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Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
November 12, 2009
LAKE LEVELS RECEDE...NICE WEATHER WORKS IN FAVOR OF ANGLERS
High water has come and gone…almost. Kentucky Lake is falling fast as
TVA has been spilling water through Kentucky Dam this week, dropping
lake levels several inches each day.
The high water has been the topic of conversation all week and
rightfully so. It’s rare to see Kentucky Lake so high during late fall
at a time when most anglers and boaters are concerned about low lake
levels and shallow water obstacles.
TVA projects lake levels to be down to 357.2 at New Johnsonville going
into the weekend. At Kentucky Dam levels will be in the 358.1. Those
readings are still some three feet above normal but down some three feet
from earlier in the week when the reservoir crested above 361 in the
Paris Landing area.
Watch for falling lake levels to continue for the next several days as
TVA attempts to pull the reservoir back down to winter pool.
Surface temps reflect the extended warm spell and continue to linger in
the 58 to 61 degree range. Water color has been clear across most of the
reservoir.
Anglers have been the beneficiary of nice weather for over a week now
with above average temperatures and mostly calm winds. Both crappie and
bass fishermen have reported nice stringers taken.
Bass have been on the move and almost in a spring pattern earlier this
week when high water inundated shoreline habitat where weeds and bushes
were attracting fish. A lot of baitfish blitzed toward shallow water
structure during the peak of water levels that coincided with warm
weather.
Tossing spinnerbaits, Texas rigged worms, shallow running crankbaits,
and some topwater jerkbaits were appealing to the shallow bass too. It
was somewhat uncanny to be fishing a spring pattern during late fall but
that was the case for a few days.
With falling lake levels now underway bass are pulling back toward
gravel points and deeper banks. Current is present around river islands
and bridge piers. Look for the gravel bank and rocky point patterns to
return soon.
Some smallmouth and Kentucky spotted bass were hitting around rip-rap
and sloping points near deep water along the Tennessee River. Watch for
largemouth to return to shallow flats and school on shallow shad in the
days ahead.
Crappie have been hitting good for most anglers working the deep ledges
during the high water saga. Depths of 18 to 25 feet were giving up some
nice size fish. Seems a lot of crappie stayed deep during the changing
lake levels this week.
A few fish were taken around stakebeds and brushpiles in 14 to 16 foot
depths but scattered for most anglers who vertical fished jigs. Some
anglers attempted casting grubs over stakebeds and brushpiles with
moderate success in the clear water.
The most productive depths were deep in the Paris Landing area this week
but that will likely change in the days ahead once TVA stabilizes the
lake as fish may venture up on flats and move toward shallow structure.
In other areas of West Sandy and down around Lick Creek and Bass Bay
crappie were caught in 7 to 12 foot depths. Seems the fish in those
areas chose to move up on shallow structure.
It has been a week of dramatic fluctuation in lake levels that caused
fish to deviate from their normal deep ranges and patterns. It appears
normal fall lake levels are on the horizon for anglers who have their
fingers crossed in hopes the nice weather will stay around.
Perhaps this nice November weather is paying us back for the nasty
October.
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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