Fishing Report Archives

A variety of species are helping kick off the June fishing scene along Kentucky Lake. The bite has been pretty good for late bedding bluegill plus some scattered shellcracker have also shown up for a parting glance. Catfish have been consistent too and have provided some coolers full of fun, not to mention fine eating opportunities.

Bass fishermen are seeming some improvement as well and June crappie are beginning to show up in the creel of anglers too.

Lake levels this week have fluctuated on Kentucky Lake after several heavy rains across the region sent more runoff into the reservoir. Last weekend the reservoir was a few inches above normal summer pool at 359.3 but surged several more inches and crested around 360, which sent some debris floating all over the main lake area.

TVA has been pushing water through Kentucky Dam this week and the reservoir has been falling steadily for several days and may well be back down to summer pool by this weekend.

Surface temperatures have warmed to the 77 to 80 degree range. Water color is clear in main lake areas but some island rims and backs of bays have a slight stain present.

Bass fishermen seemed to benefit from the rising lake levels that put more water on buck bushes and shoreline habitat. The shallow bite has been good for a lot of anglers targeting stickups where abundant schools of shad fry, referred to as pin minnows by most bassers, are coming on strong.

The schools of baitfish will provide a good forage base for the weeks ahead and higher lake levels boost the survival rate of these tiny baitfish as they are able to find refuge in grassbeds, buck bushes and a wide variety of structure.

Meanwhile, bass follow their forage and once these schools of baitfish are located odds are bass are there too. Lately bass fishermen using pitching and flipping techniques have scored decent catches. Most are using Texas rigged craws, lizards, worm or jig and craw combos.

Others mix up their arsenal by casting spinnerbaits or tossing a mixture of topwater jerk baits or fluke style bait selections so as to make a light, undisturbed entry around shallow cover where bass spook easy.

At the same time some of the tournament anglers have already resorted to deeper humps and some ledges looking for a few big bites. Big deep diving crankbaits have already begun to pay dividends as the ledge bite heats up.

Some swim baits and big Texas rigged worms are working out there too as are Carolina rigged worms and craws.

Those fishing ledges have been the beneficiary of current this week and that always seems to be an active ingredient in the summer style main lake ledge type approach.

Bluegill are still biting and holding on to some late bedding phases. Seems their biological clock got pushed back later this spring due to cool surface temps perhaps. Whatever the reason the bronze bombers have had quite an attitude lately and that spells great fishing for panfishermen who love to catch and eat them.

A few scattered shellcracker have even showed up the last week or so as anglers fished shallow weed beds and bushes. As June advances watch for the first mayfly hatch of the year to enter the fishing picture in the next week to ten days.

Nice stringers of catfish have been coming in on a regular basis, especially when current is present in the main Tennessee River channel.

Impressive numbers of blue catfish have been taken by anglers using both nightcrawlers and chicken livers out along the main river channel in depths ranging from 35 to 45 feet at times.

After a slight surge in lake levels last week TVA has been lowering lake levels and that created a lot of current. Catfishermen love the current as long as it’s in moderation.

The moving water stimulates movement from shad and that, in turn, means more catfish on the prowl and in active feeding mode. Bottom line is the bite improves significantly with the moving water compared to days with low flows or stagnant conditions.

Generally speaking the mixture of fishermen----bass, catfish, bluegill and crappie---testing the waters of Kentucky Lake this week have experienced a pretty good run.

Dodging a few thunderstorms with dark clouds that sometimes unload drenching rains combined with periods of gusty winds is all part of the late spring and early summer fishing scene. It doesn’t usually last long but it doesn’t take long to get wet!

Best keep an eye in the sky and have the raingear handy at all times.