Thread: KY lake March pattern?

Originally Posted by Usualjag

I'm heading down next week for my first trip this early in the year. Looks like temps are warming. What kind of patterns are they on and what should I expect with warming weather. I'll be in the Sandy, Paris Landing, and possibly Blood river areas. Any general info will be appreciated. Want to try and land some big slabs you guys catch this time of year!

You've kinda asked a question that doesn't have a "good" answer...

Kentucky Lake has too many variables this time of year to pin down a "Monthly Pattern." You have fluctuating lake levels, one cold front after another, water color that can range from Gin clear to Chocolate Milk... The list goes on and own. Even at that it can be different from 1 bay to the next and one side of the lake to the other.

In other words... I can tell you what worked today, maybe even the last 2 or 3 days, but for a whole month this time of year... Probably not.

I would suggest you check out the TN Board for advice about Big Sandy but I can give you some "rule of thumb" advice for the North end.

1. As a rule I can catch a few fish in this lake in the 12' to 16' range, all year long. I like to vertical jig brush and beds.

2. When the water is falling go to the ledges.

3. When the water is rising, the fish tend to scatter.

4. Hard to go wrong using a jig with chartreuse in it.

5. From early Feb to late Mar is usually good spider rig'n in 12' to 14' of water. 40 degrees to 50 degrees is my range.

6. Cold fronts tend to effect the shallower fish worse than the deeper fish.

7. Check the shallow stuff late in the day. The Blacks tend to move in close late in the day on warm days.

8. Look for Gulls in the bays. If the Gulls are in the bays there are probably crappie there too.

9. When you're catch'n Whites in 12' the Blacks may be in 7'. Those Black will surprise you how shallow they will go in the winter. I have caught them 3' deep in 5' of water the last of Feb/first part of Mar.

10. Don't PO the locals!

Check out this thread for some more detailed info from some of us "Tight Lipped" Kentuckians.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/kentu...-help-guy.html

Originally Posted by Waitin4NextTick

Good luck getting much help on this board...they seemed to be tight lipped with their crappie....guess the lakes not big enough?
If you cast a jig like a fishermen just find some brush on a creek channel flat or hump or channel bank and use a jig heavy enough to suit weather and depth conditions. Most of the time I use a 1/16 ounce but have had to go up to an 1/8 ounce in windy or heavy current conditions.
I just cast beyond cover and work from highest water levels down to dragging through brush until the fish show you where they are at. Normally if the fish are active you can stay above the brush and even reel a little faster because they seem to be feeding, but sometimes I have to slow down to a crawl pulling it through the brush to get bit. I rely on feel only for a bite and set the hook on the slightest bump.
Colors I use are some variation of chartuese in stained water and I use sparkle on sunny days. I use pepper or shad color (grey) in clear water or low light situations and seem to do well. I use only weedless jigs but this is not a requirement if you stay on top of the brush but it doesn't seem to inhibit hookups for me.
Anyway I hope this helps a little and good luck.

Boy now that's a great way to solicit feedback. Joined in Feb 2013, have 10 posts, from out of state, and ya start trash'n the locals.

As you can probably already tell, I ain't one of the "Tight Lipped" guys you refereed to.

You might wanna go back and read the gentleman's post. If I read it correctly he specially mentioned Big Sandy and possibly Blood. Big Sandy is in TN. If I had seen this post earlier I would have probably suggested that he might get better information on the TN. Board. Blood is also close to the TN. line and a lot of those guys down that way can offer better info for that area.

If you'll notice, there's not a lot of talk about Blood and Big Sandy on this board. Some but not a lot. You don't see a lot of posts about the Great Lakes on the Mississippi Board either.

There's a lot of folks that just get on this site to troll and try to milk the locals for info. We're usually very helpful but that can change with just 1 disrespectful post. As a matter of fact... After this post... I'll probably be pretty "Tight Lipped."

You have a lovely day.

+1 Whiskers. I know nothing about crappie fishin, but I do know you don't post like Waitin4NextTick and expect a helping hand. Whiskers gave 10 good pointers!

When I read #10 I laughed so hard my wife asked me what I was a lookin at. I promise Wiskers, i'll never do that!

