Kentucky Lake-White Bass

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07-09-2009, 05:38 PM
craigmorris74

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
07-09-2009, 07:45 PM
speckfinder

ditto
07-10-2009, 02:01 AM
Yodibuzz

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.
07-10-2009, 07:38 AM
mepperson

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?
07-10-2009, 10:04 AM
craigmorris74

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.
07-10-2009, 12:41 PM
3's

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
07-10-2009, 09:02 PM
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.
07-11-2009, 02:28 AM
mepperson

Quote:

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.

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.
07-11-2009, 02:39 AM
BIGBADDAD

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!!! ;)
07-11-2009, 08:15 AM
rnvinc

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"...
07-11-2009, 11:45 AM
CrappiePappy

Vertical Casting a Roostertail .... awwwwright !!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnvinc

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"...

I can't say as I've done it with a Roostertail, but I have little doubt that it works. One of the ways I've seen Hybrids caught, is similar. When the Hybrids are jumping in the area of a certain marina, on a certain lake, one way to catch them is to drop a popeye jig down in one of the covered boat slips ... letting it go to bottom, or at least 20ft deep ... then crank it back up as fast as you can. ;) (same principal) Somewhere along the way, you should pull your bait thru the school or close to it ... and it looks like a Shad trying to get away. They're gonna slam it, if they're the least bit interested in it. That's the feeding method of White Bass & Hybrids ... slash and slaughter.
Not only would a Roostertail work, but blade baits, Roadrunners, or jigs will, too.

You could also tie a 18" leader line onto the front hooks of a deep diving crankbait, put a hair/marabou/feather jig on it, and troll by/around/through the bridge pillars. This might even be used as a search method ... to find which pillar they're on or near. ;)

... cp :cool:
07-12-2009, 06:03 AM
mepperson

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnvinc

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"...

I used to do th exact same thing. A guy down there showed me a few years back. It sure was fun, I may have to try it again.
07-12-2009, 06:24 AM
rnvinc

Quote:

Originally Posted by crappiepappy

You could also tie a 18" leader line onto the front hooks of a deep diving crankbait, put a hair/marabou/feather jig on it, and troll by/around/through the bridge pillars. This might even be used as a search method ... to find which pillar they're on or near. ;)

... cp :cool:

I've definately seen guys doin this very thing both day and night...pickin up scattered, or maybe schooling fish....
07-12-2009, 06:31 AM
rnvinc

Quote:

Originally Posted by mepperson

I used to do th exact same thing. A guy down there showed me a few years back. It sure was fun, I may have to try it again.

I saw the technique on some local west ky outdoor show a long, long time ago...

I can't even remember the name of the show now....

It sure is fun tho....A 3/4 or 1 ounce rooster tail at WOT already has some massive tension on the pole...then a white bass hittin it at WOT...You better be hangin on tight....
07-13-2009, 06:14 AM
3's

Used that technique to at another location on the lake with great success. Have to do it real early in the morning though before the heat gets up. Drop 20-30 ft down and reel up. Boated lots of fish that way.
07-13-2009, 03:46 PM
BIGBADDAD

Tried "roostertailin" today at egners and came up empty.....if they would just pull some water during the day it would be easier to catch fish. I usually fish til about 3 pm so maybe they pull late afternoon.Any thoughts???
07-13-2009, 06:48 PM
craigmorris74

They've been pulling the most current in the late afternoon and night, and slowing back down by early morning. Might try going out later.
Craig
07-13-2009, 07:37 PM
BIGBADDAD

Thank you very much.....kinda frustrating seeing 10 foot of fish on the lowrance and nothing will bite!
07-14-2009, 07:16 AM
rnvinc

Check water levels and releases for previous day here to get an idea on when tva will be pullin water....TVA: Reservoir Information

Try "rooster tailin" around as many pilings as you can....I assume white bass are schoolin fish and they could be on any piling or maybe on just one piling....

Like I said, I haven't tried it this year but I'm going to try it as soon as I can get away from this yard work....

Might pick me up a few dozen leeches also and bottom bounce around the pilings to see if I can pick up a catfish of two....sometimes works when tva is pulling enough water....
07-14-2009, 04:46 PM
mepperson

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnvinc

Check water levels and releases for previous day here to get an idea on when tva will be pullin water....TVA: Reservoir Information

Try "rooster tailin" around as many pilings as you can....I assume white bass are schoolin fish and they could be on any piling or maybe on just one piling....

Like I said, I haven't tried it this year but I'm going to try it as soon as I can get away from this yard work....

Might pick me up a few dozen leeches also and bottom bounce around the pilings to see if I can pick up a catfish of two....sometimes works when tva is pulling enough water....

I wish you good luck. The night bite has really slowed to a halt (for me anyway). Let us know how you do.
12-25-2012, 08:29 AM
Kicknbass

1 Attachment(s)

Kentucky Lake White Bass

Craig,

In my opinion this has been the best year for white bass ever ! With KY Lake getting clearer all the time the shad are going deeper and so are the white bass. Having High Definition electronics is a must. As you know whites are schooling fish and they will go as deep as need be to stay with the shad school. Our clients have caught some big number and large fish this year with the biggest being 3.5 pounds. Check out the photo and then the link below and you'll see what I mean.
Attachment 110515

Click on this link and scroll down to the pictures
Kick'n Bass Fishing Guide Serive Offers Sonar Tips
12-30-2012, 05:59 PM
ricky

I called in on the KY Afield "call in" show and asked them why you don't see them in the "jumps" anymore. If you have not seen this it is a panel of biologists and CO's. Their response was there are not as many as their used to be. Doesn't make sense looks like some of them would jump, but the're the experts.