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Hot summer-like temperatures have finally arrived, bringing with it sporadic thunderstorms throughout the week. High’s have been in the upper 80’s to lower 90’s and are expected to remain into the weekend. Low’s have ranged from the upper 60’s to lower 70’s. As of Thursday morning, the lake elevation was 361.45 and is expected to drop slowly for the next couple of days. By Saturday, the lake elevation is predicted to be 361.10. Water temperatures in Sledd Creek are ranging between 81.7 – 84.0 F. Water clarity continues to remain similar to previous postings, with visibility ranging from 28 to 54 inches. Clearer water can be found out towards the mouth and on the main lake, while more turbid water is being located towards the back of the embayment.

As of Thursday, we located 19 radio-tagged crappie. There continues to be very little movement of both white and black crappie, as most fish were located in near identical locations as they were the previous week. Locations of black crappie continue to be scattered throughout Sledd Creek, with the bulk of black crappie being located on flats ranging in depth from 8.0 – 12.0 feet deep. White crappie are being located on deeper flats and on ledges of the secondary river channel outside of Sledd Creek. White crappie are being found in water from 12.0 – 22.0 feet deep. Most white crappie appear to be located adjacent to ledges that contain submerged structure (stakebeds and brushpiles).

Similar to the past few weeks, no crappie anglers have been observed fishing Sledd Creek throughout the week. Anglers fishing other embayments are reporting spotty catches of crappie over deeper water. Anglers catching crappie are trolling small crankbaits along ledges and secondary points. A few reports have also showed that some anglers are catching fish on tube jigs spider-rigged over deep brushpiles and stakebeds.

Week of May 27, 2004

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Week of May 24, 2004

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Warm temperatures and periods of intense rain have occurred throughout most of the week and are expected to remain into the Memorial Day weekend. High’s have been in the middle 80’s and are expected to remain throughout the weekend. Low’s have ranged from the lower to middle 60’s. Relatively strong winds have persisted throughout the week, making the lake rough at times. As of Thursday morning, the lake elevation was 359.30 and is expected to remain stable throughout the weekend. As of Tuesday, surface water temperatures in Sledd Creek ranged from 77.0 to 78.4 F. Water clarity was similar to the previous weeks reports, with visibility ranging from 30 to 54 inches. Clearer water can be found towards the mouth of Sledd Creek and out on the main channel, while more turbid water can be located towards the back of the embayment.

As of Tuesday, we located 21 of the 38-tagged crappie. Fish locations remained similar to the previous weeks tracking, with most crappie being scattered throughout the embayment. Locations of black crappie were scattered, with some fish being located amongst flooded shoreline brush, while others were located on shallow flats adjacent to flooded brush. Several black crappie were also located out along deeper structure in the middle section of Sledd Creek. Water depth at locations of black crappie ranged from 3.0 to 14.5 feet deep. Most black crappie that are being located away from the bank are relating heavily to submerged structure or near river channel ledges. Little movement was observed from white crappie in Sledd Creek, compared to the previous weeks tracking. Several of the white crappie that have left the embayment continue to remain in similar areas. Two white crappie continue to remain near the secondary river channel adjacent to Kentucky Dam Marina, while three additional white crappie were located in the two small bays south of Sledd Creek. Water depth at locations of white crappie ranged from 12.5 to 22.0 feet.

Few crappie anglers were observed fishing Sledd Creek throughout the week. Anglers fishing Jonathan Creek and Blood River have reported decent catches of crappie throughout the week. Better catches have been taken along deeper structure and river channel ledges, ranging in depth from 12.0 to 22.0 feet deep. Similar to last week, anglers trolling crankbaits for white bass have reported catches of large crappie, in addition to white bass.

