What Its Name?

[Jon G]

I hear some people rave about Clinton Lake which is the closest impoundment to where I live.  Naturally, therefore, because it is so convenient, I can't seem to catch anything there but stunted white bass and the occassional catfish.  I have a friend who used to work at the Marina and he fished there quite regularly.  He had what he called his regular "milk run" where he went and caught bass.  Now he says he, like me, can't catch a cold there.

I really enjoy Clinton it seems that the biggest fish I catch are from there. But I will say this a lot of the fish I catch there seem really beat up and have been caught A LOT. I am also still trying to find these "Smallmouth" that I hear people catch out of there

[WRB]

WRB.... Try fishing around the sunken island in Casitas.

Thank you for the tip. That would be Arrow Island, no longer sunken...did you know the marina used to be on the south end of Arrow island, pilings are still there, just south of the road bed cut.

There is a night tournament this Sat, good luck!

Tom

[Violinguy]

In my experience, any lake that is featured in the DNR publications as a great lake for fishing usually sucks.  When I was in college in CT, we would go a few times a year to Twin Lakes in the far NW corner of the state.  In the "list" provided by the state, it was one of the top rated bass lakes in the state (and very very deep in spots so lake trout also).  Well, we caught just about everything but bass there.  Crappie, panfish, perch, pickeral, etc.  Never had a bad trip, but never got on the bass.

 

Without a boat, it's never worth going to the famous lakes in any state.  Here in GA, we have Lanier and Alatoona, but I don't fish there because I don't have a boat and can't stand the crowds.  George Sparks Reservoir (Sweetwater state park) is always mentioned, and it has good bank fishing opportunities, but I've never even had a nibble there.  Yet, a tiny pond that doesn't even have a name in a county park near me produces 12" bass every time I go.  Sure I'd rather catch bigger fish, but I also want to catch fish period. 

 

I'm going to try Sweetwater State park again this summer now that I have more confidence, especially with plastics, but being skunked in all 4 trips I've taken there, I don't hold out much hope.  Probably rent a canoe - that'll help.  Yeah...

[McAlpine]

Patoka lake... But it's not just me, lots of folks hate the lake for LMB , over and over again I have seen 40 boat tournaments with a single fish winning? I consider my self a decent fisherman, not on patoka.... I quit fishing it though I know a guy that caught a 9+ in a area I fished a lot ... Great crappie/ bluegill and now pretty good for stripers... But LMB ? Might as well travel and hire a boat.. That's my thing...

 

A lot of good fish in Patoka.  My PB came out of there and our last club tourney at Patoka one of the guys caught a 7+.  Definitly a lake you have to "learn".  It's not easy like it was back in the day but there are some pigs in there but your right on many days that place can be tough.  With last years giant bass brood hatch and the way they left the lake level down, hopefully we will have another boom on Patoka in a year or two.  It gets so much darn pressure though, we will see how it goes.

 

 

My Nemisis is Monroe.  That place just has my number.  I have been there and done very well on the muddy side just out having fun but rarely.  Can't catch a cold on the clear side.  Regardless; I have finished every tournament I have fished there as a blank. 

[F14A-B]

A lot of good fish in Patoka. My PB came out of there and our last club tourney at Patoka one of the guys caught a 7+. Definitly a lake you have to "learn". It's not easy like it was back in the day but there are some pigs in there but your right on many days that place can be tough. With last years giant bass brood hatch and the way they left the lake level down, hopefully we will have another boom on Patoka in a year or two. It gets so much darn pressure though, we will see how it goes.

My Nemisis is Monroe. That place just has my number. I have been there and done very well on the muddy side just out having fun but rarely. Can't catch a cold on the clear side. Regardless; I have finished every tournament I have fished there as a blank.

Oh yea, there are some toads in it yea, but your also right about its heyday... I hope it does come back.... I always loved it in the Fall a beautiful place, a lot of great days on it since about 81 for me.... I would have a couple years of great fishing, followed by years of horrific fishing. But I do hope it comes back. Hard, hard, lake to figure!

Tight lines to ya!!

[slimshad]

A lot of good fish in Patoka.  My PB came out of there and our last club tourney at Patoka one of the guys caught a 7+.  Definitly a lake you have to "learn".  It's not easy like it was back in the day but there are some pigs in there but your right on many days that place can be tough.  With last years giant bass brood hatch and the way they left the lake level down, hopefully we will have another boom on Patoka in a year or two.  It gets so much darn pressure though, we will see how it goes.

 

 

My Nemisis is Monroe.  That place just has my number.  I have been there and done very well on the muddy side just out having fun but rarely.  Can't catch a cold on the clear side.  Regardless; I have finished every tournament I have fished there as a blank. 

 

 

Oh yea, there are some toads in it yea, but your also right about its heyday... I hope it does come back.... I always loved it in the Fall a beautiful place, a lot of great days on it since about 81 for me.... I would have a couple years of great fishing, followed by years of horrific fishing. But I do hope it comes back. Hard, hard, lake to figure!

