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Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
SUMMER PATTERNS UNDERWAY FOR KENTUCKY LAKE ANGLERS
Kentucky Lake anglers are already in the groove for summer fishing
patterns although the season doesn’t officially arrive until June 21.
Jane and Tom TN Crew
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
Bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill fishermen have seen a lot of
transition take place lately as surface temperatures have risen. There
have been a few cool mornings but there’s been a lot of hot and humid
days too that have opened the door to an early summer.
June 2018
Joe, Judy, and Ryan TN Crew
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
Lake levels this week have danced around the 359.3 range at both
Kentucky Dam and New Johnsonville. That’s a few inches above normal
summer pool elevation but TVA has pushed a lot of water through Kentucky
reservoir the last week to ten days in the aftermath of some heavy
thunderstorms that drenched the entire region.
Water color has cleared this week in the Big Sandy area but there’s
still a little stain along the main Tennessee River channel area.
Surface temperatures reflect the warm days and nights. Readings this
week have been in the 80 to 82 degree range.
Both bass and catfishermen have encountered a lot of current in the
Tennessee River this week. Current will likely hang around well into
next week too.
Bass patterns have ranged from ledge fishing to shallow shorelines this
week and will likely continue. A lot of boats have targeted shallow
shorelines where abundant weedbeds with a few buck bushes have given up
some fish.
Early morning and late afternoon outings have produced some fish for
anglers tossing buzzbaits and various topwater jerk baits. Spinnerbaits
and Texas rigged craws and worms have worked too.
Deep water patterns have been the target areas for most of the winning
tournament stringers lately. However, most fishermen banging away on the
main lake sandbars say the fish haven’t been easy to locate.
Some hefty fish have been taken but most agree the ledge bite has been
challenging at times. Although current has been present lately and that
usually works in favor of the deep ledge pattern, there are a lot of
good looking humps, points and drop-offs that just haven’t produced.
Big deep diving crankbaits, Texas rigged worms in the 9 and 10-inch
length, jig and pig combos and Carolina rigged worms and lizards are
topping the arsenal as are swim baits. Most anglers are relying on swim
baits to fool some finicky fish into biting.
Crappie continue to improve as they usually do during the month of June.
Increased numbers were showing up this week for anglers working midrange
stakebeds and brushpiles. Depths of 11 to 14 feet have been giving up
decent numbers.
June is a good month for crappie here on Kentucky Lake and often
overlooked by most anglers. Once the post-spawn phase is over the fish
transition back to a comfort zone somewhere between their spawning
territory and mid-summer hangouts.
That seems to be the case now and it should last for a few more weeks.
Several small fish are still present but there are more keeper size ones
beginning to show up.
That’s good news as most crappie anglers are overdue for some decent
stringers. Meanwhile, baits of choice have been live minnows or jigs
tipped with minnows. Assorted colored jigs have produced too such as
black/chartreuse, blue/black, blue/chartreuse and blue metal flake or
silver sparkle combos.
Catfishing has been decent with some anglers already finding fish in a
summer pattern along the Tennessee River channel. Others are finding
several lingering in the midrange depths and back in bays as the slowly
work their way from spawning territory back out toward summer venues.
Bluegill actions seemed to slow down this week as a lot of fish have
left spawning beds and started to scatter. Several bluegill have been
taken in deeper depths this week by crappie anglers, an indication the
bluegill spawn is over and perhaps a Mayfly hatch may soon arrive.
Stable summer weather appears to be here to stay. So too will be
Kentucky Lake’s summer patterns for bass and crappie.
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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