Steve McCadams

Above average temperatures have greeted Kentucky Lake anglers lately and spring fever is running rampant. It’s fair to say winter fishermen have gotten spoiled lately across the region courtesy of this long stretch of warm weather.

The last week to ten days have felt like spring has already sprung. More warm days are in the forecast too so best take advantage of it while it’s here.

The long range forecast indicates warm days will linger until late next week as daytime highs will be in the upper 70’s. However, several days of rain are expected down the road so best keep the rainsuits handy out there!

TVA has been pulling the reservoir back down to the winter pool range this week, a likely move in anticipation of forthcoming rains and runoff.

Water levels at midweek week were 354.8 and falling. Watch for rising lake levels by next week if we get the rain weathermen are talking about. Several consecutive rainy days appear to be headed our way.

Surface temperatures have warmed up and reflected the nice days we’ve had. Readings were in the 53 degree range across Kentucky Lake, which is above normal for the first week of March. Water color remains clear. TVA is discharging 56,000 cfs through Kentucky Dam daily.

Decent stringers of crappie have been caught lately by a variety of techniques. Lots of boats have been slow trolling jigs using the longline methods as they canvased open water flats and sandbars when the wind allowed.

Their catches indicate a lot of crappie are moving up and suspended. The fish are no doubt staging in their prespawn patterns as they await even warmer surface temps to trigger the transition to shallow zones.

Warm days in March are usually associated with high winds. Sometimes anglers will get a light and variable wind delivering nice fishing conditions but when that happens anglers are lucky.

Meanwhile, other techniques producing have been casting jigs over manmade fish attractors plus vertical presentations of both jigs and minnows along deep main lake ledges as well as targeting a few brushpiles and stakebeds in 10 to 13 foot depths.

Although fish were a bit scattered at times anglers managed to keep moving and accumulate daily limits after a few hours on the water.

From Roadrunner style leadheads with single spinners to just twister tail grubs or hair jigs, anglers are using a lot of different color combinations and skirt variations to fool the finicky crappie.

Bass fishermen are having good luck too. Tossing crankbaits, swim baits, Alabama and Carolina rigs and some suspending jerk baits have paid dividends.

Like the crappie bass are responding favorably to the warmer surface temps and moving up to shallow areas. The shallow gravel banks and pockets off the main lake are attracting bass.

And, a few nice smallmouth have been taken on both crankbaits, Rattle Trap and twister tail grubs.

This early spring blast of warm weather here in late winter has accelerated movement by both bass and crappie. It’s also accelerated movement by scores of fishermen afflicted with fishing pox. Some area bait and tackle stores have been swamped with activity.

The region is off to a good start!