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September 25th, 2000
Fishing this week has been a little more like fall but the wind
had an
attitude. The cold front last weekend roared in with north winds
whipping up the open water of Kentucky Lake. Gusts of 15 to 20 miles per
hour really dictated where anglers could go.
Meanwhile, warmer weather returned for a few days
and it got down
right hot again. The weatherman is predicting another cool spell this
weekend and into next week, however.
Surface temperatures were slow to cool this past week, despite the
cool spell of last weekend. Those hot days returned quickly and while
the water temperatures fell a few degrees, they rebounded by mid-week.
Presently, surface temperatures are in the 74 to 79 degree
range. That
will likely drop some with the cool night forthcoming. Lake elevation
in the Paris Landing sector has been around 355.6. The lake was
falling slowly most of the week.
Shad are beginning to occupy the shallow coves and bays but seem
to be
somewhat behind schedule due to the persistent hot weather this fall.
Crappie are biting pretty good but there's a lot of small
fish being
taken. While the numbers seem to be good, there's a multitude of fish in
a year class that's just slightly too short. Too short, that is, to meet
the 10-inch minimum length limit.
The larger crappie appear to still be lingering in the deeper
water
and around the ledges of the main lake. Depths of 7 to 10 feet are
producing a lot of fish at times but the bulk of the keepers are deeper
than that depth range. However, high winds have made it difficult to
work the
open lake areas this past week.
A few good fish have been taken on jigs and jigs tipped with
minnows
in depths of 14 to 20 feet. Those crappie should start moving up to
shallow water this next week as the surface temperatures fall into the
upper 60's and low 70's.
Bass are still scattered and hitting fair at best. Recent
tournaments
had to contend with high winds and high pressure systems that delivered
northeast winds. The high skies are nice to look at and take pictures
but they're not much for fishing, especially on the first day or two
after a front
goes through.
Some crankbaits and spinnerbaits are producing bass on treelaps
and
shallow grassbeds. The rock points or banks where big chunk rock are
found have produced some strikes. Shad are working the shady banks in
the early morning and late afternoons now so watch for that action to
improve this next week.
As always, be careful out there as the lower lake stages are
beginning
to make those open water flats and stump rows dangerous. You can tear up
your lower unit or run that pontoon up on a submerged sandbar before you
know it. Pay close attention to the channel markers this time of
the year.
Previous Fishing Reports
Sept. 18th
week of Sept. 11th
week of Sept. 4th
week of Aug. 28th
The information above is compiled by outdoor writer
Steve McCadams.
Steve is a professional hunting and fishing guide
here in the Paris
Landing area and host of The Outdoor
Channel's television series IN-PURSUIT.
You may contact him at: <stevemc@aeneas.net>.
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