Fishing Report Archives

Hello from the Excel Storm Cat 230.

This weather stinks! Pure and simple. Are you as tired of it as I am? I think the fish are even more so.

I go to the lake every day prepared for the unexpected. The unexpected is not what has me bothered.

A typical day on the lake this spring has seen us fishermen dealing with a mixed bag of mostly yuck. Take today, we started out at sunrise with clear sky, then clouds, then mist, then fog, then sprinkles, then more fog, more sprinkles, finally a small patch of blue sky for 5 seconds, then more clouds.

After 7 hours on the water, we headed in to Lynnhurst Family Resort, where the sun decided to make its grand appearance. At least the east wind didn’t blow 20 MPH. The fish seem to be totally confused as to what to do. The surface temperature in the low 70s some afternoons a couple of weeks ago have settled back into the low 60s and stayed there.

There does seem to be some good news in the form of mid 70s coming mid-week next week. Let's hope that gets the spawning game restarted on the middle and north portions of both big lakes. If the spawn is put off too long, we will likely lose the chance for another great spawn like the last couple of years. It seems TVA and Mother Nature have to work together for that to happen and so far, only TVA has done its part.

Crappie are scattered all over. Usually, this time of the season, a fishing pattern can be figured out and expected to last for a few days. Not this year. Every dawn seems to bring a totally different pattern for me. It is frustrating for me, being as I’m on the lake many more days than not. I can only imagine how the average crappie fisherman must feel.

We have had some nice catches from depths of 12 feet to 20 feet, along channels one day, on flats the next. Sometimes near cover, other times in open water. An early week trip to Barkley was a total mixed bag. It has truly been a spring of Forest Gump’s box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.

I’m seeing more fishing activity in shallow areas that should be holding bluegills and redears. Several channel and blue catfish are showing up attached to our crankbaits. Some really nice white bass are joining in the on the fun.

I hate to sound like a broken record (maybe a scratched CD for you younger types) but bad weather has dictated our fishing since February. I know it will get better but my concerns about losing a spawn are well rooted in the memories of a few years ago when crappie fishing was at its low point because of bad spawns.

We have been catching scads of short crappie as well as almost keeper sauger. A summer of good food sources and we are in for a big upturn in the numbers of fish in the box.

I want to thank those of you who daily take the time to wave or even holler at me and tell me you enjoy my reports. That lets me know my message is getting out.

Let’s be careful out there. It always gets better.

Welcome to our slice of Heaven.