Thread: Anyone have luck on Patoka?

I can rarely go to Patoka during turkey season and not hear turkeys gobble. One finger I fish I had a gobbler fly right over my head two years in a row just to get to the other side I guess. He probably knew though that I haven't turkey hunted in at least 5 years.

Just had 16 turkeys in my yard. It is a daily accurance. Have only had one tom strutting so far though. There are plenty birds here but you may need to go by boat to get away from the crowds.

anyone seen a current water temp on the lake

Got out today. Water temps were from 41 to 48. Was fishing a jig under a bobber in shallow water. Caught around 70 with the biggest being 12 1/2. Had photos but managed to delete all of them. Most were small but I did manage to get 9 from 9 to 12 1/2. One of the bays I fished had the warmest water on the north bank (48) and still have ice on the south bank.

Originally Posted by raporter

Got out today. Water temps were from 41 to 48. Was fishing a jig under a bobber in shallow water. Caught around 70 with the biggest being 12 1/2. Had photos but managed to delete all of them. Most were small but I did manage to get 9 from 9 to 12 1/2. One of the bays I fished had the warmest water on the north bank (48) and still have ice on the south bank.

WTG!!! Glad you got out and scored! Last 2 days been pulling tree stands, now that they are all down, can fish. Got some tree limbs cleared up from previous storms as well, that is off the honey dew list. Maybe I will run into you on the lake this spring. Keep on fishing!

im heading out last week of march.

Any of you guys do very good pulling crank baits at Patoka when the water temp is better for it. I'm goin to try it there this year and see if it will help with some better size fish.

I pull cranks when the water gets about 55 degrees. I do seem to catch more larger fish until the water get to 80-85 degrees then its a toss up as you can't keep the small crappies and yellow bass off them both on Monroe as well as Patoka. You do catch bonus fish pulling cranks such as lg. mouth and a occasional walleye as well as stripers and hybrids. Cranks I pull are mostly 200 and 300 series bandits and I use their chart with trolling rods matched with Okuma line counter reels loaded with 20lb high vis yellow Power Pro Braid. On Patoka, when the water is high enough and you can pull above the weed beds in the spring, you can really load the boat with nice fish. Don't be afraid to also pull thru the edges of the timber or across the timbered points,, as I never loose many either even if they get stuck on the timber under water. Just reel all your other lines in and 99% of the time when you backtrack to where its hung up,,it will come off as the timber is now getting mushy. And,,when pulling thru the timber,,as your crank is bouncing off,,it can trigger a big fish into striking more. Prior to the warmer temps I will long line jigs sometimes adding nibbles to when using the tube type bodied baits as I inject it into them. Also use Bobby Garland bodies, curlie tails and a few diff. other colored types on RR jig heads.