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May / 29 / 2014
Hal from Arkansas and David from Tennessee
photo courtesy:
Crappie Action Guide Service
KENTUCKY LAKE FISHING UPDATE
From the Kentucky Lake fishing scene this week comes pretty good news as
it appears last weekend’s Memorial holiday period was a safe one around
the Paris Landing area for both anglers and recreational boaters.
Henry County TWRA wildlife officer Clay Riley tells me no serious
boating accidents occurred with only a few minor fender benders
reported. When you consider the popularity of the Paris Landing area
during the summer season kickoff for tons of fishermen, recreational
boaters, campers and various lake users there’s a tip of the hat due to
both TWRA boating safety officers and you the public.
No Boating Under the Influence cases and no serious boating accidents is
a testament to improved safety here in our area’s waterways as it was
indeed crowded out there last weekend.
Lake levels going into the weekend will be stable and resting pretty
much at normal summer pool elevation of 359 at Kentucky Dam. Projections
upstream for the New Johnsonville area show readings of 358.7, which is
similar to last week.
Surface temperatures climbed to the 77 to 79 degree range this week.
Water color is clear across most of the reservoir.
Anglers are landing some good stringers of bass from both shallow water
patterns and deep, main lake ledges. Some of the heavier tournament
stringers are coming from drop-offs and humps where anglers are tossing
big deep diving crankbaits, swim baits, jig and craw combos, Carolina
and Alabama rigs.
Not much current has been present this week, a scenario that can work
against ledge fishermen at times and also slows the bite for
catfishermen working the main channel.
Not all the bass have moved off shore as some decent stringers are still
being caught from visible grassbeds and buck bushes by anglers casting
Texas rigged worms, crawfish imitations, and lizards. Also popular have
been gold willow-leaf spinnerbaits and some topwater jerk baits such as
floating flukes style worms.
With two major tournaments in progress---The Triton Boat Owners and FLW
Series---bass will see a lot of lures come their way this weekend!
Crappie showed improvement this week with a few more fish relating to
midrange structure in the 10 to 14 foot depth range. More fish were
moving toward stakebeds and brushpiles back in bays with vertical
presentations of jigs and jigs tipped with Berkley crappie nibbles
paying the most dividends.
Hefty catches of bluegill are still coming in too. The big bull bream
are still bedding in places and guarding their territory, which makes
for fine fishing. They will really tag a cricket, redworm, or larva type
bait if it enters their comfort zone.
Although several females have moved up into prime bedding areas and
dropped their eggs, culling a few fish is part of it as there are enough
adult fish still spawning to appeal to anglers. A few scattered
shellcracker are showing up but overall numbers have been low.
Catfish continue to prowl some shallow areas as I tied into several
hefty ones this week while bluegill fishing. Not much current was
present this week in the main channel area so anglers working the piers
at Paris Landing bridge and elsewhere along the channel haven’t fared
well. Some cats are still relating to rip-rap rock areas for some late
spawning.
Summer patterns are drawing closer as warm weather makes its presence
known and surface temps rise. It has been a decent week for anglers
overall.
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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