Used to be....

You know, it used to be the only rude people we fishermen had to look out for were the jetskiers, pleasure boaters, and houseboaters. Not so anymore. In fact, it seems these groups are now much more polite.

I went out on KY Lake last Thursday. I started on a huge flat in about 13-15 feet of water. I dropped my marker bouy on a rock pile and began fishing. Now it needs to be said the flat I was on is about 300 yards long, running north to south. I began catching fish almost immeadiately. Nothing big, and it wasn't every cast, but the LMs and the small striped bass were very plentiful. About 15 minutes after starting to fish, a ranger runs right over where I was casting, and over my line. Then in 10 minutes another one. This one has 3 fishermen that pull up about 50 feet from me and begin fishing around my bouy. Whoops, then here comes another that just about ran over my bouy. After about 45 minutes, and older gent and his wife run over my bouy.

This is getting rediculous now.

Anyway to the report. The water was just over summer pool, though it appears they are now pulling the water some for the draw down as scheduled. The water was 83.6 degrees at launch, and the warmest I fished was around 85. I stayed out on the main lake and fished ledges and channel bends, as well as huge flats. Needless to say, although the fish were scattered, there were still good concentrations around underwater structure.

The fish we caught mostly came on Sexy Shad crankbaits in the citrus shade. However, we caught them on just about everything from CR'ed soft plastics to swim baits.

It was very fun though, there were many times when the bass would come up in jumps. We were pretty much able to keep up with them with the trolling motor, and then the catching really was fast and furious. Incrediably, there would be schools of black bass busting, then about 15 feet away, a school of striped bass would surface.

We never did catch anything over 2.5 lbs. It seemed numbers were the catch of the day. I know I did not mind, and enjoyed it all very much.

The water was very clear, so we used very natural colors; nothing gaudy.

Tomorrow, I hope to make it to Barkley. Won't have a fishing buddy tomorrow if I go, but I want to check out some of the old haunts I used to fish over there.

I hope everyone had a great couple of holiday weeks, the way the fourth fell, it really stretched the crowds out.

One more thing. Could I ask you all to help get a movement started to STOP the littering? It was especially frustrating to see so many fishermen who just totally have no respect for the resource they are enjoying.

Best other fishermen I met were a father/son team that was up visiting from Huntsville. In talking to them, it seems they were have a great time and catching some nice fish.

Hope to see you all on the water!!

re:
1. Rude fisherman: Sounds like you got the rudies up in the jumps! Seems like the rudies do run in schools. Sounds almost like you got caught up in a group of the "Yellow-back tourney rudies". This spieces runs in schools, races from place to place, consuming whatever water and tranquility they find advantageous. Be kind to them, they are handicapped with tunnel vision, seeing only what they want and need. A similar but far more advantageous spieces is the "Golden-hearted tourney considerates". These guys fish for the same reason as the "rudies" but display consideration and care for their fellow anglers. They are the majority species, and in time will overpopulate the current population surge of "rudies". Rudies simply do not seem to have the same length life cycle.

2. Liter: Agree completely. Wish the "blue meanies" with the boats and badges would breakout the binos.

Thanks for the very informative report. Best wishes for more fishes. By the way, and may the rudies hibernate early this year on your favorite lake.

Nice report, thanks.