Fishing Report

Pickwick Lake
Water temperature: 81 degrees. Elevation 414

Bass: “If you get out early, as early as 5 a.m., you can catch fish on top-water baits such as Strike King Sexy Dawgs and Spit ‘N Kings,” Clagett Talley said. “You’ll have a lot of fun for about an hour, and this is a good time to catch one or two quality bass before you have to start fishing deeper.”

Clagett, a tour guide from Savannah, said after the top-water bite dies down, you can throw a crank bait in the same area where you caught fish on top-water baits and usually catch a few more.

“After that, throw a the same crank bait – one that dives eight-to-12-feet – like a Series 3 to a Series 5 along bluffs and open water ledges,” Clagett said. “Big fish are in deep water right now (and) I have caught fish on deep-diving crank baits in 15-to-25-feet of water.”

Clagett said in these areas, a Carolina rig with a green pumpkin Rage Tail and one-ounce Strike King Spinnerbait also works well.

“White and chartreuse are the only two colors for spinner baits that I use in these deep water areas,” Clagett said. “If you like to fish at night, night fishing is starting to pick up. The most common bait to use is a spinnerbait with a single Colorado blade.”

Clagett said the night time spinnerbait needs to be black and it seems to help to have a red accent.

“The most common night time spinnerbait used on Pickwick right now is a Strike King Mid-Night Special,” Clagett said. “It will be in black with red or blue accents (and) I like to tip it with a red plastic trailer.”

White bass: “We still have time to catch a lot of white bass right now,” Clagett said. “They are running strong around the dam and in the Diamond Island area. They are hitting Strike King Series 3 crank baits, and if they are hanging out in swift water, I can usually catch a lot on jerk baits. Small white grubs are also accounting for a lot of white bass.”

Stripers: “Stripers are biting throughout the day,” Clagett said. “If you drift from the dam down to the first overhead power line that crosses the river with a live minnow and one-to-three-ounce sinker, you should cover the distance the stripers are running in.”

Clagett said while striper fishing, keep a top-water bait or jerk bait handy because they have been busting the surface throughout the day for short bursts, but if you are close enough to get a bait to them you are sure to catch one.

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

Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley
Water temperature: 88 degrees. Water levels: 359.2 feet. Water color: clear with visibility of three-feet on both lakes.

Bass: “Bass are slow on the main lake ledges, but some really nice fish are being taken in the backs of the bays early and late using top-water and buzz baits,” Darrell Van Vactor said. “Finding the shad balls are the key and working these spots for the first hour of daylight and just before dark.

“A few of the ledges are holding fish, but the bite is really finicky. Best baits are creature baits and Carolina rigged worms in pumpkin/pepper and blue.”

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

Crappie: “They are moving back to the main lake and hitting crank baits in “lovestruck” and “firetiger” patterns,” Darrell said. “Flats close to the main lake channel are holding the best numbers. A few good catches are also coming from 25-feet of water on the main lake using tube jigs tipped with minnows vertically jigged in tight cover.”

White Bass: Darrell said white bass should be warming up, but the numbers continue to struggle on both lakes.

He added the few that are being caught, are hitting blade baits cast into the mouths of feeder creeks where they join the main river channel.

Bluegill and Red ear: Darrell said they have moved into their summer homes on the main lake flats, and are are hitting worms rigged on drop-shot rigs cast across the flats – but retrieved very slowly.

Catfish: “Catfish are still doing well on the channel breaks using worms and leeches,” Darrell said. “Both channel and blue cat are being taken in good numbers.”

David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalk1015