Kentucky Lake 9-26-24
By Steve McCadams, Professional Guide/Outdoor Writer (stevemc@charter.net)
Fishermen have an eye in the sky across the Kentucky Lake region as the weekend approaches. The backside of Hurricane Helene is expected to come inland and head up the Tennessee Valley as the weekend approaches, threatening rainy days through Sunday. Anglers will be watching out for not only heavy rains, but wind associated with the storm which will be rated a Tropical Depression by the time it reaches our area. Lots of rain is expected to dump several inches on what an extremely dry late summer and early fall has been.
Just how much rain remains to be seen as forecasters are changing predictions by the hour. No doubt inclement weather will disrupt the fishing scene for a few days but in the aftermath, it appears fall weather is on the horizon. By Monday cooler days will begin to arrive, and next week’s forecast looks good with cool days and chilly nights. Finally, a nice fall forecast is on the way.
Presently Kentucky Lake’s elevation is around the 355.5 range as TVA pushed a lot of water through Kentucky Dam the last few days in anticipation of the forthcoming wet weather. The storm surge is expected to dump a lot of water before it starts departing Sunday. Lake levels will likely rise a few inches in the days ahead, but no severe flooding is expected in our region at this time.
Surface temperatures have reflected the week of hot weather. Readings have been in the 75-to-78-degree range. Watch for surface temps for fall beginning early next week once cool weather enters the picture. Watercolor has been clear. Increased current in the main Tennessee River channel the last few days has improved the catfish bite. Flows had increased to 45,000 cfs (cubic feet per second). That could increase throughout the weekend.
Some nice stringers of catfish have been taken from the 30 to 40-foot depth range. If lake levels rise a bit these next few days watch for catfish to move up to as they follow the rising water.
Crappie fishermen have been tying into a catfish now and then as they work midrange depths of 14 to 17 feet. Some crappie are lingering around the 9-to-13-foot depth range and more will move up by next week when rising lake levels and cooler temperatures coincide. When lake levels were falling earlier this week it pulled some crappie back out to slightly deeper water. Plus, the hot weather and rising surface temperatures were factors as well. That’s about to change.
Anglers should see a blitz by schools of shad and crappie this next week. The fall-like weather should stimulate activity and enhance the overall bite. Anglers have been catching a lot of small crappie in-between the keepers while stalking the deeper structures out on the main lake areas. Mixed in with the crappie have been a catfish or two and some bluegill that are also taking up residence in manmade fish attractors.
Looks like a few days of nasty weather will be followed by a few days of stability.
Bass fishermen have been finding the bite sluggish lately. The shallow bite backed off during the hot spell but hopefully that will return next week as more shad schools move shallow and start relating to sloping gravel banks and structure.
It’s time for an aggressive fall bite to kick in. Best keep the raingear handy these next few days. Be observant and cautious as inclement weather is in the cards as the unstable weather pattern passes through.
