BFL at Patoka

[Frenzy]

Does anybody know what took the BFL at Patoka? What was big bass? Water clarity and temp? I'm thinking about going up there this weekend or early next week. Anybody been there recently?

[Frenzy]

Just read on the BFL website that it took 15 lbs. to win. Nobody caught a 5 fish limit. Big bass was a little over 7 lbs. and they were catching them on jigs in shallow bays. Anyone been there this past weekend of this week?

[lov2fish]

The BFL was this past weekend. For a change they are staying on top of updating their site.



Ray Rigby

[Chigger_Brumbalow]

Lov2,

You fish Patoka much? I heard there are smallmouth in there, but I can't catchem. Let me know the spots if you can.

Chigger

[Frenzy]

I have always wondered if there are smallmouth in Patoka. The main marina's website doesn't list them as one of the fish stocked there. Maybe a few have made it in from the river but I'm not so sure about the abundance. Anyone have any light to shed on the subject?

[basser78]

I have caught several smallmouth up near the dam area. About 3 years ago I caught one that was about 3 pounds, other than that the rest that I have caught have been between 12-16 inches

[raporter]

I know there are some in there. Caught a few but wasn't targeting them when I got them. Hope someone can enlighten us on this.

[Biggofish]

I fished Patoka in the BFL last weekend. Water was stained where I was at. Temps in the 47-49 range. My boater had 4 keepers on crankbaits and I had 1 keeper on a crank bait. Yes, there are small mouth in Patoka, there were several weighed in on Saturday.In the BFL there was 177 boats. 92 boaters weighed fish and 63 co anglers weighed fish. It was very tough fishing.

[lov2fish]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Apr-05-06 AT 09:52PM (EST)[/font][p]Patoka has quite an abundance of Smallmouth. I won't however tell anyone on a public message board where or how to find them. I will tell ya this, they ain't Largemouth and you ain't gonna find em pitchin a jig to wood.



Ray Rigby

[Topwater2004]

Hey Lov2,

I have seen pictures of smallmouth from Patoka Lake, so I am sure the species is under the radar as that goes. I doubt too many people actually target them because they are more difficult to catch than a largemouth, and in a tournament largemouth will weigh out more usually.

I will give you guys a lake that is choke full of smallmouth, if you ever want to go to Wisconsin. Its up north and called the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage.

Rest assured the lake is not over pressured and most anglers are going for walleye.

The smallmouth are huge and the average football type body, and they can be caught in many areas of the lake.

Very few boats at all on this lake even in June when the smallmouth are spawing. It also has great campsites on islands and on the shoreline, so you can spend days out there without leaving.

The lake has good largemouth too, find shallow weeds in June and you found the largemouth.

Except for gas being 2.50 a gallon, I can't wait to get up there first week in June.

[idbefishing]

I have caught a few myself as recently as the first IBF tourn this year. They're out on the main lake and in the quarries.

[nlberr01]

I have caught several small mouths on the rocky ledges and flats. I actually caught several on a little crank bait that looks like a crawdad. Its a floating bait. I would throw it against rock wall and let it sit. The smallies would come up and devour it. I also caught a three pounder on a chartruese spinner bait. That's a story. I just bought my first bait caster and didn't tighten it to the pole. The smallie hit and pulled the reel right off. Luckily the darn fish was hooked good. I absolutely freaked when I got it in the boat. I'm not to emotional but the guys I fished with pulled an Iconelli, screaming and hollering. I don't fish with them anymore.