Fishing Report

Gibson County Lake
Water temperature: mid to upper 80s. Water color: cloudy

Bass: “Spoons and top-water baits are working on schooling bass,” Trenton’s Brent Smith said. “Lipless cranks have been the baits to go (with) off shallow ridges, ditches and creeks.”
Shell crackers have been on fire in 5 to 10 feet of water using red worms on the bottom. Catfish are still being caught on jugs through the week.

Pickwick Lake
Water temperature: 85 degrees. Elevation 414 feet

Bass: “The top-water bite has produced a lot of fish over the past week,” Clagett Talley said. “I usually start fishing with a top-water bait in shallow water in the main lake. You can catch a few bass in the backs of coves early on top-water baits (also), but I usually catch bigger fish in the main lake.

A tour guide from Savannah, Clagett said the “Spit N King” by Strike King is the perfect size bait to start your day on the lake or below the dam for bass, stripers or white bass, so it is a good idea to have one tied on when you start fishing in the morning.

“You will just need to make short jerks with your rod not to disturb the surface with the mouth of the bait,” Clagett said. “If the bass are active, they with hit it. I take a lot of people fishing and most people like to over jerk their bait (too hard) and this simply does not attract the bass as much as the subtle action of the Spit ‘N King.”

Clagett said he likes to use medium action rods for better action when fishing any top-water bait, which is also more forgiving when a fish hits, and you react too hard with a hook set.

“The biggest mistake I see when fishing a top-water bait for active fish is your natural reaction of jerking the bait out of the fishes mouth,” Clagett said. “It is best to let the fish take it and keep the drag set loose.”

Clagett said after the top-water bite ends, try fishing a football head jig with a plastic crawfish in the same areas.

“If you were catching fish on top-water baits in rocky areas, throw the football head jig in the same area and other similar rocky areas,” Clagett said. “If you were catching fish on top-water baits in grassy areas, fish the same grassy areas with the jigs.

“Some of the biggest fish I have caught have been when I switch to a jig to fish the same areas where I just caught fish on top-water baits.”

Stripers: “The Strike King “Spit N King” has been an all around great top-water (bait) with stripers and bass in the Tennessee River below the Pickwick Dam,” Clagett said. “Popping this feathered tail bait attracts any fish that is in the area that is actively feeding on the surface.”

Clagett said if you are after stripers, and you have already caught a few big ones on top-water baits, you might want to switch over to a jerk bait because you can usually hold on to the fish longer.

“Right now, you can find small stripers busting the surface all day, but the bigger stripers will be in deeper water after the first few hours of daylight,” Clagett said. “Throughout the middle of the day, you will need to switch to a deep-diving crankbait (so) crank hard with your drag loose.”

Catfish: “I’ve seen several catfish caught just below the dam near the boils and in the still water,” Clagett said. “But I have been catching more fish drifting in the current. I had been catching fish on worms and cut bait, but the live bait got harder to find.”

Clagett said he tried Dyna-Bites in Catalpa Worm flavor and in shad flavor, which worked well for him.
“We caught several catfish drifting the Dyna-Bites in 20-to-25-feet of water,” Clagett said. “I like to fish the Dyna-Bites on a medium action rod with a one-ounce sinker, if possible.”

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: mid to upper 80s, both lakes

Bass: The dams are pulling strong current at both dams creating a very positive situation for the fish to feed heavily. Largemouth bass are feeding well on the main lake points and ledges, and some fishermen are using Texas style 10-inch worms with a 3/8 ounce weight, and finding most of the better fish hanging down the side of the ledges in 18-to -22-feet of water.

The fish holding on the main lake points are holding in eight-to-12 feet and hitting creature baits rigged Carolina style and large deep running crankbaits. Early and late, there is a lot of action in the backs of the bays, so you might try a small top-water bait or buzz bait.

Crappie: Crappie have been slow, but they are hitting Jenko crank baits trolled across the mouths of the bays and flats in 10-to-18-feet of water on the main lake.

Bluegill: They have moved back to their summer pattern, but some good bluegill can be caught with a drop shot rig on the edge of the secondary channel, and around submerged road beds in eight-to-15-feet of water.

Catfish: They have been hitting fair on the main lake drop-offs on leeches and cut skip jack.

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, Jackson)
David Thomas, Twitter– @DavidThomasWNWS
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