Patoka River Fishing Spot

• Elevation: 539'
• Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/10/09 11:49 AM
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The Patoka River is a tributary of the Wabash River, approximately 138 mi (222 km) long, in southwestern Indiana in the United States. It drains a largely rural area of forested bottomland and agricultural lands among the hills north of Evansville. It rises in the Hoosier National Forest in southeastern Orange County, approximately 10 mi (16 km) southeast of Paoli. It flows generally west, passing through Patoka Lake, where it is impounded for flood control. Downstream from the reservoir it flows in a highly meandering course, making large oxbows as it flows past Jasper, then westward across Pike and Gibson counties. It joins the Wabash from the east opposite Mount Carmel, Illinois, approximately 30 mi (38 km) NNW of Evansville. The mouth of the river is approximately 1 mi (1.6 km) downstream on the Wabash from the mouth of the White River. Southern Indiana's Patoka River is similar to the Kankakee River up north. The Patoka winds through the countryside in areas where it has not been dredged, while in other spots it flows straight and sure and offers little concealment for crappies. Just below Patoka Lake, the Patoka River winds through Dubois County and heads toward Jasper. This section of the river is full of timber and logjams, and the crappie fishing is excellent. West of Jasper the river meanders along until it enters the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Management Area. Mark Crowley gave this spot the nod as a great place to fish for crappies, especially from a canoe. "There are lots of sloughs over there, and they are just full of crappies," he said. There are still some sections of the Patoka River that are like a wild river. It's along those wild river sections that the fishing is best. "The section of the Patoka River inside the National Wildlife Refuge is wild," said Crowley. "That's why it's such a crucial piece of property. It's really one of the last sections of the Patoka that hasn't been dredged. That's also where you're going to find the best crappie fishing. "There are lots of sloughs and bayous off the Patoka," continued Crowley. "Some of them belong to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and some are still in private ownership. There's a big bayou right at Oakland City called Snaky Point." Since the refuge boundaries are always changing as more land is purchased and added to the refuge, the best advice is to contact the refuge office to get a current map.

The Patoka River is a tributary of the Wabash River, approximately 138 mi (222 km) long, in southwestern Indiana in the United States. It drains a largely rural area of forested bottomland and agricultural lands among the hills north of Evansville.