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October 14, 2010
RETURN OF NORMAL FALL WEATHER SHOULD AID ANGLERS
Fall fishing on Kentucky Lake continues to deliver a variety of weather
conditions at a time when stability is the norm. This week’s fishing
scene has gone from hot and dry weather to nice and calm before another
cool front slipped in the door delivered by high north winds.
In-between it all was a long overdue thunderstorm that finally dropped
some rain in the Paris Landing area on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Overall, the weather has been nice to anglers this week before the high
winds and cool front descended but it appears good weather is in the
forecast for this weekend and early next week.
Lake levels remain low with very little fluctuation these days. TVA has
been keeping the reservoir near its winter pool elevation lately as very
little rain and runoff has entered the picture.
Elevation at Kentucky Dam is 355.2. Upstream at New Johnsonville Steam
Plant readings were in the 354.9 range. Those levels are similar to last
week at this time.
Water color remains clear throughout the reservoir.
Surface temps climbed back into the 70 to 73 degree range this week
after several days of above average temperatures last weekend and
earlier this week. Cooler weather is expected this weekend and that
should see surface temps fall back into the mid to lower 60’s in the
days ahead.
Crappie fishing has been fair to good this week with some nice size fish
showing up. Numbers have been down lately but some decent stringers are
still coming in with the bite improving when light winds and cloudy
conditions are present.
Depths of 8 to 12 feet are producing some good crappie. Stakebeds and
brushpiles in that depth range have been giving up fish this week in the
Paris Landing area. A few anglers are still stalking main lake ledges in
14 to 18 feet and finding some fish taking jigs worked slowly around the
submerged structure.
Tipping a jig with a minnow has been the bait of choice. Small leadheads
in the 1/16 to 1/32-ounce range were working best and the finicky fish
seem to prefer the smaller baits.
A few days fish were reluctant to take loud colored jig heads or skirt
bodies. Just tipping a minnow on a small leadhead worked well at times.
Those stakebeds and brushpiles are full of feisty yellow bass and hungry
bluegill so expect to encounter a lot of short strikes as the fish nip
at the bait.
Speaking of bluegill, several anglers have been landing some good
numbers of keeping size fish this fall. Fishing around bridge piers and
along drop-offs or the main riverbank itself will put you in touch with
some aggressive bluegill that will nail redworms tossed their way.
Bass action seemed to improve this week as calm winds and stable weather
returned to the picture. Some shallow fish were taking spinnerbaits and
shallow running crankbaits tossed on sloping points and flats where fish
were schooling and chasing shad.
Grassbeds south of New Johnsonville were producing some bass this week
and short vegetation was found in the backs of creeks and pockets near
Harmon’s Creek and Little Richland.
Here in the Paris Landing area anglers were finding a few more fish
responding to Rattle Traps, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits on roadbeds and
gravel banks this week compared to last week at this time.
Main lake ledges are still holding a few fish and anglers are working
jigs, Carolina and Texas rigged worms, and big crankbaits similar to
summer patterns.
On the days with stagnant winds the bass have been sluggish to strike.
When wind and cloud cover enter the picture things improve.
A few more bass were hitting shad in the early morning and late
afternoon hours along main lake gravel banks but overall the topwater
bite has been off. That can change quickly if some schooling bass enter
the picture.
Catfish have been fair around the Paris Landing Bridge at times but not
much current has been present. As a result not many boats have been seen
targeting catfish along the main river channel as of late.
It appears normal fall temps and weather patterns will take over this
weekend and into next week which should work in favor of anglers.
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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