Eastern Kentucky Fishing Report

This fishing report was compiled for the week of Nov 12, 2012

Editor’s note: We just had a warm weekend for this time of year, and the weather makes a big difference. If you read this week’s column, you should note that the fish movements were dictated by the weather. Adjust your fishing accordingly and stay on the shad for the best success. It’s also noteworthy to tell you that all the reported lakes have turned over, so fish can be at any depth. Shad are the key.

Cave Run Lake: The lake continues the fall drawdown. However, it’s only a little over 1 foot above winter pool. This makes the river dangerous if you don’t know the channel, please stay safe and go slow! Musky: fair to good. As the weeds begin to die back, some fish are beginning to relate to timber. While most of the active fish remain around weed areas the fishing has slowed a little this week but they are still some good days to be on the water. Smallmouth Bass: The smallmouth continue to be active on crankbaits and blade baits in the dam area. Points and riprap areas have been producers this past week. Largemouth Bass: Shad remain the key to catching this fish. Weather will be the factor to where you will find shad. Once you do, drop spinnerbaits and crankbaits, which are still producing. White Bass remain on the flats and creek heads where shad are schooling. Use small crankbaits, small inline spinners and blade baits. Crappie: We continue to get reports of crappie being taken on live bait fishing channel trees as well as on crankbaits in some schooling shad near the heads of creeks.

Grayson Lake: It has been somewhat of a surprise this year with much better catches than expected, I only see this lake getting better next year. Bass: slow this week. Jigs and spinnerbaits were the only baits that reported any success. Crappie: fair. Fish swim jigs around down timber. Let the jig fall into the 10 to the 12-foot range. Yellow 1/8 jigs have had the best success for the last few weeks. Catfish: I didn’t receive any catfish reports this week, however, I believe these fish are still active.

Greenbo Lake: The lake is in good shape, clear and stable. Bass: Continued reports came in this week of bass being taken on topwater in the early morning hours, fishing the dam area. I also had some report of bass being caught in the heads of creeks on slow-rolling spinnerbaits, including the 3/8oz willow leaf chrome blades and white skirt. Trout: Greenbo was stocked Oct. 11. We have had many good reports of the trout still hitting. Berkley Power Bait and salmon eggs have been the hot bait for these fish. Catfish: Slow, fishing very early and at midday. Use live bait, chubs, small bluegill and cut bait.

Ohio River: The river came up this week but the fishing remains much the same. White bass: were reported good. Watch for breaking fish at the mouth of creeks. Use inline spinners and small crankbaits. Largemouth Bass: Good, small baits continue to be the best baits. We got reports this week that some fish were caught using small buzz baits above the dam, fishing schools of shad. Below the Dam: Sauger and Walleye continue to improve, however, water levels have been a problem but should be back to normal this week. Twin tail grubs on ¼ oz. ball jigs are beginning to produce. Use slow bump the bottom retrieves. Striped Bass: We had some reports this week that the stripers were still in the dam area and while they haven’t been breaking the surface, fish are still being taken by using swim baits. Make long casts in the same areas where fish were active on pencil poppers. Bass: Fair to good. Fish early before the water temperature has a chance to warm up. Fish points, weeds and laydown trees. Spinnerbaits and ¼ oz. buzzbaits have produced fish this week. Catfish: Good, reports of catfish are still coming in. However, while drop-lines and trot lines report the most success, we got a few reports this week of good catches from bank fishermen using cut bait and fishing just after the sunrise.

Yatesville Lake: Much of the upper lake is too shallow to fish.  Please be careful and go slow. Bass: Reported slow this week. Using spinnerbaits and crankbaits while fishing areas where shad are schooling are be your best bets for success. Crappie: good. Fish the edges of flats in channel bends and old fish attractors using 32 oz. white crappie jigs tipped with live minnows. We have also had some reports of catches fishing at night under lights using live bait. Reports suggest the crappie are in 15 feet of water near channel points.

This fishing report was compiled for the week of Nov 6, 2012

Editor’s note: A lot has changed in a week. Yatesville reports very slow fishing, Cave Run remains active and the Ohio River is still producing. Many of our lakes are reporting muddy headwaters, however the main lake areas are still in good shape.

Cave Run Lake: The lake continues the fall drawdown. However, the heavy rains have halted the lake from falling this past week. Some headwater areas are stained. Musky: Good, as the weeds begin to die back, some fish are beginning to relate to timber, while most of the active fish remain around weed areas.  Bass: The smallmouth have been active on crankbaits and blade baits in the dam area. Points and riprap areas have been producers this past week. Largemouth Bass: Continue to follow the shad and the shad remain the key to catching fish. Weather will be the factor to where you will find shad. Drop spinnerbaits and crankbaits are still producing. White Bass remain on the flats and creek heads where shad are schooling. Use small crankbaits, small inline spinners and blade baits. Crappie: We continue to get reports of crappie being taken on live bait fishing channel trees. Crankbaits in some schooling shad near the heads of creeks are also producing.

Grayson Lake: The lake remains in good shape on the main lake area, while the upper regions are stained. Bass: slow this week. Jigs and spinnerbaits were the only baits that reported any success. Crappie: Fair, fishing swim jigs around down timber. Let the jig fall into the 10 to 12 foot range. Yellow 1/8 jigs have had the best success for the last few weeks. Catfish: I didn’t receive any catfish reports this week; but we believe these fish are still active.

Greenbo Lake: The lake is in good shape, clear and stable. Bass: Continued reports came in this week of bass being taken on topwater in the early morning hours fishing the dam area. We also had some report of bass being caught in the heads of creeks on slow-rolling spinnerbaits, including 3/8 oz. willow leaf chrome blades and white skirts. Trout: Greenbo was stocked on the Oct. 11 with trout. At this point, these fish have scattered and some success has been reported casting the banks with blade baits.  Catfish: Good fishing very early and at night fishing live bait, chubs, small bluegill and cut bait.

Ohio River: The river had been reporting good fishing and we are not sure yet if the week of rain has had much effect. White bass: Good, watch for breaking fish at the mouth of creeks. Use inline spinners and small crankbaits. Largemouth Bass: Good, small baits continue to be the best baits, including crankbaits and small spinnerbaits. Fish discharge areas and creek points. Below the Dam: The big story on the river is the improved sauger fishing. If the river doesn’t get too high the sauger fishing should keep getting better. Twin tail grubs on ¼ oz. ball jigs are beginning to produce. Use a slow bump the bottom retrieve. Striped Bass: We had some reports this week that the stripers were still in the dam area and while they haven’t been breaking the surface, fish are still being taken by using swim baits. Make long casts in the same areas where fish were active on pencil poppers. Bass: fair to good. Fish early before the water temperature has a chance to warm up, on points, weeds and lay-down trees. Spinnerbaits and ¼ oz. buzzbaits have produced fish this week. Catfish: good. Reports of catfish are still coming in. However, while drop lines and trotlines report the most success, we got a few reports this week of good catches from bank fishermen using cut bait and fishing just after sunrise.

Yatesville Lake: As water levels fall, you must be careful in the upper area of the lake. Bass: reported slow this week. Using spinnerbaits and crankbaits in areas where shad are schooling is your best bet for success. Crappie: good. Fish the edges of flats in channel bends and old fish attractors using 32 oz. white crappie jigs tipped with live minnows. We have also had some reports of catches fishing at night under lights using live bait. Reports suggest the crappie are in 15 feet of water near channel points.