Tight lines to ya!!

 

 

Come on guys these two lakes are fine.  I have won more money on Patoka and Monroe than any other lakes.  You have to throw away all your previous knowledge and start fresh.  Go in with a open mind.  Don't fish old spots.  I have found that Patoka has no honey holes.  All of mine have changed over the years.  I just go and follow seasonal patterns now.  Monroe did get me on our last tournament but I won last years there.  Try the open mind thing at these lakes and I bet you do better.

[F14A-B]

And how have you been catching them? Let me guess, superfluke weightless over submerge vegetation or Senko fished same way or a Jig and pig off rip/ rap? Come on tell us, I ain't going back!

Come on guys these two lakes are fine. I have won more money on Patoka and Monroe than any other lakes. You have to throw away all your previous knowledge and start fresh. Go in with a open mind. Don't fish old spots. I have found that Patoka has no honey holes. All of mine have changed over the years. I just go and follow seasonal patterns now. Monroe did get me on our last tournament but I won last years there. Try the open mind thing at these lakes and I bet you do better.

[F14A-B]

The post got flip/flopped

[Nice_Bass]

I really enjoy Clinton it seems that the biggest fish I catch are from there. But I will say this a lot of the fish I catch there seem really beat up and have been caught A LOT. I am also still trying to find these "Smallmouth" that I hear people catch out of there

I do catch a few decent smallmouth out of there each year.  One is in my avatar pic right now.  Never find the giants, but close to 20'' anyway.

[slimshad]

I went friday night to Patoka.  Not a boat was in sight.  Weird really.  I put in at the Lick Fork ramp and stayed over there.  We had three keepers before dark and then it slowed way down.  Seems like points with deep green grass were our best pattern.  Popping the bait, jig or texas rig through the grass and then letting it fall.  We found several deep schools around the points of the dam.  They were deep though.  Might have been stripers or walleye.  It was a cool site on my buddies 1198.  Huge bait balls with arches all around.  30 to 45 foot deep though.  If it was bass, i dont know how to get to them.

[FrogFreak]

Mine is the lake that I stay at in MN. It has some large bass but they are very few and far between. I can go to other lakes in the area and have 20-40 bass mornings (2 lb average) but I can fish all day on this lake and catch very few if any keepers. I've been skunked several times this year already and even on the "good" days I may scrape out 2-3 keepers. It's very frustrating. I think I just need to spend a ton of time driving around and graphing the lake so I can find out where they're hiding.

 

OH, and yes the MN DNR says this lake has an "abundant" population of LMBs. 

[F14A-B]

I went friday night to Patoka. Not a boat was in sight. Weird really. I put in at the Lick Fork ramp and stayed over there. We had three keepers before dark and then it slowed way down. Seems like points with deep green grass were our best pattern. Popping the bait, jig or texas rig through the grass and then letting it fall. We found several deep schools around the points of the dam. They were deep though. Might have been stripers or walleye. It was a cool site on my buddies 1198. Huge bait balls with arches all around. 30 to 45 foot deep though. If it was bass, i dont know how to get to them.

Yea, those stripers friggin own those bait balls in the upper 1/3 of that lake, when shad was first put in... After a couple years really.. I was catching stripers on top when they would bust the bait schools, serious fun! It always is a nice site on electronics seeing them, that's a fact... One of my biggest patoka fish was at walls lake... Deep thumping a spinnerbait, after loosing 2 Roland Martin Big Bass spinnerbaits, the 3 was a charm!

[CDMeyer]

My place is not a lake but rather a place on a lake, there is this really good looking  bay that I fish but have never caught anything, yet I know the are in there it is just to promising looking.

[CDMeyer]

Even on day where I have a great pattern going I will take that pattern in there and get zilch not even a bite

[everythingthatswims]

Even on day where I have a great pattern going I will take that pattern in there and get zilch not even a bite

The state record is living there keeping all the little guys away, go get her!

[Bluebasser86]

Patoka lake... But it's not just me, lots of folks hate the lake for LMB , over and over again I have seen 40 boat tournaments with a single fish winning? I consider my self a decent fisherman, not on patoka.... I quit fishing it though I know a guy that caught a 9+ in a area I fished a lot ... Great crappie/ bluegill and now pretty good for stripers... But LMB ? Might as well travel and hire a boat.. That's my thing...

I fished Patoka in '05 in a BASS Weekend Series regional tournament. I almost made the final day cut with 1 2.5lb fish on the non-boater side and 10 or 11 pounds won it in 3 days of fishing on the NB side. I caught 4 fish in 2 days of fishing, some of the toughest fishing I've ever experienced. My boaters combined for 2 keepers in 2 days. It was a long drive home after that weekend. 

[senile1]

I would say my nemesis has been Smithville Lake north of Kansas City though I seem to have figured out some patterns that work for me most of the time.  I have had my share of bad days there though.