Week of May 17, 2004

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Unseasonably warm temperatures dominated the area for most of the week. High’s in the upper 80’s were observed throughout the end of the week and well into the weekend. Low’s were reported to range from the upper 50’s to lower 60’s. Relatively strong south/southwest winds also dominated much of the week, making the lake rather choppy, at times. As of Friday morning, the lake elevation was 359.50, and is expected to drop to summer pool elevation by Sunday or Monday. On Friday, surface water temperatures in Sledd Creek ranged from 74.8 to 77.6 F. Water clarity was similar to previous weeks reports, with visibility ranging from 28 to 54 inches. Clearer water is still being found towards the mouth of Sledd Creek and out on the main channel, while more turbid water can be located towards the back of the embayment.

As of Friday, we located 21 of the 38-tagged crappie. Similar to the previous weeks report, locations of both white and black crappie are scattered. Locations of white crappie remained similar to the previous weeks report, with the majority of crappie being located away from the bank, on deeper flats near submerged brush piles and stakebeds in the middle section of Sledd Creek. Water depth at white crappie locations ranged from 12.0 – 14.4 feet. A total of 5 white crappie have left Sledd Creek. Two white crappie are currently located adjacent to ledges of the secondary river channel near the rock wall of Kentucky Dam Marina. Three additional white crappie were located along the secondary river channel in the first small embayment south of Sledd Creek. Several black crappie were found to have left the shallow flats and are now being located on deeper flats in the middle section of the embayment. Five black crappie, though, continue to remain shallow towards the back section of Sledd Creek and are being located amongst flooded bushes and on the flats directly adjacent to flooded bushes. Water depth at locations of black crappie ranged from 2.0 to 13.1 feet.

Few crappie anglers were observed fishing Sledd Creek throughout the week. Anglers fishing Blood River continue to report good catches of crappie on deeper ledges and flats with submerged brushpiles and stakebeds. Most fish are being taken on tube jigs, although a few anglers are reporting decent catches of crappie on minnows in shallow water stakebeds. Anglers trolling crankbaits for white bass, near Sheepridge Point, have also reported spotted catches of large crappie.

Week of May 10, 2004

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Periods of on and off rain occurred throughout most of the week, with the heaviest rain occurring on Friday. High’s throughout most of the week were in the middle 70’s, with accompanying low’s in the lower 50’s and upper 40’s. As of Friday morning, the lake elevation was 359.70 and is expected to rise slightly above 360.00 before beginning to drop. Surface water temperatures in Sledd Creek on Friday ranged between 73.0 to 74.4 F. Water clarity was similar to the previous weeks report, with visibility ranging from 24 to 54 inches. Clearer water was found towards the mouth of Sledd Creek and out on the main channel, while more turbid water was located towards the back of Sledd Creek.

As of Friday, we located 21 of the 38-tagged crappie. Locations of crappie are scattered, with black crappie continuing to be found consistently in shallower depths compared to white crappie. The majority of the black crappie are still being located towards the back of Sledd Creek (behind the island) in water ranging in depth from 2.0 to 12.0 feet. A few black crappie have moved out towards the mouth of Sledd Creek. Most of the black crappie were located out away from flooded shoreline brush and stakebeds on flats with submerged structure. Only one white crappie was located towards the back of Sledd Creek, while the majority of white crappie were located in the middle section of the embayment and in the first small bay south of Sledd Creek. White crappie were found in water ranging in depth from 12.0 to 27.0 feet. Most white crappie were located along ledges of the secondary river channels near submerged structure.

Relatively few anglers were observed fishing for crappie in Sledd Creek throughout the week. Anglers fishing Blood River have reported good catches of white crappie both shallow and deep. Fish are being taken in stakebeds on minnows, while anglers fishing in deeper water (12 to 16 feet deep) have reported good catches on jigs fished near submerged brushpiles and stakebeds on flats and adjacent to river channel ledges. Crappie can be expected to be somewhat scattered this time of year, so anglers are encouraged to cover as much water as possible in an attempt to find active schools of fish. Once located, several fish can be expected in the area.

