Fishing Report For Patoka Lake, IN

By Rick Seaman

January 21, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Patoka Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Marinas
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Patoka Lake, Indiana

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Patoka Lake, IN

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Results from the 2024 USA BASSIN, Patoka bass tournament reported the winners averaged nearly a 3-pound average, and many of the participants caught bass over 4 pounds. The biggest bass of the event weighed nearly 6 1/2 pounds. Similar reports from locals and other tournaments indicate the bass fishery at Patoka Lake is in very good shape. In Spring, Fall and Summer mornings, crankbaits and spinnerbaits are a good way to catch active bass. When the bite gets sluggish, slow fishing stick worms is a good way to entice bites.

Black Crappie - White Crappie

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

Considered by many to be the best crappie lake in the state for a couple years now, Patoka Lake continues to deliver good numbers of quality crappie. Spring is the premiere time to be on the water as crappie move into shallow coves to spawn. Shallow brush and deeper brush piles are the main attraction for crappie. Fish 5' to 10' off the bottom in 15 to 25 feet of water using small crappie jigs or live minnows. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Locals report good success using fish finders to locate brush piles and schools of crappie.

Striped Bass

Current Report: Fair To Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Striped bass, as well as hybrid stripers, roam the waters of Patoka Lake in search of baitfish. Locals report improved catch rates over the last few years due to a careful stocking program by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Being successful at fishing for stripers is often a matter of locating schools of bait, and wolf packs of stripers and/or wipers are likely to be nearby. Fish finders are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Swimbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, spoons, live bait and cut bait are all effective here.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, white crappie, walleye, bluegill, redear sunfish, white bass, wipers and striped bass at Patoka Lake in Indiana.

Patoka Lake is spread over 8,800 surface acres, and 160 miles of shoreline. Considered Indiana's best crappie and bass lake, there is good walleye and striped bass fishing. Multiple boat ramps and marinas are readily accessible. Popular fish species in Patoka Lake include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish, and striped bass.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Click here for fishing boat rentals available at this lake.

Marinas

Click here for marinas available at this lake.

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a Indiana Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".