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I have been getting out there and doing OK, averaging half dozen keepers (9-10in.) a few nice cats, Some gills and alot of small bass, all on minnows, but I havent had any luck on jigs or anything else yet. I'm fairly new to crappie fishing (been bass fishing for a long time) and trying to learn a few tips from those of you that have been slaying em for many years. I'm thinking about trying some night fishing with a few float lamps, any suggestions? Locations?
KY FishinFool AKA Rick
you're doing better than me, and I've fished the lake since it opened :p
I've only managed to catch ONE Crappie over 9" ... and that was this year's spawn. Prior to that, only 6-8" fish. I'm glad to see that someone is finding some decent sized fish in CCL ... bodes well for any future trips I might make.
I was there, yesterday, fishing from the bank. Used meal worms and nightcrawlers ... meal worms were a waste of time, but nightcrawler pieces worked. Caught a bunch of dink Bluegill, several 6-8" Channel Cats, and three Shellcracker that would have been big enough to keep/clean. Turned them all back, though ... didn't feel like messing with just 3 fish :D
The lake seemed to be up a few inches higher than normal. And it was a bit dingy, in spots. They haven't cut the grass, either, which made for limited bank access in places I wanted to fish. Ticks are a real problem, in the grassy fields surrounding the lake :( ... and I didn't want to take any chances, so I avoided several banks that I would have used (had the grass been cut).
I can't really give you any pointers about fishing this lake, like I said ... I haven't managed to catch any quality fish, yet. I don't know why night fishing wouldn't work ... but, I'd have some serious anti-skeeter protection onboard ;)
Minnows will always get you bit, on CCL, so always take plenty. I have caught almost all of my Crappie on jigs & Roadrunners, though. A few have come on wax worms.
The lake is supposed to only have LM Bass, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Bluegill, & Redear (Shellcracker) ... but, I've caught Green Sunfish, & Longear Sunfish, too. Gizzard Shad are also abundant. I've even caught a few Blacknose Black Crappie :p
The size limit was removed, for Crappie, and the creel extended to statewide limit (30/person/day) this year, in an attempt to remove a percentage of the numbers. Their slow growth rate is a puzzle, and this was the only practical way to address it. The hope is that less numbers of stunted Crappie will allow the survivors to grow larger. The appearance of Gizzard Shad has all but shut down the Bass & Channel Cats from feeding on the small Crappie & Bluegill (natural control predation method) ... as they'd rather eat the soft spined Shad, than a hard spined Crappie/Bluegill. This, seemingly, has alot to do with the failure of the Bluegill & Crappie, to get to any quality size, in any appreciable numbers.
If I were you, I'd just continue doing what I'd been doing ... you don't seem to be doing too bad, considering the situation ;)
.... luck2ya ... cp :cool:
CP I think KDFW is learning a good lesson on this one.I dont know what happened but trying to make a big bass reservoir in ky probally wont work.This is just my opinion but I think they were too focused on the bass and making it a big all around big fish place.Maybe it will work itself out in a few year's.Plenty of fishermen there and they can keep it in control if allowed.The shad was inevitable as every reservior in ky has had them at one time or another.A big bass and a big live shad=fun fun fun.Like I said it was inevitable.Too many article's about big bass.