Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Report for June 22nd, 2001
Time to dust off the fly rod or ultra light spinning
gear. Mayflies have begun hatching along the shores of Kentucky Lake and
that spells fast and furious action for bluegill and bass anglers.
Some good hatches were found earlier this week in the upper Big Sandy area
around Mansard Island and Little Sulphur creek. The Tennessee River area
has also had hatches along the islands and larger bays near Lick Creek,
Leatherwood and upstream toward Danville. Other hatches are underway
near Cypress and along the LBL side near Piney and Boswell Landing.
Now is the time to toss a small spinner such as a Rooster Tail, Mepps and
the like. Beneath those overhangs where mayflies fall to water is where
you'll score big on bluegill and bass.
Flyrod enthusiast will enjoy their finest hour too. Working that popping
bug and a short leader with a slow, sinking nymph will deliver strike
after strike.
Crappie are still hitting good, especially along the deep sides of the
main lake ledges. Although some activity had slowed earlier in the week,
it may have been due to the abundance of mayfly larva coupled with
falling lake levels.
I found fish hitting minnows on the double hook bottom bumping rigs and
had a jig tipped with a minnow on the top. Both seemed to produce and I
occasionally tied into a catfish, sauger, drum and white bass.
Depths of 18 to 25 feet were producing. However, there are still some fish
lingering in the brushpiles and stakebeds of 13 to 15 foot zones.
Kentucky Lake has been falling this past week. Lake levels have dropped
several inches each day as the lake had been above normal in elevation.
Observed readings in the Paris Landing area were nearing the 359 mark by
midweek, after climbing up to 360.3 or so here last week. Surface
temperatures are in the 74 to 80 degree range.
Bass anglers are finding several smaller fish holding on the banks and
around grassbeds. Along the river islands where blowdowns or logs are
found seems to be holding fish too when minnows are present.
Some grass is found around shallow flats and parallel to islands. Working
a worm or weedless style lure through it has produced some strikes.
The larger bass are holding on the dropoffs in the main lake areas.
Working big deep diving crankbaits, Texas and Carolina rigged worms and
some jig and pig combos have produced.
Local tournaments are still being won with the help of smallmouth. Some of
the anglers are concentrating on the brown fish and working the main
lake ledges or sloping banks on the east side of the lake. While a few
dandies are showing up, most anglers still find the smallmouth illusive.
Night fishing for bass has already been attractive to anglers wanting to
beat the heat. Tossing a spinnerbait along the rock banks is producing
too.
Catfish action has heated up with the warm weather too. Fishing along the
main river channel is depths of 20 to 35 feet has worked for anglers
this week. Chicken liver, nightcrawlers, cut shad, and more have
produced.
Sauger and white bass are showing as anglers troll diving plugs along the
sandbars in depths of 12 to 15 feet. However, not many sauger are making
it to the 14-inch minimum length limit.
While the weather has been hot, the fishing is still good so take
advantage of those early morning and late afternoon outings.
For Previous 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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