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Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Steve McCadams'
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
April 20th, 2007
KENTUCKY LAKE LEVELS AHEAD OF
SCHEDULE…ELEVATION RISING FAST
Kentucky Lake will reach summer pool elevation by this weekend
according to TVA forecasts and that’s some ten days ahead of schedule.
Anglers have been dodging floating debris this week as rising lake
levels had grass, sticks, logs and other such potential boating hazards
scattered across the surface. Boaters have had to keep an eye out to
avoid obstacles as the aftermath of last week heavy rains apparently
delivered a lot of runoff to the river system.
Projections going in to the weekend will see the reservoir climbing
to 359.4 at Kentucky Dam. Upstream at New Johnsonville lake stages will
be in the 359.1 range.
Surface temperatures have been recovering slowly from the extended
cool spell and this past week bottomed out at 55 degrees but finally
made it up to 61 at midweek. Watch for the warming trend to continue
throughout the weekend as shallow areas will likely make it back to the
mid to upper 60’s soon.
Water color remains quite clear throughout the reservoir as rising
lake levels have pushed what little stain was present back into upper
ends of bays.
Bass fishermen will have their eye on shallow shorelines this
weekend as grassbeds and outside buck bushes will now have sufficient
water to harbor fish.
Action should really improve for anglers who love to toss
spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, floating worms, Texas rigged worms and lizards,
or pitch and flip jig and pig combos around visible structure.
According to TVA’s curve for reservoir filling, summer pool
elevation isn’t supposed to happen this early but it’s likely the bass
will move up fast and take up residence in shoreline cover. Watch for
some bedding attempts to get underway next week as the fish respond to
warmer weather, rising surface temps, and higher lake levels.
However, it will be interesting to see what TVA does with lake
levels early next week. Since the reservoir is higher than normal for
this period of April falling lake levels could enter the picture.
Meanwhile, the gravel bank and rock point patterns may continue to
produce some bass where anglers have had success casting rattletraps and
assorted crankbaits, along with some Carolina rigged worms and lizards
in deeper water, watch for a surge in activity to occur in shallow
venues and shoreline habitat.
Crappie fishermen have seen a variety of fishing conditions greeting
them lately ranging from high winds to rising lake levels. There have
been some cool rainy days mixed in with a rare calm day or two.
Overall the patterns on crappie have been somewhat scattered this
week as the fish and fishermen attempt to adjust to changing conditions.
In the Paris Landing area a lot of fish were taken on deep ledges in the
18 to 24 foot depth range where anglers were using double hook bottom
bumping rigs.
A few days fish really hit well in deeper depths but rising lake
levels appear to have influenced the deeper fish to scattered and roam.
Some fish were taken by anglers drifting and dragging jigs over main
lake areas, especially around the power lines in Big Sandy near Mansard
Island Resort.
Spider rigged presentations were also working as the scattered and
suspended fish seemed to back off somewhat as to their structure
oriented mood that was present earlier in the week. Anglers covering a
lot of water seem to be picking up the scattered fish at various depths
as the fish are really moving about in response to the rapidly rising
lake levels.
Some late spawning crappie were still being taken around submerged
stakebeds and brushpiles earlier this week but it was a
few-here-and-there scenario. Popular depths were 11 to 14 feet as the
deeper cover seem to produce better than shallow structure.
Vertical jig presentations were working as the fish were finicky and
seemed to watch the bait placed right in front of them. Tipping jigs
with minnows also seemed to entice bites.
It appears a lot of crappie are in the post-spawn phase too. Often
times the fish will display a very sluggish mood and are reluctant to
strike a bait for a few days when post-spawn phases occur but the
changing lake levels have likely added even more challenge to crappie
anglers here for a few days.
Clear water color has required some anglers to back off and resume
casting curly tail grubs and assorted colors of tube jigs over manmade
fish attractors. Some days when winds are calm and fish are skittish the
casting techniques are more productive as the slow moving baits entice
strikes.
Popular jig colors have been pearl and chartreuse, chartreuse with
sparkle, some green pumpkin pepper, motor oil with glitter, and black
and yellow combos. The dull colors in clear water have been appealing.
It’s going to be an interesting week ahead for anglers who attempt
to pattern fish under changing lake levels yet it appears a warming
trend is in the picture. Hopefully, anglers will see an end to the
nuisance winds that have pestered the area for the last two weeks.
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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