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November 2, 2012
NOVEMBER FISHING OFF TO WARM START
After last week’s brutal cold front that drastically changed the fishing
conditions from the low 80’s to low 40’s overnight, temperatures have
rebounded and November fishing on Kentucky Lake will get off to a good
start it appears.
Fall fishing the last couple of weeks has seen some roller coaster
weather patterns as high winds dominated the fishing scene for about
five days, whipping up the lake with whitecaps and sending anglers back
to the coat closet for reinforcements.
As the weekend approaches temps are forecasted to return to the 70’s
before another cool snap arrives early next week when temps will fall
back to the mid 50’s. However, the cool snap isn’t predicted to be as
mean as last week when conditions were more favorable for duck hunting
than bass or crappie fishing.
Despite drastic changes crappie fishing has held up pretty good for
those who braved high winds and found fish still clinging to midrange
depths where brushpiles and stakebeds attracted them. Actually, fish
have been holding in this fall pattern for several weeks running with a
few mood swings at times but the 8 to 14 foot depths have paid dividends
since early September.
Fish have been taking jigs tipped with minnows and Berkley crappie
nibbles with the most popular technique credited to vertical
presentations where anglers kept the bait right smack dab in the face of
finicky fish. Strikes have been light at times, especially on the cold
front days when high skies were keeping fish tight to cover.
At times high winds have made it difficult for anglers to hold the boat
over their favorite areas and it has really been a test for trolling
motors and batteries some days, not to mention the guy running the
trolling motor and trying to keep the boat still.
It appears decent weather may return after a cool start next week as
early November normally delivers mild conditions. Crappie action should
hold up well throughout the month as fish are likely to stay in midrange
depths.
Popular jig colors have ranged from red/chartreuse to some motor oil
with red metal flake and blue/clear at times to black/chartreuse and
red/clear sparkle.
Lake levels have dropped since last week as TVA has pulled the reservoir
down to winter pool levels. Elevation at Kentucky Dam is forecast to be
354.2 as the weekend approaches and 354.1 upstream at New Johnsonville.
That is the lowest reading since late last winter and down a foot from
last week at this time.
Surface temperatures responded to the cold front and have fallen back
into the 54 to 57 degree range for the first time since mid-March. Cold
nights have influenced water temps that may change a degree or two by
this weekend. Water color remains clear.
Bass anglers battled low temps and high winds too this week and
experienced a slowdown as the fall bite fell off for them in grassbeds ,
main lake drop-offs, and gravel bank patterns. A few fish were still
relating to grass while most boats were attempting to find bigger fish
on ledges.
High winds have made it tough for main lake boaters to work the
crankbaits and other presentations on drop-offs but that should improve
as mid weather returns. And, some schooling fish were still chasing shad
on sloping points and flats at times where anglers were casting chrome
colored Rattle Traps and similar jerk baits.
Other patterns producing have been shad colored crankbaits on gavel
points and roadbeds or rip-rap at times. Falling lake levels have pulled
bass nearer to deep water escape routes this week too.
Seems a few fish are always relating to the grassbeds this time of the
year as well and anglers tossing spinnerbaits and Texas rigged worms
have continued to catch fish on a consistent basis. Although some bigger
fish have been hard to come by from the grass patterns there have been
some good numbers caught around the aquatic vegetation.
With the mean cold front and high winds of last weekend and earlier this
week now out of the picture, fishing will be more enjoyable for a few
days but a cool snap now and then will require fishermen to keep the
coveralls and raingear close at hand. Remember, you can always take it
off if you don’t need it!
Also check out our past:
Kentucky Lake Fishing Reports
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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