BFL event coming to Patoka Lake March 23 | Sports & Recreation

The 2013 Walmart Bass Fishing League season continues with three tournaments around the country on Saturday, March 23 including a Hoosier Division event on Patoka Lake.    Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing in each event for top awards up to $8,000 and $3,000 respectively.

Spanning just shy of 9,000 surface acres,Patoka Lake has a reputation for containing lots of timber, both submerged and emergent. Water level is currently close to full pool, allowing the flooded lumber to provide plenty of cover and habitat for the dominant species of the lake, the largemouth bass.

Some anglers will undoubtedly run into the lake’s elusive smallmouth bass as well.

As the water warms and the fish get ready for the spawn, anglers should look to target any structure and cover near staging areas and shallow flats. Reports indicate these areas are holding large numbers of fish, and those making the move to shallower waters throughout the day should be in a feeding mode.

Expect to see a winning weight approaching 20 pounds and many bass in the 2- to 3-pound range.