Eastern Kentucky Fishing Report

This fishing report was compiled for the week of April 22, 2014

Editor’s note: While we had a little setback last week with temperatures dropping back into the freezing zone it appears we have recovered. Some reports suggest we are starting into our first spring patterns. While this isn’t across the board on every lake and it may still be for short periods, some shallow-water activity is starting to show up. If you get on the water tell us how you did and help us make this fishing report more accurate. Send your pictures to: trimmer308@windstream.net

Cave Run Lake: The lake has been holding steady this week at an elevation of 728.4 feet, bringing the lake to about a 1.5 feet below summer pool. The lake is still stained, but the upper regions of the river are in a little better shape. Water temperature is running between 55 and 60 degrees in the river and a little cooler on the main lake. Musky: Good and improving. Tubs, gliders, lipless crankbaits along with inline spinnerbaits have been seeing action this week as muskie reports have started pouring in. Largemouth Bass: Fair and still improving. We continue to get reports of active fish on points using jigs and crankbaits. Some fish were taken this week on lipless crankbaits fishing near deep water on flat edges and channel points. Smallmouth: Fair and improving. We had reports of fish being caught on crankbaits and jigs fishing the dam area. Crappie: Fair and improving fishing channels trees and deep-water brush using jigs and live bait. We should see some black crappie reports soon too. Fish shallow areas near deep water drop offs. Catfish: Slow but improving fishing creek heads with live bait.

Grayson Lake: The lake has come up to just under summer pool. Improving conditions are beginning to pay off. The water is 57 degrees and stained. Bass: fair.Reports are encouraging as some fish were taken last week fishing a 101 pork frog with a ¼ oz. football jig. We also had some reports of fish being taken on crankbaits as the fish move from deep water to flats.  The fish wanted to hit the jig/crankbait while working it on channel points and old road beds. Crappie: Fair, fishing swim jigs around down timber and brush piles. Catfish: Slow fishing live bait from the heads of coves near discharge areas.

Greenbo Lake: The water temperature is near 60-63 degrees on sunny days but has been falling back into the low 50s in the early mornings. Bass: Improving using blade baits and jig & pigs on points and in the dam area. Some fish were reported active on points. A few big bass were taken this week fishing a six inch worm on a shakey-head jig fishing old spawning beds. Trout: Fair to good using Berkley Powerbait and small spinners or blade baits like the Sliver Buddy. Catfish: Slow but improving fishing cut bait and live suckers.

Ohio River: The river has produced a few good days of fishing in the tailwater area of the Greenup dam. However, changing water levels have made it hard to catch the river in good shape. Most of this week the rains have kept it muddy. 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 producersof 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: slow.

Yatesville Lake: Yatesville water levels have made it to summer pool. The water temperature is near 54-59 degrees and the fishing continued to improve this week. The water has been stained. Bass: Good fishing crankbaits, jigs and chatter-baits. This is one of the lakes that has improved a lot in the last two weeks. Good bass has been taken on flat edges near deep water. Crappie: Fair. 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: fair. However, we did some of the first reports of catches this week fishing the backwater areas using live bait.