Week of May 3, 2004

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Periods of rain, along with a strong cold front brought unseasonably cold temperatures to the area on Monday and early Tuesday. However, the remainder of the week looks very promising as temperatures are expected to rebound quickly and may reach into the mid 80’s by the end of the week. As of Tuesday morning, the lake elevation at Kentucky Lake was 359.22 and is expected to be back at 359.00 by Thursday night. Surface water temperatures in Sledd Creek on Tuesday ranged from 62.4 to 66.8 F. The water was quite clear throughout most of the Creek and exceptionally clear out towards the mouth. Towards the back of Sledd Creek, water clarity ranged from 30-36 inches, while out towards the mouth, water clarity ranged from 54-68 inches.

As of Tuesday, we located 27 of the 38-tagged crappie. To date, we know of at least 5 crappie that have been caught and suspect that several others have been caught as well. Perhaps as a result of the cold front on Sunday and Monday, the majority of the crappie had pulled out of the bushes and were being located on flats adjacent to the bushes and near the first drop-offs/creek channels away from the banks. Similar to our previous weeks post, virtually all of the black crappie were located towards the back of Sledd Creek, while the majority of the white crappie were located in the middle section of the embayment. Most black crappie were located in water ranging in depth from 3.0 to 10.0 feet deep. Crappie were relating heavily to submerged brush and stakebeds. A few white crappie were located on shallower flats, however, the majority of the white crappie were located back out along deeper flats and were relating heavily to submerged brushpiles and stakebeds. Three of our white crappie that have left Sledd Creek were located along a secondary river channel ledge in water that was 16 feet deep. All of these fish are larger, female white crappie.

Anglers are reporting good catches of crappie throughout Kentucky Lake, although better catches have been taken from Jonathan Creek and Blood River. Crappie are continuing to be caught both shallow and deep. Anglers fishing shallow are concentrating on flooded shoreline brush, stakebeds, and drifting mud flats near river channels. Most crappie that are being caught shallow are the males, while more females are being caught in deeper water. Anglers fishing deep are concentrating on deeper ledges and river channel drop-offs. Crappie fishing should remain good throughout the week and into the weekend as stable weather settles into the area.

Week of April 26, 2004

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Warm and stable weather is expected throughout most of the week, with highs expected to reach the upper 70’s and lows in the upper 40’s to lower 50’s. As of Monday, the lake elevation was 360.5 and is expected to drop slowly back down near 359.0 by the weekend. Surface water temperature in Sledd Creek ranged from 65.8 to 67.6 F. Water clarity has remained similar to previous weeks postings in Sledd Creek (ranging from 24-42 inches), however, both Blood River and Jonathan Creek have become a bit turbid from runoff due to heavy rains the week prior. Despite muddy water, anglers are still catch good numbers of fish, so the stained water should not be a problem.

Little has changed since the previous weeks posting, with the exception that fish have moved further up towards the bank in flooded shoreline brush, vegetation, and stakebeds. On Monday, we located 28 of the 38 crappie in Sledd Creek. The vast majority of our black crappie are still being located amongst flooded shoreline brush and vegetation. Most fish are being located in water ranging in depth from 1.0 to 4.0 feet. White crappie have also moved up towards the bank and being found in similar areas as black crappie. The only apparent difference is that several white crappie are still being located on flats ranging in depth from 6.0 to 10.0 feet adjacent to river channel ledges with brush and other forms of structure.

Anglers reported a better catch of crappie this week compared to last week. Better fish are being caught from Blood River and Jonathan Creek, with the bulk of crappie being caught in water less than 10 feet deep. Anglers drifting flats are catching predominantly white crappie, while those anglers fishing in shallow water (<2 feet deep) are catching good numbers of large black crappie. Shoreline electrofishing at Lake Barkley, throughout the week, has shown good numbers and sizes of slab crappie in flooded shoreline brush, along with bass. Many of the larger size crappie are located amongst very thick shoreline brush, so anglers are encouraged to get as far back into the brush as they can. Many of these larger crappie, both white and black, are still full of eggs, indicating that spawning is still occurring.

