Limited out on Patoka Lake - It's not always bad here!

[crappiehunters]

Limited out with my brother-in-law Monday and Tuesday mornings of this week. He was apprehensive about going to Patoka because of its bad rap on crappie fishing. Needless to say by the 2 hour of fishing Monday morning that all changed. "What are people talking about?" "This is fantastic!" I did tell him that it is not always like this, but I love Patoka Lake crappie fishing and especially during the spring and summer months. No fish was over 12" but very few where under 8"...jus a ton of 9" to 10" crappie and a whole lot of fun! Summer time is my favorite time to fish Patoka.The post spawn is over and they stack on cover, and school up in the channels feeding on bait fish. I use my Lawrence SI to put me on the fish. I do have "honey holes" from years of being on the water, but with a little effort and homework you can get on them. Just fish through the small fish or, if I keep catching the same size fish, I move from spot to spot.
I know Patoka gets a bad rap, with some of it deserving. But it is a great lake to catch crappie!
We where vertical jigging structure from 8' to 23' of water on structure, and on suspended fish in the channel. We used a Arkie 1/16 chrome head with plastic body tipped with minnows, and at times just the jig head tipped with a minnow.

[cevans]

Awesome report and great fishing. Keep it up! I know the fish are there as I just had a weird day on my fav. lake--Patoka

[danwalleye]

good catch any walleye in your catch once in a while I get one crappie fishn

[raporter]

Was out there Tuesday and caught a bunch. Lots of blacks but all about 8 inches, they are little chunks though not the see through whites. Also caught some decent gills up to 8 inches. Add 6 channels to that and it was a fun day one the lake. All on jigs tipped with Gulp Alive Waxies or crappie nibbles. No walleyes.

[cevans]

good catch any walleye in your catch once in a while I get one crappie fishn

Go to the Indiana walleye forum, click on Patoka Lake, one of the consistent walleye fishermen always postings, took a week's vacation camping at Patoka, fished every day for walleyes, caught quite a few, but no keepers, I don't think he had fished for them at Patoka before, but said he would do the vacation again. This was just a week or 2 ago.