Thread: KY Lake Big Sandy

The TWRA person (I didn't ask his title) explained growth rate as being a factor of food supply, and days per year of water temperature above some number (I think he said 60, but not sure). Many lakes like Mississippi oxbow lakes have higher growth rates than Kentucky Lake.
I catch more fish today, than years ago, electronics, methods, and knowledge are all factors. My concern is the size of the fish. I throw back more than I keep today (because less than 10"). That will be different for next month due to spawn, and it's different on main Tennessee river portion of lake than on Big Sandy arm of lake.

Yep I agree on bigsandy, lots of short fish.Sandy gets alot of pressure though,I remember 4-5yrs ago I counted boats around me.I got to over 60 and just quit counting.The keeper fish I caught last year in the bigsandy area were huge,but not plentiful.When they hit a crankbait you would think you had a catfish on the line,if you've pulled cranks you know what I'm talking about.And 10in in3yrs the biologist said that was just on agerage,not all have the same growth rate as you mentioned above.If your on facebook there's lots of good information on the western ky fisheries facebook page,check it out.

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YEP! Last year, I caught some big fish pulling cranks in the heat. Goooooood size, but low counts. I don't go to fill the locker. Of course, I don't spend all day on the water either. 2-3 hours does me in. Gotta keep moving.

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

YEP! Last year, I caught some big fish pulling cranks in the heat. Goooooood size, but low counts. I don't go to fill the locker. Of course, I don't spend all day on the water either. 2-3 hours does me in. Gotta keep moving.

Mr tom I don't even think I kept one fish I caught pulling cranks last year,that's a first.Usually how I put a few in the freezer to eat on.Spring has always been the hardest time for me to catch fish,I believe it's because I don't like fishing shallow.Last spring I actually caught fish in deer water like I like.I wonder how this year will be in the spring spawn,If they all go super shallow I'll probably be keeping some of the fish I catch cranking.I just hate fishing shallow,stubborn I guess.

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Shallow is why I have a Jon boat. Brenda doesn't like going with me. I get into thick bush where the snakes hang out. Have Zebco, will travel.

Should be a good spawn based to the short fish I had last year. 9.99. These fish should be 10.5 to 11 and should be spawning this year. Will recruit a few this spring I believe.

Lake clearing??? I don't see it in West Sandy. Lots of experience fishing this area. Off our dock, the jigs disappear about 3 feet down. Been that way for eons.

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

Lake clearing??? I don't see it in West Sandy. Lots of experience fishing this area. Off our dock, the jigs disappear about 3 feet down. Been that way for eons.

I don't see it either, I've been spring spawn fishing the Big Sandy area for 40 years, plus pleasure boating. Now I live on Big Sandy, see it most every day, at least from the back porch. It's no clearer to me than it was in 1977, when I moved to Paris.

Originally Posted by blueball

3yrs for a 10in fish in tn,fish in miss are 12in in 3yrs.Everyone I know caught fish the first half of last year,from all the people I know.I fish 12 months a year and 3-4yrs ago the crappie I caught in the summer were thin,that's what I'm going by on how healthy they look to me,but just what I'm seeing.I have also fished from the Paris landing bridge to beach river to the south in the last year and a half,been all over the lake chasing crappie.I attached a pic below showing angler success rates from the western ky fisheries facebook page,it shows what they have seen also.

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In the mid 90's, Brenda and I caught many monster fish in front of the house. Fish havenow move out and left us with a lot of empty condos.