Week of April 19, 2004

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Strong storms have brought considerable rain to the lakes throughout the week, along with strong winds. As a result, this has kept many anglers off the water, however, those who did manage to get out have experienced some good fishing. Highs throughout much of the week have been in the upper 60’s and lower 70’s, and lows have ranged from the mid to upper 40’s. As of Thursday morning, the lake elevation was rising, as a result of heavy rains, and was 358.7. The lake is expected to reach over 360.0 by the weekend, which should put a good amount of water on most shoreline bushes. Surface water temperatures in Sledd Creek on Thursday ranged from 63.9 to 66.4 F. Despite the heavy rains, water clarity remained exceptional throughout most of Sledd Creek with clarity ranging from 24 to 42 inches. Clearer water can be located out towards the mouth and more turbid water is located towards the back of the embayment.

As of Thursday, we located 28 of the 38-tagged crappie. While some crappie have already spawned, the bulk of our crappie have moved out of deeper water and are showing strong signs of spawning. Similar to previous weeks reports, the majority of the black crappie are being located further towards the back of Sledd Creek, while many of the white crappie are being located in the middle section of the Sledd Creek, as well as out towards the main-lake. Of the 16 black crappie we are currently tracking, 12 of them were located in the back third of Sledd Creek around flooded shoreline brush, stakebeds, and on shallow flats. The remaining 4 black crappie were located out towards the main-lake along shoreline stakebeds and other types of structure. Depth of water where most black crappie were located ranged from 2.0-10.7 feet, however, most fish were located in water less than 4.0 feet deep. Similar to black crappie, most of our white crappie have moved towards the bank, however, are being found in slightly deeper water compared to black crappie. Depth of water at white crappie locations ranged from 5.4 to 13.4 feet, with most fish being located in water between 6.0 and 8.0 feet deep. The bulk of the crappie spawn can be expected to occur throughout the next 2 weeks. This should bring exceptional shallow water fishing around flooded shoreline brush and stakebeds, as well as, on shallow flats near submerged stumps.

Despite the inclement weather, anglers fishing Jonathan Creek, Blood River, and several other smaller embayments have reported good catches of both white and black crappie. Consistent catches are being caught both shallow and deep. Anglers fishing shallow are focusing around flooded shoreline brush and stakebeds using jigs, spinners, and minnows. Anglers fishing deep are catching predominantly white crappie and are using mostly jigs. Anglers fishing shallow are encouraged to attempt to get a lure as far back into the bushes as possible, especially on sunny days. Also, don’t forget to try the shallow flats adjacent prime spawning areas as many crappie likely spawn out a bit deeper and may not ever fully migrate towards shoreline cover. Several anglers fishing towards the back of Blood River (near "Crappie Hollow") have caught strong numbers of large black crappie fishing jigs and spinners around flooded mustard flowers throughout the week.

Week of April 12, 2004

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Who would have believed, it, but it actually snowed in Murray on Tuesday. Unseasonably cold temperatures dropped into the area in the beginning of the week, with highs reaching into the mid to upper 30’s and lows in the upper 20’s. However, by Wednesday, warmer weather returned to the area and highs in the mid to upper 70’s are expected to remain for the rest of the week and into the weekend. As of Thursday morning, the lake elevation was 357.5 and is expected to reach 358.1 by Saturday. Surface water temperature on Wednesday had dropped significantly out of the upper 50’s and was found to range from 53.0 to 55.8 F in Sledd Creek. Warmer water can be located in the back end of Sledd Creek, while slightly cooler water was being found out towards the mouth. Water clarity was exceptional, with readings in some places of Sledd Creek exceeding 40 inches (3.5 ft). Similar to previous posts, clearer water can be found out towards the mouth of Sledd Creek and more turbid water being located towards the back of the bay.

