Patoka questions

[MuskyGary]

I have never been to Patoka but planning on a spring trip next year. On crappies I hear a lot of dinks and you really have to work hard to find the larger fish, but what about the bluegills and walleye? I know the lake used to be a great bluegill lake, but what about now? Thanks for any advise. ust wondering if I should be prepared to fish bluegill if I can only find dinks on crappie and like I said Ive never heard much about the walleye.

[raporter]

In the early spring you should be able to find good crappies with little effort. Good gills? Well they are a thing of the past due to the introduction of shad. The walleyes are coming along nicely.
I usually start hitting the crappies in late February depending on the weather. March and April are hard to beat for the better crappies.

[crappie addict11]

I've been going turkey hunting down there the past 4 years. My father and brother go along with me to do some fishing. I still dont think they have got into any with much size to them. Everything they seem to catch is no more than 8-9" I'm sure there are big crappie in there but they sure haven't found them yet...alot of lake to cover.

[CatFan]

Bluegill are nothing like they were in the days before the shad. I used to go after work and would have to quit fishing because I knew I wouldn't have time to clean anymore before bed.

Seems to me that the secret to the big crappie at Patoka is to find the "best" spot on a piece of cover. Some days that is right on a tree, and other days it's on a horizontal branch, but the big ones get the best spots and fishing even a foot away gets little fish.

[shermanator]

bluegill are nothing like they were in the days before the shad. I used to go after work and would have to quit fishing because i knew i wouldn't have time to clean anymore before bed.

Seems to me that the secret to the big crappie at patoka is to find the "best" spot on a piece of cover. Some days that is right on a tree, and other days it's on a horizontal branch, but the big ones get the best spots and fishing even a foot away gets little fish.

'' b i n g o "

[MuskyGary]

Thanks for the information. Are there any legal size walleye (14 inches) I have no idea how many years they have stocked them there.

[raporter]

Thanks for the information. Are there any legal size walleye (14 inches) I have no idea how many years they have stocked them there.

Yes!