Boat to small for patoka lake?

[SteveM4A1]

dont blame you, its so annoying. although the last 2 times i've been up there I haven't seen near as much over 10, so maybe they are listening to you! lol

[raporter]

Been lots of us complaining about it but so far haven't seen any results. Guess someone has to get hurt bad before it will matter.

[banjopicker47501]

yeah its a pain sometimes but a lot of it is common sense on everybody's part. if you have a 14ft jon boat don't try to outrun a 200 hp bass boat! i try to stay out of the way... usually you can get back in a cove and stay off the main body of water your ok..

[Dakota Kid]

Man, I fish Patoka with a 14' semi v and am 18 horse evinrude. I'll fish Anywhere from Walls and so forth, Painter's Creek out to the main lake. Between these areas and Little Patoka and so forth, there is way more than plenty of water to fish with a smaller boat.

People with big rigs tend to run an gun too much. Even though a big rig gives them the means to, they tend to miss SO much fish in areas. Plus, by doing that, they spend way too much money on gas and sometimes bitch about how bad the bite was. Slow down, break the areas down into a lake size. Flats, channels, creeks, grass, and so forth.

A big plus for me is that having a smaller boat, I can place the boat where the big rigs can only cast to. I lets me have a huge advantage in fishing water that cannot be touched. Skinny water is fresh unfished water.

I have plenty days that I will sit where a rig can only cast to and catch great fish. I have done that, watched a big rig pull up and try to push me out and wind up pissed off because a small cheap rig is outfishing an 18-22 foot high dollar rig. They leave all shaking their heads discusted.

I appologize to everyone about the rant. I have told Raporter about some of my days. They are days that would make a man famous.

[SteveM4A1]

i don't really see how that can be true, unless the beam of their boat is extremely big. right now i use a 21' Stratos, and i can squeeze that bad boy in anywhere. in fact, i can put the 21' stratos in places i couldn't put the old 15' tracker, because of the hull design. maybe i just haven't found these tight places at patoka, but i have not found a place on patoka that a smaller boat would fit that the stratos wouldn't. but i do agree with you on the point that people tend to run and gun way too much instead of staying focused, using tunnel vision instead of peripheral.

[LJP]

My 201 stratos will float in 18 inches. That is some skinney water.

[browndog]

Hey banjopicker,I've been fishing Patoka since I got my 16 foot mod john with a 9.8 merc (6years).If your bass fishin and you want to fish the main lake or the river just make sure your motor(electric and gas)are in good working order and you'll be fine.Don't get me rong it can get rough but you can go where you want.Holiday weekends are the worst.Use a little common sense and a lot of resolve.Assume nothing and pay attention.You'll be more aggravated than scared.

[banjopicker47501]

Thanks for all the advice... I'll have to get me a lake permit tag for my boat.. looks like lick fork ramp is right off 164 east of jasper.. i'll have to check it out..
thanks!

[Dakota Kid]

I own a 1966 14' monarch semi-v. It's 50'' at the beam. If I pull the outboard out and keep the trolling motor on the deck, I can gaff my way around in less than a foot of water. I do it on the flats in the river and in the back of Painter's Creek all the time.

[Lucky1]

My 201 stratos will float in 18 inches. That is some skinney water.

I was thinking the same thing about my 201..........

[SteveM4A1]

yea you can get up in those flats then. my 21XL floats about the same i would think, i have never measured it. typically, if i want to get somewhere and the trolling motor can't get me there, then gas motor down and force my way in. as long as its just mud/sand. can be a pain to get out sometimes tho

[Dakota Kid]

That'll get you there, but it does stir up water. I'll just float on in stealth wise. I'm not saying that you can't, cause bass boats are designed with that in mind, But if you have to force your way into a spot, don't you risk spooking fish and sucking mud up into your motor? Then the getting out part, isn't that a challenge all in it's own?