On Wednesday, we located 31 of the 38 tagged crappie. As a result of the strong cold weather, most of the white and black crappie that were being located in shallow water, moved out of shallow water and were being located in considerably deeper water. Only 6 of our 19 black crappie were located in water behind the small island on shallow flats. The remainder were located out towards the middle section of Sledd Creek in water ranging in depth from 11.5-14.3 feet. Virtually all of the white crappie in Sledd Creek were located on deeper flats and ledges in the middle section of Sledd Creek and out towards the mouth of the bay. A few white crappie were tracked closer to shore, but these fish were still residing in deeper water (>12 feet). Depth of water where white crappie were located ranged from 10.8-14.9 feet. We are still following the movements of one white crappie located adjacent to the rock wall at the mouth of Kentucky Dam Marina, as well as two white crappie that are being located in the first bay south of Sledd Creek. These fish did not move much compared to the previous week.

Despite the cold weather during the early part of the week, anglers fishing Jonathan Creek, Blood River, and other southern embayments are reporting good catches of crappie in deep water. The shallow water bite has been rather unproductive to most anglers, most likely the result of weather. With warm stable weather expected for the remainder of the week and throughout next week and with the lake fast approaching summer pool elevation, crappie are expected to make a strong migration towards shallow water for spawning. Anglers should target jigs, minnows, and spinners around wood and other structure in the backs of bays once fish move shallow. Fish should be expected to start migrating this weekend, although next weekend should bring excellent shallow water fishing. If the weather holds, next week should be a great week to enjoy some spring-time crappie fishing in shallow water.

Week of April 5, 2004

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Warm, stabile weather has finally arrived to the area, bringing with it sunny days, calm winds, and highs in the upper 60’s to lower 70’s. These temperatures are expected to stay into Friday. A small cold front is expected to arrive in the area on Saturday, bringing with it good chances for rain all week. The temperature is also expected to drop slightly, with highs in upper 50’s and lows in the lower 40’s. The lake elevation as of Thursday morning was 356.0, and is expected to rise slightly to 356.1 by Saturday night. Surface water temperature on Tuesday ranged from 59.2 to 62.9 F in Sledd Creek. Surface temperatures should jump rapidly during clear sunny days this time of year. Warmer water can be located in the back end of Sledd Creek, while cooler surface water can be found out towards the mouth. Water clarity ranged from 20 to 33 inches on Tuesday. More turbid water can be located in the back of Sledd Creek and clearer water can be found out towards the mouth of the bay.

On Thursday, we located 33 of the 38 tagged crappie. Continuing with recent reports, black crappie continue to be located in shallower water than white crappie in Sledd Creek. A total of 9 of our 17 black crappie were located on shallow flats ranging in depth from 1.5 to 6.5 feet deep. These fish seem to be loosely associating with some type of structure whether it was stakebeds or brushpiles. The remaining black crappie were located along deeper flats ranging in depth from 8.0 to 12.0 feet deep. While a few white crappie were located on shallow flats, having moved out of the deeper flats, the vast majority of our white crappie are still being located on deeper flats in the middle section of Sledd Creek. These deeper flats are ranging in depth from 9.0 to 13.5 feet deep. Our one white crappie that was heading south along the secondary river channel towards Little Bear has turned around and is now being located on a ledge of the secondary river channel just north of Sledd Creek. We also have another white crappie that has completely left the Sledd Creek area and is now being located near the rock walls of Kentucky Dam Marina.

Anglers fishing Jonathan Creek and Blood River are reporting good to excellent catches of crappie throughout the week. Most likely the result of stabile weather, catches are being reported both deep and shallow. Deeper anglers are fishing 10-14 deep along river channel ledges and brushpiles, while shallow water anglers are catching good numbers of crappie casting roadrunners and jigs along rock banks and near wood structure. Fish are also being caught out of shallow water stakebeds in 2-3 feet of water. Crappie are expected to move shallow as a result of warmer weather in preparation of the spawn. While it is still a bit early for spawning to occur, it is fast approaching.

