Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Kentucky Lake Fishing Report for:
May 9th, 2002
This week's fishing scene has been dominated by the
high lake levels. Anglers have attempted to pattern the fish as Kentucky
Lake's shoreline became inundated with water.
The fish have a lot of places to go as thousands of additional acres
of water have flooded shoreline willow trees, buck bushes, and weedbeds
that would normally be too shallow.
Added to the high water levels have been several days of high winds
and thunderstorms. However, some bluegill, bass, catfish, and crappie
anglers are still finding their prey.
Kentucky Lake was expected to crest on Thursday. TVA projections
showed a reading of 362.4 with the reservoir beginning to fall several
inches each day.
Observed elevation in the Paris Landing area was about the same as
Kentucky Dam where a reading of 362.4 was predicted for Thursday,
falling to 362 by Friday. The New Johnsonville area was slated to have a
361.9 reading by Friday.
Surface temperatures were in the 68 to 72 degree range. Water was
clear in most bays with some stain in the main river.
That means a lot of current will be present in the main river for
the week ahead. Look for falling lake levels to continue for several
days as TVA attempts to pull the reservoir back to the normal curve.
Normal pool should be 359 for this time of the year.
Bass have been hitting good but some fish were moving back into
thick cover on shorelines, making it difficult to pattern and cast to
their locations.
Some decent stringers of largemouth were coming from submerged
weedbeds and buck bushes in secondary bays and pockets off the main
lake. Several fish were being caught on lizards, worms, jig and pig
combos, and spinnerbaits tossed around thick cover.
Look for bass action to improve this next week as the falling lake
levels will likely pull the fish to the outside cover, making them
easier to catch.
Smallmouth were holding around rock points where current was a
factor. Many main lake points and sandbars were too vulnerable to the
current this week. That should push some of the bronzebacks toward the
mouth of creeks or behind bridge pilings and rip-rap levees.
Some bass are bedding this week and several fish have stayed right
on the original shoreline, which has been covered with an additional
four feet of water.
Crappie are still hitting in deep, manmade fish attractors and on
main lake flats. Depths of 13 to 16 feet have been producing some good
fish, even though the fish are in a post-spawn pattern.
Jigs in the aqua blue, chartreuse with red metal flake, green and
yellow combo tipped with minnows have been working well.
Some scattered crappie had move into shoreline habitat such as buck
bushes and weedbeds but no significant numbers were being taken there.
Bluegill and redear are still hitting good on crickets and wax
worms. The fish are still spawning and on the bed but somewhat scattered
due to the high water.
Look for action to hold up good this next week for bedding bluegill.
Catfish are being taken around rocks and roadbeds. Bank fishermen
are finding them moving into spawning zones this week. Nightcrawlers and
chicken livers have been the baits of choice.
The rock bluffs and rip-rap rock areas are likely to produce some
good fishing in the weeks ahead as the fish seek crevices for spawning.
While fishing this past week has been a victim of the high water,
anglers should see overall improvement in the days ahead as falling lake
stages could stimulate activity as the fish return to their normal
patterns and depth ranges.
# # #
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.
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