From the fishing scene on Kentucky Lake comes another good week of reports from successful anglers.

    Crappie are really hitting good and back on a structure oriented pattern. Bass fishing is good for a variety of patterns ranging from shallow shoreline weedbeds to deep ledges on the main lake.

    Catfish are still tugging on the lines of bank fishermen too as the rock island near Sulphur Well Island and the rock bluff beneath the power lines on the east side of Big Sandy has produced. This week several catfishermen were still scoring good catches on the east side of Paris Landing Bridge and at the Danville railroad levee.

    Bluegill and shellcracker have prolonged their spawning phases and earlier this week hefty catches were taken in shallow areas.

    Presently, lake levels are up a few inches from last week with readings of 359.8 at New Johnsonville and 360 at Kentucky Dam. Heavy rains earlier this week have delivered a lot of runoff as the reservoir is above the normal summer pool elevation of 359.

    TVA indicates lake levels are now falling slowly and will likely be back down to summer pool in two to three days.

    Surface temperatures are in the 74 to 78 degree range. Water color is clear.

    Crappie have been taken in good numbers this week. Popular depths have been manmade fish attractors in the 12 to 14 foot zone. However, some decent stringers were also taken on main lake ledges around submerged structure in the 17 to 20 foot zone.

    There were even some reports of nice crappie taken in 5 to 7 foot zones by some anglers casting jigs around the Sulphur Well area during late afternoon outings on cloudy days.

    I had some dandy catches this week while tightlining a 1/16-ounce white and orange jig. Some days the fish were aggressive but at times tipping the jig with a minnow also seemed to stimulate bites.

    Deeper stakebeds and brushpiles in 12 to 15 feet were holding a lot of fish. Action was much improved over the last two weeks.

    Watch for continued crappie action in the weeks ahead as predictable weather patterns and lake levels will work in favor of consistent crappie catches. June is a good month for crappie fishing here on Kentucky Lake but most folks overlook it.

     For the last several years June has been one of my best months for crappie. Gone are the high winds, cold fronts, and changing lake levels we endured this spring so the scenario out there now is much in favor of anglers and fishing patterns.

    Bass action has held up this week with and the shallow patterns got a boost after some cloudy days and rising lake levels gave fish a real comfort zone around those islands, buck bushes, and weedbeds.

    The grass is beginning to make its presence known in most shallow bays on the east side of the lake. Yet lots of fish are being caught around buck bushes, willow trees, and the abundance water willow weeds that are common to the reservoir in shallow venues.

    Spinnerbaits, Texas rigged worms, small finesse worms, and shallow running crankbaits have been producing fish.

    On the ledges Carolina rigged worms and lizards are working well as are Texas rigged worms and jig and pig combos.

    A few anglers are tossing big deep diving crankbaits on the ledges too.

    Pitching and flipping techniques around the abundance of shallow structure has worked well this week.

    Bluegill and shellcracker seemed to make a surge in spawning this week with one last fling before bedding time fades away. Those shallow mud and gravel pockets off the main lake have produced big numbers of bream this week but look for fish to back off and scatter somewhat by next week.

    Bluegill in Springville bottom have been hitting fair but scattered as a lot of water remains behind the levee. The recent rains dropped a lot of water too and although pumping is underway, levels remain high.

    Some crappie have been taken there too and anglers are reminded of the daily creel of fifteen fish. According to TWRA regulations the daily creel limit in Springville bottom is different from Kentucky Lake where it is thirty per day.

    Catfish have been relating to rocky banks for a few weeks now and anglers are landing some nice ones. Nightcrawlers and chicken liver have been baits of choice.

    Overall fishing reports have been good this week for a variety of species and that’s no tale!