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Catfish Still Biting

Kentucky Lake 8-21-24

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

LATE SUMMER CATFISH BITE STILL UNDERWAY PLUS WHITE BASS ACTIVITY

August is fading fast but the summer catfish bite along the main Tennessee River channel area is holding up well. Cat fishermen continue to score some dandy stringers while stalking the edge of the main channel area in depths of 40 to 50 feet. Whenever there’s current moving it flips the switch for catfish to go on the prowl. Overall, the bite has been consistent whenever TVA is pulling current.

This week the flow has been in the range of 26,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) and that stirred up the schools of threadfin and gizzard shad enough to put a bend in the poles of anglers out there bumping bottom or sometimes fishing suspended around the balls of baitfish.

Cooler weather earlier this week offered another touch of fall. Chilly mornings had anglers donning long sleeve shirts, but it appears the honeymoon with a cool spell will be short lived. While the cool fronts sure feel nice, the northeast winds associated with the cool fronts are not friendly to fishermen. It usually means whitecaps in the big open water areas of Kentucky Lake. The weatherman indicates hot days are returning with highs climbing back to the mid 90’s by early next week. August sometimes tricks anglers with a cool day now and then but it usually holds up to its hot and humid reputation till the very end.

The catfish bite has held up well as of late with most anglers using nightcrawlers for their bait of choice. There are always going to be experiments by cat fishermen trying out various bait presentations ranging from chicken liver to cut bait, shrimp and hot dogs or something unusual. Scores of commercial catfish baits work great too.

Meanwhile, a few reports of schooling white bass have come it as of late. On the calm days some surface activity has been seen along the edges of the main river channel sandbars. Big schools of baitfish meandering along get the attention of these aggressive white bass who chase them out over shallow areas. The shad some to the surface in a last-ditch attempt to flee from the aggressive white bass who put on a feeding frenzy like a pack of wolves in hot pursuit.

Tossing a chrome-colored spoon, white Rooster Tail or any similar lure that mimics a swimming shad will pay dividends. Hitting the peak of a big school of white bass erupting is one of fishing’s finest moments. Action is fast and furious.

From the summer bass bite has come mediocre reports from anglers chasing after what has been a somewhat sluggish attitude for hot August bass outings. Fishing the main lake ledges has produced a few fish at times by anglers tossing big deep diving crankbaits and big Texas rigged worms. However, the overall reports indicate anglers have been slugging it out in the trenches.

Crappie have been somewhat sluggish as well with low numbers of fish taken during the hot spells. The number of anglers has dwindled lately whenever heat waves take over. Most are waiting on cooler weather to get here and stay here.

September days are on the threshold!

Full Moon On The Lake Last Night

 

CATFISH BITE CONTINUES…WHITE BASS INCONSISTENT

 Kentucky Lake 8-14-24

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

The best bite going for the mid-summer fishing scene here on Kentucky Lake has been catfishing. Both the bite and the weather have been pretty hot! Lake levels continue to fall slowly on the path of TVA’s winter drawdown schedule. Elevation this week has dropped to 357, which is down several inches from last week at this time. Surface temperatures have been in the 86-to-89-degree range.

Nice stringers of channel catfish, along with a few blues, are being caught by a few fishermen who have mastered the deep-water techniques of the Tennessee River. Thanks to a pretty steady flow of current lately through Kentucky Dam moving water has worked in favor of the catfishing scene. Most days TVA has been pulling water in the rate of 33,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). Some days less but holding around that range and that’s enough to stimulate movement of bait fish. When the current is moving it stimulates schools of shad to meander around, feeding on zooplankton throughout the water column.

That scenario within the food chain spells success for cat fishermen out near the main channel banks or humps in deeper depths of 40 to 55 feet. While most anglers choose to bump bottom with a double hook rig---hooks are often tied a couple of feet apart on drop loops---sometimes the fish may be suspended. Closely watching the movement of balls of baitfish, accomplished anglers monitor closely the depth of the bait and adjust their bait presentation accordingly. Sophisticated sonar units even help identify the whereabouts of the larger fish, helping anglers pinpoint their bait presentation.