Week of March 29, 2004

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Sorry for the delay in getting the updates on the message boards. It is getting around that time of the year when we are extremely busy sampling and preparing for future sampling on our area lakes.

A series of cold fronts and strong/consistent winds out of the north passed through the area during the week, bringing with it colder than average temperatures and rough conditions out on the water. We even saw frost advisories during the later part of the week. Highs throughout the week hovered around the upper 40’s/lower 50’s. Lows ranged from the upper 20’s to lower 30’s. As of Thursday morning, the lake elevation was 355.4 and will begin to rise slowly, beginning on April 1 and hopefully getting to full summer pool elevation around the first of May. Surface water temperature on Thursday ranged from 55.0 to 57.1 degrees, with warmer water being found in the back end of Sledd Creek. Water clarity ranged from 18 to 36 inches, with more turbid water being found in the back of Sledd Creek and clearer water being located out towards the mouth and on the mainlake.

On Tuesday, we located 33 of the 38 tagged crappie. We again ask that if you catch and keep one of our tagged crappie, to please contact us (270)753-3886 or (270)759-5295 and let us know so that we can pick up the transmitter and place it inside another fish. Similar to the previous weeks tracking, approximately half of our tagged black crappie were located on the shallow flats behind the island in water ranging in depth from 2.0 to 5.9 feet. The remaining black crappie were spread out amongst shoreline rock banks and on the deeper flats near brushpiles and stakebeds in water ranging in depth from 10.0 to 12.0 feet. The white crappie continue to be located predominantly on the deeper flats in the middle section of Sledd Creek and out towards the mouth. Depth of water where white crappie are located ranged from 9.0 to 14.8 feet deep and were consistently located near stakebeds and brushpiles. We now have a total of 5 white crappie that are being located out towards the mouth near the shallow bar that extends southeast off of the northern bank. We also have one white crappie that we tagged in Sledd Creek that is now being located near the rock walls located at the entrance to the Kentucky Dam Marina. Lastly, one white crappie is being located in the first small pocket south of Sledd Creek along the secondary river channel that runs along its mouth.

Anglers in Jonathan Creek and Blood River reported spotted to fair catches of crappie during the week. The slow bite is more than likely the result of the cold fronts and strong north winds. Fishing is expected to pick up by the weekend with warmer temperatures expected in the area. Anglers catching fish are reporting green tube jigs to be one of the better colors. Again, anglers are encouraged to try crappie fishing in shallow water to try to take advantage of the black crappie that are being located in shallower water compared to white crappie.

Week of March 22, 2004

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Strong storms rolled through the area on Saturday bringing rather severe rain and hail to some parts. A cold front chased up the storms bringing unseasonably cooler temperatures to the region on Sunday and Monday. Warmer weather is expected to enter the region throughout the rest of the week, with highs expected to reach 70 F and lows in the middle to upper 40’s. Unfortunately, strong south/southwest winds are accompanying the warmer weather which should make for some rough fishing conditions on the lake. A slight chance of rain is also expected for the rest of the week. As of Wednesday morning, the lake elevation was 355.5 and is expected to drop slightly to 355.2 by friday. Surface water temperature on Monday ranged from 54.0 to 55.1 F and should increase with the expected warmer temperatures. As usual, warmer surface water temperature can be located in the back of Sledd Creek, while cooler water is located towards the mouth of the embayment. Water clarity on Monday ranged from 18 to 27 inches. More turbid water is still being located towards the back end of Sledd Creek and clearer water out towards the mouth.

