Lower temperatures should give area fishermen a break for the next few days. But it’s still recommended you fish early morning and late afternoon. That said, here’s this week’s …
Fishing Report
Gibson County Lake
Water temperature: lower 90s. Water color: stained
Bass: “Small bass are in summer school, but zeroed in on tiny shad, (so) use the smallest white flukes you can find,” Trenton’s Brent Smith said. “Larger bass are staying close to timber off the creeks and points hitting jigs and shaky heads.”
Catfish: “Good numbers of catfish are being caught on jugs during the week on the main body of the lake at different depths – lines two-to-three feet,” Brent said.
Pickwick Lake
Water temperature: mid to upper 80s. Elevation: 413.5 feet
Bass: With the hot weather and heavy boat traffic, it is better to stick with early morning and late afternoon fishing. You can just about count on big bass exploding the surface to hit top-water baits in the morning, but you can also count on zero current flow from the Dam during the morning hours, so the activity is usually short lived.
Since the water is calm, throw a walking bait – namely a Strike King Sexy Dawg.
Once the top-water bite ends, you will probably find what you are looking for in 12-to-20-feet of water.
Results have been decent when fishing big crankbaits along deep bluffs, open water humps and ledges.
You also might consider Carolina rigging, which generally works well with plastic Strike King Rail Tail crawfish and lizards.
Grubs have been working well in the lake and the river, and when the sun begins to set, you will probably get a chance at some more top-water action before you head for home.
Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley
Water temperature: 88 to 91 degrees. Lakes are on slow draw, down at 358.1 feet, about one foot below summer pool.
“Both Kentucky and Barkley Dams have cut back on the current draw through the generators with Kentucky Dam pulling the lions share at 28,000 bfs for the remainder of this week,” said Darrell Van Vactor, the Operations Manager Crappie USA/Cabela’s King Kat Trail in Benton, Kentucky. “It seems fishing is getting a little more challenging this week with the hot weather and lower current conditions, but there’s still a couple of bright spots.”
Bass: “Largemouth Bass are hitting fair on main lake drops and deeper main lake points on top-water baits at daylight for just a short feeding period, and just before dark to two hours after dark with the best fish coming after dark on purple or black 10-inch worms and darker colored deep running crank baits,” Darrell said. “A few really big fish are being taken right at dark when the shad start popping the top of the water.”
Darrell said white and yellow bass are still hitting blade baits and inline spinners fished on deep ledges and river channel drops. Be prepared to catch a large number of small yellow bass mixed in with the whites.
Crappie: “Crappie are slow, but a few are being caught trolling Junk Crank Baits on submerged flats on the main lake in 18-to-20-feet of water,” Darrell said. “Keeping the boat moving around 1.9 (miles per hour) seems to be the key to success on them. Bright color baits in various colors are working.”
Catfish: “Catfish are being caught on the main river channel drops on leeches and nightcrawlers,” Darrell said. “The size seems to be smaller this week, but good frying size cats are plentiful – if you can find them,” Darrell said. “They are schooling in large numbers, so if you catch one, stay in the area long enough to be sure there are not more feeding fish present. Tailwaters remain very slow, not worth the trip on most days.”
Bass Tournament
The Henderson County Bass Anglers Thursday Night Bass Tournament at Beech Lake will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., today. Visitors are welcome to participate. For more information, call (731) 695-1654.
(PHOTO: Lake Graham)
David Thomas, Twitter– @DavidThomasWNWS
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