Eastern Kentucky Fishing Report

This fishing report was compiled for the week of July 14, 2015.

Editor’s note: A strange thing is taken place this past week. The rains have been colder than the lake water so the stained, and some places muddy water is sinking below the clear water leaving about a two-foot visibility. However, when I turned on my trolling motor, I could see the dirty water mixing with warmer clear water on the top. This has sparked the Muskie fishing but has done little for the bass fishing. If you catch a good fish send me the picture, I will include as many as I can in the fishing reports each week. Please send us your pictures or story ideas to: trimmer308@windstream.net. We will try to use as many as we can in print and online.

Cave Run Lake: The lake level has been stable this week even with the quick rains. I was on North Fork of the Licking River last week once again. The area is becoming more stained but remains very fishable. The lake levels are holding at 1.7 ft over summer pool. Water temperatures have fallen to about 75 degrees with some fluctuations according to the daily weather pattern. Musky: Fair/good. As the water temperature falls back into the 70s, the Muskie fishing has begun to improve. Fishing the heads of creeks in the low-light periods and along old weed beds have produced some good catches. Hot baits have been lipless crankbaits, some jerkbaits and in-line spinners. Square bill crankbaits have also been hot the past few weeks producing some good fish. Largemouth Bass: Fair/good. The water temperatures have started to go up once again as the weather settles into a summer pattern. Some fish are starting to cruse the bank early and late. The fish caught this week continue to be caught on Spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, weightless jerk-worm and square-billed crankbaits. Smallmouth: Good/fair Smallmouth fish are always spotty on this lake; however, this week some good fish were reported caught near the dam area fishing spoons and lipless crankbaits. Crappie: Improving. These fish continue to hit small 1/32 oz. jigs dressed with twister tails or minnows along with roadrunner spinnerbaits; they have also been active casting small crankbaits near the shore-line. The fish have staged in channel trees and near weed beds and starting to move up on points holding brush. Catfish: Good, fishing back water areas with live bait. White Bass: We did get a few reports that the white bass has been jumping off and on this is good new since the white bass kill, we are interested in hearing more from anglers having success catching white bass. Bluegill: Our full moon was July 1, bring some bluegill to spawning areas, while they have fished this months spawn they remain active near old spawning beds.

Grayson Lake: Summer pool for Grayson is 645 feet of elevation. At press time, it stood at 645.9 ft., which puts the lake near summer pool and stable. We had reports of good catches being taken in the major arms of the river fishing plastic worms and spinnerbaits. The water is 74 degrees. Bass: Fair/ in areas where bass are migrating to points and creek heads both early and late in the day. We are also getting some reports of catches after dark fishing plastic worms using a Carolina rig fishing points and ledges. Crappie: Fair/good, fish downed timber and brush in 14 to 18 feet of water. Jigs, live bait and small crankbaits have been successful this week. Some Crappie has also been caught at night under lights, fishing live bait. Hybrids: We continue to have some reports that the hybrid bass are active on the main lake. Fishermen have been locating shad and then backing off and throwing swim-baits and big spoons. Fish have been in eight to 10-12 feet of water. Catfish: Good, fishing live bait from the heads of coves near discharge areas along with bluegill spawning areas. Bluegill: Have been finishing the July spawn good catches have come from live worms, crickets and 64oz jigs.

Greenbo Lake: While not much has changed on Greenbo Lake, I want our readers to know they are a petition being passed around. What it’s about is to ask the DFWL to have a close season from April 1 thru May 31. I understand this is because of people seen snagging bass off the nest, at this stage nothing has been decided. It’s also not clear if this would close the lake to all fishing during that time. Greenbo is clear and stable; it had a stocking of 5,500 rainbow trout on Jan. 29. The lake is near 84 degrees. Bass: Fair, the bass are beginning to be more active during low light periods and at night; however, jerk-worms proved to be the best bait this week producing fair numbers, blade baits and crankbaits also produced using bright color’s fishing points and flats. Fishing at night with plastic worms and bootleg jigs have also produced. Trout: Good using Berkley sparkly orange Powerbait rigged using a small treble hook with a split shot about six to 12 inches up the line. Catfish: Excellent, They continue to be taken almost everywhere on Greenbo this past week. I was told that a number of stockings that have not been reported on have resulted in a large population of catfish in the lake right now. Fishing with live bait or Chicken Liver has produced good numbers. Bluegill: Good, fishing live bait near underwater structure. The bluegills are still holding near old spawning beds as they finish the July spawn.

Ohio River: At press time, the water levels of the Ohio River in both Greenup Pools have been going up a down as heavy rains make their way to the river. The fishing has been fair and improving with water levels being a little unstable for the best fishing conditions. Below the dam, the lower pool was 25.29 feet while it was 12.68 on the upper side of the dam. The Ashland pool was 36.17 at mid-week; rain may impact the Ohio River this week; however, the river is in fair shape the week. Largemouth Bass: Fair, fish have been taken near spawning areas and back-water areas along with the head of some creeks using spinnerbaits and jerkbaits. We have also had some reports of fish being taken on topwater lures early and late. Some smallmouth bass continue to be caught this week using jig & pig baits fishing rocky areas. Some bass have been taken on ¼ oz. White Bass: Some white bass above the dam have been hitting blade baits and inline spinnerbaits. Look for schooling fish.

Below the dam: Fishing below the dam has been good when water levels are stable; however, water levels been up and down as heavy rains continue. The old standard method of twin tail grubs on ¼ oz. ball jigs is still the best producer of Sauger and Walleye. Fair, bump-the-bottom retrieves. Running a two-jig setup produces better strikes. Some Walleye have also been taken on crankbaits near sand bars and discharge areas. One of the two baits needs to be a little off of the bottom. White Bass: Good, fishing inline spinners and blade baits. Look for breaking fish. We had no reports of Hybrid Striped Bass catches this week. Bass: The reports we got this week have been the fishing fair fishing jerkbaits, spinnerbaits. Buzzbaits have also been productive during the low-light periods. Catfish: Good, using live bait in backwater areas. Minnows, cut-bait and worms fishing on the bottom have all been successful.

Yatesville Lake: While the lake this week has remained stable just a little over summer pool; with water, temperatures have been 76 degrees, producing both bass and crappie. Bass: Good, reports this week have confirmed that the bass has been in the summer pattern. Reported success has been fishing ledges using plastic worm and jigs; Bass have also been active very early hitting topwater poppers and buzzbaits as the sun gets on the water the fish have moved to deeper water. Some fish have also been caught fish ½ oz. jig and kicker in dark colors fishing points. Crappie: Good, some success has been reported using Road Runner spinners fishing the edges of flats in channel bends and old fish attractors using 1/32 oz. white crappie jigs or lives bait. We have seen some anglers improving their odds drifting across fish attractors using both live bait and jigs. Catfish: Good, fishing back water areas where flooding has created some warmer pools of water. Bluegill: Good, fishing shallow area using live bait and 64oz jigs.