Kentucky Lake crappies are on the rebound and Tim Huffman will tell you how to catch ‘em.

Kentucky Lake may not yet be back to its glory days, but it’s no longer in the slump of recent years. Two things have been important in Kentucky Lake’s improvement. First, the carp population has been dramatically reduced. That plays an important part in enjoying the lake and reduces the chance of getting hurt by a carp jumping into the boat. The second, and most important factor, is good crappie spawns. According to biologist Adam Martin, 2014 was a great spawn year, but spawns were poor for several years after. However, 2019, 2020 and 2022 were good years for both crappie and shad spawns, so fishing for most species, including crappies, is on the upswing. The future looks good.

Pulling crankbaits

A trip in May with fishing guide Captain Doug Wynn took advantage of unseasonably warm temperatures. We pulled crankbaits in Kentucky Lake’s Jonathan Creek. Many of the crappies were holding tight to cover and hugging bottom, but we found an occasional fish willing to come out and play.

“We are pulling crankbaits,” says Wynn, “but some people call it long lining or trolling. I use ACC Crappie Stix poles, in 16-, 14-, 12- and 10-foot lengths. Out the back, I use the ACC 8-foot MSG. The line is 12-pound K-9, a line that has strength and works great with the cranks. Our line-counter reels are set to 40, 50 and 60 feet.

“It’s important to know our bait depth, so I use the Precision Trolling app. It shows exactly how deep my baits are running with the line lengths, line size and type baits I’m using.

“Fish may be using different areas and structures depending upon situations. During our trip here in Jonathan Creek, we have our mapping set up to show the 14-foot break and we are following that break. We are going over stake beds and brush piles I have marked on my mapping. We’re finding crappies above those beds, or they come out and hit the cranks. A Humminbird shows me mapping, side imaging and down imaging.”

Catching fish

“My customers like pulling crankbaits,” says Wynn. “It provides action from a lot of different species, including crappies. I can quickly show a customer what they need to know to catch fish. They can go through the steps of fishing, catching and enjoying a fun fishing trip. If they pay attention, they can go out on their own and do this technique.

“We are catching fish here even though we are seeing a lot of fish buried up in the beds and hugging bottom. However, we are also seeing enough fish suspended up that we’re having some action. We’ve caught several fish, including a 2-pound crappie and a huge 20.5-inch sauger. We are seeing a lot of 11- and 15-inch crappies this year but few other year classes.

“Going with the wind is making a big difference. I’m seeing fish each trip with or against the wind, but we are only getting bites when we’re going with the wind. That’s common because fish face into the current caused by the wind, so the baits are coming to them from the front.

“Pico INT and square-bill baits work to get bites. I sometimes use other brands, but the Pico’s are a great bait. I like pulling them 1.4 mph when the water is in the 50s. Any slower, and the fish don’t hook themselves. When the water temp hits 60 or above, I’m pulling at 1.7 mph.”

Wynn says fishermen need to watch for bait balls because the fish will be at the depth of their food source. Pulling cranks at the right depth is critical. Baits can be run a little high and still catch fish, but baits should never run below the fish.

“Another tip for getting more bites is to run planer boards. They can reach fish that aren’t spooked by the boat. Wind can be a problem here, so today, we aren’t running them. I suggest calm or low-wind days for using boards.

Kentucky Lake comeback

“Pulling cranks targets the largest fish,” says Wynn, “so limits of big fish can still be difficult to find. However, catching 10 to 15 quality crappies is common.

“We’ve had good spawns in recent years. There is no doubt that we are coming out of the slump for crappie fishing. I believe Kentucky Lake will continue to see improvements for the next five years.”

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