Thread: Crankbait lesson on KY lake 6/17/17

I got a call from this couple a couple of weeks ago. They had been following my Fishing Report on Explore KY Lake.com with interest when I talked about our recent catches on cranks, especially the catfish catches. We booked a trip for 6/17 since they were both off work that day.

We got out at 7 and I took them to an area I knew would be crawling with boats and lake lice in a couple of hours but has given up some good fish lately. I gave them my basic "This is how and why we do it this way" speech. They were quick learners except for me leaving out one item---never,never,never reel a fish all the way to the tip on a 143T Southern Crappie Rod. The 1st fish hooked and reeled to the tip was a 16" sauger. Sauger don't do real well being lifted out of the water toward the front of the Excel and this one was gone with one good flop.

A bunch of yellows, a 3 pound drum,a couple of 2-3 pound catfish, several short crappie and bass all came before the first good catch of the day, a 16 inch white crappie.

To say the lady was excited was a huge understatement. Some short crappie then a run of 10.5 to 11.5 crappie followed until she hooked her second 16"er and her husband hooked a keeper at the same time.


The lake lice finally ran us off the area and we tried to run to a main lake area where I had been catching some big white and channel cats but the 3 foot rollers and a close run-in with a 30 foot cigarette boat that almost flipped us over pretty much ended that thought. We pulled into a bay where I hoped we could find some keeper fish to finish out the couple of hours left on the clock. The fish were scarce until I found some in a small area of 20" water. She ended up with her 3rd 16"er of the day as well as one over 15". Our total was 12 keepers to go with a bunch of shorts, about 10 keeper yellows, a 4 pound bass, 2 cats,and a white drum they wanted me to clean so they could try it.


I think I might have created another crankbait monster. She was so excited all thru the day, telling her husband to get pics of my set-up on trolling motor, rods, reels, rod holders, storage holders, you name it for their deck boat.

Days like this give one a chance to get the thoughts of killing idiots in cigarette boats out of your head and make you feel you are doing the right thing. Her husband probably used the time after their fish fry last night to lick his woulds from the beat-down she gave him.

A good report Doug. Them 16 inch ones are some beauties.
LittleJohn