Fishing Report Archives

Hello from the Excel Storm Cat 230.

Outside it feels like early summer is trying to push spring out of the way a few weeks early. Warm temperatures with a tad less wind have made fishing conditions more bearable but still some days a person needs to use a large dose of caution on the lakes.

Last week found me using the top on the boat almost as much as not. Dodging storms and more wind than we bargained for made it tough on us.

A Dad and Son from Michigan drove all the way down to fish with me on the recommendation of a client co-worker and his wife from the same area. Both days we fought winds that would have cancelled many trips.

They were new to trolling so they were wide open to any suggestions I made. We ended up with nice crappie each day and they left promising to be back. Having never been to our area, they were very impressed, with the area and the food at several local places.

It’s always so nice to share what our area has to offer with those who are here for their first or 100th visit. They really enjoyed their stay at Sportsman’s Resort.

Vicki and I cut our Green River Lake trip short, so I don’t have much about it except it is a beautiful place with cliffs and bluffs making up much of the shoreline. The folks at Holmes Bend Marina go out of their way to please. We caught several small crappie and an assortment of other species. All on crankbaits, of course!

We went against our better judgement and hit Kentucky Lake very early Sunday morning. I promised Vicki we would get back on the trailer before the Memorial Day weekend warriors took over.

We almost made it, but a hot bite was almost too much to leave. Vicki is known far and wide as a connoisseur of crankbaits. Put her in the back of my boat and get the net ready. She is going to drag up some action! She didn’t disappoint Sunday.

She started on crappie. Then she went to sauger. She made her finale with an 18 plus inch largemouth that was a total acrobat then proceeded to cover my boat with blood.

Deep hookings are a way of life pulling cranks. Many big crappie tournaments have seen winning fish lost from this before they could be weighed in. That is why my catch goes on ice. Judgements must be made as to whether a fish has a chance to survive. This one didn’t and it wasn’t wasted.

We finally had to give the bay up to the pleasure boaters. Many of them were totally oblivious to my 23-foot boat and came much too close for our comfort. Being it was the first big boating weekend of the summer, I understand folks are excited to be on the water.

That doesn’t give them the right to ignore other boaters or fishermen. While on that subject, we watched a new, large pontoon boat head toward us that was obviously overloaded. Vicki counted at least 14 souls on board as it plowed its way past us and out toward the much rougher waters of the main lake. BTW, not a PFD was in sight. Unnecessary risks too often lead to unnecessary tragedies.

Our crappie are scattered all over the place. Some in channel areas, some on deep points, and some from mid-depth flats near cover. Some just minding their own business in between. Same goes for the sauger.

Catfish have been wearing us out. I always tell my clients that any fish that eats minnows will eat a crankbait. It’s spawning time for them and they are inhabiting the points and ledges with the crappie.

There’s no doubt they are being caught near rocky banks and along rip-rap banks. Using cut bait, worms, and commercial stink baits should draw strikes on hooks fished near the bottom. Jugs used in the backs of coves will also produce.

Let’s be careful out there! The state and Coast Guard mandate PFDs in our boats for our own safety. It won’t help if you are not wearing it when running above idle speed. Help those who need or are asking for help. Being too busy to help somebody in trouble should be a crime in my book.

Welcome to our slice of Heaven.