Our area contributors took advantage of a few nice days earlier this week, but colder weather – and water – will continue to make fishing a challenge, at least for a few more weeks.

Fishing Report

Pickwick Lake

Water temperature: 51 degrees. Elevation: 413.96

• Bass: “Old grassy areas in the lake are still producing good fish at times although the grass pretty much dies down right now,” Clagett Talley said. “Texas rigged Strike King Rage Tail in pumpkin seed and green pumpkin Coffee Tubes have accounted for most of the fish we have caught in these areas.”

Clagett, a tour guide from Savannah, said the weather can make bass fishing difficult during the next few weeks, but he believes the time is right where you are likely to catch your biggest fish of the year.

• Stripers: “I am not doing any striper fishing trips right now, mainly because this is just a slow time of the year for them,” Clagett said. “If I were to take someone striper fishing right now, I would depend on a deep-diving crankbait to keep the trip interesting.”

Clagett said he knows those using live bait and drifting bait, it’s not something he would recommend as soon as you put in.

• Catfish: Slow. “The water from all the rain has muddied the river and really made it hard on all species right now below the dam,” Clagett said. “Most catfishermen are using worms bought out of bait stores in deep water.
• Sauger: Clagett said he has been fishing with a plastic grub on a sauger jig bouncing it in 25-feet of water.

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

Gibson County Lake

Water temperature: upper 40s, lower 50s

• Bass: Obviously, with the colder water, use deep-diving crankbaits. For a few minutes, give top-water jerk baits and suspending stick baits a try.
• Crappie: Minnows from 10-feet to 20-feet of water.

Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley

• Water temperature: 47 to 49 degrees. Water levels: 355.7 and rising. Water condition: Stained on Kentucky Lake, muddy on Lake Barkley.

  Bass: “Bass have been slow with a few decent fish being caught on the edge of the
  main river channel and the feeder creeks at the mouths of the major
  embankments using jigging spoons fished close to the bottom in 20-to-24-feet
  of water,” Darrell Van Vactor said. “Several white and yellow bass are being caught with the large and smallmouth bass.”

Darrell Van Vactor is the president of Outdoor Promotions, Inc., in Benton, Ky.

• Crappie: “They are doing very well,” Darrell said. “They have fed very well all winter (and) so far hitting in manmade cover and along channel breaks in the larger bays on Kentucky
  Lake using pink/chartreuse and red/chartreuse crappie magnet jigs tipped
  with crappie nibbles or live minnows.”

Darrell said limits have been common and you can expect to catch a large number of non-keeper fish (less than 10 inches) during your trip.

• Catfish: “Most of the action has been in eight-to-12-feet of water, but it has been common to catch nice fish in six-feet of water in the afternoon – on a sunny day,” Darrell said. “They are still hitting large minnows or yellow tail shad in the middle of the main river channel in 51-to-54 feet of water,” Darrell said. “Some really nice blues are being caught right now.”
• David Thomas