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Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Steve McCadams'
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
October 13th, 2006
LOW
LAKE LEVELS GET BOATERS ATTENTION
Dominating the discussions of both anglers and pleasure boaters has
been the low elevation of Kentucky Lake lately.
Low water always seems to stimulate interesting conversations for
everyone from waterfront property owners to fishermen concerned about
running aground on those open lake sandbars.
Kentucky Lake was rising slowly at midweek but late last week and
earlier this week saw falling lake levels drop down to the 354.2 range
here in the Paris Landing area. That lake stage isn’t normally observed
on TVA’s drawdown curve until November.
TVA’s projections show a slight rise going into the weekend. Lake
levels are predicted to be 354.6 at New Johnsonville and 354.8 at
Kentucky Dam.
Boaters need to pay close attention to secondary and main river
channel markers this time of year. Low lake levels expose a lot
potential hazards and there is an abundance of hidden dangers out there
just barely beneath the surface.
Surface temperatures have been in the 68 to 71 degree range this
week but expect a decline of three to four degrees by this weekend in
the aftermath of a cold front.
Water color remains clear throughout most of the reservoir as the
influence of falling lake levels has pulled stained water out of most
shallow bays.
Crappie action has been good this week with a lot of fish coming
from the 7 to 12 foot range. Shallow structure in that depth range is
really holding crappie as schools of shad appear to be abundant.
Submerged stakebeds and brush piles are really paying dividends.
Structure with some deeper water close by appears to be the most
attractive type location but I’ve also found some decent fish relating
to beds up on relatively shallow flats.
There are still some fish holding on the deep side of main lake
ledges where cover in the 17 to 20 foot zone is holding on to some
scattered crappie. However the bulk of crappie have really moved up into
the midrange depths the last week to ten days, which is a normal fall
pattern.
Those cloudy days with a little wind have been working in favor of
anglers who are vertical fishing jigs, minnows, and jigs tipped with
minnows or scented crappie nibbles. A few anglers are casting twister
tail grubs and tube skirts under slip bobbers with success.
I’ve had several days this week eclipsing 100 fish a day from
shallow beds. A lot of fish have been culled that fell short of the
10-inch minimum length limit but there are plenty of keepers right there
with them. Increased numbers of large fish were showing up this week
too.
Fall crappie fishing has some good weeks ahead. Anglers can expect
the crappie bite to hold up well for the next few weeks. Action the next
day or two may slow down due to the cold front and high skies but watch
for crappie action to rebound quickly early next week as the fish are in
the mood.
Baits of choice have been chartreuse, red and black lead heads in
the 1/16-ounce size tipped with tube skirts or live minnows. Several
days the fish have aggressively taken jigs while the calm days seemed to
request live bait supplements.
Bass action has been fair as anglers continue to test a variety of
patterns ranging from flipping tube and jigs around boat docks to
crankbaits on rocks and spinnerbaits or worms around grassbeds.
Carolina rigged worms and lizards have fooled a few fish on sloping
points and rocks. Texas rigged worms around the outside grass beds have
worked too as have some jerk baits such as flukes and stick baits around
gravel banks where shad are popping.
A lot of shallow stumps and exposed crappie beds have offered good
targets for topwater and spinnerbaits for bassers fishing wood type
structure. Some shallow running crankbaits in shad and pearl colors have
yielded strikes.
The abundance of grass has given anglers a lot of visible targets
but fish have been finicky in the thick grass as to bites on topwater
and weedless style lures.
Not many smallmouth are showing up. Cooler surface temperatures in
the days ahead could see an improvement in the overall bass bite.
Catfish action remains ho-hum at best. Not many anglers are
reporting in with success stories lately.
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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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