ky lake in april!

[crappie chaser]

Headed to ky lake for some crappie fishing THE 11TH OF APPRIL TO THE 18TH. gonna try to take a day or 2 to bass fish!!?!?!?! Whats the spring gonna bring??????? Just lookin for opinions and comments! Whats spring gonna bring? late blacks earily whites? will the run be over or just started? I got 5 and a half more weeks to wait and WANT 2 LEAVE NOW!!!!!!!!!!! This weather has got me tore up that little warm spell hurt my soul but gave me hope for a warmer tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! Comments please!!!!! If i cant fish for them at least i can talk about them!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!

[Col Forbin]

The bass fishing during that time is too fun for me to even attempt to crappie fish. I have always had great numbers and size of bass during mid april. You can pretty much fish to your style during that time (unless we get a slower or more quick warm-up than normal). They can be found up shallow, and staging in creek channels and banks by creek channels feasting. Definitely a fun time.

[eddie_m]

I think everyone on this discussion board understands all of your exclamation points. Ice is broken and just about melted. We've survived the long hard winter and are preparing to do more than dream about what's under the water. It's time for jigs, worms, spinners etc. The only advice I have is that bass and crappie are very similar. Find areas with cover, shallows, proximity to deeper water, and you'll find fish. Get a good topo map as a start. To me, and it could just be because I've had the Dave Stewart largemouth bass 101 course, bass seem more predictable. Luckily, it sounds like you know what you're doing with crappie, so, look for shallows with cover and deep water access. If you find bait pods on your depth finder, CAST!

[Dakota Kid]

Spinnerbaits in the mustard grass........ YUMMY!!!!!!!

[first2fish]

Hey crappie chaser your the guy i have been looking for for info ! I will be headed down the 23,24,25 april for crappie/bass but mainly crappie. I know its going to depend on the weather as far as what stage the crappie are at...staging to spawn or already in spawn mode. I will be looking forward to your report when you get back ! I havent been to ky lake since 2001 and that was for a bass tourney. Have never fished ky for crappie but looking forward to it. But if the crappie are not hitting i wont hesitate to go after some of those nice healthy bass at ky. I hope you catch a boatload ! Later jc

[badbrad]

As for Crappie, a lot will depend on when the water temp hit's that magic number. So weather through March will dictate a lot. By the time your down, there still should be some fish spawning and in shallow water. Probably be mostly whites, the blacks most likely will have already spawned. I'd start with fishing shallow, if not having any luck, find the first good drop in 10-12 ft of water. Seems like I can always find some in 12' of water regardless what stage the spawn is in. Good luck.

[artcarney_agr]

Easter weekend has always been a good one for bass - most of the bigger ones have spawned out, but the shallows will be full of buck bass - mostly in the 14" to 16" size. About any soft plastic will work when they're shallow like that...a Senko is a good choice. 50+ bass per day is a good possibility then, so take plenty of plastics! Ha ha ha!

Who knows though, with the colder than usual winter, the lake may be running behind and the big beasts may still be spawning. A spinnerbait worked parallel to the yellow flowers/buckbrush is a good choice then.

[Dave Stewart]

Actually mid to late April is prime time for late prespawn and spawning bass. Plan on fishing shallow and lead in banks...plenty of big fish to be taken.

[crappie chaser]

Thanks guys all the inof is grestly appricated! I will give a full report when i get back and hope to get into the slabs and the hogs!!!!! Its a special trip for me cause my dad and i use to try to go down every spring when i was younger and then got to go the last 4 or 5 springs b4 he passed away from cancer dec.5th of 2008. so this is only the 2nd trip for me without him, but i know hes always with me every time i hit the water! AND MAN HE IS SMILING!!!! HE LOVED THEM BIG SLABS!!!!!!!!!

[Owskiwoski]

Actually mid to late April is prime time for late prespawn and spawning bass. Plan on fishing shallow and lead in banks...plenty of big fish to be taken.

What do you consider a lead in bank. I have read your reports in the past but never really knew what you were talking about.

Thanks

[Dave Stewart]

What do you consider a lead in bank. I have read your reports in the past but never really knew what you were talking about.

Thanks

Channel banks leading into and out of spawning areas/fall feeding areas.

[davidsa]

I was reviewing Dave's reports for April over the last 4 years. It reminded me that anything can go in April. 2ft below summer pool, 5 feet over summer pool. Cold fronts every 48 hours, storms. It appears the best reports had much to do with being lucky enough to be on the water during stable to warming temps.

In reading an early April report from 07 or 08, Dave talked about a massive warm up that had occurred. Reminded me that I was there then. It was almost 80 for a number of days in early April. I was catching them pretty good then on Tuesday night the temps dropped 40 degrees. I went out that Wednesday morning as it was my last day thinking what a fool I was. Well, the spot that had been producing earlier was protected from the 25mph winds so I fished there. From 7:30am to 9:30am when I had to leave, I caught them like no ones business. Best morning ever in terms of numbers. I caught a number of fish together, one on front treble and one on back treble. Some friends of mine arrived on Thursday morning that same week and fished all weekend. They reported terrible luck to me and they generally outfish me.

I've decided this year to play it by ear. When Dave and others report the bite is ON and if the weather pattern looks reasonable then I will try to get out of work and drive down. April can be great if you hit it right and marginal if the weather is bad.

On the Crappie, I don't fish those much anymore but I always had better luck prior to April 10th and the biggest fish we ever caught were closer to March 18-30th. According to my records from 2000 to 2007, the spawn is generally about done by April 10th. I think we may have done better in last 2 weeks of March because the weather appears more predictable.