Likes Likes:  0
Thanks Thanks:  0
HaHa HaHa:  0
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Patoka Lake Crappie?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Alexandria, KY
    Posts
    1,104
    Post Thanks / Like

    Question Patoka Lake Crappie?


    I have heard that the crappie fishing at Patoka Lake can be very good. If a guy was to come there this spring, when and what area of the lake would be a good time to come for some crappie? Never fished there before and any info would be appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Bassky (from Ky Cinti. area)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    125
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default patoka crappie

    Patoka Lake can be a tough lake at times. It is like anywhere else. Some days are good , and others not so good. The painter creek area is an alright spot. Allen creek is also good. Up the big patoka river can be good. Big fish are a different monster in patoka. Usually 10 to 12 foot breaks on secondary creek channels produce well vertical jigging or spider rigging. The real shallow bite is one of those things you have to take from week to week, so I really couldn't tell you if they will be there when you go or not. I do guide on patoka, so if you are interested in a trip, just give me a call. 765-278-8371
    Patrick

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    1,963
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I am still trying to figure the Patoka Lake Crappie out. I wish I lived closer to that lake so that I could spend more time on the water there.

    What time in the spring will you be coming to Patoka? In late March or Early April the upper Patoke River area upstream from Walls Boat ramp can be hot.

    And Patrick guides on the lake so I would listen to what he says. In the early spring the upper reaches of the creek arms can be good as they warm up first. North shorelines should be warmer if they get more sun exposure. There are huge shallow flats in the very upper reaches of the Patoka River section of the lake and the only way to get though there is to follow the old patoka river channel. When the water is down to about 532ft you can see the river channel easier. Beware that this entire area is full of standing timbers and many of the tree tops are right at the surface of the water or right under the surface when the lake is at 536ft asl. It's easier to see the old river channel when the lake is down. Normally (last two years) they keep the water leave at winter pool in late march and start raising the lake in April. So the first week of April can be good.

    If you want to buy minnows there is a good bait store just a mile or so North of the junction of State road 64 and state hwy 145. It's on the Right hand side as you go North. I would not buy my bait at Eckerty as they don't do a very good job of keeping their bait tanks clean IMHO. I found that even with a white minnow bucket the water was so dirty that I could not see the bottom of my minnow bucket when I got my minnows there last time. The bait store on HWY 145 does a much better job of cleaning the water in thier minnow tanks. The people running the Eckerty Bait shop just don't care and when I told them about the poor quality of the water they just blew me off. Well from now on I won't shop there for my bait. Can't catch many crappie with dead minnows.

    Hook line and Sinker is the name of the other bait store and it's a much cleaner place to shop. Prices are good too as a dozen chubs sells for less than 90 cents. I pay $1.25 for a dozen chub here in Evansville, IN

    During the late summer I fished Patoka a lot with Larry-Southern IN and we caugth crappie in 10ft to 20ft of water along some old ditches. Patrick Knows the spot that I am talking about as he fished there during the CrappieUSA tournament this last fall. Larry and I caught some smaller crappie from that spot. Most were under 10" but it was fun. The smaller fish have less methyl mercury in them and are safer to eat.

    I found some slabs in 10ft of water suspened at the bottom. I fished about 2ft of the bottom near the standing timber and caught a nice 1.5lb crappie up in Dumplin creek. That is the biggest crappie that I have caught on Patoka.

    Larry said that he caught some nice slabs on the ditch spot during the middle of last summer.

    One method that can work is the rig up a slip bobber rig and cast out in front of the boat with jigs. I was told to use a very small light weight styrofoam bobber to avoid spooking the fish. Cast beyound the standing tree and then reel slowly and bring the bait right up next to the trees truck and let it sit there for 30 seconds. Repeat with the next tree. There are so many standing trees in this lakes upper reaches that it would take a life time to fish them all.






