Fishing Report Archives

In the aftermath of a drastic change that brought frigid temps to the region recently it appears the fishing scene is on a rebound as mild days and seasonal weather returns.

It’s that time of year when a cold front blows through but don’t hang around too long. Same goes for a warm spell that teases fishermen and all outdoorsmen into thinking it will last a week or more! Nope! Cooler days are always on the threshold this time of year.

It’s a typical last fall weather week underway as warmer days were chasing away frosty mornings as November arrived on the calendar. By next week several days are forecast to reach the upper 60’s and low 70’s so nice days are on the way.

Looks like anglers will have a bit of a honeymoon with mild weather before slightly cooler weather and some rain enter the picture late next week but who can tell?

Best to just wrap up in a few layers and head out on the lake. As the days warm up just shed a few shirts and adapt.

Presently Kentucky Lake’s elevation is seeing only minor fluctuation as not much rain has fallen. Lake levels across the reservoir this week were staying around the 354.8 range. Water color is clear.

TVA is pushing only 18,000 or so cubic feet per second (cfs) (some days even less) through Kentucky Dam lately so not much current out there on the main Tennessee River channel.

Surface temperatures cooled rapidly since the recent cold front and are down in the 56 to 58 degree range. Some nights have pulled it down even lower. A few foggy mornings have been part of the fishing scene as well when windy days stay out of the picture.

It’s still beautiful out there as late fall is holding on to a lot of nice colors across the countryside.

The last fall crappie bite has been fair. Several decent stringers showing up from anglers working 8 to 13 foot depth ranges but there are also some larger fishing lingering in deeper depths of 18 to 20 feet.

Those deep brushpiles out on the main lake are holding on to a few slab crappie.

Such jig colors as monkey’s milk, chartreuse and blue, pearl with blue sparkle and clear with silver sparkle are a few colors paying dividends.

Tipping with a minnow or just presenting a plain minnow rig is also working well.

Bass anglers are still tossing Rattle Trap style lure selections in the blue/chrome and black/chrome color selection. Some shad colored crankbaits such as Rapala’s Shad Rap are working well at times around rocky banks and gravel sloping points.

Anglers backing off the banks are still managing to locate a few nice smallmouth as they work main lake sandbars and humps. Tossing swim baits has been the ticket for most of the success stories.

Not much coming in from catfishermen lately as the diminished current has had a negative impact on the late fall catfish bite for most folks. However, for those who know where the schools of blue catfish sleep there can be quick rebounds once a little moving water returns to the fishing scene.

The late fall crappie and bass bite here can be great as most anglers play the weather and wind, hoping to choose their days and dodge the cool windy ones this time of year.