Quote Originally Posted by cevans View Post
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.
What shad problem?? Shad is the best thing that ever happened to that lake (for Bass Anyways). I know it has hurt the bluegill and crappie fishing though. Guess depends on what you fish for your a views on it.

I will say I don’t see as many shad as I use to. 7 or 8 years ago you couldn’t go 20 feet down a grass line without balls of shad going everywhere. Still a ton in there, but I think there is less than there was back then. The shad are there to stay. You will never get rid of them or under control as you put it. Mother Nature will be the only one that sets how many will be in the lake.

The damn yellow bass they put in there i feel are a bigger problem. Seems to be as many or more of them in there anymore as shad. And they’re literally good for nothing. Bass will eat them, but definitely don’t prefer them. And the little bastards are eating machines. I don’t know how any fry can survive with those things around. Guess the only salvage is they tend be offshore most of the time. I’d like to know who the genius is that thought they were a good idea to put in. I’d give him the ol Chevy Chase talk from Christmas Vacation. Lol.