Area lake levels rose a bit this past week, but are now in the mid-355 ft levels. TVA is predicting a fall back into the low 354 ft range by mid week, but with the added rainfall this past weekend, I’m not sure if it will happen. Average surface temps are still in the mid to low 50’s. Flow rates are strong, with us seeing around a 60,000 cfs over the weekend.
Not much of a fishing report this week, as strong winds and rain kept most fishermen off the water. I’m sure once the wind subsides, fishermen will again take to the water, as this time of year can be one of the best times to find numbers of most all species of fish. December is usually the time of the year most fishermen target sauger. Sauger fishing has started to make a comeback over the last few years. Last season, fishermen found some good numbers, but smaller fish that didn’t make the size limit. With another year past, many of the sauger should make the 15 inch size limit this year. For those who have never eaten a sauger, be aware that they are regarded as one of the most tasty fish swimming in our waters! Fishing for sauger is quite easy, most sauger fishermen use a ¾-1 oz football head jig tipped with a minnow. This presentation is fished vertically ‘hopped’ on the bottom, drifting with the current while fishing deep holes near mouths of creeks and rivers with gravel bottoms. Limits on Kentucky lake are 10 fish per day, with a 15 inch length limit.
Duck hunters have been enjoying some warm weather, but not much shooting. We really need some cooler weather with snow and ice up north to push the ducks our way. Deer season will continue for a couple more weeks. The regular deer season will end on the 2nd of January, with a week of private lands hunting and a juvenile hunt closing out the year. As the time of writing this blog, Humphreys Co has had 1,370 deer harvested, but I do expect a-lot of deer taken over the Christmas holiday.