I got out on the lake today, put in at Painter Creek, beautiful day with water temps in the mid 40’s.... backs of the creeks are a little murky with lots of bait fish and feeding fish suspended between 4-6’. I caught two, one right at 3lbs and another just over 2lbs, caught them in 3’ of water along a rocky bank on a crawfish Shadrap.... had a great day!
Last edited by Thermodude; 12-30-2018 at 05:39 PM.
Anyone else on the water? Can't wait to get back out there
Good deal Robert. At least you were on the water...and caught fish too!
Bill Gard
Richmond, Indiana
2015 BassCat Caracal/225ProXs
TEAM SHERM'S MARINE
Of course I talk to myself...sometimes I need expert advice.
Need to run down there and fish, just that 8 hour round trip sucks.
"It's even, but it ain't settled. Let's settle it." Fast Eddie
I still can't believe they actually won...Cubs Fans Everywhere
Wow good trip for this time of year. Crazy to catch them in 3 feet of water at the end of December. Lol
Was there the same day but put in at Walls Ramp. Did not really fish as fighting a cold. Notice water temp was around 41- 42 degrees. It fairly clear water everywhere back there. Nice to just get out but did not help the cold. Lol
Dan
I couldn’t imagine driving 8 hours to fish Patoka. Lol. I have many days that I’m like do I want drive a hour to get 1 or 2 bites....lol. Many of those days the answer is no too. LolOriginally Posted by cubswin
Heck, I live 35 miles from it and quit crappie and walleye fishing it.
I’m around 8 miles from it, no it’s not my favorite by no means but once in a while I catch decent fish and it beats a flooded Ohio River!
I've had one bad day there in the last 10 years, so I don't mind the drive. You want a bad day, come up and fish salamonie on a weekend. Natural lakes here have good fishing, but boat traffic can be insane.
That bad day, had two 4's and about 10 dinks. Of course it was 100 degrees, and had one about 5 flash on a jig early in the day that kept me fishing shallow most of the day. About a hour before dark hit some offshore spots with a c-rig and 3 casts had the 2 4's. Planned to hit the offshore spots I caught the 4's on the next day, and a few other offshore areas. Was supposed to storm about 2 pm, got up at 5:30 to the sound of thunder. Got pushed off the lake by 7:30 by a storm, and then had to drive home in a storm. That was 2 years ago btw.
I realize it isn't like it was in the 80's, and the lack of grass bugs people, but I fish mississenwa and salamonie a lot since they are 6 miles from the house, and neither has grass.
Last edited by cubswin; 01-04-2019 at 11:37 AM.
"It's even, but it ain't settled. Let's settle it." Fast Eddie
I still can't believe they actually won...Cubs Fans Everywhere
Id love to have Patoka in my back yard. Joe and I fish the same waters, gotta say its better than our fishing most days. That 4 hour trip sucks each way
Catching 10 dink’s on Patoka almost doesn’t happen anymore. You catch a couple keepers and nothing else now. It’s like all those small fish you used to catch are just fine now.
So where’s the little bass?
For whatever reason spawns have been terrible at Patoka the last few years. Dink’s are almost nonexistent. Very likely do to the disappearance of the grass. Patoka most definitely in a down cycle.
Patoka is definitely a different lake compared to years gone by and this can be attributed to many reasons but year after year huge sacks of fish get brought to the scales, most of them chunky, quality fish. Folks that show up at Patoka nowadays expecting to fish it in the same manner as years past, using the same techniques, then expecting the same results as years ago are going to be very disappointed!
Last edited by Thermodude; 01-05-2019 at 06:42 AM.
I still say until they get the shad problem under control, Patoka will be hard to change anything. Once again, Crappie USA is avoiding any tourneys on Patoka for 2019 but they are back to Monroe as it’s on a upswing finally.
I just like the lake, type of water and structure I like fishing. Of course I like monroe as well, and usually hit both of them on my trips south.
"It's even, but it ain't settled. Let's settle it." Fast Eddie
I still can't believe they actually won...Cubs Fans Everywhere
I have an IBF top 8 and IBN state finals there this year. Not looking forward to it. It’s been high forever and the fish just seem spread out and suspended most of the year.
They’re not there. Lack of grass is the main factor. Patoka is a grass lake. That’s been the foundation of it since it opened. When it’s gone the whole lake suffers. Grass is the lifeblood of that lake, and until it returns we will stay in this downward cycle.
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