Fishing Report Archives

Kentucky Lake's fishing scene this week is still waiting on some real fall weather to cool things down. It appears an overdue cool snap will arrive by the middle of next week as the long range forecast indicates temps will drop back 8 to 10 degrees by next Tuesday.

Daytime highs are expected to only reach the upper 70's most of next week and nighttime temps will dip to the low 60's and even the upper 50's according to the forecast.

That means some foggy mornings may be in the fishing future.

For the last few weeks above average temperatures have dominated the early fall fishing conditions and anglers are past ready to put on some jackets and long sleeve shirts, which is the way fall mornings are supposed to start off.

Right now Kentucky Lake's elevation is residing around 355, which is the lowest reading thus far since TVA implemented winter drawdown back on July 1. That elevation is normal for this time of year and the reservoir has been falling slowly the last several weeks.

Now is not the time to take shortcuts across the open water areas of Kentucky Lake.

Fishermen and recreational boaters are urged to use caution during the fall months when lake levels descend, exposing shallow sandbars and stumps out there. Best pay close attention to channel markers from now on through the fall and winter periods.

Water color is clear. Surface temperature is running around the 78 degree range, which is bit above normal for early October. Watch for that to fall by the middle of next week.

A little current has been present as TVA is pulling about 35,000 cubic feet per second through Kentucky Dam lately and that's enough to keep the catfish bite going out on the main Tennessee River channel.

We haven't been getting much rain lately so some days the current diminishes and that also diminishes the bite. The lack of moving water slows the baitfish movement. And, when the shad don't move around neither do the catfish.

Bass fishermen would love a little current too as that stimulates the bite out on the main lake sandbars for those anglers working the ledges for smallmouth and largemouth with crankbaits, swimbaits and Carolina rigged worms.

A few bass have been taken on the endless gravel banks along the main river area. Tossing some topwater in the early morning and late afternoon has produced a few fish that are roaming the banks feeding on midge hatches, a tiny insect that hatches in low-light conditions.

Crappie have been fair but the pattern has been sluggish for anglers yearning for cooler surface temperatures. The long stretch of hot and dry weather throughout the month of September and into early October kept surface temps a bit above normal and that has impacted the shallow bite.

Usually crappie start moving up to shallow or midrange depths by now but that bite has been off for anglers targeting 6 to 12 foot zones across most of the lake. That should improve by next week.

Seems the schools of shad have been a bit slow to move up and bring the crappie with them.

Looks like that's going to change early next week as a cooler weather is forecast to arrive early next week, bringing cloudy days and some increased rain chances with it. That changes should stimulate the bite of sluggish crappie and get the fall pattern jump started.

The lake's parade of fall colors along its shorelines should begin to start turning soon. The late summer and early fall drought conditions may curtail some of the peak colors but we'll see soon.