Fishing Report Archives

Dominating the spring fishing scene on Kentucky Lake have been high lake levels that have added some hurdles to not only anglers but everyone around and along the lake. From boat ramps to resorts, marinas and campgrounds; unusually high elevation has altered access and changed the whole recreational world.

As if the Coronavirus pandemic wasn't enough, the flooding conditions dealt another severe blow to the overall spring tourism season. While Kentucky Lake has something to offer recreational users in all 52 weeks of the year, the early April time frame coincides with the annual spawning phases of crappie with bass not far behind on the biological clock.

Tourism is an industry and big business for both Kentucky and Tennessee in the lake region and many related business depend on the peak influx from visitors to generate the bulk of their income during the spring season. Thus far the combination of the pandemic and high lake levels have been a double whammy. The scenario couldn't have come at a worse time!

Hopefully, the region will see a rapid rebound and the fishing scene will bounce back. Still ample time for that to happen.

High Water Hurdles

Lake levels on Kentucky Lake crested on Wednesday but not before rising dramatically the previous week. According to TVA the reservoir reached an elevation of 362.4---normal summer pool level of 359 isn't supposed to occur until May 1---which for this time of the year was some seven feet above normal.

Under normal conditions TVA begins reservoir filling on April 1 each year. From the low ebb of winter pool, which is around the 355 feet above sea level reading, the reservoir begins a slow but gradual rise in elevation with a target date of May 1 for summer pool.

Recent rains across the TVA valley have upset the apple cart, swelling the Tennessee River above its normal early spring levels with abundant runoff. Kentucky Lake is the largest storage reservoir in the TVA system and inherits the flooding from upstream.

When high water is present along the Ohio and Mississippi River discharge rates are reduced out of Kentucky Dam. Sometimes more water enters the reservoir than TVA can quickly discharge; when that happens lake levels rise quickly.

Now that the crest has occurred look for lake levels to fall quickly in the days ahead, barring any additional flooding upstream.

Odds are TVA will pull the reservoir back down to its normal curve, which for early April would be in the 355.5 to 356 range.

Lake levels began slowly receding Wednesday. Projections indicate the reservoir will fall to 361.7 by Friday if not sooner. Watch for TVA to really pull the plug in the days ahead. The agency is revising its projections every 12 hours on lake levels.

In the week ahead anglers and recreationalists can expect a lot of current to be present in the main river channel.

Private landowners along the shorelines should be able to access ramps, piers and boat houses soon. In the aftermath of high lake levels there's usually some damage and debris pickup along shorelines.

Spawning Phases Underway

Current conditions show surface temperatures this week climbing to the 62 degree mark in most bays and pockets. Water color has been in pretty good shape for fishing and rising lake levels had pushed muddy water to the upper ends bays and into feeder creeks.

Crappie are on the verge spawning. Surface temps warmed rapidly last weekend and the females are bloated with eggs and about ready to blitz toward spawning territory.

Male crappie have been turning darker and their beautiful color indicates hormonal changes taking place, which is another indication spawning time is at hand.

Peak spawning phases kick in when surface temperatures reach the 62 to 66 degree range and stay there for a few days.

Generally speaking, the first two weeks of April see the peak of the spawn taking place. That biologically clock will vary at times if cold weather lingers or an early spring arrives in late March for example.

This year the timing appears to be pretty much on schedule. Watch for male crappie to dart toward shorelines and shallow structure this weekend.

Many local anglers were hoping crappie would sprint to shallow stickups along shorelines such as buck bushes and willow trees. Although a few might be taken there in the next few days it appears most fish are still holding out away from shorelines at the present time.

Throwing a curve to the normalcy of fishing patterns has been the changing lake levels. When the lake jumps up ahead of schedule it tends to scatter fish to a great degree.

A few decent stringers have been taken this week as the fish attempt to move toward spawning areas and seek out structure in which to deposit eggs.

Most of the decent stringers have come from the 12 to 15 foot depth ranges where long lining techniques and vertical fishing presentations have paid dividends. A lot of the crappie have been staging and suspended offshore in the midrange depths this week as the high water has sort of had fish and fishermen off balance to some degree.

Long lining techniques and some multipole spider rig presentations have helped anglers cover a lot of water and pick up scattered and suspended fish. Road Runner jigs in purple/chartreuse and lime/white have been a few popular color choices.

Some boats vertical fishing over manmade fish attractors such as stakebeds and burhspiles are seeing more activity the last few days. Watch for that to improve this week as more fish take on a structure oriented mood in preparation for active spawning phases.

Although crappie hadn't darted to shoreline habitat such as willow trees and buck bushes just yet, the longer the water stays high the more crappie will make that attempt. However, fast falling lake levels may keep the crappie out of shoreline habitat.

There's a lot of change taking place on Kentucky Lake right now for both bass and crappie fishermen. Anglers are playing a game of hide and seek with a different lake each day once lake levels dramatically recede.

Bass fishermen were just beginning to see a few fish start heading to the shoreline cover the last few days. With falling lake stages some fish should be relating to the outside brushlines in the week ahead.

From spinnerbaits to Texas rigged craws, lizards and worms, anglers should have a lot of visible structure to fish for a few days with a variety of lure choices that work.

Flipping and pitching techniques are now underway for bass fishermen who love that pattern.

A lot of current will be present around the rims of main river islands which should put some bass on the down current side of bushes and blowdowns.

Falling Lake Levels of Concern

When prime spawning time arrives for both bass and crappie on Kentucky Lake anglers always voice concern over falling lake stages.

What worries them the most is fish trying to spawn in shallow shoreline weedbeds or broadcasting their eggs around the shallow roots of buck bushes and willow trees. If lake levels fall too fast it can leave eggs high and dry or greatly reduce the survival rate of the spawn.

Actually, history has shown the fish get off a pretty good spawn during high water scenarios as there's an abundance of cover that appeals to their needs. That is, if high lake levels remain for a week or two during peak spawning time.

However, if the fish set up housekeeping and lake levels rapidly recede it's another ballgame.

Bass are pretty good at making a second attempt when things don't go right. Crappie not so much.

I've seen times when crappie attempted to spawn but conditions backed them off and the females seemed to reabsorb eggs. Cold fronts or roller coaster lake levels altered the biological clock and things just never got right.

If you see female crappie in early to late May with egg sacs that appear dark gray and hardening it could be the fish never broadcast them or if it was a second attempt it may have failed.

All isn't lost, however, as the fish have ample time to adjust and react. It appears falling lake levels will be part of the picture for another week or more but the crappie may well complete their annual ritual out in 5 to 10 foot depths where that offshore structure may have the most appeal.

Yet Mother Nature has a way of spreading out the spawning phases as all the fish don't spawn at the same time. A few fish likely start early and some fish are sluggish to get going and don't spawn until mid to late April.

That's the way nature covers the bases in the event weather, water and other variables don't get the memo. Still, it's important to have stability during the peak phases of the spawn as that works in favor of a strong year class and increased survival rates for young of the year.

Water levels have a lot of influence on the success or failure of spawning phases. So far this spring, stability of lake levels has not been in the cards!