Bass and crappie is good for Kentucky Lake anglers and some hefty stringers were taken this week as summer fishing patterns take hold.

    Presently surface temperature is in the 77 to 80 degree range. Warm days have dominated the picture with above average temperatures throughout the week.

    Observed lake levels at both Kentucky Dam and New Johnsonville steam plant are in the 359.5 range. Water color is clear.

    Lake levels have been falling slowly this week after climbing more than a foot above summer pool last week.

    High winds have challenged anglers at midweek with three days of gusty conditions from the south that blew in the 15 to 25 mph range. It’s unusual for high winds to occur in early June here.

    Meanwhile, anglers are hoping winds subside soon and some cooler conditions return but both bass and crappie continue to hit good.

    Bass have been coming from main lake ledges this week as falling lake levels seemed to stimulate action on the drop-offs where anglers are tossing Carolina rigged lizards, worms, and crawfish.

    Texas rigged worms and jig and pig combos were working too as were big deep diving crankbaits. Some anglers are tossing finesse baits on the ledges too and fooling finicky fish into striking assorted swim baits and unusual styles.

    Last week’s Triton series of tournaments here in the Paris Landing area saw a lot of fish taken and Rogne Brown of Hixon, TN landed almost 100 pounds of bass in just four days, earning him well over $40,000.

    Meanwhile, a lot of shallow fish are still hitting and anglers are pitching and flipping worms, lizards, and jigs around trees and bushes with success. Others are tossing spinnerbaits around grassbeds and landing lots of fish.

    A variety of patterns continue to produce ranging from topwater in the early morning hours to deep rigs on up in the day out on make lake ledges.

    Crappie are hitting good in stakebeds and brushpiles in 12 to 15 foot depths. The fish are relating good to structure and jigs tipped with minnows presented in a vertical method are working well.

    Those main lake ledges are holding fish too, although several windy days have been tough for the open water areas. Depths of 17 to 22 feet are holding fish where stumps and brush can be found on the ledges.

    Catfish were fair this week but improving as the falling lake levels have delivered some current to those main river hangouts.

    A few sauger are showing up too along the drop-offs in depth of 10 to 15 feet. Crappie anglers are landing a few during the day but some anglers are trolling crankbaits and picking up both sauger and white bass.

    Look for continued success in the bass and crappie department in the weeks ahead as the fish fall into good summer patterns.