Wow!
i have only been on CDC for a couple of years now and I am from out of state
1st off I have met some really good guys on this forum. I have made some very good friends. And I mean guys who could call me ANYTIME and I would jump into the truck and be there!
i would not call myself a great crappie fisherman but I can hold my own on Kentucky lake. Would I get into a tourney? No.
And how can I say that? Because I have had some great teachers from the guys on this forum that's why.
maybe the right guy didn't read your post. I understand blood is ky lake but like Wiskers said its so far south most guys stay around big sandy so I would guess Tn board may be better.
most ky lake post on here are Jonathan north.
Sorry you didn't get your question answered I wish I would have read it if I could help I would have but unfortunately I don't have time to get on here everyday
All bet you even have a harder time getting help now.
Unless Old Guide feels sorry for you and helps you out.
I have not met him face to face but that guy will tell you everything you need to know.
and Wiskers will tell you everything from depths to colors everything but the GPS spot and if he really likes you. You might even get some GPS way points.
Good Luck your gonna need it

Originally Posted by Wiskers

You've kinda asked a question that doesn't have a "good" answer...

Kentucky Lake has too many variables this time of year to pin down a "Monthly Pattern." You have fluctuating lake levels, one cold front after another, water color that can range from Gin clear to Chocolate Milk... The list goes on and own. Even at that it can be different from 1 bay to the next and one side of the lake to the other.

In other words... I can tell you what worked today, maybe even the last 2 or 3 days, but for a whole month this time of year... Probably not.

I would suggest you check out the TN Board for advice about Big Sandy but I can give you some "rule of thumb" advice for the North end.

1. As a rule I can catch a few fish in this lake in the 12' to 16' range, all year long. I like to vertical jig brush and beds.

2. When the water is falling go to the ledges.

3. When the water is rising, the fish tend to scatter.

4. Hard to go wrong using a jig with chartreuse in it.

5. From early Feb to late Mar is usually good spider rig'n in 12' to 14' of water. 40 degrees to 50 degrees is my range.

6. Cold fronts tend to effect the shallower fish worse than the deeper fish.

7. Check the shallow stuff late in the day. The Blacks tend to move in close late in the day on warm days.

8. Look for Gulls in the bays. If the Gulls are in the bays there are probably crappie there too.

9. When you're catch'n Whites in 12' the Blacks may be in 7'. Those Black will surprise you how shallow they will go in the winter. I have caught them 3' deep in 5' of water the last of Feb/first part of Mar.

10. Don't PO the locals!

Check out this thread for some more detailed info from some of us "Tight Lipped" Kentuckians.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/kentu...-help-guy.html





Boy now that's a great way to solicit feedback. Joined in Feb 2013, have 10 posts, from out of state, and ya start trash'n the locals.

As you can probably already tell, I ain't one of the "Tight Lipped" guys you refereed to.

You might wanna go back and read the gentleman's post. If I read it correctly he specially mentioned Big Sandy and possibly Blood. Big Sandy is in TN. If I had seen this post earlier I would have probably suggested that he might get better information on the TN. Board. Blood is also close to the TN. line and a lot of those guys down that way can offer better info for that area.

If you'll notice, there's not a lot of talk about Blood and Big Sandy on this board. Some but not a lot. You don't see a lot of posts about the Great Lakes on the Mississippi Board either.

There's a lot of folks that just get on this site to troll and try to milk the locals for info. We're usually very helpful but that can change with just 1 disrespectful post. As a matter of fact... After this post... I'll probably be pretty "Tight Lipped."

You have a lovely day.

X2.....Best Post I have ever seen,and most factual....

Wiskers - thanks for the advice with the ledges and scattering. In my post I wasn't asking how to fish for a month, it say I will be there next week. So, predicting patterns for a month would not be necessary. thanks for the tip to ask on the TN board too, probably should have started there.

Cajun Fryer - did my post say something offensive? If it did, that wasn't the intention...

I'd like to clear a couple things up. I fish the lake a lot and know it well. My largest small and largemouth bass have come from KY Lake. My whole family lives in KY. Unfortunately my uncle who was a guide there was killed in a boating accident 2 years ago. He would help me with patterns to get on before I'd head down to help me save time since I'm only able to fish for a couple days at a time. Since he is gone I was hoping with some help with patterns the fish are on right now. Sorry if I offended anyone, this wasn't suppose to turn into a pissing match or anything disrespectful. That's not what I'm all about.

Usualjag, No offense taken here, but now that people have all the electronics, I have a hard time telling anything because I have worked like alot of people on here putting out beds and brush for the past years and it is so easy to sidescan and get everything.
The feeling is when if you tell the depths that everybody runs there with the sidescans and fishes everybodies stuff.. If Im wrong Im sorry but that is the feeling from alot of people putting stuff out.. And we know that once its in the water its everybodies but you get tired of putting stuff out and others just using their electronic to find it..

Locals WILL help you! First hand knowledge of this. Some of the best people I have ever met in my life. Just like cajun fryer said......they are "jump in the truck" and help you friendly.