Fishing Report Archives

Earlier this week Kentucky Lake’s fishing scene flirted with some cool morning temps that sort of had a fall feel. Chilly starts required long sleeve shirts several days.

It appears the honeymoon with cool mornings and low humidity has come to an end. By this weekend summer weather patterns descend, sending temps into the low to mid 90’s.

Summer doesn’t officially arrive until June 20 but anglers best prepare for the approaching heat wave that may alter the fishing timetable for scores of anglers.

Fishermen are already altering their daily kickoff times and planning to hit the lake in the wee hours of the morning before a mean midday sun takes over.

Surface temperatures have climbed slightly and will reach the 81 to 83 degree range this weekend. Weather experts indicate a 100-degree heat index is in the cards by this weekend.

Water color is clear across the reservoir. Lake levels are stable and hanging around the summer pool elevation of 359.

Mayfly hatches continue to show up along the main channel areas and along the rims of river islands. That usually pulls several bass and bluegill to the shallow areas where shady overhangs deliver a steady diet of flies, luring hungry fish.

Tossing ultralight tackle using small grubs, Roostertail spinners or perhaps crickets can deliver a lot of action in the midst of a mayfly hatch.

Crappie fishing has held up well for anglers targeting the 9 to 14 foot depth range. Successful anglers credit both live minnows and jigs and a lot are tipping jigs with minnows to entice bites from finicky fish.

Stakebeds and brushpiles are holding decent numbers of fish. The bite has been best when a light breeze teams up with some cloud cover. Those bright high skies together with a stagnant wind out on the lake seem to produce a reluctant bite.

Bass have been pretty good on main lake ledges and humps. Scores of bass fishermen are targeting the main lake areas while tossing big deep diving crankbaits in shad colored variations. Others are relying on Texas rigged worms in green pumpkin pepper, Tequila sunrise, black/blue combination and cotton candy just to name a few.

Also in the arsenal have been Carolina rigged worms, swim baits and a jig and craw combo fished out on the ledges. Not all the fish are in a deep pattern. Some anglers credit their catches to tossing a spinnerbait, topwater and Texas rigged worm or shallow running crankbait around island rims. The key is to locate the schools of pin minnows as the bass will be there with them.

Some days current has helped the bass bite for both deep and shallow fishermen. Current stimulates activity, resulting in more movement of baitfish.

Finding blowdowns along the main river shorelines or island rims has been a good choice for activity. Several treelaps have fallen on shorelines and created good bass habitat.

The catfish bite has been dependent on the current. Not much current was present earlier this week but watch for that to increase as hot weather increases power demands. TVA will likely be pulling more water in the days ahead.

The bite along the main river channel bank areas should improve once the current increases and adds more balls of baitfish moving about. Without current catfish take on a lethargic attitude due to a lack of shad movement.

A few scattered reports have come in from boats trolling crankbaits out on main lake sandbars and finding a few sauger. Not big numbers but a few scattered ones showing up.

With hot weather heating up the fishing scene it’s best to rise and shine early, perhaps pitching in the towel before a midday sun takes the fun out of it!