|
This page brought to you by:
Roger Binkley and Chase Binkley from TN
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
CRAPPIE BITE SLUGGISH…BETTER DAYS AHEAD
Kentucky Lake anglers are ready to put a mean March in the rearview
mirror. Enough already of this nasty wind and unstable weather.
Jane and Tom from TN
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
Things should get better by this weekend and next week look to have some
warm and stable weather in the forecast. It’s about time!
Both crappie and bass anglers have had it pretty tough this past week as
the bite has been off. Gale winds have dictated how anglers could fish
and where they could go. Most days this past week haven’t been kind to
anglers hope to have some early spring success.
Sluggish crappie have been keeping anglers at bay. Late March has been
pretty decent fishing in times past as prepsawn crappie and bass can
sometimes turn on but for crappie fishermen it has been slow in
materializing.
Surface temperatures have mirrored the weather, falling back down to the
50 to 51 degree marker earlier this week after some cold, frosty nights
influenced things. By midweek the water was warming slowly and had
rebounded to the 54 degree range and still climbing.
Look for surface temperatures to creep up to the upper 50’s by early
next week if not sooner, setting the stage for a lot of movement by
stubborn crappie that have been slow to take on a positive mood swing.
Water color has been stained across much of the reservoir but not too
stained to fish.
Lake levels have stayed relatively low this week and danced around the
354.3 range at Kentucky Dam. Upstream around New Johnsonville the
elevation has been in the 354.2 range this week.
Right now anglers are watching the weather as heavy rains were in the
process and were expected to drench the TVA valley before this weekend,
which could send lake levels rising rapidly. Right now the forecast on
lake levels is somewhat unknown as it depends on how severe the flooding
will be to our south.
TVA is scheduled to start filling the reservoir slowly on April 1 anyway
with a gradual rise toward summer pool level of 359 by May 1. That all
depends on rainfall in the days and weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, the crappie spawn is dominating the conversation among the
ranks of panfishermen. When will it start and when will it peak?
Surface temperatures next week will likely climb into the low to mid
60’s, triggering male crappie to move up toward shallow gravel banks and
head towards structure quite soon. The females will lay out away from
spawning areas for a few days but make a blitz once things warm up.
No dark male crappie were showing up in the creel of anglers this week
but the overall bite has been well below average lately. It’s that time
of the year when things are changing almost on a daily basis.
A few crappie were taken on the deep sides of main lake ledges later
last week and early this week. Depths of 22 to 26 feet produced a few
keeper fish when anglers could get out there and work the sandbars
throughout the Paris Landing area.
It’s time for crappie to transition away from that deep water and begin
stair-stepping their way toward prespawn areas. Fish have been very
stubborn to do that this past week, opting to ride it out in deep water
until warmer days arrived.
Active spawning phases could kick in late next week if sunshine lingers
and heats things up. The timetable appears to point toward latter part
of next week as to the potential starting time with peak activity
occurring during the second week of April.
Once surface temps reach the 62 to 66 degree range the annual ritual
will begin. There are times that has happened here in late March but not
this year! Surface temperatures the last week to ten days have pushed
the spawn back into April this time around.
Watch for male crappie to begin sporting a darker color by midweek, a
clear indication the spawn is fast approaching.
Bass fishermen saw action back off a bit this week as well. Fish seemed
to pull back to secondary ditches last week during the falling lake
levels and colder weather.
Tossing crankbaits is still the ticket but the bite really slowed this
week for some strange reason. Crappie anglers and bass anglers overall
have faced tough conditions this past week.
Watch for warmer days and rising lake levels to bring bass up toward
shallow gravel banks and near the mouths of small bays where they’ll
stage for a short period and wait for the warm up.
Both bass and crappie anglers can wave goodbye to low lake levels after
this weekend as rising levels will slowly bring fish toward shorelines
as new areas are inundated.
Dogwoods are about to bloom and that signals crappie spawning on the
threshold as are bass. Spring is about to make its presence known!
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.
|
|
