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July 3, 2013
EARLY JULY WEATHER NICE TO ANGLERS
It has been an unusual start for July anglers here on Kentucky Lake this
week as below average temperatures and low humidity teamed up for nice
fishing conditions. Everyone knows it won’t last all summer but a lot of
fishermen have been making the most of it with hefty catches of bass,
crappie and catfish.
Seems odds for the second week of summer to feel like fall but that was
the case a few mornings and no one is complaining.
Lake levels are pretty much on track this week as the reservoir was
staying around normal summer pool elevation. Projections for the next
few days indicate a reading of 359.1 at Kentucky Dam and New
Johnsonville. TVA’s normal curve will see a slow, gradual drawdown begin
next week as the decent toward winter pool begins after the holiday
period.
Surface temperatures the last few days cooled back down into the 81 to
83 degree range thanks to the cooler nights and light north winds at
times. Water color remains clear across the reservoir.
Summer bass activity has held up well this week with the heaviest
stringers coming from main lake ledges but a lot of smaller bass are
running the shallow banks and grassbeds where a lot of anglers are
tossing topwater and spinnerbaits and loving it.
There are areas of pondweed and various aquatics growing in shallow
water that have been holding bass the last few weeks as schools of
minnows and other baitfish are residing in the visit cover. Some fish
have taken weedless frogs and other jerk baits but working a floating
worm and Fluke style baits has produced too.
From the main lake drop-offs have come most of the heavier stringers
this week. Several 20-pound plus limits have been taken in tournaments
recently by anglers staying with those big deep diving crankbaits,
10-inch Texas rigged worms, jig and craw combos and Carolina rigged
worms and lizards imitations.
Strike King’s popular series of XD crankbaits have been popular choices
as have Bill Norman, Poe’s, Bandit and Rapalas just to name a few of the
big deep divers. Colors producing have been blue/white/chartreuse and
Tennessee shad variations.
Zoom’s Brush Hog in the green pumpkin pepper, red shad, and black/blue
have been popular choices rigged both Texas and Carolina style. Culprit,
Berkley, and Zoom’s big 9 to 10-inch worms have worked well too for deep
water anglers.
Thanks to some cloudy days crappie action has held up well again this
week and benefitted from the cooler conditions. A few fish remain in
stakebeds and brushpiles in midrange depths of 12 to 15 feet but numbers
have scattered some since last week. No doubt a few fish are pulling out
of the midrange zone and occupying deeper depths as last week’s warm
spell heated up surface temps for a few days.
There have been some decent stringers taken lately by anglers vertical
fishing jigs in the manmade fish attractors, although it has taken a few
more stops since fish are somewhat scattered. Tipping jigs with live
minnows is still producing as is adding Berkley Power Bait crappie
nibbles to enhance bites.
Trolling crankbaits is another pattern that continues to produce this
time of year. A few boats were finding crappie on the edge of drop-offs
this week and also tying into a few big catfish and bass at times, not
to mention an occasional sauger.
Watch for more fish to transition toward the deeper sides of drop-offs
by next week when warmer temperatures coincide with slow falling lake
levels. Those deeper ledges should see fish holding around the 18 to 25
foot zones.
Catfish were being caught beneath the Ned McWherter Bridge at Paris
Landing again this week where a little current was working in favor of
anglers fishing the piers. Nightcrawlers have been the most popular bait
choice.
A few catfish are still lingering in the deep crappie beds too as
anglers continue to tie into some dandies while dangling jigs around the
submerged structures.
Mayfly hatches were somewhat scarce earlier this week but watch for
increased activity this weekend and for the next few weeks.
Better take advantage of this nice weather and get out on the lake. Low
temps and humidity won’t stay this week for long!
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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