Eastern Kentucky Fishing Report

This fishing report was compiled for the week of May 27, 2014

Editor’s note: Fishing across our area is beginning to improve as bass recover from spawning and are beginning to forage for food once again. The crappie fishing is also very good in most of our lakes at this time. As the water warms the white crappie will retreat to deeper water. Early and late periods are becoming the prime times to see action. If you get a chance to catch some fish send your picture to trimmer308@windstream.net. We will try to use as many as we can here and online.

Cave Run Lake: The lake is stable at summer pool. The water temperature is 68-72 degrees and the bass have finished spawning. Musky: fair. Tubs, gliders, lipless crankbaits along with inline spinnerbaits have been seeing action this week. We believe the recent bluegill spawn has drawn in both muskie and catfish looking for an easy meal. Largemouth Bass: fair. The bass are starting to cruise nesting sites and some bass have been spotted chasing bait fish into shallow water. Topwater, crankbaits and spinnerbaits have been successful this past week. Smallmouth: Slow to fair. The smallmouth should be finished nesting but reports have remained slow. Crappie: Good to excellent. These fish continue to hit small 1/32 oz jigs dressed with a char/white twister tail. The fish are still positioned at the end of laydown trees on flats where the water is about eight to 10 feet deep. Most were black crappie, with two to four on each tree. Catfish: Good, fishing near spawning beds and creek heads with live bait. Bluegill: Fair. Success was reported using worms, crickets and topwater poppers in shaded areas of the shoreline.

Grayson Lake: The lake has been stable at summer pool. The water is 68-72 degrees with good color. Bass: slow. The bass are beginning to get active around laydown timber, roadbeds and other structure as they feed in the low-light periods. Use topwater, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Plastic worms have also caught fish this week. Crappie: Good, fishing down timber and brush in eight to 10 feet of water. Jigs, live bait and small crankbaits have been successful this week. Catfish: Good, fishing live bait from the heads of coves near discharge areas. Bluegill: fair. The bluegill have finished nesting and reports suggest crickets, worms and small jigs have all caught fish this past week.

Greenbo Lake: The water temperature is 72-76 degrees and the water level has been stable. Bass: Fair, reports are that the fish have been recovering from their annual nesting cycle. We expect to see the fishing improve quickly as these fish begin to feed. Minnow-type baits should become productive, as these fish get active. Trout: Fair to good using Berkley Powerbait and small spinners or blade baits like the Sliver Buddy. Catfish: Good, as these fish have moved to the shallows feeding on nesting bluegill. Bluegill: The bluegills have been on the nest and unlike bass they are active feeders while nesting. Good reports of both bluegill and shellcrackers have been coming in. Red worms, crickets, and small jigs have been producing.

Ohio River: The Ohio River has been good shape but as I write this weather forecast for the area suggests the river is going to get a heavy influx of water. Largemouth Bass: Fair and improving. Crankbaits, jigs and blade baits are beginning to produce fishing backwater areas.

Below the dam: Twin tail grubs on ¼ oz. ball jigs are the best producers of Sauger and Walleye using slow bump-the-bottom retrieves. Running a two-jig setup produces 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: Good. Fishing has been good fishing live bait near nesting sites using minnows, cut-bait and worms fishing on the bottom.

Yatesville Lake: Yatesville water temperature has been 68-74 degrees and the fishing has been slow as the bass recovers from spawning. Bass: Fair to good fishing creek heads, timbered coves and roadbeds. Baits that saw action this week were crankbaits, jigs with watermelon-colored skirts and black creaturebait kickers. 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: Good, fishing spawning beds and creek heads using live bait and worms. Bluegill: Good, bluegill continue to be active fishing deeper humps and roadbeds. Worms, crickets, and small hair jigs have all been producing good results.