Eastern Kentucky Fishing Report

This fishing report was compiled for the week of Dec 16, 2013

Editor’s note: This week the big news is the rising water levels in most of our reporting lakes. Some lakes are over summer pool levels so you may want to check levels before you plan a trip. Most of our reporting lakes are flood control impoundments and as the threat of flood declines our lakes should return to winter pool levels. Did you get that big buck, turkey or catch a big fish? Send me your pictures.

Cave Run Lake: The lake has been coming up quickly reaching one foot over summer pool. This influx of water has hurt the fishing by making deep water structure fishing nearly impossible. The water temperature has also dropped to 47-49 degrees. Musky: The muskie fishing slowed a little this week. Baits that saw action were jigs, inline spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, gliders and swimbaits.  Largemouth Bass: From the reports we got this week, bass were being taken on shakey-head jigs fishing weed edges. Most fish were in 10 feet of water. While we didn’t get any reports from the river, I would think the pattern I was fishing a couple of weeks ago will still catch fish. I was fishing the channel trees with lipless crankbaits. Smallmouth: With the rising water levels we had no reports this week for smallmouth. Slow moving “A” rigs should produce once the water levels return to normal. Crappie: The crappie fishing was fair this past week using live bait in treetops near channel bends. Jigs also produced using a bouncing motion and fishing standing channel trees. Reports put the fish at about 15 to 25 feet of water. Catfish: We didn’t have any reports on catfish this week if you had any success drop us a line and tell us what you were using.

Scott Doan holding a 22 inch Largemouth bass caught on Cedar Creek Lake Dec. 2. (Photo submitted)
Scott Doan holding a 22 inch Largemouth bass caught on Cedar Creek Lake Dec. 2. (Photo submitted)

Grayson Lake: The lake has been stable this week with lake levels remaining at winter pool. However, please continue to be aware of low water levels so you don’t get stuck in areas, which can normally be passed over. The water temperature has been 48 degrees. Bass: Unchanged this week fishing shakey-head jigs on points. Fish were in 15-20 feet of water. The fish wanted to hit the jig while it was right on the bottom. Crappie: Fair, fishing swim jigs around down timber and brush piles. Catfish: Slow, fishing live bait from the heads of coves near discharge areas.

Greenbo Lake: This lake reported fair fishing this week. It is clear and stable with water temperatures falling to 46 degrees. Blade baits and jigs continued to produce this week. Bass: Fair using the above method. Trout: Greenbo has been stocked twice in recent months with rainbow trout. Fishing is reported as good using Powerbait and fishing from the bank in the boat dock area as well as trolling near the dam using small spinnerbaits and Rapala floating crankbaits. Catfish: We didn’t get any reports this week on catfish.

Ohio River: The Ohio River has been high this week with water temperatures in the high 40s. Heavy rains over the weekend are continuing to change water conditions, however, we expect the area below the dam to start producing as soon as water conditions become stable. Largemouth Bass: Small spinnerbaits continue to be the most productive fishing points and structure around discharge areas. Crankbaits have also produced fishing the same areas. Below the Dam:  Twin tail grubs on ¼ oz. ball jigs are still the best producers of Sauger and Walleye using slow bump the bottom retrieves. Running a two-jig setup has been producing better strikes. One of the two baits needs to be a little off of the bottom. White Bass: Slow with few reported catches. Bass: We are looking for some new reports on the bass fishing above the dam. If you get on the water help us out! Catfish: Slow we didn’t have any reports this week for catfish.

Yatesville Lake: Yatesville reports water levels remaining near winter pool. The fishing has been unchanged with catches of bass, crappie and catfish. As temperatures continue to fall, the fishing will begin to slow. The water has been clear and is stable at 47-48 degrees. Bass: With water temperatures falling, the middle of the day has been the prime time hours. Jigs and vertical blade baits have produced fair catches. Crappie: Good. Fish the edges of flats in channel bends and old fish attractors using 1/32 oz. white crappie jigs or live bait. We have seen some anglers improving their odds drifting across fish attractors using both live bait and jigs. Catfish: slow.

Send photos of your catch and fishing reports to: trimmer308@windstream.net 

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About mudfoot1 246 Articles
Carrie "Mudfoot" Stambaugh is the managing editor of KentuckyAngling.com. Carrie is an outdoor adventurer! She's an avid hiker and a burgeoning angler. Carrie and her husband, Carl, also enjoy canoeing eastern Kentucky lakes and rivers with their dog Cooper. The couple live in Ashland.

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