KENTUCKY LAKE
RECEIVE FISHING REPORT UPDATES!
Rating - Good
Sunday, May 18 2025
Report Contributor, Steve McCadams, Professional Guide/Outdoor Writer [email protected] SCENE WARMS UPKentucky Lakes fishing scene has been good and its heating up even more with the arrival of some hot weather now entering the picture. Surface temperatures have climbed to the 74-degree range and may rise even more this week as daytime highs were projected to reach the mid to upper 80s for a few days and then fall back to the normal low 70s. Lake levels have been a few inches above the normal summer pool elevation of 359 this week. The watercolor is clear.Still dominating the conversation among the ranks of anglers up and down the lake is the fantastic bite underway by bedding bluegill and red ear sunfish (shellcracker). It has been holding up on a consistent basis as impressive stringers have been taken by anglers targeting the 2-to-5-foot depth range.Pockets just off the main lake and shallow backwater bays have been home to spawning bluegill and shellcracker for the last few weeks. The powerful panfish have been fanning those craters in shallow gravel and mud bottoms for egg deposits. The bite has been good. The bite should hold up for another week or two as the fish enter a post-spawn phases. Early summer is still a good time to catch them, but nothing compares to the peak spawning phases.Also filling the coolers of Kentucky Lake anglers have been hefty stringers of catfish. Both channel and blue catfish have been spawning around shallow structure and hanging around the bluegill beds too. Plus, those rocky shorelines have really been appealing to spawning catfish.Most anglers are relying on nightcrawlers for bait, but a variety of commercial baits are working well too. Levees and any rip-rap rock shorelines such as the old railroad levee east of Big Sandy at Danville on the Tennessee River, Paris Landing bridge approach, the little rock island up Big Sandy adjacent to Sulphur Well Island and rocky banks beneath the power lines on Big Sandy are but a few of the popular catfish producing spots.Bass fishermen are finding fish shallow at the same time some of their friends are backing off the banks and targeting the post-spawn pattern. The post-spawn pattern usually sees bass backing off the banks as surface temps rise to the mid to upper 70s. Lately several decent stringers have been taken as some anglers stay on a shallow pattern and continue to pitch and flip Texas rigged craws and worms around buck bushes, blowdowns and logs. Grass beds are holding bass too. Tossing a spinnerbait and buzz baits or jerk baits have been accounting for some good fish still lingering in shallow areas.Out on the ledges anglers are relying on big crankbaits to help them cover a lot of water. Shad colored variations, along with black and chartreuse have been productive colors as the ledge bite begins to improve. Tossing big Texas rigged worms in the green pumpkin pepper, along with swim baits and hopping a jig and craw will continue to be popular choices as summer approaches.A few nice stringers of post-spawn crappie are still coming in from anglers who are stalking midrange depths of 9 to 15 feet out on main lake areas. However, some crappie are still relating to structure back in the bays in midrange depths too. Tightlining jigs and live minnows has worked well. Some boats trolling crankbaits and Roadrunner jigs are finding several suspended crappie in the 9 to 15 depth range as they cover a lot of water out on main lake areas.
KENTUCKY LAKE
RECEIVE FISHING REPORT UPDATES!
