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Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Steve McCadams'
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
May 4th, 2006
BLUEGILL BEDDING TIME ARRIVES…BASS AND CRAPPIE ACTION GOOD
Spring fishing is alive and well here on Kentucky Lake. Bass
anglers are scoring some hefty catches as are crappie anglers who have
experienced a better harvest than last year at this time.
Added to the list comes peak spawning time for bluegill who are
right on time with their bedding efforts as are the redear sunfish,
referred to locally as shellcracker.
Anglers this week have had a mixture of windy days and calm
conditions but overall the fishing continues to hold up. This time of
year you just need to keep the raincoat with you at all times.
Water levels are holding relatively stable across the reservoir this
week. The New Johnsonville area is right at the summer pool mark of 359
as is the Kentucky Dam sector. Only minor fluctuations are occurring and
the reservoir may fall a few inches this weekend.
Clear water remains across most of the lake with a few exceptions
around main lake points and pockets where high winds have whipped up
shoreline sediments.
Surface temperatures are in the 71 to 74 degree range, which is good
for bluegill and red ear bedding.
Anglers who want to tangle with the big bull bream, which is another
southern term, can expect action to be good for the next two or three
weeks. The fish are biting fast and furious when a cricket, red worm,
wax worm, or grub imitation comes their way.
While some of the larger bluegill are a out from weedbeds and buck
bushes a few feet, most of the redear will be relatively tight to
structure. That means snagging the bobber and hook a few times in your
quest to hit those tight spots.
Now is a great time to get that young boy or girl in on some fast
fishing action. Keep the soda pop cold and the fishing action hot. That
way, everyone is happy!
Bass anglers are catching a lot of fish from shoreline habitat this
week. Those weed beds, buck bushes, and willow trees are holding fish as
are shallow crappie beds and other stickups just out from the shoreline.
Popular lure choices continue to be Texas rigged worms and lizards
in green pumpkin-pepper, red shad, Tequila sunrise, black, and black and
blue combinations, just to name a few.
Chartreuse and white spinnerbaits are working well as are other
skirts sporting a gold flake with various trailers in white and
chartreuse. I’ve fished some willow leaf and Colorado blades and had
luck on both on ¼-ounce size baits lately.
Topwater action has been good too, especially on those cloudy days.
A lot of fish are hitting floating fluke style worms as that slow
sinking jerk and soft entry in shallow water is deadly this time of
year.
Jerk baits such as Bagley’s Bango, Storm’s Chugg Bug, Rebel’s Pop-R,
and Cordell’s Crazy Shad are some popular choices. Color variations do
make a difference on surface plugs and while shad colored finishes are
hard to beat, there are times then those fish will roll at one color but
tag the other.
A few anglers continue go back off the banks and toss Carolina
rigged lizards on sloping banks off the main shore or near the mouth of
small pockets. Some of the larger fish will pull back there as waters
warm, although tossing at that shoreline is sure tempting this time of
year.
Some smallmouth have been taken as anglers work big crankbaits,
Carolina rigs, and small finesse baits on deeper ledges. Still,
smallmouth remain illusive for most anglers lately who are concentrating
more on the multiple bites underway by largemouth and Kentucky spotted
bass.
Catfish are heading to the rock banks and shoreline anglers will see
a real improvement in the next week or two. The male cats are already
dark blue, showing hormonal changes just like the crappie do at peak
spawning time.
Watch for the rip-rap levees and slate rock banks to produce this
week. The catfish are there searching those crevices for good spawning
territory.
Decent stringers of crappie continue to show up from the 10 to 14
foot zones. That midrange structure has been reliable for anglers the
last two weeks and continues to produce.
A few fish are coming from deeper ledges on the main lake too. Some
crappie were scattered but relating to deep brush and stumps in that
20-foot zone this week.
Live shiner minnows are working well as are small jigs in the 1/16
and 1/32-ounce size range. Tipping unpainted leadheads with small
minnows has produced. Sometimes taking that tube skirt off can offer a
smaller and more appealing presentation for finicky, post-spawn crappie.
Fishing has been good so get out there and take advantage of it. If
you listen closely you can hear the fish calling!
For The Lake Barkley Report
Click Here
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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