Lake levels have stabilized, with current levels at New Johnsonville holding at 359 ft, water temps have began to rise, with surface temps now moving above 70 degrees. Flow rates are dropping, with only 25,000 cfs moving through the system this week. Both the Duck and Buffalo Rivers have gotten back to normal and water color is looking good.
Bass and crappie spawning activity has pretty much wrapped up, and shell-crackers and blue gill have now gone on bed. Most shell-cracker activity has been good over the last few weeks, and now the blue gill are heading shallow in big numbers to spawn. Most fishermen are finding lots of bedding blue gill around sandy bottoms, close to vegetation. Often bluegill will bed in the same locations as previous years, and some good numbers can be found fishing worms or crickets around the beds. Catfish have moved up shallow as well, and some good numbers have been caught around rocks near the banks. Most fishermen are using night-crawlers and stink bait offerings to find the fish.
Spring turkey season ended last weekend, and Humphreys Co. ended up with 483 turkeys for the season. State wide totals were at 32,698 birds, with Maury Co. topping out the state with 1228 birds harvested. Spring squirrel season is open, and will continue into June. Limits are 10 per person/day.
If you would like to have your buck officially scored, there is an upcoming event in Lebanon TN this weekend May 22-23, at the Farm Bureau Expo Center, for more information, go to tndeerexpo.com