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December 5, 2012
IS HONEYMOON WITH WEATHER ABOUT TO END FOR ANGLERS?
The first week of December has been a carbon copy of the wonderful
weather enjoyed by anglers throughout November but is the honeymoon
about to end?
Rain is expected for the weekend with cooler conditions entering the
forecast for next week, a change which may interrupt the long stretch of
unusually mild weather and above average temperatures that have spoiled
fall fishermen here on Kentucky Lake. Light winds and warm day have
dominated this week and crappie anglers have taken advantage of it as
several boats have been out and about. On Monday temperatures broke
records across the region with a reading of 74 degrees in some areas.
Temperatures have actually been above average for the last week to ten
days when readings were in the low to mid 60’s as November handed off
the fall fling to December.
Good stringers have been taken again this week throughout Big Sandy and
into West Sandy where deep water zones continue to produce.
In the Paris Landing area crappie continue to relate best to the deep
sides of main lake ledges where depths of 17 to 23 feet have been
holding pretty good numbers. Most fishermen are tightlining jigs or
using bottom bumping rigs armed with live shiner minnows to stalk the
submerged stumps and brush on the deep side of the drop-off.
While a few fish have been taken in stakebeds and brushpiles in midrange
depths of 9 to 13 feet during the warm spell, falling lake levels this
week appeared to pull fish back toward deeper hideouts. Some bays such
as Leatherwood, Lick, Cane, Hurricane and White Oak have given up some
crappie lately too.
Speaking of lake levels, TVA’s projections heading into the weekend may
be anticipating rainfall as the elevation has been falling slowly all
week but on a gradual basis toward winter pool. Elevation is expected to
be 354.9 this weekend at Kentucky Dam.
Upstream in the New Johnsonville area lake levels are forecasts to fall
down to 354.7 level, which is several inches lower than last week at
this time. Water color remains clear and surface temperatures have
danced around the 52 degree mark.
Bass fishermen are still darting up and down the lake as though it were
early fall. A lot of anglers are beginning to work main lake drop-offs
along the river channel with Carolina rigged craws, jig and pig combos,
and some finesse baits worked slowly in deeper areas.
Some boats are still targeting grassbeds where tossing chrome and blue
Rattle Traps, spinnerbaits, and Texas rigged worms are working.
Crankbaits on gravel points and big rock banks are also worthy of
consideration in the late fall patterns.
Still not much coming in from sauger fishermen but a little current in
the river this week may work in their favor.
It appears the weather will change a bit by next week but anglers can’t
complain as things have gone their way for several weeks running. And,
odds are some mild weather will return to the fishing scene in the near
future.
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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