Need help with Kentucky Lake / Tennessee River

Hello gang. Long time no post. Well, it's been 2 or so years since i've been in the crappie business, but this week ends the drought. I'm taking the ole man to kentucky lake. I'm not familar with Ky lake/Tenn. river at all. I'll be camping/launching from Mouse Tail. Any specific areas that i need to fish from there?

I'm assuming all the crappie have left for deeper waters by this time of year, and I have no GPSed beds. Could any fish be caught by just trolling open water? Any recomendations for a successful crappie trip? Your help is appreciated!

Find some mats in 4-6' of water. Plenty of them in mousetail. I don't troll this time of year, mainly just a minnow under a cork in the mats. Go early

We don't fish that area much, but I can tell you that we caught all of ours at Pickwick last Saturday in 12 fow spider rigging.

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Originally Posted by Mrs. Crappie Stalker

We don't fish that area much, but I can tell you that we caught all of ours at Pickwick last Saturday in 12 fow spider rigging.

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Thats the problem down here. With a few exceptions the only place to find 12 fow is in the main river channel or right off of it. Coves are all mostly shallow down this way.

There are plenty of creeks that way you can find the 4' to 6' water. Like Slimeyslab said just fish mats and go early.

Shows you how long it's been since we've been there :). Early 90's I think, with the exception of Beech Bend a couple times.

So we've moved the party to birdsong. Still look for mats/beds in deep water right?

You can find some deeper water in Birdsong.

I would find the shad with my depth finder and start there. Birdsong has some great places to spider rig this time of year as the water is a lot deeper. Also don't forget the New Johnsonville area is close to there and has lots of great places to offer as well.

Thanks guys for all the replys. I fished all day and between me and the ole man we caught one crappie. Searching blindly for structure is hard. Found plent of 20 foot water though just couldn't get a bite. Came back to the marina at 1 there was a guide who carried a man and his wife. They had 19 keepers. Obviously I hired him for in the morning. Stay tuned........

Fished with david the guide out of birdsong marina. He put us on the fish when we thought it was impossible. I learned something very valuable this past couple of days. If you don't have good electronics, and know how to use them, you should stay at home and save your time/money.. I was under the impression that I could find structure with my cheap Depthfinder, mark it, and fish it. I was right to some degree, but if I was off by a couple of feet when I tossed my marker......no fish caught. David put us on several matts and right on the structure when we were there. In one morning we had 14 slabs.
You know what they say......Teach a man to fish......

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Yes sir!!!!

Dose arrr sum no-ice slaubs!!!! Good job my fland from across da world!!! Now that you know where to catch em', hopefully you'll hit a homerun this weekend while you are over there!

Good fishin'

hay guys ...question from up north.

What is it your calling, "matts?"

Thanks much!

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Originally Posted by Cincinnati

hay guys ...question from up north.

What is it your calling, "matts?"

Thanks much!

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Cincinnati,

Matts = crappie condos, beds, nests, structure.......
Just depends on what part of tennessee you're from. Hahaha.