Patoka water levels

[doc201pro]

I haven't had the chance to get to Patoka this year but from watching the COE site it seems they have kept the water levels roughly 5' high all spring? I would think this has to help the spawn success rates, particularly if the weeds grow up. Is this beginning to happen? I'm really anxious to see the bass fishing in this lake get back to where it used to be.....

[skeeterator]

What weeds?

[GM4IU]

No vegetation whatsoever

[ss]

No bass whatsoever. Lots of yellow bass and wipers though.

[skeeterator]

I saw plenty of bass down there Fri and Sat and I literally mean I saw them. Had em swimming around the boat in 2 feet of water, my co angler couldn't believe it. We threw everything in the boat at em and they wouldn't eat. No they weren't late bedding fish, not chasing gills on beds either, I have no clue what they were doing but they were plentiful and in the 2-4 lb range.

[ss]

I saw plenty of bass down there Fri and Sat and I literally mean I saw them. Had em swimming around the boat in 2 feet of water, my co angler couldn't believe it. We threw everything in the boat at em and they wouldn't eat. No they weren't late bedding fish, not chasing gills on beds either, I have no clue what they were doing but they were plentiful and in the 2-4 lb range.

Probably like that a lot, but with the water so clear, now you can actually see the fish that are not biting. If I could have seen 20 feet under the surface on the main lake Saturday it probably would have made me sick how many fish I was putting baits in front of.

[doc201pro]

Hmmm. No weeds, even around the islands or up the river? With nowhere for any bait/fry to hide and clear water it sounds like easy pickings for the hybrids and wipers. From the other post it sounds like some LM are schooled and in the shallows looking for food (but apparently not fooled by baits in the clear water). I've heard that the DNR was going to do some LM stocking next year or maybe 2020, but that sounds like a short-term bandaid at best. There must be more going on here....

[M4A1]

I saw plenty of bass down there Fri and Sat and I literally mean I saw them. Had em swimming around the boat in 2 feet of water, my co angler couldn't believe it. We threw everything in the boat at em and they wouldn't eat. No they weren't late bedding fish, not chasing gills on beds either, I have no clue what they were doing but they were plentiful and in the 2-4 lb range.

Care to share any specifics on where you were? I like looking at bass

[catch5]

Hmmm. No weeds, even around the islands or up the river? With nowhere for any bait/fry to hide and clear water it sounds like easy pickings for the hybrids and wipers. From the other post it sounds like some LM are schooled and in the shallows looking for food (but apparently not fooled by baits in the clear water). I've heard that the DNR was going to do some LM stocking next year or maybe 2020, but that sounds like a short-term bandaid at best. There must be more going on here....

Well you are partially right. I’m there a few times a week and there is no grass in the lake. I’ve heard a couple guys that found a some that was inches tall on the bottom, but at best there is no fishable Grass like you’re thinking.

As far as hybrids/wipers they’re are very few in there that im aware of. The days of going up there around the damn area and chasing those white bass are over. Haven’t saw a school of them in a couple years. Bunch of these silly yellow bass in there now. THey get a whole 4 inches long. Still not sure why the hell they stocked those in there.

As far as stocking....it’s not the DNR doing it. Indiana Bass Federation is going to try and do that. It’s all based on money raised. They have to pay for it all. They’re stocking 1000 8-10” bass in monroe as well as some habitat restoration. Right now there is no money allocated to stocking Patoka. If everyone that tournament fished that lake donated $10 we could make it happen. That’s hard to get people to do though.

[billius]

What I don't understand about Patoka, is why is it so tough to catch fish without grass? Most all other reservoirs I fish in Indiana have little or no grass, never have had any. Fish can be caught there fairly easily. Take Brookville Lake for example. It used to have some grass in it years ago, but not much. I've not seen any grass on the lake for probably 6 years or more. Fish can be caught there on a regular basis. Salamonie and Mississinewa used to be good bass lakes. They never had much grass if any.

[Thermodude]

I fish a lot of KY lakes that dont have much if any grass and I do very well, however most of those lakes have flowing water coming in and through the lake. Patoka is fed by whats called a river but in actuality its a small stream that's only really active in the spring, combine that with the numerous springs and runoff that come into the lake and that pretty much it. Patoka is pretty much a fish bowl.

[ss]

The grass definitely made fishing easier, but I think the problems at Patoka are more than just the grass going away. Other than just a few 10 inchers, I haven't caught a bass under 2 pounds all year there. A typical trip for me is 2 fish in the 3-5 pound range and no other bites at all. I wonder if the fluctuating water levels have messed up the spawn the last few years. Or all of the wipers, yellow bass and walleye are eating bass and panfish fry. Even back in the 90's when it was nearly impossible to catch a 15" bass, you still caught a lot of small fish. I don't think I have seen this lake in such bad shape.

