Kentucky lake levels have crested around the 360 ft mark, and according to TVA, will be falling below the 359 ft mark by mid week. Water temps are still rising, with current surface temps between 75-80 degrees. With the added rainfall and storms last week, the Duck and Buffalo Rivers came up a bit, and are expected to fall back to normal by mid to late week. Flow rates on Kentucky Lake have picked up, as TVA tries to maintain summer pool levels, and expect flow rates to be moderate to strong early in the week, but falling off a bit as next weekend approaches.
Bass continue to be found shallow, especially when ‘pin minnows’ are present along the shoreline. Baits of choice are topwater presentations early, and changing over to spinnerbaits as the sun rises. Some really good sized fish have been taken, and most bass seem to be looking healthy. The crappie bite is slow on Kentucky Lake, but what fish are being taken seem to be holding in the 18-20 ft range, especially later in the afternoon. Also, most crappie are being taken close to the bottom with slow presentations. Bluegill are now starting to come off of bed, with some still shallow, but as the warmer weather comes, most bluegill will head out looking for food, especially as the mayflies start showing up. Catfish are now almost finished spawning and are heading out to deeper water, often feeding on the smaller mussel shells in the river ditches on hard bottoms. Corbicula, or the asian clam, is an invasive species found throughout north America and are readily eaten by many fish species, especially catfish. Often you can feel and hear the clams in the bellies of caught catfish throughout the summer months.
As summer boating season begins, boaters are reminded to take a boating class, as well as its required for all boat operators born on or after January 1st 1989. The class is easy to take by going to your local library and picking up a ‘boating book’ and studying at your leisure. Once you feel like you know the information well enough, purchase a (type 600) boater-ed permit for $10 at anywhere hunting fishing licenses can be purchased, then going back to the library and taking the test.