Patoka stripers??

[Fisherjoe]

I heard that there was a big die-off last year due to the drought. Is anybody catching them yet? I usually go to Barren to troll for hybrids, but don't want to pay the gas for the drive. Patoka is closer and I would like to learn it. I'm not asking for hot spots, just curious if the fishery was hurt by the drought. Thanks.

Joe

[fishNnut]

I didn't hear/see anything of a die off last summer. I was talking with a CO last week and he didn't mention anything about it either.

I've only seen a few while bass fishing, but early I see some guys trolling the deep water for them in the summer.

[RVogler]

There aren't too many lunkers there. I know a guy that caught a 13 lb., but most of them are under 4 lbs. (understatement). It's been many years since I've fished Patoka for stripers. The best place to fish for them IMO is under the overpass on the main HWY that runs thru Celestine. Actually, it's the only place I have ever caught them. The overpass that is a couple of miles from the Eckerty Y. That is where the river runs into there. There is a small picnic area on the north side of the road. You can shore fish for them if need be. Good luck!

[slowride]

I have a different opinion on the stripers, patoka has plenty of stripes/wipers. Ive accidently hooked into them bass fishing deep and also trolling for crappie in the spring, nice fish 15lb range. I was told from a guide on lake cumberland that in order for stripers to thrive their has to be 100 miles of open water shoreline? Hope this helps

[raporter]

I have a different opinion on the stripers, patoka has plenty of stripes/wipers. Ive accidently hooked into them bass fishing deep and also trolling for crappie in the spring, nice fish 15lb range. I was told from a guide on lake cumberland that in order for stripers to thrive their has to be 100 miles of open water shoreline? Hope this helps

Biggest I have seen was 17# but have heard of fish over 20#. We only have stripers and white bass here in Patoka according to our biologist. No wipers. We have caught several this year while trolling for crappies but none were of any size. These were all caught shallow near weedlines. Pretty sure you would have to go deeper to find the larger ones.

[Moose1am]

I have fished for crappie in this area and caught a few during the summer months. The crappie suspend over the creek channel in this area. They suspend about 10 to 15 ft down.

I was trolling some crank baits in that part of the creek and caught three nice crappie in just 30 minutes.

I think that Hwy is State 164.

The branch of the lake that's South of the bridge there also holds some good fish in the spring and fall.

You are talking about the East Fork on the North Side of the bridge? That's where the picnic area is located. The Cheek channel swings close to the South Bank in that area and that's why it's good fishing. There is deeper water close to the shallow waters. The sharp drop is where the fish will be found in the heat of the day. They relate to the drop off and will come into the shallows to feed at various times.

Buck Perry always said that if you can find the feeding shelves that are close to the deepest water in the area you have a good fishing spot.

That was as true back in 1970 as it it today.

There aren't too many lunkers there. I know a guy that caught a 13 lb., but most of them are under 4 lbs. (understatement). It's been many years since I've fished Patoka for stripers. The best place to fish for them IMO is under the overpass on the main HWY that runs thru Celestine. Actually, it's the only place I have ever caught them. The overpass that is a couple of miles from the Eckerty Y. That is where the river runs into there. There is a small picnic area on the north side of the road. You can shore fish for them if need be. Good luck!

[RVogler]

I have fished for crappie in this area and caught a few during the summer months. The crappie suspend over the creek channel in this area. They suspend about 10 to 15 ft down.

I was trolling some crank baits in that part of the creek and caught three nice crappie in just 30 minutes.

I think that Hwy is State 164.

The branch of the lake that's South of the bridge there also holds some good fish in the spring and fall.

You are talking about the East Fork on the North Side of the bridge? That's where the picnic area is located. The Cheek channel swings close to the South Bank in that area and that's why it's good fishing. There is deeper water close to the shallow waters. The sharp drop is where the fish will be found in the heat of the day. They relate to the drop off and will come into the shallows to feed at various times.

Buck Perry always said that if you can find the feeding shelves that are close to the deepest water in the area you have a good fishing spot.

That was as true back in 1970 as it it today.

Yep, that's where I talking about. I don't know much else about the area.

