The 28th annual Youth Fishing Rodeo will be held at the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge on Tanner Adams Lake, near Brownsville, from 6 a.m. to noon, Saturday.
The event is open to children age 12 and under.
For more information, call the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge at (731) 772-0501.
Fishing Report
Pickwick Lake
Water temperature: mid- to upper 70s. Elevation: 414 feet.
Bass: “We are catching a large number of fish, although most of them are under 15-inches,” Clagett Talley said. “Big flats are holding a lot of fish that are fairly easy to catch on silver-sided lipless crank baits such as Strike King Red Eye Shad.
“I have caught more fish on the larger three-quarter ounce Red Eye Shad.”
Clagett, a tour guide from Savannah, said the live bait he has seen the largemouth bass chase, are pretty good sized minnows – so naturally the larger baits are going to attract more bass.
“Ledges just off flats are holding good fish,” Clagett said. “The best way to catch these fish are with a Carolina rig with a green or pumpkin Strike King Rage Tail crawfish or lizards. You can catch a few large bass on deep water humps and ledges right now using big spinner baits, Carolina rigs and deep-diving crank baits.”
He added Series 6XD crank baits have produced several fish in deep water over the last few weeks.
“Fishing crank baits along the main lake bluffs is another productive way to catch a fair amount of bass right now,” Clagett said. “I have caught several good fish over the last few days fishing a larger crank bait in a situation where you would normally use a smaller one.”
Clagett said cranking a little slower, you can use a Series 6XD in 12-to-15-feet, and catch bigger fish.
“Late in the afternoon after it gets dark, use a black spinner bait, sometimes it helps to have red accents,” Clagett said. “Black and blue plastics Carolina and Texas rigging has also worked well at night.”
Stripers: “The best baits are small grubs, Strike King Series 3 crank baits and inline spinners,” Clagett said. “We have caught more white bass below the dam, fishing along the main river banks. When the current is running strong, you are sure to catch a limit.”
Rockfish (Stripers): “If you use a sassy shad you will usually out perform a store bought minnow,” Clagett said. “You can troll a deep-diving crank bait in the late afternoon and catch a few stripers that way as well.”
Clagett said just before dark, have big top-water bait ready because they are starting to come to the surface. Make sure you use a top-water bait that moves a lot of water when it is moving across the turbulent surface.
Catfish: “Catfish are biting good right now,” Clagett said. “They are biting night crawlers in five-to-15-feet,” Clagett said. “We are catching a large number on big flats with night crawlers and crickets and turkey liver.”
Crappie: Clagett said crappie are picking up in numbers, and several have been snagged using small grubs in and around the brushy areas.
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 temperatures: upper 80s. Lakes are at summer pool, 359.16 feet and clear.
Bass: “Largemouth Bass are improving with most moving to the main lake ledges now and holding a little deeper on the ledges than normal for some reason,” Darrell Van Vactor said. “Most fish are coming from 12-to-24-feet on the edge of the ledge and Carolina rigs have been the ticket.
“Creature baits and large size worms in Crawfish patterns and chartreuse have been popular.”
Darrell Van Vactor is the operations manager at Crappie USA/Cabela’s King Kat Trail in Benton, Kentucky.
“Smallmouth are being caught on creature baits and jigs,” Darrell said. “Mudbug color patterns have shown some success on the main lake ledges and rocky points on the main lake.”
Crappie: Darrell said crappie are spotty at best, with a few fish being caught on blue/chartreuse and chrome/black Jenko crank baits trolled 12-feet deep in 23-to-26 feet of water on the main lake.
“A few are also being taken on tube jigs tipped with live bait in the mouths of the bays fishing 25-to-30-feet of water over submerged cover,” Darrell said.
Redear and bluegill: “They have been a little disappointing during the full moon phase in May, for some reason,” Darrell said. “Most appear to be holding in annual bedding grounds and are hitting crickets and worms, but a lot of the beds are still untouched for this season.”
Catfish: “Catfish are doing extremely well with Channel cats on the rocky shorelines hitting worms and Amish Chicken and blue cats moving into the major bays and following the creek channels,” Darrell said. “Try drifting along the creek channels using night crawlers and leeches in around 24-feet of water.”
David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
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