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Keith from IN
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
FALL LIKE WEATHER PUTS PEP IN STEP OF SUMMER ANGLERS
Thumbs up to the weatherman this week! After enduring weeks of hot and
humid weather Kentucky Lake anglers woke up to cool crisp mornings this
week, reminiscent of mid-October when jacket mornings and shirt sleeve
afternoons are the norm.
Both lake levels and temperatures fell this past week, reopening the
door to summer fishermen, many of which had thrown in the towel lately
in the aftermath of above average temperatures that turned outings into
a grudge match.
Jane and Tom TN Crew
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
Surface temperatures fell a few degrees and were resting in the 83
degree range at midweek. That’s down several degrees from last week’s
peak of 88 degrees in some areas.
Lake levels began a slow descent in early July, which is TVA’s schedule
to implement annual winter drawdown done on a gradual basis for the next
several months.
Elevation this week actually fell to 358.3 earlier in the week but
rebounded slightly at midweek. Projections for the weekend in the
Kentucky Dam sector will be 358.4. A slight rise was underway in the
aftermath of heavy rains and thunderstorms across the TVA valley last
weekend and earlier this week.
Water color is in pretty good shape across the reservoir for fishermen
with a slight stain present in the main Tennessee River channel area.
Most backwater bays exhibit only a slight stain.
Benefitting from the slow current prior to the midweek rise in elevation
were catfishermen working the main channel banks. Depths of 30 to 35
feet were producing decent stringers as boaters worked the edge of the
submerged river bank using double hook bottom bumping rigs.
Tom and "OC" from Chicago
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
Catfishermen targeted any irregular bends or lips along the channel
bank or humps out on the main river. Also in their sights have been the
down current sides of deep feeder creeks that at one time emptied their
contents into the river channel.
When current enters the equation catfish will stage on the down current
sides of submerged creeks, awaiting shad that wash their way and
congregate in the deep eddies during summer time.
Nightcrawlers, chicken livers, big minnows and catalpa worms—if you can
find them---are popular bait choices this time of year. Some commercial
concoctions are also productive, assuming you can withstand the odors!
Roger Binkley and Chase Binkley
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
Crappie anglers experienced a minor increase in activity lately with a
few fish holding in midrange depths of 12 to 14 feet. Live minnows have
been the most productive bait.
Some anglers presented jigs and jigs tipped with minnows or various fish
attractants but live minnows have paid the most dividends as sluggish
summer crappie often opt for live bait presentations.
Also producing at times have been deeper manmade structures, namely
brush piles, located on the deep side of main lake ledges. Depths of 20
to 25 feet are giving up a few fish that seem to be relating to the deep
cover.
Most anglers are applying tightline techniques or bottom bumping rigs
with hooks tied 18-inches to two feet above the sinker for suspended
fish. Other techniques such as spider rigging presentations with
multi-pole rigs and slow trolling deep diving crankbaits have, at times,
produced some scattered fish.
Bass fishermen had a short honeymoon with shallow fish before lake
levels fell, pulling schools of baitfish out of bushes and outside
weedbeds. Once lake stages fell below summer pool the shoreline habitat
became less appealing to the schools of pin minnows that were attracting
fish to shallow shorelines for a couple of weeks.
While a few scattered fish are still relating to blowdowns that are
holding pin minnow schools, most bass have backed out away from
shorelines with some holding on shallow to midrange crappie beds beneath
the surface or out on main lake ledges.
Out from feeder creeks or on secondary flats anglers are finding some
bass holding there if baitfish are present. Tossing Rattletrap style
lures or swim baits have located some bass as have shallow running
crankbaits.
Dave and Jeff KY Crew
Kentucky Lake Crappie Fishing
"1 pole jig fishing"
Crappie Action
Guide Service
Main lake ledges have been the most appealing areas this week as lower
lake levels and some current have made such areas more attractive to
summer bass. However, despite hot weather and warm surface temperatures
Kentucky Lake anglers know when they find the baitfish they’ll encounter
bass regardless of depth.
The ledge bite is hit and miss. Some sandbars produce when bass push
shad up toward the top sides of ledges and just when that will happen if
often unpredictable.
When current is present it aids the deep ledge bite. However, some
anglers have learned to fish the deep sides of drop-offs with huge
crankbaits, spoons, swim baits, jig and pig combos, Texas rigged worms
and Carolina style presentations of worms, craws or lizards, especially
when monitoring areas with detailed sonar units.
Sluggish bass can sometimes be triggered to respond if anglers choose
the right baits during the summer doldrums. For that reason sometimes
baits such as a leadhead jig and twister tail type grub can be a popular
choice if bass are located suspended in open water and not necessarily
relating to structure.
Bass this time of year will often school with white bass if schools of
shad can be located. At times they will follow the feeding frenzy of
white bass or smaller yellow bass schools.
Meanwhile, mayfly hatches continue to be scattered and somewhat
unpredictable. If located some shallow activity will occur, especially
around river island rims or steep shorelines out on the main river
areas.
Regardless of what type fishing fits your fancy, cooler days now upon us
should indeed put pep in your step. Midsummer cool spells are rare so
best take advantage of it while it’s here!
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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