Will Patoka lake freeze? Is it frozen?

Haven't been able to find what I'm looking for. I figured the shallows and creek arms would freeze but curious if I fished out of lick fork creeks SW end I could get to main open water. I plan on fishing February 14ish.

Drove around some of the lake today. Checked some ramps and found the main ramp in the park and fishermans campground ramp open. SouthLick will be open soon. Still ice at Kings except right at the bridge.

Not this year. I'm not sure if it ever freezes enough to be safe for ice fishing.

[QUOTE=raporter;552650]Drove around some of the lake today. Checked some ramps and found the main ramp in the park and fishermans campground ramp open. SouthLick will be open soon. Still ice at Kings except right at the bridge.[/QUOTE]

Sweeeeeeet!! Thank you!!

[QUOTE=70worm;552662]Not this year. I'm not sure if it ever freezes enough to be safe for ice fishing.[/QUOTE]

I've done some ice fishing but never down here. I was just curious on accessing water with my boat. But that being said I have noticed more and more guys ice fishing nets bluegrass fwa southern Indiana the small strip pits they nail the gills and crappie. Not sure this year either I'm still working in Texas for a week been gone a month. Blah

[QUOTE=Jigjunky81;552732]I've done some ice fishing but never down here. I was just curious on accessing water with my boat. But that being said I have noticed more and more guys ice fishing nets bluegrass fwa southern Indiana the small strip pits they nail the gills and crappie. Not sure this year either I'm still working in Texas for a week been gone a month. Blah[/QUOTE]

It has to be really cold for a long time before it's really safe to go out on the ice in a very deep water lake. And remember that the three large pits at Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area are hydrologically connected to each other. This means that during periods of lots of rain the water flows South out of Blue grass Pit into Loon Pit and then down into Otter Pit and out across the fields into Blue grass Creek. Remember that moving water takes longer to freeze.

During the cold winter months all the pits (Lakes) in the Blue Grass Fish and Wildlife Area are closed to fishing. This is water fowl hunting season and fishing is off limits until the end of waterfowl hunting season.

I'm thinking that the first of February is the end of Waterfowl Hunting in the South Zone.

Most all the pits down here are full of crappie and sunfish.

Actually moveon, you can shore fish bluegrass during waterfowl, just no boat launching.

[QUOTE=BigBruce;552944]Actually moveon, you can shore fish bluegrass during waterfowl, just no boat launching.[/QUOTE]

I don't want to be too close anyone that's legally hunting waterfowl during legal waterfowl hunting season. You might have to dodge some angry steel shot pellets if you are out there disturbing the waterfowl during Waterfowl hunting season. Hunters won't take kindly to you running the waterfowl off the lake or disturbing them during waterfowl hunting season.

To me it's not worth the risk or the confrotations that could happen with other hunters in the area.

I respect their hunting rights during water fowl hunting season.

There are hundreds of places to go fishing. And not that many place to go waterfowl hunting.

While I don't hunt waterfowl anymore these days I use to hunt waterfowl years ago.

If you are out on the water with a boat you better be registered to hunt water fowl on the water at Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife area or you risk getting into trouble. Boaters will definitely scare the waterfowl away and keep them from landing near by.

If you see a flock of duck decoys floating around the bank in the shallow water areas I'd highly recommend that you not walk though that area or anywhere near it.

There are laws that protect hunters from being harassed. It's illegal to interfere with hunters in pursuit of legal game.

[I][B][U]Hunter Harassment Law—Legal hunting is protected by law. Indiana Code states that it is illegal to intentionally interfere with the legal taking of a game animal by another person. It is also illegal to intentionally disturb a game animal with intent to prevent or hinder the legal taking of that game. Further, it is unlawful to enter public land or private land without permission of the owner with the intent to prevent or hinder the legal taking of game.
[/U][/B][/I]

I'd personally would talk with the CO's that patrol that area first before I'd recommend anyone to go fishing out there during water fowl hunting season.

I"m more of a fisherman that a hunter but I don't like fishing in the cold or from the bank personally. And it would not bother me if someone went fishing out there. But I'd advise them to make sure that they are allowed to do that first.