Down year for crappie on KY/Barkley this year?

[acgriggs]

Did anyone read the article in the Paducah Sun this week about the "below average" year for crappie on KY/Barkely this year? Just wondering what some you fellas thought. I havent really been fishing for crappie long enough to give an opinion, but i think with the deep freeze and the shad kill(which we havent had in a few years) all fishing should be better. I will say that with all the "just shy of legal" bass that I caught last summer bass fiching should be great, but that is still a few months away. I would love to catch a bunch of slabs this spring. Just wondering what yall thought. GO BIG BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[slabdaddy]

I can only speak from my own experiences but I caught many more throwbacks last spring than previous years and most were over 9 inches. I remember one morning last spring that we caught 18 throwbacks before we caught a keeper. I'm expecting a good year!

[dvuks]

Hope not, KY is my favorite lake in the whole wide world.

Dennis

[DTG]

There are plenty of fish in KY Lake, it is impossible to hurt the population. The problem is that 99% of fishermen still fish it like it is stained to muddy lake. It has cleared in the past years therefore you have to adjust to the change.

[BIGBADDAD]

Hope not, KY is my favorite lake in the whole wide world.

Dennis

PREACHING TO THE CHOIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dvuks]

PREACHING TO THE CHOIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, your living my dream.

Dennis

[CrappiePappy]

... it's gone from "excellent" to "good", in terms of Crappie fishing.

According to the 2010 KDFWR Fishing Forecast .... KY/Barkley are rated "good" : http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/2010fishingforecast.pdf That's the same rating that was given to them for 2008 & 2009, by the Ky Fish & Game Magazine. The concensus is .... the growth rates & spawns have been "good", but the angling population hasn't caught up with the changes in the dynamics. The lakes were affected by the previous drought period. Low flows allowed the lakes to clear, & stay clear, longer. This allowed the water weeds/vegetation to get restarted, which also helped keep the water clearer than previous times. That translated into better conditions for the Black Crappie, which have flourished & overtaken the White Crappie in numbers. And, since Black Crappie don't follow the traditional routines of the White Crappie, many anglers are having trouble switching tactics & timing. They just continue to follow their tried & true routines ... and they may not be having quite the same success rates as they were accustomed to having.
Couple all that with the screwy Spring weather that we've occasionally had, over the last several years, and it's a small wonder that these lakes can even maintain a "good" forecast rating.

Personally, I think the Black Crappie dominance only gives anglers a longer timeframe stretch, to get in on the spawning runs of these fish. Anglers just need to do a little homework (like reading the Crappie Movement Study), and be a little more flexible in their methods & the timing of their trips. The old status quo methods & timing may not be good enough to produce the desired results. It may be time to implement the Marine Corps Mantra : Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome

... cp

[Wiskers]

I can only speak from my own experiences but I caught many more throwbacks last spring than previous years and most were over 9 inches. I remember one morning last spring that we caught 18 throwbacks before we caught a keeper. I'm expecting a good year!

I agree. I caught so many short fish last year, at times it got frustrating! I think there's gonna be alot of 10" fish this year. Caught a lot more Whites last year than in previous years too. I mainly target the Blacks but if I stumble into the whites that's great.

I had a down year last year but alot of that was my fault. I didn't spend near the time on the water that I had the previous 2 years. Lost my Mom in Aug. & just couldn't get motivated. I haven't had my boat in the water since Oct. That's waaaaaay out of the norm for me! I usually fish everyday that I'm in off the boat. I've been on the boat for over a month and I'm gonna work about 2 more weeks and throw my phone in the lake. If they want me to catch a boat they'll have to send out a search party! :D I go'n fish'n! Maybe by the time I get off the water will settle down & the temps will start up.

Really though, I think we're gonna have a pretty good year. I believe next year will be even better. We've had some extra water the last couple of years during the spawn and a couple of good shad kills. Grass has come back a little & that's good for the fish.

Like I said... Give me about 3 more weeks and I'll have some pictures for ya! :D

[ISP4937]

I Know We Caught A Lot Of 9 To 9 3/4 Inch Fish Last Year On Our Two Trips... They Were All Some Nice Shorts Though, Good, Thick An Healthy... Be Down There In March And Early April To Go After Them Again, Just Hope We Catch Some Good Weather... I Have A Two Year Old So I Have To Plan My Trips And I Go No Matter What Though, Went On Some Where I Knew It Wasnt Going To Be That Good, But Hey I Have Fun Just Being Out There... Be In Jonathan Middle March And Early April...

[Boatmn]

Have a hard time beating last year, at least for the middle of april. We have fished the middle of april for the past 8 years. Last years water level allowed us to travel deep into the buck brush and come away with huge slabs. Looking for hopefully the same this year.