The cooler weather patterns we experienced last week continued into this week with lower day time temperatures in the 80’s and low humidity. Since we have very little current and the lake is slowly dropping, fishing all-around is slow for most willing to get out there. Be careful out there. The lower lake levels mean the gremlins will again start to show their wicked selves. Avoid the shallow areas when running at plane. Wear those PFDs. Watch out for those who won’t watch out for you. Fall and cooler weather and water temps will be here soon.
LARGEMOUTH BASS: Largemouth are being taken on shallow flats and ditches on cover and chasing bait on the flats. Swim Jigs, wacky rigged worms, chatterbaits seem to be most effective. Most fish are roaming around chasing bait, however I would never pass up any form of structure – no matter how small it is.
SMALLMOUTH BASS: Smallmouth can be caught on points and main lake banks around mayfly hatches. Bait is the key in both species: find the bait, find the bass.
Crappie: Crappie are being caught anywhere from 4-20′ of water in brush piles with no apparent pattern. I’ve caught them spider rigging and long lining jigs. Color didn’t seem to favor one over the others. Anglers are finding a mix of small to medium sized crappie in 15-25 feet of water but scattered with no pattern.
Bluegill/Red Ears: Bluegill seem to be bedding again in two feet of water or less around stake beds. Bluegill are being caught around shallow cover. Bluegill bugs and red worms seem to be most productive. Expect the bites to pick up as we slip into the fall and the weather and water continue to cool.
Catfish: They will be feeding and moving in typical patterns. You will start having a little better luck if you can get to some moving water that is adding a little more oxygen for the baitfish and the catfish will be there also. Depths of 35 to 40 feet were holding fish pretty good and anglers were using nightcrawlers and chicken livers to score best. Reports of some decent catches are coming from the tailwater areas of all three dams in our area. I’m seeing several boats along the old Cumberland River channel in Barkley who are fishing the ledges and creek channel junctions for catfish. Cut bait, large minnows and stink baits will be your best bet.
White & Yellow Bass: White Bass are being taken by vertically fishing with blade baits and inline spinners along the river channel ledges. White Bass are also being taken around Mayfly hatches early in the morning in the creeks and bays on inline spinners. We have been catching some White Bass also while bass fishing during the early morning hours on top water baits in the shallows in the backs of the creeks and bays before the sun gets up on the water.
