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Steve McCadams'
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
May 26th, 2005
FALL CONDITIONS GREET ANGLERS...BASS AND
CRAPPIE ACTION IMPROVES...LAKE LEVELS STABLE
Anglers have had cool mornings this past week, making it feel more
like early fall than late spring. In fact, jackets and long sleeve
shirts have been in demand as cool north winds whipped up whitecaps for
several days.
Presently, surface temperatures have cooled somewhat and stayed in
the 74 to 77 range most of the week. Expect a slight warming trend going
into the Memorial Day weekend.
Watercolor remains clear throughout the Big Sandy area and up into
West Sandy while a little dingy water is present throughout the
Tennessee River and its feeder bays.
Lake elevation has been relatively stable this week with both
Kentucky Dam and New Johnsonville area staying around the 359 range.
Some areas south are a little below supper pool but overall, the
reservoir has been staying at the summer pool level lately as no heavy
rains have been in the picture.
Bluegill are still bedding and hitting pretty good, although the
cooler conditions at midweek appeared to slow down the bite somewhat.
The high pressure and north to northeast winds seemed to have an adverse
affect each morning but action improved a little each afternoon.
Some redear (shellcracker) are still hitting too as a full moon
returned earlier this week. Bushes mixed with some grassbeds have
attracted a few scattered shellcrackers but not many catches have been
reported in large numbers. Only a few scattered fish here and there.
Both bluegill and shellcracker will begin to scatter by next week as
the peak of their spawning phase passes. Still, there’s some good
fishing to be had and in a few short weeks the mayfly hatches will enter
the picture.
Crappie have improved this week and are relating to structure in the
112 to 14 foot depths. I found a few pretty good size fish this week in
midrange stake beds taking jigs tipped with minnows.
Although several small fish are mixed in, some larger fish were
there with them. However, crappie were not concentrated as it took a lot
of stops but action has improved over last week and should continue to
improve in the weeks ahead.
Some fish are still suspended and a few anglers are trolling jigs
and crankbaits to find crappie.
Also showing up this week were several sauger. My groups landed
several sauger while crappie and bass fishing this week. A few were well
past the minimum length limit but several small fish were also showing
up, which is an improvement over last year at this time.
Bass are hitting good with a variety of patterns still producing.
Shallow action has been fair on topwater, floating worms, and Texas
rigged worms and lizards tossed around grassbeds and buck bushes.
Carolina rigged worms and lizards in the pumpkin-pepper, red shad,
and tequila sunrise colors are still working too. Some of the larger
fish are moving back out off the banks where anglers are working
secondary points and ledges with both big crankbaits and Texas or
Carolina rigged worms.
There are a lot of pin minnows present in shallow weeds and treelaps
along river islands but the minnows are still too small to attract large
bass. That situation will continue to improve as the schools of minnows
get bigger. Keep the spinnerbaits handy.
Catfish action was good last week but slowed somewhat this week in
the cool weather, as no current was present in the river either.
However, watch for action to bounce back quickly as several fish were
taken on jugs and trotlines. Some success has also come from anglers
fishing rock banks and under the Paris Landing Bridge.
For The Lake Barkley Report
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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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