Rating - Good
Report Contributor, Steve McCadams, Professional Guide/Outdoor Writer [email protected] SCENE WARMS UPKentucky Lakes fishing scene has been good and its heating up even more with the arrival of some hot weather now entering the picture. Surface temperatures have climbed to the 74-degree range and may rise even more this week as daytime highs were projected to reach the mid to upper 80s for a few days and then fall back to the normal low 70s. Lake levels have been a few inches above the normal summer pool elevation of 359 this week. The watercolor is clear.Still dominating the conversation among the ranks of anglers up and down the lake is the fantastic bite underway by bedding bluegill and red ear sunfish (shellcracker). It has been holding up on a consistent basis as impressive stringers have been taken by anglers targeting the 2-to-5-foot depth range.Pockets just off the main lake and shallow backwater bays have been home to spawning bluegill and shellcracker for the last few weeks. The powerful panfish have been fanning those craters in shallow gravel and mud bottoms for egg deposits. The bite has been good. The bite should hold up for another week or two as the fish enter a post-spawn phases. Early summer is still a good time to catch them, but nothing compares to the peak spawning phases.Also filling the coolers of Kentucky Lake anglers have been hefty stringers of catfish. Both channel and blue catfish have been spawning around shallow structure and hanging around the bluegill beds too. Plus, those rocky shorelines have really been appealing to spawning catfish.Most anglers are relying on nightcrawlers for bait, but a variety of commercial baits are working well too. Levees and any rip-rap rock shorelines such as the old railroad levee east of Big Sandy at Danville on the Tennessee River, Paris Landing bridge approach, the little rock island up Big Sandy adjacent to Sulphur Well Island and rocky banks beneath the power lines on Big Sandy are but a few of the popular catfish producing spots.Bass fishermen are finding fish shallow at the same time some of their friends are backing off the banks and targeting the post-spawn pattern. The post-spawn pattern usually sees bass backing off the banks as surface temps rise to the mid to upper 70s. Lately several decent stringers have been taken as some anglers stay on a shallow pattern and continue to pitch and flip Texas rigged craws and worms around buck bushes, blowdowns and logs. Grass beds are holding bass too. Tossing a spinnerbait and buzz baits or jerk baits have been accounting for some good fish still lingering in shallow areas.Out on the ledges anglers are relying on big crankbaits to help them cover a lot of water. Shad colored variations, along with black and chartreuse have been productive colors as the ledge bite begins to improve. Tossing big Texas rigged worms in the green pumpkin pepper, along with swim baits and hopping a jig and craw will continue to be popular choices as summer approaches.A few nice stringers of post-spawn crappie are still coming in from anglers who are stalking midrange depths of 9 to 15 feet out on main lake areas. However, some crappie are still relating to structure back in the bays in midrange depths too. Tightlining jigs and live minnows has worked well. Some boats trolling crankbaits and Roadrunner jigs are finding several suspended crappie in the 9 to 15 depth range as they cover a lot of water out on main lake areas.
Other Fishing Reports for Chattanooga
HIWASSEE RIVER
Very_Good
New
05/18/2025
Report Contributor Tic Smith/Southeastern Anglers Guide ServiceRiver Conditions 5/08/2025Water temp 58 to 65 degrees F dependi
...
Learn More
TELLICO RIVER
Good
New
05/18/2025
Check roads. River road should be opening any time now. Bald River bridge repair. Detour. Great spring fishing. Moderate water l
...
Learn More
SOUTH HOLSTON RIVER
Good
New
05/18/2025
MSL lead guide Eric Dickinson says, "Summer is just around the corner! Seeing good number of Sulphurs, especially around mid day
...
Learn More
TOCCOA RIVER
Good
New
05/18/2025
Mostly low water mornings and generation in the afternoon. Most important to check the daily flow rates and timing on the stretc
...
Learn More
DALE HOLLOW
Very_Good
New
05/18/2025
Report Contributor, Will Schibig, Region III, Creel ClerkReservoir Conditions Dale Hollow Dam has been generating roughly 2,500
...
Learn More
CENTER HILL
Good
New
05/18/2025
Report Contributor, James Bond, 007s Guide Service, Follow on FacebookWater temp -73The lake is high, and debris is very bad in
...
Learn More
NICKAJACK
Good
New
05/18/2025
Report Contributor, Nathan Rogers, Region III, Creel ClerkThe weather was warmer with lows around 60 and warmed up to highs thro
...
Learn More
CHICKAMAUGA
Good
New
05/18/2025
Report Contributor Billy Wheat, Follow on Facebook and www.riprapfishing.netChickamauga is full water temperature is 68-72, The
...
Learn More
WATTS BAR
Good
New
05/18/2025
Report Contributor Captain Wallace Sitzes Follow on FacebookThis time of year, multiple species of fish are coming in and out
...
Learn More
GREAT FALLS RESERVOIR
Fair
New
05/18/2025
Report Contributor Will Schibig, Region III Creel ClerkReservoir Conditions The water level on Great Falls has risen from 795
...
Learn More
REELFOOT LAKE
Good
New
05/18/2025
Report Contributor -Reelfoot Lake Tourism Council
The bluegill and crappie are on fire! Waxworms and crickets are good choices
...
Learn More
LITTLE PIGEON RIVER
Fair
New
05/18/2025
This week we are gonna have a good amount of rain this week and rivers are high so plan those fishing outings accordingly. Hatch
...
Learn More