Lake Conditions:  Fair - 50° / Lake Temperature  57° - 357.21'
Cadiz, Kentucky
Cadiz, Kentucky
Cadiz, Kentucky
Closer Than You Think

Confinement and Quarantine Tugging On You? Go Fishing!

Written by Steve McCadams - Published on March 25, 2020

Even your doctor will agree that fishing is a great way to get some much needed physical and mental health benefits during this stressful time. If he doesn’t agree: change doctors!

Got claustrophobia? Been cooped up too long listening to the redundancy of doom and gloom from the news media?

Yes, they’re providing a valuable service and educating us as we navigate unchartered waters. This pandemic from “ole’ man chrono” is indeed scary. Not to be overlooked or underrated.

Yet the inside gig for some bears a close resemblance to solitary confinement. Hard to smell the roses and see the sunrise from dark corners of the house. No way to see the blue sky but you can get the blues!

Try a fishing trip to perk up your spirits. You can still adhere to all health and safety recommendations while soaking up some sun and connecting with nature.

Out on the lake or beneath a shady oak with your fishing pole you can dodge the crowds and still maintain social distancing. Don’t let your fishing go to the dogs. Take him with you too!

Meanwhile, spring weather is taking over this week as a rapid warm up is in progress. Anglers have dodged, and in some cases endured, a lot of thunderstorms.

With warmer days at hand surface temperatures will continue to rise, bringing active spawning phases closer for Kentucky Lake crappie. We’re not there yet but drawing closer day by day.

Lake levels are rising slowly in the aftermath of rains this week. Elevation at midweek at Kentucky Dam was in the 355.7 range, which is up about a foot from last week at this time. Fishermen can expect the rise to continue through the weekend.

Upstream in the New Johnsonville area the reservoir is already at 357.5. That shows significant water flowing through the system and headed north.

Surface temperatures are reflecting the warmer nights too. Readings were in the 55 to 56 degree range at midweek, which has climbed a couple of degrees from last week already. Watch for that to cross the 60-degree threshold soon!

Dingy water color is present in the backs of most bays as a lot of runoff is stirring up sediments. Stained water color is present in the upper half of several bays but still relatively clear in the main lake area of Big Sandy in the Paris Landing sector.

The upper Big Sandy basin and West Sandy are starting to see more stained water enter that region.

Crappie anglers using long lining techniques and covering a lot of water are having the most success lately. The fish appear to be suspended and staging in midrange depths of 8 to 13 feet.

Slow trolling Road Runners and curly tail grubs plus some tube skirted jigs have paid dividends. The prespawn crappie in this region are waiting for warmer surface temperatures before making a blitz to spawning structure.

Anglers spider rigging are catching fish as well as they canvas the flats and move about. Some are tipping jigs with minnows as they slowly meander over open water areas where the fish are staging or roaming.

Popular colored jigs have ranged from the white/chartreuse to pink/chartreuse or similar shades.

A few boats are vertical fishing manmade fish attractors with 1/16 to 1/8-ounce jigs and finding a few scattered fish in midrange depths such as 7 to 12 feet. Watch for that technique to improve quickly as more fish enter the shallow bays and flats as spawning time nears.

Some boats have been seen vertical fishing the main lake ledges and stalking deep drop-offs. Reports indicate the bite has been sluggish there with low numbers being taken in the 18 to 20 foot depths.

Late March and early April always sees crappie on the move here. Rising lake levels and surface temperatures climbing trigger crappie to transition rapidly toward spawning spots. Normally they stair-step their way from main lake deep water venues to midrange depths where they park for a week or two.

Once surface temps reach the upper 50’s and low 60’s hormonal changes kick in and male crappie start taking on a dark purple appearance as their pigment darkens. Female crappie have already been sporting a hefty egg sac and bulking up in preparation for spawning.

Watch for active phases to change gears the next two weeks. Weather is always a factor but a rapid warm can accelerate the biological clock.

Most anglers associate the first two weeks of April as being prime spawning time here. Better sharpen your hooks as that time is almost here!

Bass fishermen are finding some hefty fish lately with several stringers sporting 4 to 5-pound fish. A few smallmouth are showing up too.

March has held up to its reputation of giving up big bass. Rising lake levels and dingy water should put a lot of fish up shallow this week.

No doubt the bass are moving up and following the rise as that’s where the shad are headed. Loud colored crankbaits have been working well such as Rattle Traps, Bandit and Shad-Raps in fire-tiger, florescent orange and red/chartreuse variations.

Rock points and gravel banks continue to produce but some bass will stage on mud flats and shallow sandbars or sloping mud banks too, especially in the backs of bays where fresh warm water is entering.

Spinnerbaits and shallow running crankbaits tossed around stickups are beginning to produce as well. Jig and pig combos are also popular choices.

There’s a lot of current in the main channel this week so working rip-rap banks or any areas where eddies are forming is worthy of consideration.

TVA is pushing a lot of water through the system so expect current to linger for a spell.

Spring fishing patterns are rapidly changing. The fish are on the move and you need to be too!



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