    Thanks,
    Bassky (from Ky Cinti. area) [/QUOTE]
    Regards,

    Moose1am

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Alexandria, KY
    Posts
    1,104
    Post Thanks / Like

    Thumbs up Coming for a day in last of April

    Moose,
    This is the only date I will have open due to a trip to Douglas the 8-14 and a Fishers of Men tournament the following weekend. So it will be a little later in the month. Will the same areas mentioned still produce?
    Thanks,
    Bassky

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    1,963
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bassky
    Moose,
    This is the only date I will have open due to a trip to Douglas the 8-14 and a Fishers of Men tournament the following weekend. So it will be a little later in the month. Will the same areas mentioned still produce?
    Thanks,
    Bassky
    I won't know until this year. Last time I fished the upper reaches was April 1 and 2nd 2003 and I barely made it back to the ramp with motor problems that week. I didn't get my boat out of the shop until May that year. This spring I didn't fish Patoka very much. Went once with Larry and we caught lots of small crappie above way up the old river channel above Dumplin creek. Go about a mile up stream from Dumplin and fish the area before you get to the Kings bridge crossing. There are lots of very shallow mud flats up there that you should be able to fish by the end of April. Lake normally is up a lot by the last part of April. The old river channel runs though the forest and that is where the deepest water is found. The rest of that water is no more than 5 ft deep or less in most spots. Lots of stumps to run into. When you go out of or past dumpling creek stay to the West bank and you can see where the river flows though the forest once you get in there. It's a windy sob so pay attention or you will get out of the river channel quick. I dont' take my boat up there yet as I only went up there once time with larry. Larry fished that area a lot over the years and knows it better than I do. I could not even figure out where the river channel was until he showed me. It all looked alike until I actually got in the old river channel and then I finally saw the path. So many trees are there.

    I caught about 100 small crappie in Dumpling creek in May 2003. All were too small to keep. They all had to be less than a year or two old. It was fun but didn't keep one fish to eat.

    Caught some more in June but that was in the creek that borders HWY64 near the South Lick Fork boat ramp. These were short fish but keepers. Might try under that bridge and then back up in the shallower water in late April. I have fished this one spot and at times it dead and other times it so hot. The fish will let you know if they are there. Trouble is this area has so much timber that it takes all day to fish the entire north Bank of Dumblin Creek. I have seen some locals going at about an hour before dark in a small two man bass boat. They headed to the very back of Dumplin Creek. I know of only one spot that has big fish that I have seen caught with my own eyes. Just figuring out the timing of when the stage is the key. I am still working on that. One needed to fish that area for a month straight to figure it out and I just can't get up there that often.
    There are some underwater humps out in the middle of the lake that I have read about that are supose to have big crappie but I have not fished them. I have looked at the spots on a good topo map and they do look promising as they are close to the old river channel where it makes a big bend and there is a very long point of land that goes way out toward the river channel for about 300 yards underwater. So I am thinking that would be a good cold water spot or hot summer spot in the deeper water over the hump and the point may be a good spring spot as it has a long gentle slope and it's on the NE side of the lake Near the mouth of painter Creek.


    Quote Originally Posted by Bassky
    Moose,
    This is the only date I will have open due to a trip to Douglas the 8-14 and a Fishers of Men tournament the following weekend. So it will be a little later in the month. Will the same areas mentioned still produce?
    Thanks,
    Bassky
    Regards,

    Moose1am

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Alexandria, KY
    Posts
    1,104
    Post Thanks / Like

    Thumbs up Thanks

    MooseIam,
    Just a thank you on a great post with tons of information. Any colors of jigs that work best there?
    Again thank you!
    Bassky :p

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    125
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I like Black / chartreuse or red / chartreuse tubes tipped with minnows. You might also take a look at some colors mizmo offers. blue silver fleck, crawdad color with gold red fleck, and so on...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    1,963
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Black body with Chartruse tails works pretty good on the main parts of the lake where the water is clear. I like white jigs with sparkles consisting of silver,gold and royal blue. Those can be obtained from bass Pro Shops. Look for the Squrimin Squirt Brand of jigs. The 1.5" long White Lighting #18 works good in the upper reaches where the water is more stained.



    Quote Originally Posted by Bassky
    MooseIam,
    Just a thank you on a great post with tons of information. Any colors of jigs that work best there?
    Again thank you!
    Bassky :p
    Regards,

    Moose1am

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Shelbyville,Indiana Monroe - Brookville
    Posts
    479
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Moose:
    You gotta get you a kicker motor or some 9.9 stickers for your present motor. If you haven't fished Dogwood Lake in the Glendale F&W area,you are passing up one of the premier crappie hot spots in your area.It's one of those 10hp limit lakes ,but I've seen some huge 9.9 motors on the lake.The DNR man has a 9.9 on his that's big enough to serve a 5 course meal on.The DNR also has rental boats there also. It is a great lake for Spring time crappie.

    Feed a man a fish,feed him for a day.
    Teach a man to fish,He will be sitting
    in your honey hole tomorrow!!!
    Ledhed

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

BACK TO TOP