Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
May 5th, 2002
NOTE: (Catch Steve in the May issue of OUTDOOR LIFE
magazine where he's featured catching Kentucky Lake crappie. Steve first
entered the pages of OL back in April of 1978.)
Due to rapidly rising lake levels, this is a revised
version of the May 3rd Fishing Report.
Anglers have enjoyed good fishing this week on Kentucky Lake as
bluegill and redear begin spawning. Crappie are still being taken too,
along with good reports from both bass and catfishermen.
May is the month where crappie enter the post-spawn phases but other
species such as bluegill and redear sunfish reach the peak of their
bedding patterns. Bass are also still on the bed in many areas yet some
fish appear to have spawned last week.
Surface temperatures are in the 68 to 72 degree range after a cool
spell last weekend. On Saturday, the observed lake elevation in the
Paris Landing area was in the 361 range, which is above normal as
Kentucky Lake was rising fast due to heavy rains upstream. TVA projected
a reading of 362.9 by Monday night.
On Saturday the reservoir was some two feet above the normal summer
pool elevation and a lot of debris was floating in the main lake.
Kentucky Dam reported a reading of 361 on Saturday with projections of
362.8 by Monday.
TVA gave no indication of when the reservoir might crest or
begin
falling.
The fast rise in lake levels is not a friend to most anglers right
now.
Crappie anglers are finding the majority of the fish in a post-spawn
pattern and somewhat scattered this week. Still, several nice fish are
being taken in the 12 to 14 foot range by anglers vertical fishing jigs
and live minnows down into stakebeds and brushpiles.
A few fish are also being taken by anglers trolling road runner
jigs, live minnows, and tube-style jigs over flats where suspended
crappie are holding in the 11 to 15 foot zones.
Crappie typically scatter and suspend for a week or two after peak
spawning occurs. The fish often suspend over deep water and don't relate
to structure for short periods of time. That seems to be the case right
now here in the Paris Landing area.
Look for action to improve, however, in the weeks ahead as the fish
filter back toward main lake flats and the mouth of big bays and return
to their normal habits of structure orientation.
Meanwhile, anglers are having the most success by tipping jigs with
live shiner minnows this week. And, several have been taken on
chartreuse or purple and chartreuse jigs tipped with Berkley Power
Nibbles in the chartreuse colors.
Watercolor is relatively clear in the mouth of Big Sandy and anglers
are using clear monofilament line in the 6-pound test range on jig
poles. A few fish are being taken by anglers casting curly tail jigs in
shallow beds in the late afternoon hours.
Bass action is still good with the abundance of shoreline habitat
proving to be attractive hangouts. Look for bass to move up behind the
original shoreline in the next few days due to the increase in lake
levels.
Some fish are still on the bed, fanning out craters in the weed
beds and shallow gravel pockets where buck bushes and grass beds are
mixed.
Such lures as lizards, spinnerbaits, worms, and several top water
jerk baits have accounted for some good stringers this week. A few
anglers are tossing a black and blue jig with a pork chunk trailer while
others find success tossing a fluke on light spinning tackle.
The weed beds and buck bushes where yellow flowers are found will
likely produce some strikes.
Bluegill and red are on the bed and spawning is underway. Action is
very good and should continue to hold up for the next few weeks.
Working crickets and wax worms around small pockets off the main
lake will likely put you in the bedding zones as these aggressive fish
begin spawning. Using light tackle and bobbers will produce a load of
fun.
Several nice stringers of redear (shellcracker) have been taken on
the east side of the lake in such bays as Panther, Hughes, Standing
Rock, Leatherwood, and Hurricane. The small pockets inside the big bays
and the backs of creeks where aquatic plants are found will likely put
you in touch with these hefty sunfish.
Catfish are also on the prowl with several channel cats showing up
around crappie beds and rocky areas. Some catfish are also heading to
shoreline in preparation for spawning.
Lock for increased activity from the catfish as rock bluffs and
rip-rap levees become the destination of meandering fish searching for
spawning territory
# # #
NOTE:( Steve's Third Annual "Casting For A Cure" Kids Fishing Rodeo,
which benefits The American Cancer Society, will be held June 8, 2002.
Location will again be Carroll Lake, located near McKenzie, TN.)
(For news release on Steve's Second Annual "Casting For A Cure" Kids
Fishing Rodeo...click
here)
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.
|
|
