Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Steve McCadams'
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
July 26th, 2002
This week’s fishing report has some increased activity
in the catfish department and summer crappie patterns are holding up.
Anglers are hitting the lake in the early morning and late afternoon
periods as warm weather is a factor nowadays in every one’s day on the
lake.
Surface temperatures are in the 86 to 90 degree range. A few
thunderstorms have temporarily cooled things off but the hot and humid
days are dominating the outdoor scene.
Observed lake elevation at Kentucky Dam was 357.9 at midweek with a
daily discharge of 24,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), which means some
current each day in the main river system.
Upstream at New Johnsonville the lake levels were slightly lower with
readings in the 357.6 range.
Summer catfish action is holding up well as the fish are in their
typical depth zones along the main river channel. Most of the action has
come from the 25 to 30 foot depths when current is present.
The current stimulates baitfish activity and often causes the fish to
reside in bends or irregular lips along the main river channel. The
submerged points or logs break the flow of the current and create eddies
where catfish lay in wait as shad are washed to them courtesy of the
slow, steady stream flow.
Catalpa worms, night crawlers, and chicken livers have been producing
lately, along with large minnows.
Crappie action is rated fair by most anglers as a few fish are coming
from the main lake ledges where creek channels and sandbars are found
near the main channel. Live minnows are producing best as anglers use
bottom-bumping rigs along the deep sides of ledges in search of
structure.
Depths of 18 to 25 feet are common right now. And, it’s not unusual to
tangle with a catfish or two while crappie fishing in those deep zones.
There were a few fish taken in deep stakebeds and brushpiles in the
Paris Landing area this week. Depths of 12 to 14 feet were giving up a
few nice fish as anglers worked live minnows around the manmade cover in
the mouth of Big Sandy.
Bass action is fair with main lake sandbars still holding some good
fish. Anglers are tossing big crank baits such as the Poe’s 400-series,
Norman’s Deep-N, and Mann’s Deep Pit series and finding success.
Carolina and Texas rigged worms are still paying off in such colors as
red shad, purple and pearl, and green pumpkin-pepper.
All the bass are not deep as a few are still running minnows around
tree-tops, boat docks, and visible grass beds. There’s some pondweed and
milfoil grass in a few shallow flats that is holding baitfish.
Working a spinnerbait and worm around them has paid off, as has some top
water when a little cloud cover helps out.
Mayfly hatches have slowed down but there’s still a chance some good
show up any day now. That would create more action for bluegill and bass
in the shallows.
Night fishing has been slow for white bass as some anglers are fishing
from pontoons where floating lights are used to attract shad. However,
not much success has been reported this week.
Look for night fishing to improve however for white bass during the next
mayfly hatch. And, bass fishing at night should be picking up as anglers
toss spinnerbaits around sloping gravel banks along the main river.
White bass have been slow, as only a few jumps have been reported.
However, surface action should improve in the weeks ahead as the shad
begin to school near main lake flats.
For The Lake Barkley Report
Click Here
For Other Kentucky Lake Fishing Reports
Click Here
Steve McCadams
is a professional hunting and fishing guide
here in the
Paris Landing area and host of The Outdoor Channel's television series IN-PURSUIT.
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