Jun 23, 2002 By Rod Schoener 5 min read

Without a doubt, Dunlap Lake has to be one of Fayette’s County’s premiere fishing spots. One of the lake’s biggest boosters is Al Packan at Captain Al’s bait and tackle shop on the lake.

In a personal attempt to get more youngsters interested in fishing, Packan will host a second annual free fishing derby at the lake on Tuesday, July 8.

The fishing derby will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded by age group with three prizes given in each division. The divisions will be 5-8, 9-12 and 13-15.

Following the awarding of prizes, refreshments will be served to all participants.

While there are still some youth fishing derbies held at the lake, Packan said he wanted to do something for the youngsters.

“The turnout was huge last year,” Packan said. “We had almost 100 kids. Unfortunately, it was bad night for catching fish. I hope this year is better.”

All youngsters are welcome. Parents can register their youngsters at Captain Al’s.

With Packan’s guidance, a group of anglers, who regularly fish the lake, formed a co-op and sold buttons to raise money to stock trout in the lake.

The fishermen wanted a chance to take some trout larger than average size trout the Fish and Boat Commission stocked at the lake.

Through their efforts, $3,500 was raised this year and two stockings were held. One stocking was held last year after the stocking club was revived following many years of inactivity.

As I watched videotape of the stockings, I was amazed by the size of the trout that were released.

Packan said, “We had 200 fish put in here. There were three humongous ones; one was seven, one was eight and the other was a nine pounds. We tagged two of the three. One has been turned in, but the other is still out there. Laurel Hill Trout Farm gave us some very nice trout.

“We don’t put in anything less than two pounds when we stock. We take the trout out in a boat and scatter them all about the lake. They are two pounds and up. Guys even come from outside the area to fish for these trout.”

Even though the weather has warmed up considerably fishermen are still catching trout in this extended season, which began last week.

“They are still catching a lot of trout,” Packan said, “But you know when they are coming, in the late evening and at night. They are doing real well at night. Night fishing for trout has always been a big thing out here … always.”

Packan said the most effective bait for trout fishing at night has been maggots and mealworms.

He went on to say that Power Bait has been big at the lake. “It’s amazing how it has caught on,” Packan said. “It is the most popular non-live bait going right now.”

It comes in many colors, and Packan said that color does matter. “The most popular color is the chartreuse (green).”

When it comes to artificial baits, Packan says that many fishermen choose to use spinners. “Pa Lures are huge,” Packan said. He also noted that jigs have become popular for trout fishing and their use has really taken off in the past couple of years.

You don’t have to have a boat to fish Dunlap, but Packan did say that for night fishing you’re better off fishing from a boat with a lantern lighting up the area where you’re fishing.

Fishermen who fish for trout in the daylight hours troll all day, and those who fish from shore use mostly Power Bait.

Packan did say that shore fishing is not good midday. Only trolling produces trout catches in the afternoon. He noted, “There are regular people who come here every other day, and they pick up trout all day long.”

Dunlap is probably one of the best local lakes where fishermen can catch largemouth bass, and over the years, the lake has yielded many citation catches.

I was surprised at the answer to my question as to how many bass anglers still frequent the Lake? “Not a whole lot,” Packan said. “Bass fishing here at the lake is not as popular as it once used to be, and I don’t know the reason. We still have nice bass out here. It is just not as popular as it used to be. There are a lot of citation bass in the lake right now.”

Packan, who prefers bass fishing to trout fishing, says he likes to fish near the dam.

I hadn’t heard of any citation walleye coming out of the lake for a couple of years, so I asked Al just how the walleye fishing has been lately.

He noted that “prior to the season going out in early spring, quite a few walleye were taken down near the road and in the cove.” He then showed me a picture of a seven-pounder one angler caught this spring and had mounted.

Packan said that he doesn’t see as many nice bluegills as he used to. “The bluegills that are in this lake are nice size, but I just don’t see as many being caught. They are still here, but I don’t’ think they are here in as large numbers as they used to be.”

Packan said that perch seem to be on an upswing at the lake and many anglers also fish the lake for crappie bass.

“The primary fish here is trout, but walleye are doing well, and there are saugeye in the lake too,” Packan said. “Guys have been catching 12-to-13-inch saugeye.”

Herald-Standard outdoors editor Rod Schoener can be reached on line at rschoener@heraldstandard.com.