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Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
April 1st 2009
KENTUCKY
LAKE CRAPPIE SPAWN ABOUT TO BEGIN
Been waiting for the Kentucky Lake crappie spawn to begin? If so, your
wait is over as the fish are moving up fast as waters warm, setting off
the alarm on the biological clock of the area’s most popular panfish.
Hefty stringers have been taken this week by a variety of methods from
anglers testing the waters of the famous Big Sandy portion of Kentucky
Lake. Every year about this time anglers flock to this area in search of
pole benders and it appears the area is living up to its reputation thus
far this spring.
Surface temps have been dancing around the 59 to 62 degree range this
week. Spawning usually occurs once the water reaches the 62 to 66 degree
range and it appears that will happen early next week barring any
drastic cold fronts.
Male crappie have been migrating toward shallow areas this week and
showing their darkening phase which signals spawning time is close at
hand. Several fish have been taken in 4 to 8 foot depths and some have
been caught in shallow shoreline stickups.
Lake levels have been changing as anglers have battled a roller coaster
ride of elevation that shot up fast early this week to the summer pool
mark of 359 in this area. That summer pool reading is about four feet
above normal for this time of year and isn’t supposed to occur until May
1 but heavy rains to our south have apparently influenced the present
scenario.
What will TVA do with the water levels as the crappie spawn begins?
That’s the topic of discussion among the ranks of crappie fishermen who
always worry about the fish heading shallow and spawning only to have
the water jerked out from under them, a situation that can diminish the
success of the spawn.
Water levels crested on Wednesday and TVA’s projections going into the
weekend indicate the agency will be pulling a lot of water as it
attempts to draw the reservoir back down to its curve. Anglers can
expect falling lake levels for the next several days as more rain enters
the picture.
Presently, lake stages in the New Johnsonville area are in the 358.4
range and falling. At Kentucky Dam the elevation is expected to be 358.5
going into the weekend. Those readings are up more than three feet from
last week at this time so there has been a lot of fluctuation this week.
Crappie have been hitting good on those warm sunny days but the changing
lake levels have scattered fish that appear to be roaming and not
relating to structure as much as they would have had there not been a
fast rise in elevation.
Things are changing fast, however, as every day the fish move closer
toward active spawning phases. Despite the high lake levels some good
stringers have been taken this week up Big Sandy where anglers fishing
the New Hope and Country Junction area have scored.
West Sandy has given up a lot of fish too, along with the Elkhorn sector
and flats south of the power lines. Fishing showed signs of improvement
in the Paris Landing sector at midweek.
A variety of techniques in a variety of depths continues to produce.
This week I’ve seen coolers full of fish come in from anglers working
the main lake ledges in 18 to 24 foot depths while others were casting
jigs toward shallow structure and having success at the same time.
Two different depth extremes have produced as have two drastically
different methods. And, those midrange depths of 11 to 16 feet have been
holding a lot of fish as anglers troll spider rigs and pull long line
techniques up Big Sandy to chalk up consistent coolers full of fish.
Popular lures have been Road Runners and curly tail jigs by those slow
trolling. Drifters have used tube skirted jigs and live minnows as have
anglers vertical fishing over manmade fish attractors.
Color choices have ranged from white/red, pink/chartreuse combinations
to lime green leadheads with clear sparkle skirts. In dingy water loud
colors have produced best while the clear water areas seem to favor dull
colors or white.
Water color up Big Sandy is stained while most of West Sandy is clear.
The mouth of Big Sandy at Paris Landing is also clear.
Watch for crappie to really move up to shallow zones in the days ahead.
Even with falling lake levels the fish will likely move up to that 5 to
10 foot zone and being spawning.
While some anglers were hoping lake levels would remain high for
shoreline buck bush fishing and even some wading around stickups, odds
are receding waters will not allow that to happen until later this month
unless heavy rains reenter the picture.
Bass fishermen are still finding a lot of fish, although it appears some
of the big fish have backed off. Still, plenty of good size largemouth
are running the rocky banks and entered very shallow areas this week in
response to the warm days and rising lake levels that inundated dead
grass, logs, and even some bushes.
Those yellow flowers are showing up in shallow water venues and that
seems to really attract the bass that are entering prespawn phases.
Working the shallow grass with floating worms, jerk baits, spinnerbaits,
and lizards or imitation crawfish has worked well.
As current enters the picture watch for those points along the main lake
to hold bass. Also, deeper ditches and feeder creeks with steeper banks
will likely appeal to bass that pull back and ride out the falling lake
levels with a deeper water refuge nearby.
Both bass and crappie anglers are encountering rapid changes in weather
and lake levels as they attempt to pattern fish that are on the move.
Welcome to the unstable spring fishing conditions that always seem
challenge keep fishermen humble.
For The Lake Barkley Report
Click Here
Also check out our past:
Kentucky Lake Fishing Reports
Steve McCadams
Steve McCadams is one of the nation's best known Crappie Fishermen
and a full time resident of Paris, Tennessee. Steve is also a
professional hunting and fishing guide here in the Paris Landing area.
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