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Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
May 13, 2010
LAKE LEVELS FALLING FAST AS ANGLERS ATTEMPT TO ADJUST
Kentucky Lake has seen some drastic changes in lake levels the last week
to ten days. After near record high elevation last Saturday morning the
reservoir has been falling fast as TVA really pulled the plug earlier
this week, dropping lake levels more than a foot each day.
The drastic drawdown is still underway and the reservoir may be back
down to normal summer pool by this weekend or early next week. That’s
good news for just about all lake users.
Anglers have been attempting to adjust to the changing situation at hand
and while the roller coaster ride has been difficult at times, a few
bass and bluegill fishermen are scoring some hefty catches. Catfish have
been on the prowl too and biting quite well.
Despite waking up to a new lake each morning, some fishermen have scored
hefty catches. Bluegill and shellcracker continued spawning attempts
during the transition of water levels and are still actively bedding at
this time.
There have been several 100-plus catches of bluegill taken this week by
anglers tossing crickets and tiny twister tail or larva type grubs over
bedding areas. Seems the desire to spawn combined with some warm days
that heated up shallow, dingy water really stimulated activity.
Bass action has been improving daily as the fish pull back to steep
banks, feeder creeks, and submerged ditches where outside bushes and
grassbeds are holding a lot of fish.
As lake levels continue to descend, watch for the outside buck bushes
and willow trees to be popular locations. Island points and bridge piers
and rip-rap rock levees and roadbeds will also be popular locations as
current continues to have an influence on main lake areas.
While a variety of lures---from chartreuse colored crankbaits to big
bladed spinnerbaits---have been producing, the high water and dingy
color have been great for anglers pitching and flipping jigs, crawsfish,
worms, and lizards around shoreline habitat.
A lot of small fish are being caught as a healthy population of bass is
present.
Crappie have been extremely scattered during the fluctuation of lake
levels and should begin to transcend back toward structure in midrange
depths once the reservoir stabilizes early next week. While a few
scattered crappie have been taken in submerged grass and buck bushes
lately there hasn’t been much of a pattern.
Catfish have been on the prowl all week with some good stringers taken
in backs of bays during the high water periods. With falling water
pulling a lot of fish our of shallow areas look for catfish to head
toward rocky banks and bluffs for spawning.
There have been good reports this week from bank fishermen taking nice
stringers while fishing from the rocks around the Paris Landing area and
highway bridge.
Lake levels are projected to be in the 362.9 range at New Johnsonville
as the weekend approaches. At Kentucky Dam TVA projects a reading of
362.8. Those readings are down about seven feet from last week at this
time.
Water color is improving daily in backwater bays and creeks while the
main river is still muddy. A good dingy color is present bays and
pockets off the main lake.
Surface temps are in the 72 to 75 degree range after several back to
back days of warm sunshine erased the influence of a cool front last
weekend.
High water has receded and things are getting back to normal out there.
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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