Kentucky Lake 3/13/25
Report Contributor, Steve McCadams, Professional Guide/Outdoor Writer stevemc@charter.net
Rising temperatures as mid-March rolled around have stimulated the interest level of both the fish and fishermen. Spring fever has been running high among the ranks of anglers anxious for the seasonal transition. Spring officially arrives Thursday, March 20th but recently it felt like it came in early and daytime temps jumped to the upper 70’s, stimulating the both the bass and crappie bite on Kentucky Lake this past week.
Above average daytime temperatures often come with a trade off in early March, that being gusty winds and a threat of thunderstorms. That’s in the forecast for the weekend with slightly cooler temps on the backside of an approaching front. Watch for some stability to return early next week once the disturbance passes through the region. Kentucky Lake water levels have fallen to the low ebb of winter pool this week. Readings across the reservoir are 354.4. Surface temperatures have risen in response to the recent warm spell and were around the 53-degree range, even warm in some places.
Water color had cleared in the main lake areas but still a slight stain lingers in some bays and up Big Sandy areas. However, it’s a good color for crappie fishing. Some good stringers of slabs have been coming in from anglers taking advantage of the nice days. At times the wind has dictated the routes of fishermen hoping to stalk the open water areas of Big Sandy and elsewhere on the lake.
Depths of 7 to 12 feet have produced good numbers of big prespawn slab crappie which were moving up in preparation for the annual ritual. As surface temps climb to the mid-50’s crappie begin stair-stepping their way toward spawning territory but not before staging in mid-range depths for a short period.
Female crappie are sporting a hefty profile at present, bulging with eggs and weighing heavy. Several crappie eclipsing the 2-pound range have been taken lately.Mid-range structure in the form of shallow stumps and various man made fish attractors are appealing to crappie as they hang out just off the banks and await warmer surface temps to pull them shallow.
Crappie will begin spawning phases once water temps reach the 62 to 66 degree range. That’s usually the first week or two of April but sometimes, if warmer weather descends, spawning can begin in late March. The prespawn phases now underway it’s a great time to catch big slabs as the females are bloated and soon males will begin to transition to a deeper purple color as their hormonal changes see a darkening of their pigment. Anglers just have to tolerate the unstable moods of March weather. Nice one day; windy the next. Warm a few days; cold and brutal in the aftermath. It’s March Madness!
Bass fishermen are seeing more big fish move up to shallow gravel and rocky points in response to the rising surface temps. It’s crank bait heaven across Kentucky Lake this time of year. Lots of other lures produce too but a variety of colors in shallow and deep running crank baits are the cat’s meow this time of year. Big sow bass are already moving up back into bays and pockets, staging in the warmer water and just waiting for the right time to start fanning the shallow shorelines for spawning beds. Soon slightly higher lake levels will arrive, inundating grass beds and for bass it will begin.
Low lake levels will hang around until April 1 as that’s TVA’s curve schedule to begin reservoir filling toward summer pool. The normal schedule has a target date of May 1 for summer pool (359) so a gradual rise in lake levels will soon begin.