A lot of the better boxes of fish taken are from those anglers who do just that. They mark the fish on their screens and attempt to put the bait right smack dab in the face of the fish! Productive bait choices always seem to have nightcrawlers on the list. Chicken liver, cut bait, hot dogs dipped in commercial concoctions are but a few of the more popular choices being credited for catches. There are always a few cat fishermen mixing up their own recipes of magic potions. As long as the current keeps flowing the main channel area catfish bite should hold up.

Bass fishing has been sluggish for most. Reports have trickled from anglers targeting the main lake ledges with big deep diving crankbaits, Texas rigged worms, swim baits and some jigging spoons. There have been some anglers finding locating a few isolated schools of base chasing shad while mixed in with some white bass.

White bass (stripes) have been seen busting the surface out in the main lake areas, but sightings of schooling fish have been inconsistent. Those catching a few white bass credit their catches to the use of white Rooster Tails and some silver-colored jigging spoons.

Isolated reports have come in from a few summer crappie anglers working the main lake ledges around depths of 18 to 25 feet. They credit their catch to the use of live minnows in most reports.

National Honeybee Day at The Park

 

Monthly Meeting This Tuesday

The monthly meeting of the Paris Landing Tourism League (PLTL) will be held Tuesday, August 13th, at 6 pm at the Senior Center inside the Paris Landing Emergency Complex.

Hope to see you there!

Beautiful Day!

 

Paris Landing State Park 

Just now  · 

Beautiful day for a picnic at Paris Landing State Park!

CATFISH/WHITE BASS BITE DEPENDENT ON CURRENT

Kentucky Lake 8-8-24

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

Decent stringers of catfish continue to show up in the creel of mid-summer anglers. Scattered sightings of surface schooling white bass have also been reported but the activity has been inconsistent. Despite hot weather a few anglers are still hitting the lake in the early morning and logging a few hours of fishing but throwing in the towel when a stubborn sun takes over and calls the shots.

Kentucky Lake’s elevation continues to fall slowly and is pretty much on schedule for TVA’s winter drawdown that began July 1. Lake levels this week were in the 357.4 range at Kentucky Dam, which is down a few inches from last week. Surface temperatures reflect the warm weather and are hanging around the 89-to-92-degree range. Some brief periods of cool weather offered a short reprieve from the hot and humid dog days of summer, but the honeymoon was short as August is living up to its hot reputation.

Current out on the main Tennessee River channel has a lot of influence on the midsummer catfish bite. There have been a few decent reports from successful anglers whenever the flow was stimulating the shad schools to move about. Other days a downright sluggish bite was the norm as a lack of current turns off the aggressive bite as balls of baitfish just don’t meander about when stagnant water takes over.

Lately TVA has been pushing some water through Kentucky Dam at a rate of 28,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) and that is enough to produce a decent bite and put ole’ whiskers on the prowl. However, when current fades away so does the bite. Catfish have been taken in the 40-to-50-foot depth range. Some even deeper at times. Watching the sonar screen and monitoring the depths and locations of schooling shad helps locate the catfish, which are usually laying right there with them. Experienced anglers have learned to pinpoint the whereabouts of larger fish too, adjusting their bait and depth presentation right in the face of finicky fish.

Nightcrawlers, cut bait, chicken livers and a host of commercial baits have paid dividends. Unfortunately, the old tried and true bait that is no longer available for most fishermen are catalpa worms.

Scattered reports of surface feeding frenzies from schooling white bass are coming in from across the reservoir. August is usually prime time for these aggressive feeders that tear up the surface once they corral a school of shad and push them over shallow sandbars. Found mostly near the main Tennessee River channel banks that rise up to shallow sandbars, white bass bust the surface on a calm day as they ambush schools of threadfin and gizzard shad. It is indeed one of fishing’s finest hours to be in the midst of a white bass jump, commonly referred to as stripes. These aggressive gamefish put up a fight. Average size is usually in the ¾ to 1-pound range, but they often grow bigger. They all fight.

