, review footage, and award the winners.  Normal USA Bassin payback applies. 
• Entry fee is $65 including Big Bass.  $5 of this will go toward the purchase and maintaining of scales.  The rest of the payout will follow normal USA Bassin payout.
• Tournaments are limited to 10 boats, and pre-registration is encourgaged. Please send pre-registration checks to the address below, and state what team you will be fishing under (reference USA Bassin card / team#).  
  • If you are not a USA Bassin member, please complete a New Member form and mail it along with your entry fee.  
  • Please give me your cell phone number as well in case I need to contact you.
  • I can also accept Venmo.  Please call or text me for more info on this. 
• I will keep track of the entries and up date them on this site.  Once 10 entries are received, I will keep all other entries in case of cancellation.  All entry checks that are unused will be destroyed.
  • CANCELLATIONS must be received by the Monday before on tournament week. Refunds after this cannot be guarenteed.
  • You are welcome to show up tournament morning for entry, but if the field is full, you won be able to fish the tournament.
  • Per USA Bassin rules, you must be at the ramp 30 min prior to launch.  If you are running late, please call me.  Otherwise another boat will be allowed to join in your place.  
  • If you preregister, still please come check in with me at the registration table immediately upon arrival.
  • IMPORTANT - Please check in with the guard house first thing, and also check OUT with the guard house upon leaving after the tournament.
• A pre-tournament meeting will be held up by the gate house 30 minutes before tournament start.  This will be especially important for these new formats to go over all questions.  If necessary, we will start the tournament later than the stated time to ensure everyone is on the same page and knows how to use the scales. 

Inclement Weather: Turtle Creek is a large lake, and even moderate breezes can cause decent sized waves. The reservoir has a warning system that can be heard anywhere on the lake should conditions be unsafe. In the event this happens, you are to get to shore as quickly as possible...do not try to get to the boat ramp if conditions are unsafe to do so, however, this is your judgement. This is the only time where motors bigger than a 9.9 can be used at higher than idle speeds to get to shore/boat ramp.  It is possible for a tournament to be cancelled prior to start.  The lake is shut down for any 2 minute average of 20mph winds or more.  If the lake is shut down mid tournament, we will convene at the ramp (as soon as safe if you can get there), and make a decision from there.  Tournaments are final after 4 hrs of fishing.  

Boats:  Boats must be 14 or greater in length due to lake rules.  No kayaks or canoes allowed. 

Motors: In good weather conditions, motors bigger than a 9.9 hp can be used, but only at idle speeds.  Please strickly adhere to this idle policy.  It is a privelage to use this lake for our tournaments and our ability to do so could be taken away quickly should our members not follow this policy. 

Gate at Day of Tournament: Please do not arrive to the reservoir prior to 45 minutes before the tournament starts. The gates will not be open until 5:45-6:00 a.m., and truck/trailers should not be lined up on the road outside of the gate...this poses a safety hazard.  The reservoir opens later than it used to, so if we have to, we may end up starting 6:30 start time tournaments at 7:00.

If you have any questions please feel free to give me a call.

Tommy Harrison   812-554-0578

1638 E. Co. Rd. 90 N.

Sullivan, IN  47882

4/12/25 Entries Received:

Boat/Member

1.  Tommy Harrison / David Sacksteder 0663025

2.  Brian Troyer / Brock Sage 0040225

3.  Mike Stoute / Jamie Stoute

4. Cody Drake / Mike Drake  

5.  Matt Deal / Dave Watson

6.  John Bucher / NA

7.  John Logue / Marc Dewlen  0041525

8.  Jack Carmichael / Jesse Cullison  0210025

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5/17/25 Entries Received:

1. Tommy Harrison / David Sacksteder

2.  Jack Carmichael / Jesse Cullison  0210025

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6/7/25 Entries Received:

1. Tommy Harrison / David Sacksteder

2. Mike Stoute / Jamie Stoute

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7/12/25 Entries Received:

1. Tommy Harrison / David Sacksteder

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8/2/25 Entries Received:

1. Tommy Harrison / David Sacksteder

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