[catch5]

What I don't understand about Patoka, is why is it so tough to catch fish without grass? Most all other reservoirs I fish in Indiana have little or no grass, never have had any. Fish can be caught there fairly easily. Take Brookville Lake for example. It used to have some grass in it years ago, but not much. I've not seen any grass on the lake for probably 6 years or more. Fish can be caught there on a regular basis. Salamonie and Mississinewa used to be good bass lakes. They never had much grass if any.

I personally think the grass is the key to life on Patoka. It’s not so much about them being easier to catch on the grass, it’s just that without it we dont have the bass population anymore. It’s just a fact that has been proven time and Time again, that lakes that have Grass have much higher and healthier bass populations. That’s just a fact. Without it now for several years we are starting to see the effects. We just plain and simple don’t have the numbers of bass we had in there a few years back.

Now I do think Patoka is a naturally fertile lake, and if the grass can come back I think the fish will rebound just fine. If tt doesn’t though and all these 3-5 pounders were catching now cycle through the life cycle.....wow we’re in trouble then I fear.

As far as the walleye, i think they don’t hurt the population too much. They tend to stay deep, and while I do think they eat bass it’s detrimental IMO. Plus they are a quality fish in the lake. What I can’t inderstand is the damn yellow bass. They don’t get big enough to enjoy catching, but those little bastards are aggressive and I’m sure they’re eating bass, bluegill, crappie, and SHAD fry like crazy. Whoever’s idea to put those in there is just a flat out id***. A huge decrease in Shad population has also hurt things.

Again a lake full of healthy grass can overcome all these obstacles IMO.

[catch5]

The grass definitely made fishing easier, but I think the problems at Patoka are more than just the grass going away. Other than just a few 10 inchers, I haven't caught a bass under 2 pounds all year there. A typical trip for me is 2 fish in the 3-5 pound range and no other bites at all. I wonder if the fluctuating water levels have messed up the spawn the last few years. Or all of the wipers, yellow bass and walleye are eating bass and panfish fry. Even back in the 90's when it was nearly impossible to catch a 15" bass, you still caught a lot of small fish. I don't think I have seen this lake in such bad shape.

Your current catch rate is the norm for me now too steve. It’s friggin hard to get a limit up there this year. The last couple years I’ve caught more 5-6+ bass than I have in my life. Like you though, I’m juts as apt to go out there and get 1 bite as I am 5. Now that one bite will be a 3-5 pounder but damn it’s hard to get bite.

[billius]

I just don't agree that a lake has to have grass to be a good fishing lake. I agree Patoka was great when it had grass though. Right now, Brookville is pretty darn good and there is just no grass in it at all. Its been that way for decades. If I was to make a guess, I'd say high water or at least water level fluctuations in the spring during the past few years has hurt the spawn.

[catch5]

I just don't agree that a lake has to have grass to be a good fishing lake. I agree Patoka was great when it had grass though. Right now, Brookville is pretty darn good and there is just no grass in it at all. Its been that way for decades. If I was to make a guess, I'd say high water or at least water level fluctuations in the spring during the past few years has hurt the spawn.

You may be right, but here’s my thoughts. Lakes like you mention...Brookville...I’ll use say a Lake Cumberland for example. These just aren’t Grass lakes. Never have and never will be. I’ve not been to Brookville, but all the non grass lakes I’ve been too are typically deeper, rockier lakes. And they provide good fishing.

Patoka is not built that way though. It’s a Grass lake. Mostly mud bottom and banks and all and all and fairly shallow lake in comparisons to the good non Grass lakes. Imagine if guntersville lost all of its famed Grass, or Rayburn and Toledo bend lost all of its lush grassbeds. They wouldn’t be a shell of what they are now. I just believe some lakes are meant to be Grass lakes and some are not, and when they lose it affects the lake dramatically.

Whatever the reason I hope the good fishing returns for us all to enjoy. A guy that doesn’t Fish it regularly would have hard time to come up here and catch one. Yes catch one. Sad but that’s true.

[cubswin]

Salamonie sucks this year Bill. Missisenwa isn't bad, though we couldn't figure out 14"+ fish yesterday. Didn't weigh in a fish, which is really weird for us at mississenwa. Everyone else did, didn't really want to win team of the year anyway (#@#%SA$%). Guess if we can win at salamonie next weekend we will be back in the running.

I have had one bad trip to patoka the last 5 years, caught two 4's and some dinks. I didn't figure out the fish until late, and woke up to lightning the next morning. Most years I've gone it has had very little in the way of grass.

Bright side, reading the reports here I always have low expectations so when I catch them I'm happy.

Salamonie seemed like it had no smaller fish until about 2 weeks ago when 12-13" fish started biting. Been a weird year here for sure.