Fishing Report Archives

Locals refer to these unusual cool windy days we’ve been having as “blackberry winter”. Not supposed to be wearing sweat shirts and coveralls this time of year out on the lake but that’s been the attire as of late. And did I mention rain suits too?

Last week’s nice weather forecast didn’t materialize and several windy days with below average temps at night sort of pushed back the biological clock as surface temps have been sluggish to rebound and climb to that 70-degree mark and stay there.

As to lake conditions water color is in good shape across both Barkley and Kentucky lakes. Some stain is present in the upper pockets and shorelines where high winds have churned things up but overall it’s clearing.

Lake levels have seen minor fluctuations this week. Readings are presently in the 359.3 range, which is only a few inches above normal summer pool despite some severe thunderstorms earlier in the week.

Bluegill and redear anglers have been anxious to get the show going but Mother Nature has dealt them a tough hand to play since late April and early May. Surface temps this week have mostly stayed in the 65 to 68 degree range with only a brief trip to the 70-degree threshold.

That’s not what anglers need to really jump start spawning phases. Although a couple of days last weekend warmed things up it was a short honeymoon. Daytime highs are struggling to make it to the upper 60’s at present and lows for the upcoming weekend are predicted to fall into the upper 30’s!

May’s first full moon arrived on Thursday. There have been a few bluegill and some redear taken this week around the parameters of shallow weedbeds and buck bushes.

The first full moon in May traditionally signals the start of prime spawning phases for both bluegill and redear sunfish but peak bedding time is temperature driven.

Several stringers have been taken from farm ponds and small lakes already that sometimes warm quicker than big lakes. Spawning activity has been sluggish to get going on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. Yes, there have been a few fish taken but not what it ought to be. No doubt inclimate weather has played a role in the timing.

Some hot and humid days are needed to stimulate aggressive activity. There will be a few fish attempting to bed now and while anglers may score some catches these next few days the best is yet to come. By next week action should improve once weather conditions settle down.

If you’ve already been out and found activity below average you’re not alone. I found a few beds where fish were finicky and reluctant to bite in their normal aggressive manner. Once bluegill and redear go on bed they usually protect the nesting area, warding off intruders with an aggressive chase but cool surface temps will diminish that.

Things happen quickly so stay on standby as these powerful panfish can flip the switch and get things going from morning to late afternoon if sunshine heats things up.

Catfish have been on the prowl and moving up toward shallow shorelines and rocky areas. Several were taken recently by anglers targeting rip-rap levees or rocky bluffs.

Those searching for bluegill and redear around shallow pockets have also encountered several catfish roaming around bushes and weedbeds as they too search for spawning spots.

Nightcrawlers are producing best. Watch for some hefty stringers to be taken in the next week to ten days from rocky bluffs as the catfish spawn continues. And, a lot of light tackle anglers fishing bluegill beds will tie into some dandies too as the catfish often frequent the craters where eggs and hatching fry of bluegill are emerging.

Crappie anglers are finding some scattered fish still lingering in the midrange depths of 10 to 12 feet. Boats trolling long-line techniques pulling 1/8 to 1/4-ounce Road Runners with chartreuse heads and chartreuse twister tail grubs have managed to find enough to keep them going in the post-spawn phase.

Some anglers working stakebeds and brushpiles in 10 to 12 foot ranges have encountered a few late spawning crappie too. Tipping jigs with minnows or just presenting a live minnow has worked well at times but it’s a one-here; two-there type route for most.

As of last week some females were still sporting eggs. However, the eggs seen were more like the first week of April than the first week of May as to their appearance. It has been a challenge to predict the timetable of this spring’s spawning phases for crappie on Kentucky and Barkley lakes!

Bass fishermen are landing nice stringers when weather allows them to move about the lake. High winds have hampered them at times too.

Working shallow shorelines where abundant grass beds and buck bushes are mixed has given up a lot of fish lately. Most boaters are pitching and flipping Zoom’s Brush Hog or similar style baits to locate fish.

Spinnerbaits have worked too as have floating worms at times. Not much action on buzzbaits lately but weedless frogs and fluke style worms twitched in visible weeds has paid dividends.

Seems there always a few boats backing off the banks and working submerged humps and sloping flats with various swim baits and crankbaits or Texas rigged worms. There have been several smallmouth taken this year too.

Seems anglers this spring have gotten a couple days each weeks of decent weather or light winds while the other five have been downright nasty at times with everything from high winds to rain or below normal temperatures.

Fishermen continue to play the cards as dealt, hoping for some long stretches of nice weather while negotiating the variables that have played tricks on timing and normal fishing patterns thus far!