Fishing Report Archives

Bad weather has been the story this week across the Kentucky Lake region as another brutal cold front descended. On Monday the fishing scene saw a gusty beginning of a week full of cold fronts that kicked off with a snowy day reminiscent of a mid-winter weather pattern.

Although winter doesn’t officially arrive until December 21 to anglers across the region it feels like it arrived early. Below average temperatures escorted by bone chilling northwest winds have been anything but welcomed by late fall fishermen here.

A stop at Paris Landing State Park by Bass Anglers Sportsmen’s Society (B.A.S.S.) dropped anchor here this week on a rare late season bass tournament but day two of the event on Thursday was postponed due to a nasty weather forecast.

Some 250 teams pushed the competition back a day as they hope to complete the fishing here on Saturday, where temperatures are expected to be slightly better but conditions have been quite challenging all week. Daytime highs on Thursday were forecast to be only 29 degrees; Friday’s high was expected to reach only 35 degrees. Saturday’s high could rebound to a balmy 46 degrees!

Meanwhile, an unforgiving Kentucky Lake was sleeping at a low levels of 354.2 range. That’s the low ebb of winter pool elevation and a scenario that can be quite challenging to any anglers, especially those not familiar with the reservoir’s shallow sandbars.

Surface temps have dropped to the low 40’s the last few days. Water color is clear.

A few bass fishermen were targeting smallmouth spots wherever they could dodge the wind. Crappie anglers managed to catch a few fish the last week or so whenever winds allowed them to move about.

Depths of 14 to 18 feet have given up a few fish on main lake ledges whenever anglers found deep brush piles and stake beds.

When the weather gets this bad about the only beneficiaries are duck hunters, deer hunters assuming they’re in a nice heated stand or a few rabbit hunters following the baying beagles.

Only big dollars in a bass tournament and the chance for the winner to advance to the Bassmaster Classic will pull them away from the fire and comfort zone somewhere indoors and away from the nasty elements of a big cold windy lake.

By early next week temperatures will moderate slightly but rainy days are expected to enter the picture on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.