Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Report for May 25th, 2001
This week's fishing report has crappie improving
as the fish are beginning to settle down from the post-spawn phases.
Catfish are moving off the banks and slowly moving back out to flats and
big bays while bluegill scatter and hit their post-spawn phases.
Bass action has been fair and there's a few sauger and white bass
showing up on the deep ledges too.
A cool snap descended at midweek and made it feel almost like fall
had arrived. Surface temperatures had been in the mid to upper 70's
earlier this week but have cooled down to the 70 to 72 degree range.
Water levels in the Paris Landing area have been a few inches above
summer pool this week with the observed elevation of 359.2.
Crappie anglers have enjoyed some decent catches as the fish
improve in 13 to 15 foot depths. Submerged brush piles and stake beds
have given up some good numbers this week and the fish appear to be
relating to structure.
The last few weeks have seen a lot of crappie scattered and
suspended so it's good news for most anglers to find the fish holding
around cover.
Baits of choice continue to be live shiner minnows or jigs tipped
with minnows. Jig colors in a light green and black combo or pearl blue
and motor oil with sparkle have worked well.
Look for crappie fishing to hold up well in the weeks ahead as the
fish continue to head toward a summer pattern.
Bass action has been fair with a lot of small fish still showing
up. That's good news for the future but the larger fish have eluded most
bass anglers lately.
Some shallow action is still happening as anglers toss surface
lures around visible weed beds and buck bushes mixed in. Working a
floating worm, lizard and flukes on light tackle has also produced some
strikes.
Most of the larger catches are coming from anglers who are
throwing Carolina rigged worms on sloping points and ledges out from
shore.
There's a lot of "fry" along the shallow areas and as
they grow larger in the weeks ahead look for bass action to improve
around the shallow cover along shorelines and islands.
Sauger and white bass are showing up in the deeper areas and along
sandbars extending out from the main banks. Although scattered, there
appears to be more sauger this year but a lot are still below that
14-inch minimum length limit. So, toss them back for future fishing if
they don't meet the regulation length.
Catfish action has been fair and the fish appear to be pulling
away from the banks and holding in that transition between deep and
shallow. It's a good time to catch catfish with such methods as jugging
or blocking. Baiting up a few jugs with drop lines and individual hooks
baited with nightcrawlers, liver, or cut shad and then allowing them to
drift over flats as the wind pushes them can really produce hefty
catches.
Water color is relatively clear in the mouth of Big Sandy but some
stained water can be found around main river islands around Danville and
down to Harmon's Creek. While the recent cool spell may have slowed
action somewhat, things should settle down and improve by early next
week.
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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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