[Moose1am]

Do you guys use a canon ball type down rigger to fish for those stripers?

They sell those mini down riggers at some of the sporting goods stores in Evansville, IN

D_I_C_K_S Sporting Goods Store carries these and I am not sure if Gander Mountain has them or not.

But I would think that during the summer months you would have to get down to around 18ft deep (right above the summer thermocline) to catch the stripers. They like to roam the deeper waters on the main lake to eat the Gizzard Shad that frequent the main lake deeper waters during the summer months. But I only read this and have not confirmed it myself.

But If I wanted to catch some big stripers I would be fishing the Old Patoka River Channel near the dam area and from there out to the main lakes two islands. There is a lot of open water to fish with a down rigger system. I would be able to troll that area of the lake quickly with the down riggers.

The area near the dam is over 50 ft deep in the old river channel. And if there is some water flowing though the dam there would be some current in the depths.

[fishNnut]

There aren't too many lunkers there. I know a guy that caught a 13 lb., but most of them are under 4 lbs. (understatement). It's been many years since I've fished Patoka for stripers. The best place to fish for them IMO is under the overpass on the main HWY that runs thru Celestine. Actually, it's the only place I have ever caught them. The overpass that is a couple of miles from the Eckerty Y. That is where the river runs into there. There is a small picnic area on the north side of the road. You can shore fish for them if need be. Good luck!

If it has been many years since you fished for stripers in Patoka, maybe you were catching white's or stripe's that had just been stock a few years earlier? I don't know how long "many years" is, but there weren't any stripers in Patoka what I consider many years ago. The fish are gaining approx. 3 lbs. a year. The bigger one's should be, like reporter said, in the 17 to 20+ range right now.

[DSPCHAMY]

I troll for them at raccoon on occasion during the hot summer months. I use either dipsy divers or jet divers. Normally run four rods the outside have dipsys set to run away from the boat and the middle two run jet divers. If you are going to use the jets you can not use crankbaits with lips. they will flip the jet and it will come to the surface like it has a fish on it. I will troll cranks with the dipsy's. Live bait and swim baits (storm wildeye's) work well with the jet divers.

You can buy dipsy's and jets to get to all diffrent depths from about 10-30 feet. a lot cheaper than running downriggers.

Raccon has nice stripers with some over 30 pounds taken every year. I think two years ago one over 40 was taken. A lot are taken just east of the park ramp on the north side of the lake.

I know this is a little off thread but hope it helps.

[DSPCHAMY]

Cabelas catelog numbers and prices for the items I metioned

Luhr Jensen Jet Diver Item:IJ-110139 $6.69 - $9.99 10-50 feet

Luhr Jensen Dipsy® Diver Item:IJ-111778 $9-$14 20-100 feet

[Moose1am]

I was catching some Whites the last time I fished Patoka Lake last year. I have not been up to Patoka this summer because it costs me over $40 to get there and back these days. I use to be able to get up there and back on $10 to 15 bucks.

That and they added the extra $20 for the lake launch permit.

Plus the state put in Concrete Launch ramps at three of the big pits at Bluegrass so I can fish here now and save my gas money.

I have fished with PL at Patoka several times now and the biggest crappie we caught while fishing together was not more than 10.5" .

I can catch 12" crappie at Otter Pit so why should I drive 160 miles to catch 10 " crappie at Patoka when I can catch them near my home?

Now that I can use my gas motor on Bluegrass, Loon and Otter Pits without having to buy a $20 launch permit I can save money and fish all day long. I can be there in less than 15 minute and get back home just as fast. I fish during the week so there is not that many other fishermen to contend with.

On the weekends the Big Pits can get crowded at the launch ramp. Between all the Bike riders parking their vehicles in the parking lot and all the other boat trailer that lot can get full in a hurry.

If it has been many years since you fished for stripers in Patoka, maybe you were catching White's or stripe's that had just been stock a few years earlier? I don't know how long "many years" is, but there weren't any stripers in Patoka what I consider many years ago. The fish are gaining approx. 3 lbs. a year. The bigger one's should be, like reporter said, in the 17 to 20+ range right now.