On Monday, we located 34 of the 38 tagged crappie. We know of at least one crappie that has been caught by an angler and we will be placing that tag in another crappie in the near future. We suspect that 2 other crappie have also been caught, since we have been getting locations on them, prior to their disappearance this week. Again, we ask that if anglers do catch one of these crappie to please release the fish. If you decide to keep the crappie, please contact us (our phone number is on the radio tag) and we can arrange to pick up the tag and implant it into another fish. Well over half of all of the tagged black crappie were located in the flats behind the island in Sledd Creek, while the majority of the white crappie continue to remain out on the deeper flats located in the middle section and out towards the mouth of Sledd Creek. Depth of water where black crappie were located ranged from 3.0 to 10.5 feet. Black crappie were located in stakebeds and on the shallow flats towards the back. Depth of water where white crappie were located ranged from 8.5 to 25.6 feet deep. Most white crappie were relating to submerged brushpiles and stakebeds on deeper flats. Three of our white crappie have now left Sledd Creek embayment (2 are heading south and one is heading north along the secondary river channel). It will be interesting to follow their movements out in the main lake.

Anglers in Jonathan Creek are reporting good catches of crappie drifting both shallow and deep flats ranging in depth from 6 to 14 feet deep. Most are using tube jigs. Anglers having a tough time catching fish should experiment and try shallow water fishing. Based on our telemetry data, the bulk of the black crappie we are following are located in water <9 feet deep on flats. With warmer weather expected for the weekend, this should draw fish into the shallows to feed on shad and soak up the sun.

Week of March 15, 2004

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The beginning of the week brought slightly cooler temperatures compared to the previous week, with highs in the upper 40’s and lows in the lower 30’s. Strong winds came through the area on Tuesday, while the end of the week brought calmer and warmer weather. Highs by the end of the week were in the middle 60’s and lows were in the upper 40’s. The lake elevation continued to drop during the week, with most gates at Kentucky and Barkley Dams being open. On Tuesday morning, the lake was at 355.9 and by Friday the lake elevation was down to 354.9. Several gates were closed on Friday and should remain closed (unless the predicted rain on Saturday is heavy). Surface water temperature on Tuesday ranged from 52.7 – 54.1 degrees. By Friday, surface water temperature jumped up and ranged from 54.7 – 58.0 degrees. Warmer surface water temperature was located in the back of Sledd Creek, while cooler water was located towards the mouth of the embayment. Water clarity on Tuesday ranged from 24 to 32 inches. Little change was observed on Friday and clarity ranged from 24 to 34 inches. Similar to previous weeks, more turbid water can be found towards the back of Sledd Creek, while clearer water can be found in the middle of Sledd Creek and out towards the mouth.

On both Tuesday and Friday, we located 35 of the 38 tagged crappie. Similar to our previous weeks post, there were no distinct differences between locations of white and black crappie. Several of our crappie that were being located in shallow water moved out towards deeper water, probably a result of the lake being drawn down. Black crappie were found dispersed throughout Sledd Creek, ranging in depth from 3.0 to 12.5 feet. White crappie remained heavily concentrated in the middle section of Sledd Creek and were found at water depths ranging from 8.9 to 13.0 feet. Both white and black crappie appeared to be relating heavily to submerged brushpiles and stakebeds.

Fair numbers of anglers were observed fishing for crappie in Sledd Creek on Tuesday, while numerous anglers were observed on Friday. Most crappie anglers in Sledd Creek reported poor catches of either white or black crappie. Those catching fish were catching them on tube jigs drifting flats. Anglers fishing Blood River and Jonathan Creek reported better catches of crappie, although most fish caught were sub-legal size. Better catches were reported along deep ledges (12 to 20 feet deep) and along river channels.

Week of March 8, 2004

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The beginning of the week brought similar temperatures to the previous weeks. Highs in the middle 50’s and lows in the mid 30’s. By the end of the week, colder air arrived and highs were reported in the mid 40’s with strong west winds on Thursday. The lake elevation jumped dramatically and was 357.2 on Monday. However, by the end of the week, water levels dropped back to 355.3. Surface water temperature in Sledd Creek on Monday ranged from 52.7 – 54.2 degrees. By Thursday, surface water temperature dropped slightly and ranged from 51.0 – 53.6 degrees. Water clarity on Monday ranged from 24 to 38 inches. By Thursday, clarity was reduced slightly and ranged from 26 to 30 inches as a result of rain on Wednesday. Similar to the previous week, clearer water can be found in the middle of Sledd Creek and more turbid water can be found in the back of Sledd Creek.

