Pater Wildlife Area

[Duffy]

Has anyone been to the Pater Wildlife Area in Butler County, near Oxford? If so, how is the fishing in Indian Creek? I'll be going to Miami U. for a conference in May, and I'm looking at fishing opportunities nearby in my brief free times.

Thanks.

[Duffy]

Anyone?

[Duffy]

With regard to my recent incursion into SW OH for a conference at Miami U in Oxford, I only had the opportunity to fish Indian Creek in the Pater Wildlife Area in Butler County south of Oxford for just two hours of dwindling daylight on Wednesday 05/18/05 while taking a break from activities at Miami U. I've never been there before, so I wasn't sure where to start, but I made quick work of finding a place. There was a giant hole at a bend in the creek about 0.5 mile from where I parked the car. I threw a 1/32 oz chartreuse plastic jig into the hole and did all kinds of retrieves, drags, bumps, etc., before hooking up with a decent sized sucker. Nothing to write home about, but it was a little action. A #1 Mepps Aglia spinner took a small largemouth out of the hole, too. Expanding my options, I walked a little further upstream and came across another bend, and a spot where some erosion caused a small eddy off the bend next to another decent sized hole. I tried the Mepps a little more, but to no avail. Then I tied on a small yellow popper, and let it drift with the current from the eddy out to the hole, and doing that I caught two more small bass. By then, darkness was setting in, and I had to get back to the University. Like I said, not much action, nor anything too dazzling to catch, but it was a great break from my work activities, and it was just fun being out for awhile and playing around, especially somewhere I had never been before.

I didn't have the chance to go to Acton Lake at Hueston Woods State Park. Maybe some other time, but I appreciate Nightprowler's advice on locations there.