Fishing Report

 Kentucky Lake 9-18-24

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

HOT WEATHER HANGS ON AS FALL OFFICIALLY BEGINS

Fishermen around the Kentucky Lake area dodged a bullet last week as the forecasted flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine never materialized for us. Some much needed rain did fall but the region is back to wanting another drink along with it cooler temps. Fall officially arrives Sunday on the calendar. Right now, it’s being a bit stubborn as to its arrival. Doesn’t look like that’s going to happen until late next week according to the long-range forecast.

September is living up to its reputation as a month with both summer and fall mixed in. Right now, warm weather has descended as daytime highs are forecast to be in the upper 80’s for the next week or so. Lake levels have dropped to the low elevation of 355.5 this week at Kentucky Dam. That’s down a few inches from last week and the reading means caution should be used by anglers and pleasure boaters. All lakers should observe channel markers this time of year and resist the urge to take shortcuts out over open water. You can sure damage a boat hull or lower unit of an outboard this time of year.

Surface temps are down to the 76 degrees range this week. Watercolor has cleared.

Catfishing has been decent whenever TVA is pulling water. Some mornings are starting out stagnant, but the current has picked up at midday and that enhances the lethargic catfish to get up and get going. Decent stringers have been taken lately as anglers target schools of shad in the 35-to-45-foot depth ranges. Some catches have been reported in the 25-foot depth range. Baits of choice continue to be nightcrawlers, cut bait, chicken liver and several commercial ones from local bait and tackle shops.

Crappie have been fair as decent numbers have been taken on cloudy days in 8-to-12-foot depths. Some fish have moved up but on bright sunny days the bite slows down in shallow areas. No doubt the crappie are sensitive to the bright sunny calm or stagnant days. The bite has been best in the early morning and late afternoon hours for most in shallow zones while some anglers fishing depths of 16 to 20 feet have done okay. Not unusual to see fish back off to deeper main lake spots when hot sunny days team up with falling lake levels.

Watch for crappie to make a blitz back toward shallow venues whenever cloud cover or perhaps rainy days return. Add a little chop to the water from a light wind and that helps too. Some anglers are casting jigs out over shallow submerged structure or using a slip-bobber rig armed with live minnows or jigs. Retrieving the bait slowly over cover will stimulate bites when the fish are displaying a sluggish mood. Slow movement seem to get their attention. Letting the bait just sit still usually won’t pay as many dividends when the lake is dead calm.

Bass fishermen are tossing shad-colored crankbaits and pearl to shad variations of swim baits and finding some fish playing their game. Rattle traps cast in the backs of big bays where meandering schools of shad are staging has produced several largemouth and a few white bass too. Out on main lake areas and around some rip-rap rock banks fishermen have found an occasional smallmouth as well.

It’s that time of the year when early morning and late afternoon surface activity should be showing up on sloping gravel shorelines. Shad move up in the lowlight conditions for brief feeding sprees as they partake of midges, a small insect that hatches out in lowlight periods and really attracts the shad and ultimately the bass.

As October rests on the threshold anglers can expect some cooler weather patterns to enter the picture. Lower surface temperatures will follow the next cool spell and help the attitude of the fish and fishermen.