About the best approach is to cruise the edges of the river channel, keeping a sharp eye out for surface activity. In the mouth of some of the large bays that empty into the main channel are likely spots.

Some bass fishermen are still working the main lake ledges tossing mostly Texas rigged worms, Carolina rigs, swim baits and huge deep diving crankbaits.

Summer crappie have been showing up too but in low numbers. Most successful anglers credit their catches to deep structure in the 18-to-25-foot depth range while using live minnows for bait.

Meteor Shower Skywatch

Paris Landing State Park 

The Perseid meteor shower is Monday night, August 12 to August 13. Join us at Camp Hazlewood for the free celestial show! Registration closes on Friday August 9th.

 

If You Haven't Renewed Your Membership Yet ....

 

PLTL Dues are due every July.

Individual supporter: $25 - Family supporters: $50 - Businesses $100 

Need more information? Please visit our website at:  visitparislanding.com

Make check payable to: PLTL (Paris Landing Tourism League)

Mail to:   160 Shady Hill Drive, Buchanan, TN 38222

Thank You!  Thank You Very Much!

We Can't Do This Without You!

AUGUST HEAT DOMINATES FISHING SCENE

 Kentucky Lake 8-1-24

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

August is living up to its mid-summer reputation as a hot and humid month. The dog days of summer are here and the extended spell of heat with a forecast of days filled with a three-digit heat index are calling the shots for fishermen. Lake levels this week were in the 337.8 range, which is down a few inches from last week. The reservoir is falling slowly and staying pretty much on schedule for Tennessee Valley Authority’s drawdown. Surface temperatures were in the 88-to-92-degree range. Watercolor is clear.

Kentucky Lake’s fishing scene has been a bit sluggish for most anglers, many of which are dodging the heat altogether while a few die-hard anglers are still slugging it out but hitting the lake in the early morning hours. One improvement has been noted from the catfishing department where increased current out there along the Tennessee River channel has improved the bite. Tennessee Valley Authority increased flows lately through Kentucky Dam. Discharge rates lately have been in the 31,000 to 35,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). That can vary from day to day depending on power demands and rainfall.

Last week some decent stringers were reported by anglers targeting the 45 to 55 depth range. The increase in current stimulated more movement from schools of shad roaming about and feeding on plankton. Once the shad respond to increased current the schools of catfish are right there with them, taking on more interest with increased feeding sprees. The more the shad move around the better the catfish bite.

Meanwhile, bass anglers report a mediocre bite from main lake ledges where most anglers are focusing their efforts in hopes of finding a few schooling bass. Most reports say anglers are slugging it out in the trenches and having to earn bites from finicky fish. There were a few bright spots from some anglers who indicated the fish responded favorably when the main river current increased on sandbars. Tossing big crankbaits and working a big Texas rigged worm in the 9 to 10-inch length gave up a few bites. So did some swim baits worked along the edge of the drop-offs plus slow retrieves of Carolina rigs. Some resorted to jigging spoons as well.

White bass schooling and busting the surface at times seemed to be inconsistent. Anglers were seeing a few but not many big schools were seen on aggressive feeding sprees, but that scenario should improve as August and early September usually produce the best surface feeding frenzies. Those main lake sandbars should see baitfish activity lure the white bass on calm days. It can get real good real quick once the white bass turn on.

Keep a couple rods rigged and ready with a white Rooster Tail or Mepps spinner in a chrome color. Slab spoons will work too. Anything that mimics a shad darting through the water will usually get results. A few scattered mayfly hatches continue to show up out around the main river shorelines and island rims. Some bass and bluegill are always nearby.

Summer crappie continue to be taken by anglers using mostly minnows while working main lake ledges in depths of 18 to 25 feet. Most are using bottom bumping rigs to feel the structure as the fish are holding around deep brush piles, stake beds and stumps. Reports have come in from a few crappie holding in midrange depths of 14 to 15 feet around manmade fish attractors.

With the heat dominating the fishing scene some bass, crappie and white bass fishermen have resorted to night fishing.