Eastern Kentucky Fishing Report

This fishing report was compiled for the week of August 25, 2015.

Editor’s note: Summer may come and go quickly this year; however, summer patterns are holding as of press time. Almost anything that was working last week is still working. I was fishing Licking River for the second week in a row and all the fishing patterns I have been using are holding steady. 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.

Cave Run Lake: The lake levels are continuing to hold near summer pool. The lake is clear to lightly stained. The Licking River and Beaver Creek are clearing and in good shape this week. Water temperatures have remained at about 83 degrees with some fluctuations according to the daily weather pattern. Musky: fair. As the water temperature creep past the 80s, the Muskie fishing has still been fair on the main lake. 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: good. The water temperatures have started to go up once again as the weather settles into a summer pattern. Fishing the first break in 12 to 15 feet of water has produced. The fish caught this week continue to be caught on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, weightless jerk-worms and square-billed crankbaits. Smallmouth: Good to 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 at night. 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 are starting to move up on points holding brush. Catfish: Good, fishing backwater areas with live bait. White Bass: We are interested in hearing more from anglers having success catching white bass. Bluegill: have been hot but they are beginning to move off the banks and suspend near the first brake in 10 to 12 feet of water.

Grayson Lake: Summer pool for Grayson is 645 feet of elevation. At press time, it stood at 645.10 ft. This lake has recovered quickly from high water; it has good color and is producing good catches. Both in the Deer Creek area and in the heads of Cliffy Creek we received reports of good catches. The water is 84 degrees. Bass: Good 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, at points and ledges. Crappie: Fair to 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 have 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 swimbaits and big spoons. Fish have been in eight to 12 feet of water. Catfish: Good, fishing live bait from the heads of coves near discharge areas along with bluegill spawning areas. Bluegill: Good catches have come from live worms, crickets and 1/64-ounce jigs.

Greenbo Lake: Not much has changed on Greenbo Lake this past week. Greenbo is clear and stable and near 84 degrees. Bass: Good, the bass are beginning to be more active during low light periods and at night. Jerk-worms proved to be the best bait this week producing fair numbers. Blade baits and crankbaits also produced using bright colors and 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.

Ohio River: At the writing of this report much of the river has improved and is starting to produce once again. Below the dam, the lower pool was 12.88 feet while it was 12.63 on the upper side of the dam. The Ashland pool was 34.60 at mid-week. Some fishermen have complained that the river is low in some of the backwater areas making them hard to fish. Largemouth Bass: Fair to good. Fish have been taken near spawning areas and backwater 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-ounce jigs. White Bass: Some white bass above the dam have been hitting blade baits and inline spinnerbaits. Look for schooling fish.

Below the dam: Water levels are low, making some fishing hard to get to. The old standard method of twin tail grubs on ¼ oz. ball jigs is still the best producer of Sauger and Walleye. Use Bump-the-bottom retrieves while running a two-jig setup produces better strikes. One of the two baits needs to be a little off of the bottom. Some Walleye have also been taken on crankbaits near sand bars and discharge areas. 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: Fair fishing jerkbaits and 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: Like the rest of the lakes in Eastern Kentucky Yatesville is stable at summer pool with water temperatures just over 84 degrees. This should be one of the lakes where fishing at night can improve your chances. Bass: Fair to improving. Reports this week have confirmed that the bass are still in the summer pattern. Reported success has come from fishing ledges using plastic worms 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-ounce jig and kickers 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-ounce 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 backwater areas. Bluegill: Good, fishing shallow area using live bait and 1/64-ounce jigs.