Patoka Lake Indiana

[bob46]

You can get one on line at Indiana DNR or Google fishing license.

[Stevens]

The gizzard shad are messing up every fishery around here. But patoka is still a wonderful crappie fishery. If your goin for bass painters creek is the local favorite. Theres alot of good bass in it but it can be tough fishery at times. Good luck.

[kyshorthair]

Patoka can be a great lake to fish for bass. I am from Louisville and its a pretty close drive, especially since they put in the new road to French Lick. Other than the $20 season boat pass and the $30 non-res fishing license, I like it as much or more than any other lake close to Louisville. Here is a link to get your license online. http://www.in.gov/ai/appfiles/dnr-license/index.html I get my boat pass at the Patoka Lake state park entrance.

I like the 10 mile and under areas of the lake, not many pleasure boaters and jet skiers. in those areas. Be careful about the speed. Not only is there a lot of timber that can trash a boat pretty quick, the DNR up there patrols a lot and gives out tickets left and right.

I agree with the other folks, the grass can be great in the spring/early summer. My "ol faithful" is a Rapala jointed, rattling, suspening crawfish Shadrap. Works pretty good there, but I do okay most places with it.

[findingem]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the information in finding a out of state license and access pass. Can't wait to get on that lake this Spring.

[harryprocraft]

hey phil, painter creek is good it has chunck rock, timber, grass. all the good stuff. my favorite is up in the river if you put in at south lick fork go under the bridge and the first big creek on the left is the river. but be careful my brother (bubbabass) lost his prop to a stump. there are some flats with timber everywhere i like to throw a normans dd14 or deep little n color is white with green back. good luck let me know how you do

[raporter]

hey phil, painter creek is good it has chunck rock, timber, grass. all the good stuff. my favorite is up in the river if you put in at south lick fork go under the bridge and the first big creek on the left is the river. but be careful my brother (bubbabass) lost his prop to a stump. there are some flats with timber everywhere i like to throw a normans dd14 or deep little n color is white with green back. good luck let me know how you do

South lick is on the wrong end of the lake for going up the river.

[Moveon]

He thinks that creek is the old Patoka River but he meant to say go up Lick Fork Creek. The old Patoka River is up by the Walls Launch ramp and flows into the lake downstream from Osborn boat ramp.

If you lauch from South Lick Fork Launch ramp near highway 64 and go under the bridge and head south then you are fishing Lick Fork Creek's south end. And yes there are some nice crappie caught in that end of the creek.

On the Fishing Hot Spots Map that would be area #1, Area #2 and Area #3.

Area #5 is good too. Note the old road bed that's marked on the map. Trolling crank baits though this area can produce some nice crappie in the summer and fall. If you watch the depth finder you can located some nice areas that are full of trees or brush. Troll parallel to the bank and about 50 years to 100 yards off the bank. Troll in an East to West direction. It's best to troll against the wind if you can. So you may need to troll in an West to East Direction. Try to troll the cranks at around 10 ft to 12 ft below the surface at around 0.8 mph to 1.5 mph. The map shows "R" for rocks along the northern back of that cove. Talking about area #5 now.

Area #4 allows fisherman to fish from the bank. The old feeder creek flows close to the Southern back and you can catch some crappie that suspend out over the creek about 10 ft down over 30 ft of water.

I have seen guys fishing with 12 ft long poles and catching slab crappie in 1 ft of water right up along the bank where a tree has fallen into the waters edge. That would be in the area labled #2. Along the South Bank of Area #2. Look for laydowns when the water is way up at 548 ft and in the spring of the years.

Last year the water was way up due to all the flooding. Newly flooded areas are full of new food sources for the fish and they will swim up into these shallow areas in the early spring as the water there warms up first.

South lick is on the wrong end of the lake for going up the river.

[Dakota Kid]

Best advise I can give you is that a map is needed. A lot of trees on the river end. Take your time or you will tear up a boat. Also watch for bouys. You misread a bouy, you will tear something up. Good luck, maybe see ya on the river this spring.

[Dakota Kid]

My brother in law told me that Patoka used to produce monster gills by the dozen. What happened? Was it the shad that was introduced, eating the roe?

[raporter]

My brother in law told me that Patoka used to produce monster gills by the dozen. What happened? Was it the shad that was introduced, eating the roe?

Enter shad, exit gills and redears.

[slowride]

Thats true about blugills, but woudn't you rather catch monter crappie and bass and see the stripers do well??? To me it's a no brainer all you guys talk about the bluegill population declining since the gizzard shad took over, who cares??? Most of all anglers i know would give up the gills for biger crappie and bass anyday.