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Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Steve McCadams'
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
April 14th, 2006
ANGLERS ENJOY GOOD WEEK OF FISHING
Anglers have enjoyed a good week of fishing here on Kentucky Lake
after saying goodbye to a cold front last weekend that slipped in the
door.
Overall conditions this week have been good to crappie and bass
anglers, although lake levels jumped a bit above normal earlier in the
week in the aftermath of heavy rains leftover from last week’s storms.
Early in the week the reservoir rose rapidly with a lot of floating
debris present and fish appeared to scatter for a day or so, which is a
typical response when waters rise too fast. Yet warm weather help get
the crappie back on track early in the week and the reservoir crested
Tuesday and began falling slowly.
Crappie have been spawning the last several days throughout most of
the Paris Landing and Big Sandy embayment. Surface temperatures have
been in the 63 to 66 degree range the last few days.
Big numbers of fish have been taken this week from a variety of
depths but that 6 to 10 foot range has been a popular choice as some
hefty slabs have chosen it as spawning zones. A few fish moved up in 3
to 5 foot depths along gravel banks and shallow structure too.
Not all the fish have moved shallow, however, as some anglers
drifting and trolling the main lake are finding fish still relating to
main-lake ledges. Some crappie were scattered in the 9 to 14 foot zones
with a few fish still lingering off the drop-offs in 15 to 17 foot zones
this week.
Vertical presentations of jigs over submerged structure has paid big
dividends as the fish deposit eggs around wooded habitat. Popular color
choices have been black, silver, and red leadheads armed with several
different color skirts such as clear sparkle, pearl, motor oil,
chartreuse with metal flake, and yellow and chartreuse combinations.
Water color remains clear in most of the Paris Landing area as the
rising lake levels have kept any runoff pushed back up in creeks. Some
dingy water is present in the upper Big Sandy.
TVA continues to revise its three-day projections for lake levels.
Presently the reservoir is above normal for mid-April and continues to
rise slowly after a crest at midweek and slight fall in elevation.
Readings are expected to be 358.6 going into the weekend for the New
Johnsonville area, which is some 18-inches above normal for this time of
the year. Whether or not TVA holds the higher elevation or draws the
reservoir back down to its normal curve is anyone’s guess.
Elevation will be slightly higher at Kentucky Dam with a projection
of 358.8 going into the weekend.
Some anglers like the higher water but it can confuse both the fish
and the fishermen when it jumps up too fast.
Meanwhile, good catches of crappie have come from the New Hope,
Country Junction, West Sandy, and Mansard Island area this week. The
mouth of Big Sandy and Eagle Creek has also seen good stringers of
crappie taken by just about every technique you can imagine.
I witnessed several nonresident anglers casting jigs along gravel
banks and catching fish while others were trolling plainer boards,
spider rigs, and long line drifting. All seemed to be boating fish now
and then.
Bass anglers were beating the banks early this week as rising lake
levels inundated shallow grass beds and those popular yellow flowers
that seem to attract largemouth. With a full moon upon us chances are
some fish may make an early attempt to go on bed.
While the moon phases will no doubt stimulate the crappie spawn,
chances are some bass will attempt to spawn as well as there always
seems to be a few early ones when full moon phases coincide with warm
surface temperatures.
Some bass will wait until late April or early May to fan out their
spawning craters but watch for the biological clock to jump start this
week for bedding bass.
Already popular are Texas rigged worms and lizards fished around
shallow cover as are floating works and flukes. Spinnerbaits and shallow
running crankbaits are working too as are topwater choices such as
floating Rapalas, Bango Lures, Pop-R, Zara Spook, and Rogues.
Fishing is good and that’s no lie!
For The Lake Barkley Report
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Also check out our past:
Kentucky Lake Fishing Reports
Steve McCadams
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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