Steve McCadams

After a bout with above average temps earlier this month when a big dose of early spring weather descended on Kentucky Lake’s fishing scene fishermen are now juggling with unpredictable March weather.

Slightly cooler conditions have greeted fishermen at times compared to the parade of warm weather the first week to ten days of the month that spoiled anglers here into thinking spring was arriving early.

March is a month with many faces. Anglers can expect fluctuation in daytime highs, wind and a mixture of rain in any given week.

Some decent stringers of crappie are still coming in daily. Despite some inclement weather there’s still some success stories from anglers braving the elements.

Crappie are in their prespawn phase and already showing movement toward secondary bays and up on main lake flats. As they stair-step their route toward spawning areas and move up from deeper main lake ledges to warmer water fishermen are canvasing lots of different depths and zones in their pursuit.

Lake levels this week were hanging around the winter pool range of 355. However, there were some minor fluctuation in elevation this week. Earlier in the week it fell to 354.5 but began rising slowly at midweek. Water color is relatively clear across the reservoir. Some stain in the upper Big Sandy and West Sandy area is present. Water color is clear throughout the Paris Landing sector.

Surface temperatures had cooled slightly from last week when some areas recorded 58–degree water in shallow pockets for a day or two. That has changed some and will likely fall a few degrees in the days ahead as Monday night’s forecast says a cold night of only 20 degrees lies ahead.

Looks like a warm weekend is ahead but a cold snap will arrive by Monday/Tuesday. Daytime highs will only be below normal, struggling to reach the upper 30’s and low 40’s. Temps will begin to moderate at midweek. That March weather roller coaster will be rolling again!

With the cooler days will come chilly northwest winds by early next week, which bay curtail the bite for a short time. From midrange depths of 9 to 14 feet have come decent numbers of crappie taken by boats slow trolling jigs over open water using “long line” techniques. A wide variety of color combinations were credited. Both Roadrunner style jigs and curly tail grubs were producing.

Earlier this week some anglers found the deep bite going and discovered fish relating to structure in 16 to 20 foot depths at times. It’s that time of the year when several different depths and patterns may produce on Kentucky Lake at any given time.

Prespawn crappie often suspend as they stage in open water awaiting a warm up of surface temps into the upper 50’s and low 60’s that will trigger them to blitz toward shallow water.

A lot of movement was taking place last week courtesy of the warm spell. It’s not unusual for March cold fronts to sort of put the brakes on early spawning phases. That’s happening now to some degree as the biological clock of crappie and bass was about to get ahead of itself during that the recent spring fling.

Anglers fishing jigs and minnows in a vertical presentation around deeper brushpiles and stake beds in 10 to 16 feet were finding fish playing their game. They were having to move around a bit to accumulate limits but managed some impressive coolers full of slab crappie.

Prespawn crappie are known to put on the feed bag in preparation for the annual ritual. Their egg sacs are bulging so the fish are weighing heavy at times.

Several anglers are landing fish tipping the scales at 1 1/2 to two pounds. Some even larger!

The culprit now is the relentless wind. It giveth and it taketh away! Some days the gale force breeze dictate where boaters can go, eliminating a lot of productive areas.

Look for crappie to hang out away from spawning cover this week if surface temps fall back into the lower 50’s. The next warm spell should stimulate a lot of transition toward shallow areas once the water climbs into the upper 50’s and low 60’s if warm sunny days enter the picture.

Another week, depending on weather, should see male crappie start moving up and sporting hormonal changes to a darker color. Usually the last week to ten days of March delivers signs the fish are on the threshold of spawning as they take on a structure oriented mood and relate more to cover.

After the next week’s cold front passes watch for crappie to begin a blitz toward more shallow venues. Active spawning phases will kick in once the lake warms to 62 to 66 degree. Look for a lot of transition to take place these next two weeks.

Still producing for bass anglers have been Kentucky Lake’s endless gravel points and big chunk rock shorelines.

Tossing crankbaits is quite effective now. Anglers can cover a lot of water targeting rocky terrain back in the bays and pockets that warm up quicker.

From shallow roadbeds to rip-rap banks, bass are in prespawn. Suspending jerk baits plus deep and shallow runner cranks in crawfish, Tennessee shad and chartreuse variations are the ticket. Carolina and Alabama rigs work too as do a variety of Rattle Trap style presentations.

Those targeting smallmouth are tossing some swim baits out on main lake humps but it’s time for the bronzebacks to blitz too towards bays and creeks.

March madness will kick in quickly. For some it already has. Watch for activity to continue to change in the days and weeks ahead.

Wise are the anglers who adapt and change with the conditions.