Editor’s note: Just when the Ohio River was getting back to normal, the spring-like rains began again swelling its banks and holding back the place where many anglers turn to when lake temperatures break 80 degrees. While the river struggles to become clear and stable, anglers will begin to turn to night fishing to beat the heat.
Cave Run Lake: As the rains continue to cause some up-stream stained and muddy conditions, the main lake remains in good shape. It’s just .4 feet over summer pool. Fishing is reported fair as we go to print this week. Musky: The muskie fishing reported fair this week as water temperatures break 80 degrees more anglers will elect to fish at night or the low-light periods where water temperatures fall into the high 70s. Spinnerbaits, topwater, and bulldawg type baits remain productive. Largemouth Bass: unchanged this week. More fish are moving to summer patterns. The best fishing has been early and late, using weightless worms, tub jigs, crankbaits and spinner baits. Top-water in the low-light periods have also reported good success. Crappie: We are starting to get reports of angler’s night fishing under lights with moderate success. Use live minnows at 18 to 25 feet. Catfish: Active this week. Jug fishing and limb-lines both have reported good catches.
Grayson Lake: Spring like rains have made some up-stream areas muddy. However, the main lake area remains clear. The lake is just over summer pool with water temperatures in the low 80s. Bass: The bass fishing is reported slow with some fish being caught on Texas rigged worms fishing points during the low-light periods early and late. Crappie: Fair to good, fishing swim jigs around down timber and brush piles. Crappie have finished spawning and are moving to summer locations around submerged timber and other structure. Catfish: Improving fishing spawning areas with nightcrawlers and minnows. The catfish is also spawning in the river.
Greenbo Lake: This lake was reported unchanged this week. Bass: The bass have been reported in summer patterns. Many anglers are starting to fish this lake at night using Texas rigged worms, and jigs dressed with swim minnows. Trout: Fair, trout are showing up using live bait and small spinners in the heads of coves. Catfish: Good, fishing very early and at midday. Fish live bait, chubs, small bluegill and cut bait. Bluegill: The bluegills are nesting in all areas of the lake, and some good catches of both shell-cracker and sunfish have been reported this week.
Ohio River: The river has been the most difficult to report about these last few weeks as conditions change rapidly. July is usually one of the best periods for fishing the river. We will do our best to stay on the ever-changing conditions of the river. Largemouth Bass: Reported active fishing small spinnerbaits and buzz baits in the low-light periods. Below the Dam: Twin tail grubs on ¼ oz. ball jigs are still the best producer of Sauger and Walleye. Use slow bump the bottom retrieves. We also got reports that running a two jig setup has been producing better strikes. One of the two baits needs to be a little off the bottom. White Bass: Becoming active. As they begin to chase shad, some reports of schooling fish are starting to show up. Bass: Above the dam has been fair and improving this week. Use small buzzbaits fishing weeds and sandbar areas in the low-light periods. Catfish: Active this week with reports of good catches in backwater areas using live bait.
Yatesville Lake: Reports continue improving this week. Bass have been moving to summer patterns, scattering fish and making them hard to pinpoint. Bass: The bass have been active in the low-light periods using topwater baits and spinnerbaits. In the middle of the day, fishermen are changing to jigs and Texas-rigged worms. We are looking for reports of people fishing this lake at night. Crappie: good. Fish the edges of flats in channel bends and old fish attractors using 32 oz. white crappie jigs or live bait. Bluegill: The bluegill have spawned for the second time this year, some good catches were reported last week using nightclawers and crickets. Look for hard bottom areas in water about 8-10 feet. Catfish: The catfish have really been active this week. We got reports of good catches on both live bait and small spinnerbaits. Fish coves with standing timber along with flats using live bait and fishing just off the bottom.
Reports and pictures of your catch can be submitted to: trimmer308@windstream.net
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