Patoka temps

[Spider04]

Anyone fish Patoka Sunday or Monday and can tell the average water temp? Fishing there this coming weekend and curious.

[JRB]

FISHED SUNDAY, VERY COLD EARLY MORNING 32 DEG. THE AVERAGE TEMP WE FOUND WAS 55 TO 57 AND SOME 60 DEG LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. FISHING IS STILL TOUGH.

[Spider04]

Thank you JRB. Appreciated.

[BigO]

Temps as JRB said. But my son-in-law caught a 5 1/2 Largemouth Sunday and two other keeper bass. Hopefully this week will increase activity a lot!

[Spider04]

Nice fish!
I would assume that the temps increasing this week might move the fish to start spawning soon? Or do they normally start on Patoka with temps higher than 60? I don't have much spring fishing experience on this lake. Should I be fishing any flats I can find first? Any help would be appreciated.

[raporter]

Found temps from 57 to 61 on the lake yesterday. Surprisingly to me was the coldest temps were upstream from Walls Ramp.

[Moose1am]

60 deg water temp will send the crappie to the spawning beds right about now.

Remember that not all the lake warms up at the same time. Shallower section of the lake will be the first to warm up. Those with shallow dark bottoms that are protected from harsh northern winds and have longer southern exposure to the sun will warm up first.

Regards,

Moose1am

[Spider04]

Thank you. Appreciate the help. I've found some areas on a map I am going to give a try based on your suggestions.

[gg]

I had some 63 yesterday

[Moose1am]

Cold rain water maybe? Did you take the water temp over deeper water maybe? Early in the year you can have hot and cold spots in the lakes.

Ever go swimming in a lake in the summertime and hit a hot spot and then swim 12 ft away and hit colder water. Not sure why this happens but it does. LOL

I would have thought that the Upper Reaches of the lake (above Walls) would be warmer than the main lake deeper water areas.

It does depend on the amount of sunlight hitting the water and the bottom color and makeup along with the water's depth.

Up above King's Bridge should be warmer water due to the fact that there are a lot of shallow mud flats up there. So I am told.

Also the temp will vary during the day and the wind can also push water to one side of the lake. ie it may be pushing the colder surface temp water toward the windward bank. Wind also sets up currents in a lake. Wind pushes the water up against a windward bank and the water flows under the bank and back out into the lake. Sort of like a very mild undertow for those that have swam in the oceans. It's just a much weaker current. But enough to move cold water to the surface at times. Especially after several days of strong winds from one direction.

Regards,

Moose1am

[Spider04]

Just as a follow up I did get a chance to hit Patoka on Saturday and fished up the river. Found water temps as high as 70 degrees although most were around 68. Did not find any fish in the highest water temp though which was suprising. Did better on wind blown points with muddier water. Most of main lake was in the lower to mid 60's. While this represents the water temps, my personal skin temp was well over 100.......it got god awful hot out there in the afternoon! No cloud cover and high 80's temps. Just not used to it yet.

[raporter]

Just got in from Walls Ramp area and yep there is 70' water up there.