Kentucky Lake-White Bass

Hello Everyone,

I have noticed a trend over the last 5 or 10 years and was wanting to confirm what I've seen with others. When I was growing up (80's-90's), white bass were found in the jumps consistenly in several spots north of Egner Ferry Bridge during July and August. When they weren't in the jumps, we found them in very large schools and feeding heavily in the mornings and afternoons. 5 or 6 boats (or more) could be catching fish from one school.

I don't think I've seen a sustained jump in 5-10 years. Also, when I've found a school of fish, they've been in a very small area, where only 1 or 2 boats could be catching fish.

Has anyone else noticed a similar trend, or am I just looking in the wrong spots/doing something wrong?

Thanks

Craig

ditto

ya i ve seen whites cycle up and down on ky lake for years,but never as low as they are now. too many small bass for a healthy balanced fishery.

Yeah, there are way too many little yellow bass too. I couldn't crappie fish the other night. As soon as I dunked a minnow I'd catch one of those little evil fish. If they had some size I'd try to dent the population but most were small, really small.

Earlier in June me and a neighbor limited about 3 times on the whites and hybrids but we were fishing at night with jigs under lights around the bridge. I haven't seen very many jumps in the last few years either, maybe too many shad?

Good to know that I'm not the only one that's noticed the trend. I don't think there's as many fish-don't know if it has to do with the amount of pressure that used to be on them?
We used to have a lot of luck trolling on the submerged river channel islands, not so much anymore. Only had a couple of good days out of 10 or so last year. Need to try fishing under the lights next June.

Haven't been able to find them either when we make the trip down:( Back in the 80s we'd hit them in the jumps then fish at night for them too. Tried both several times since 2000 without much luck at all.

I did see a school of Rockfish bust the top twice in an are about 100 yards in diameter below KY dam last year. Course didn't have the rods with me as we were watching the snaggers. beatmyheadonthewallsmiley

mepperson

problem is not enough shad to feed all the species. i ve noticed whites,yellows,bass,and crappie all getting skinnier each year. just don t see shad masses like we used to have.
clearer water means less nutrients to feed young shad hatches.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yodibuzz

mepperson

problem is not enough shad to feed all the species. i ve noticed whites,yellows,bass,and crappie all getting skinnier each year. just don t see shad masses like we used to have.
clearer water means less nutrients to feed young shad hatches.

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You may be right, if so, the fish need to be looking for my light because there are plenty there :D.

I went tonight and tried several places, plenty of little yellow bass, but not whites (maybe one) or hybrids. I guess I'll try to get on some crappie or some gills in the early morning or early evening before school starts back.

Only jumps I've been seeing are full of 8 inch bass. Was runnin and gunnin by the bridge the other day and picked up a few whites and yellows in the jumps. Heard maybe next year no limit on the yellows......won't count against your stripes or hybrid creel. Gonne be alot of little yellow filet sandwiches!!! ;)

Any of you guys ever tried "rooster tailin" for white bass around egner's ferry bridge?

I haven't tried it yet this year but sometimes it works in any part of the day. June , July, or August....

Using the TM to stay really close to the pilings under the bridge.... drop the rooster tail straight down to the bottom as close to the piling as possible...

As soon as it hits bottom reel it straight up beside the piling as fast as possible...

Keep moving from piling to piling because they seem to be moving that way also....

Also, try upstream from the piling, beside the piling, downstream from the piling....You never know where they'll be....

When you get hit by a white bass fishin this way...he'll try to take the pole away from you...

Sometimes when the sun is high you can actually see the fish holding in the shade of the horizontal concrete support right under the surface and "buzz" the rooster tail right by their nose....

I've found that they will hit just about any size but a larger rooster tail will get get to the bottom quicker allowing you to get more casts per minute....if you can call that presentation a "cast"...