Humphreys Co. fishing report for week of June 14th, 2019
Current Kentucky lake level at NewJohnsonville is at 360.34ft. lake levels are reported to rise over the weekend to a crest of 360.8ft with an average flow rate of 30,000cfs. Kentucky dam is predicted to open up Saturday, bumping up the flows to over 60,000cfs through Sunday. Surface temps on the lake have been upper 70’s in the morning, rising to the low 80’s by late afternoon.
the Buffalo river is up some, with the current level at Lobelville at 4ft with flow rates at 723cfs. The Duck river is up and somewhat muddy, with levels around 3 ft with a flow rate around 2100cfs.
fishing has been tough with all the strong winds. this week has not seen many days without a brisk breeze keeping most fishermen off the main lake. Bass have moved out to the summer spots on the main lake ledges, making it difficult for many fishermen to be able to fish on the ledges. With rising water levels predicted this weekend, the shallow bite should see improvement.
Crappie fishermen have been experiencing the same issues with strong wind, making is hard to fish out in the deeper areas and the main lake flats where many crappie spend their summer.
Catfish are still being taken shallow, with the vast majority being channel cats taken by fishermen using floats and nightcrawlers.
A few rockfish are starting to show up in the Duck river around cool water places, by fishermen using live shad or large crankbaits.
The STRIKE KING tournament last weekend was won by Eric Shelton and Gary Singleton with a 3 fish limit weighing in 13.38lbs, big fish was taken by Team. Jammy McCloud and Ken Little with a fish weighing 6.39lbs
Humphreys co. fishing/lake report
lake levels are on the rise, current levels in the NewJohnsonville area are at 358.8ft with a slight rise and fall over the week, but remaining somewhat stable for the week. flow rates have been below normal (18,000-25.000cfs) but with the precipitation this week entering the Tn river valley, expect the flow rates to increase as TVA tries to maintain normal lake levels. TVA is predicting flow rates over the weekend to be around 45,000 cfs. water surface temps are in the low 80’s.
fishing has been tough for most all species, most Bass tournaments are seeing only the top spots with 15-20 lbs for a 5 fish limit, with the next few places seeing only single digits.
Crappie have been tough as well, although a few fishermen have been finding limits on drops in 15-20ft depths, although most fishermen have been having a tough time finding any fish.
Catfish are now spawning, meaning the bite on blue’s and flathead’s has been tough while the spawn is going on. channel cats are the exception, with many fishermen doing well around rip-rap and banklines where channel cats are on the prowl for food. fishing with nightcrawlers on floats seems to be the ticket for finding them.
Bluegill/shellcracker have been on bed, and are doing well, shellcracker mostly have finished spawning, and a lot of fishermen had great success this year, the shellcracker have now moved back out to their normal areas, out on the river flats looking for mussel shells on hard bottom shallow areas adjacent to the old river channel. Bluegill are still on bed and can be found close to the bank around protected areas where wind and wave action doesn’t affect their beds. moving with a cricket or worm fished on a float along the shoreline is the best method to find bedding bluegill.
Mayflies have entered the picture this week, with a multitude of insects clinging to trees and objects along the shoreline, often all species of panfish can be found feeding on the bountiful crop of mayflies along the shoreline, making for some great sport
Free fishing day is this Saturday, June 8th, where everyone can fish for free without a fishing license, also kids under 16yrs may fish all week without a license
Kentucky Lake Report–May 15, 2019
Water temp’s mid 70’s
Flow rates have been around 70.000cfs but predicted to slow by this weekend
Water levels 359.7ft, predicted to fall over the week to 359ft
Fishing Report for Kentucky lake and duck river
Shell cracker (Red-eared sunfish) action has been picking up, a cold front which dropped water temps has slowed the bite up. Most fish have been taken in 2-5 foot of water in backs of bays around grass, limits are 20/person/day
Crappie– fish remain hard to find, most are being taken by ‘spider rigging or trolling’ seems covering a lot of water is the key as crappie seem to always be on move
Bass– Bass still seem to be avaiding fishermen, a few good catches are coming from fish moving off bed, with a few coming off river Islands with grass, a few fishermen have found some better size fish off the summer pattern of fishing ledges, but haveing to fish a lot of ledges to find the fish
Catfish– smaller catfish are being taken in numbers around shallow rocks on nightcrawlers, many of the larger fish have been eluding fishermen here on Kentucky lake as well as the duck river, Blue cats have entered into their spawning activites making them difficlult to find