We obtained locations on 36 of the 38 tagged crappie in Sledd Creek. All of the black crappie that were located in the back of Sledd Creek the week prior had moved out of the shallows and were located in the middle section of Sledd Creek. There were no distinct differences between the white and black crappie compared to the previous weeks tracking. Depth of water where black crappie were located ranged from 9.0 – 12.5 feet deep. The majority of the black crappie appeared to be relating to submerged brushpiles and stakebeds. White crappie remained in areas similar to the previous weeks telemetry. Depth of water where white crappie were located ranged from 9.5 – 13.5 feet deep. Similar to the black crappie, white crappie appeared to be relating heavily to submerged brushpiles and stakebeds.

Few crappie anglers were observed fishing in Sledd Creek on Monday and Thursday. Those that were fishing were drifting the flats in the middle of Sledd Creek and reported spotty catches of both black and white crappie. Most anglers were fishing tube jigs. Anglers fishing Jonathan Creek and Blood River reported good catches of crappie during the week. Most anglers were catching fish along deep ledges ranging from 12 – 20 feet deep.

Week of March 1, 2004

View Map of Sledd Creek for this week

The beginning of the week brought warm temperatures to the area. Temperatures peaked near the upper 60’s on Tuesday, with lows in the upper 40’s. However, by the end of the week, strong storms brought rain and gusty winds to the lake. Highs during the end of the week are expected to be in the mid to upper 50’s, with lows in the upper 30’s/lower 40’s. On Tuesday, the lake elevation was 354.5 and relatively stable. However, the lake is expected to rise as a result of heavy rains and is expected to reach 355.0 by Saturday. Surface water temperature in Sledd Creek on Tuesday ranged from 51.0 to 54.6 F, and should be expected to rise somewhat with the inflow of rain from creeks and streams. Water clarity ranged from 21 to 34 inches throughout Sledd Creek, with clearer water being found in the middle of Sledd Creek and more turbid water located near the back of Sledd Creek.

This was our first track (Tuesday) of crappie in Sledd Creek. We located all 38 crappie in Sledd Creek and it was obvious that fish had dispersed from our release locations following surgery. Approximately half of all the black crappie were located in the back of Sledd Creek on shallow flats ranging from 3.5 – 6.0 feet deep. Large schools of shad were also noted in the area. Interestingly, most of these black crappie were males. The remainder of the black crappie were dispersed throughout Sledd Creek and were found to be relating more heavily to shoreline/shallow water depths than white crappie. No white crappie were located in the shallow flats towards the back of Sledd Creek where the majority of black crappie were found. White crappie were located on deeper flats in the middle of Sledd Creek and out towards the mouth. White crappie were located in water ranging from 10.0 – 12.0 feet deep. Both white and black crappie appeared to be relating heavily to structure (stakebeds). It appears that black crappie were selecting for shallower water than white crappie. Movement data will become apparent once we begin to locate fish on future tracking days. Please click on the link to view a map image of the crappie locations at Sledd Creek. White crappie are labeled in yellow, while black crappie are labeled in red. Again, we urge that should anglers catch a radio-tagged crappie, to please release the fish with as little harm as possible.

No crappie anglers were seen fishing Sledd Creek during the day of our track. Anglers in other embayments of Kentucky Lake are beginning to report good catches of crappie. Most anglers are fishing jigs near river channel ledges and deeper flats. Anglers also reported that crappie were suspended well off the bottom early in the morning and then moved deeper as the day progressed.

Report prepared by Paul Rister and Ryan Oster, fisheries biologists, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources