The weather is cooling, but don’t give up on top-water baits just yet. Water temperatures continue to hover around the 80s.

Fishing Report

Gibson County Lake
Water temperature: 80 degrees.

Bass: “The bass are still avoiding loud baits,” Trenton’s Brent Smith said. “Silent cranks off secondary points, and plum finesse worms are working well.”

Crappie: Brent said crappie are picking up – try minnows around 18-feet.

Catfish: “They are hitting suspended baits from jugs in 10-to-15-feet of water,” Brent said.

Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley
Water temperature: 82 degrees. Water levels: 355.2 feet. Water color: a little dingy, but just right for fishing.

“Kentucky and Barkley Dams are still in the process of digesting the influx of water from hurricane Harvey, but the current should be reduced somewhat by midweek,” Darrell Van Vactor said. “The added current has actually triggered a better bite on most species – as bait has started moving to the flats and creek channel banks.

“Coupled with the fact that cooler temperatures are in store for us this week, we should see the fish “put on the feed bag” for fall.””

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

Bass: “Largemouth bass are somewhat more active on the main lake ledges, and main and secondary points of the larger bays, but we anticipate they will be on the move this week as baitfish move to the shallows,” Darrell said. “Wood cover has been the key with spinnerbaits working well in the shallower areas bumping them against wood and slow rolling them.”

Darrell said chartreuse has been the best color during the day and a Black/Yellow combo has worked well in low light conditions. On the ledges, size down to a six-to-eight-inch worm rigged Texas style in green pumpkin.

“Smallmouth have been slower the past few days with a few smaller fish being caught on ledges at the mouth of larger bays and roadbeds in seven-to-11-feet of water,” Darrell said. “Creature baits and Shaky heads in crawfish or green pumpkin have worked well.”

Crappie: Darrell said crappie continue to hit on running crankbaits on flats mid way back in the bays, and on secondary channel flats in 12-to-17-feet of water,” Darrell said. “Pink/Black combos have been best with a few fish coming in on black/silver Jenko baits.

“Action on deeper structure in 10-to-14-feet of water has also improved – using live bait and red/chartreuse tube baits.”

White Bass: “They are still feeding pretty good on creek channel drops on the secondary channel using slab spoons and inline spinners,” Darrell said. “Several yellow bass are being picked up along with the whites.”

Catfish: “Catfish are really hitting well half way back in the larger bays around feeder creeks, and are doing best on cut baits and nightcrawlers,” Darrell said.

Pickwick Lake
Water temperature: lower 80s

Bass: Bass remain as productive as any other species in the area for the first few hours of daylight.
Give top-water baits a good look, but you might do well with small crankbaits.

The Strike King Series 3 and Series 5 have been very productive on main lake points. They cover a lot of points on the lake, but the key seems to be the time of day.

The Sexy Shad in the Series 5 appears to be the right color and size of bait, and later in the day, try a Carolina rig with a green pumpkin lizard or crawfish.

(PHOTO: Pickwick Lake)

David Thomas, Twitter– @DavidThomasWNWS
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