Fishing Report

 By Steve McCadams, Professional Guide/Outdoor Writer (stevemc@charter.net)

CRAZY SPRING CONTINUES…UNSTABLE CONDITIONS FOR ANGLERS

Stability has not been in the cards for fishermen this spring. Anglers have battled the weather roller coaster for weeks now and this past week was no exception. One day warm and sunny and the bite was on for crappie: then several back-to-back days of wind, rain and some thunderstorms. Fishermen are wondering if an extended stretch of nice weather and light winds will ever get here and stay here!

Lake levels have fluctuated the last couple of weeks and have been above TVA’s normal curve as to management of the reservoir. The last week or so it was a bit high with a reading of 358 elevation at Kentucky Dam but fell several inches down to the 357.4 range for a day or two only to start another climb right back up in the aftermath of heavy rains at midweek. Surface temperature have been in the 63-degree range. That will rise in sunny days ahead. Watercolor is clear. The rising lake has again been inundated with floating debris. Lot of sticks and logs floating off the shorelines, so boaters need to be aware of floating objects.

The spawn has been underway this week, but it has been a bit tricky for anglers as to the specific whereabouts of slabs. Fish have been scattered. That’s not unusual when lake levels are yo-yoing, and weather patterns are weird. Some hefty crappie eclipsing the 2-pound range have been taken with a few knocking on the 3-pound threshold. At midweek big females were still sporting eggs but active spawning phases should occur in the next few days. 

Looks like sunny days and rising temperatures are in the forecast at least until midweek. Daytime highs will be in the upper 70’s and low 80’s! The crappie bite has been fair for those vertical fishing jigs over manmade fish attractors in the 7-to-13-foot depth range. Most boaters indicate it is taking several stops to accumulate a limit. Other techniques such as long lining jigs and some crankbaits has worked too. Spider rig techniques are paying dividends as well as anglers slowly push jig and minnow poles over midrange depths with some moving to the upper ends of bays trying the 4-to-6-foot depths.

With rising lake levels anglers are having to move about. Many are asking if the shoreline buck bushes and willow trees will be the place to try in the days ahead if the reservoir jumps to summer pool ahead of schedule? That could very well happen. Anglers are keeping a close eye on lake levels.

Bass fishermen have scored some success while stalking the weedy shorelines lately. Those patches of yellow flowers are holding fish and are always a great location in early spring. Tossing Texas rigged craws, lizards, worms and floating fluke style worms are quite popular right now. Spinnerbaits are working too as are some buzz baits and jerk baits as the topwater bite is underway in the clear water. Bottom line is that anglers are waking up to a different lake every few days when the elevation changes. Watch for a lot of transition in fish activity the next few days as more fish follow the rise and head toward shallow shorelines.

Bluegill and shellcracker have already been biting too. Shellcracker will hit the shallow weeds and begin early spawning phases before the bluegill. Peak time isn’t here yet but it’s drawing closer as surface temps rise.

Crappie anglers fishing shallow to midrange depths lately have encountered several bluegill and shellcracker (redear sunfish) nipping at their jigs. Some big female shellcracker weighing in the 1 ½-pound range have been taken lately!

It has been a strange spring. Things happen fast once the surface temps reach the mid 60’s. Hang in there as sooner or later the weather, lake levels and fish will begin playing by the rules!