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LAKE LEVELS FALL...TEMPS STILL HIGH
Lake levels have been falling slowly this past week and are now back in
the normal range for late July and early August. Temperatures, however,
were rising this week.
Despite the heat Kentucky Lake’s fishing scene hasn’t been all bad for
bass and crappie anglers rising early and hitting the water before the
midday sun takes over.
Several mornings offered light breezes and cloud cover that delivered
pretty nice fishing conditions.
After sleeping at above normal elevation for about two weeks the
reservoir is back down as TVA has had a gradual drawdown underway.
Projections for the weekend will be 357.9 at Kentucky Dam and also
upstream at New Johnsonville.
Those readings are down about a foot from last week at this time.
Water color has been good for fishing. Surface temperatures peaked last
Tuesday at 91.7 on my Lowrance sonar unit. Most days had been starting
out around 87 and climbing to 89 but two or three days of back to back
heat pushed surface temps to the highest reading thus far this year.
Crappie were hitting decent along the deep sides of main lake ledges for
a few days. A slight current seemed to benefit the bite but later in the
week activity subsided once lake levels stabilized and current
diminished.
Depths of 18 to 23 feet were giving up some crappie when deep structure
was located.
Bottom bumping rigs loaded with live shiner minnows worked well at
times. And, a few fish remained in deeper stake beds where anglers were
picking off some in the 13 to 15 foot depth range while vertical fishing
jigs tipped with Berkley power bait in the chartreuse color. Tipping
jigs with minnows also produced at times.
Strikes have been light, which is not unusual for summer crappie.
Catfish activity has been fair with a few boats working the down current
sides of bridge piers in the Paris Landing area. Some anglers continue
to target the edge of the main river channel bank in depths of 25 to 35
feet with mediocre results.
Bass have been taken around shallow grass mats, boat houses and docks
where schools of pin minnows are attracting fish. Lower lake levels this
week have exposed more grassbeds along the main river and around island
rims.
A few anglers are tossing weedless frogs and fluke style baits and also
working the holes or parameters with Texas rigged worms, craws and
Gitzit style skirted baits.
Ledge fishermen continue to target main lake drop-offs with big deep
diving crankbaits, jig and craw combos, Texas rigged worms and spoons.
The ledge bite has been sluggish but may improve some now that lake
levels have returned to normal and pulled some shallow bass back out of
bays and shoreline habitat that had been appealing.
Most are reporting the bite is best in the first two hours of the
morning as once the bright sun enters the picture activity falls off.
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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