Patoka

[redearhoosier]

We went pleasure boating with a cousin and it's the first time I've been there in fifteen years. Well, I decided to bring along a tub of worms and a pole for some gill action. Let's just say I caught about thirty small ones, absolutely no size to these bluegills at all.

Is there big gills in there or has the shad population ruined the big gill fishery? I caught one small crappie throwing a jig and caught no redears. Is Patoka primarily a big bass and striper fishery now? IMO, it isn't anywhere near the lake it could be with some proper management, panfish should be of good size and quite numerous in that lake.

[raporter]

Yes the shad destroyed to gill and redear fishery. There are some very good crappies in the lake, you just have to look for them.

[slimshad09]

Back in the late 70's early 80's there were HUGE gills and pike. It was a crazy lake to fish.

[redearhoosier]

I distinctly remember going to Patoka in the late 80's and catching a cooler full of big bluegill/shellcrackers on the beds in May/June. I was about 13 years old and went with my buddy and his parents, they had a pontoon boat and we tore them up in a little cove. These were SLAB gills and crackers too.

That lake offers very little now in the way of big gills or redear, I've heard there's big crappie but tons of little ones to wade through first. IMO, it's just a great bass lake, and I don't like bass fishing.

[idbefishing]

Well, I might be wrong but the bass fishing is what keeping the town of French Lick alive or at least has a lot to do with it. This is before the casino of course.

[raporter]

Crappie USA is having a Regional tourney today and tomorrow. Weighin is at 4pm EST both days. Heading over there to see what the pros have been able to find. What I have found the last couple weeks have been size challenged.

[StCroixSam]

We went pleasure boating with a cousin and it's the first time I've been there in fifteen years. Well, I decided to bring along a tub of worms and a pole for some gill action. Let's just say I caught about thirty small ones, absolutely no size to these bluegills at all.

Is there big gills in there or has the shad population ruined the big gill fishery? I caught one small crappie throwing a jig and caught no redears. Is Patoka primarily a big bass and striper fishery now? IMO, it isn't anywhere near the lake it could be with some proper management, panfish should be of good size and quite numerous in that lake.

There are still plenty of good bluegill and crappie to be caught. My son and I get down there several times a year.

As with pretty much everywhere else you can thank your fellow anglers for the shad issue. I don't know that you will ever see a good cure for getting rid of them