Fishing Report

Pickwick Lake
Water temperature: 71 degrees. Elevation: 414 feet

Bass: “With the generation flow, and a lot of time on the water lately, I have been able to produce a large number of bass over the last two weeks,” Clagett Talley said. “Anytime it is (cloudy), and plenty of water (is) flowing from Pickwick Dam, you can pick up several bass on top-water baits along the river banks and eddies.”

Clagett, a tour guide from Savannah, said the most productive baits have been Strike Kings Spit ‘n King and Series 3 crankbaits.

“The quality of bass has picked up as well,” Clagett said. “Last week, we boated one over six- pounds and several over five pounds. Big crankbaits are working very well.”

Clagett said the most productive places are on ledges where you can cover shallow water and deep water in the same cast – dramatic drop-offs.

“We are starting to pick up more and more fish on plastic frogs in grassy areas,” Clagett said. “The grass is like a fish factory right now. Night fishing is still about the same, but like anything else, if the water flow slows down, so will the bite.”

Stripers: “The top-water bite is incredible when the stripers are below the dam,” Clagett said. “Big popping baits or walking baits are picking up several fish. Drifting skip jack minnows is a sure way to catch fish as well.”

Clagett said there are several different laws that are enforced below the Dam that are different than any other area in Pickwick.

“From what I have seen, the TWRA has been busy enforcing these laws, and for safety reasons that is a really good thing,” Clagett said. “You can pick up a free fishing guide, read over these laws and educate yourself on limits of fish as well (and) most of it is actually interesting.”

Catfish: “I have witnessed a lot of catfish caught below the Dam where I striper fish,” Clagett said. “Most catfishermen that I see are using one-ounce sinkers with dead skip jack or cut bait. I would say the most common store bought bait for catfish are nightcrawlers and shad guts.”

Bream: “If small fish are appealing to you, or you just want to take a kid fishing, you can almost count on catching several bream,” Clagett said. “Any shady area along the lake or river edge can be a good place to catch a large number of bream.”

Clagett said small red worms work well, but the most common bait would be crickets. Early morning hours are usually the best time to fish.

Want more from the “Mayor of Pickwick Lake?” Give Clagett Talley a call (731) 607-5266, or visit him online – www.pickwickareaguide.com

Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley
Water temperature: 76.2 degrees. Lakes are near winter pool at 354.4. Water color: clear

Bass: “Bass remain slow, but action should pick up in the next few days with cooler temperatures,” Darrell Van Vactor said. “We are catching a few roaming around in the schools of yellowtail shad as they move further back into the bays.

“When you find a bait ball you can usually pick up at a largemouth or two around it, (and) spinnerbaits are working along with top water baits early and late.”

Darrell Van Vactor is the Operations Manager for Crappie USA/Cabela’s King Kat Trail in Benton, Kentucky.

Crappie: Darrell said crappie are being caught by most of your favorite techniques.

“Trollers are finding good numbers of fish in eight-to-10-feet of water using Roadrunners with two-inch curl tails and tubes,” Darrell said. “Green color combos and purple/pink have worked well lately.”

Darrell said those who like to cast the banks are finding a lot of just keeper size and smaller fish on chunk rock banks especially in north Barkley areas.

Crankbaits are still producing the best size fish it seems, with most being caught in eight-to-11-feet of water on bright color Jenko Cranks.

Catfish: “They are doing well half way back in the larger bays using live minnows, shad and nightcrawlers,” Darrell said. “Several folks have been jugging the past few days and are really putting together some good numbers late in the afternoon.

“Tailwaters below both Kentucy and Barkley are heating up with lots of smaller blue cat being caught on cut skip jacks.”

Darrell said whites, hybrid and striper are beginning to show up in the tailwaters of both dams with several smaller (14-to-18-inch) fish being caught early and late, but few keeper sizes of hybrid and striper.

“Skip jack have had a good spawn this year, and we are finding lots of smaller skips below both dams,” Darrell said.

Bluegill: “Bluegill are really doing well on the edge of the main river channel using drop shot rigs baited with wax worms or night crawlers,” Darrell said. “(Also), be careful on the lakes and navigate between the buoys. Levels are low and there are lots of underwater stumps at depths that can take off a lower unit quickly.”

Gibson County Lake
Water temperature: upper 70s to low 80s

Bass: From what we gather, bass appear to have completely changed from their summer school pattern. For bait, try small plastics around timber in four-to-eight-feet of water.

(PHOTO: Pickwick Lake)
David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
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