Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
June 14th, 2002
JUNE FISHING OFTEN OVERLOOKED
(Father's Day A Good Time For Overdue Fishing Trip)
By Steve McCadams
June is a month that's often overlooked by many
anglers. In fact, many tourists that visit the area in the spring seldom
return in the late spring and early summer but they don't know what
they're missing.
Fishing patterns have been improving the last week or so, especially
for crappie.
This week's fishing report is a good one for crappie anglers as the
fish approach a summer pattern. Bass anglers continue to land some good
fish too, with a variety of patterns working.
Kentucky Lake is back to summer pool elevation at Kentucky Dam where
readings were in the 359 range this week. Upstream at New Johnsonville
the elevation was a bit lower with readings in the 358.7 range.
Surface temperatures are in the 78 to 81 degree range. There's a
little stain in the main Tennessee River and along its flats and river
islands. Some small pockets and bays have a little stained water too
where the wind is blowing it. Most of the Big Sandy area is still quite
clear.
Crappie have improved and are hitting good in depths of 12 to 14
feet where brush, stumps, and manmade fish attractors are located. And,
some good size fish are holding on the deep sides of ledges where
structure is located. Popular depths on the main lake ledges are 19 to
23 feet.
The bait of choice continues to be live minnows and some jigs tipped
with minnows or Berkley Crappie nibbles. Most anglers are using a
vertical presentation where the baits are fished right down in the
structure.
Look for crappie to continue to hit in the weeks ahead and many
anglers overlook the month of June. It's a good month for crappie if you
pay attention to that LCR and follow the fish and their baitfish
schools.
Bass anglers are finding a variety of techniques to be successful as
action has been pretty good overall. The early morning hours when some
cloud cover has been available has seen good topwater action taking
place.
Several schools of "fry" or pin minnows are visible around treetops,
weedbeds, and shallow buck bushes. While a lot of small bass are chasing
the minnows, a few keeper size fish are around the areas where deep
water is close by.
Popular jerk baits have been Bagley's chrome/black Bango lure, A.C.
Shiner, Heddon's Torpedo, and Smithwick's Devil's Horse and Rouge. And,
some fish are taking small buzzbaits worked over the submerged grassbeds.
Some of the larger stringers are coming from main lake ledges and
sandbars where big crankbaits such as Poe's 400 series Tennessee Shad,
Bagley's DB3, Norman's and Mann's big lip, deep diving plugs.
On the main lake ledges such presentations as Carolina rigged
lizards and Texas rigged worms have worked too.
Sauger are showing up as anglers troll the main lake sandbars with
deep diving crankbaits. While several small fish are being caught, a few
are exceeding the 14-inch minimum length limit.
Bluegill are still hitting but more scattered than last week as
spawning appears to be over. Some white bass are hitting as anglers
troll crankbaits and work jigging spoons along the ledges of main lake
sandbars.
Catfish are still taking nightcrawlers, liver, and cut shad. The
fish are heading back to main river ledges where some fish were taken in
25-foot zones this week.
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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