Kentucky Lake near winter pool as crappie hold 12 to 15 feet on structure

Kentucky Lake guide Steve McCadams says in his Oct. 28 report that a long run of nice weather has been good for anglers. The lake is at about 354.7, close to winter pool. The water is clear and surface temperatures are 64 to 65 degrees. TVA is releasing only about 14,000 cubic feet per second through Kentucky Dam.

Crappie fishing is good at 12 to 15 feet, and sometimes 9 to 12 feet, over manmade structure. Up the Big Sandy and West Sandy, fish are as shallow as 6 to 8 feet. Jigs tipped with minnows are working best. McCadams' top colors are Monkey's Milk, threadfin shad, chartreuse/blue and yellow/chartreuse.

The bass bite is fair. Anglers are catching fish on topwater, suspending jerkbaits and spinnerbaits around stickups, and on chrome Rattle Traps and pearl or bone crankbaits along gravel points. A few smallmouth are on main-lake sandbars, and roadbeds and riprap banks are also giving up fish. McCadams warns boaters to watch for shallow hazards while the lake is this low.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Explore Kentucky Lake — Steve McCadams fishing report: Anglers Enjoy Marathon of Great Weather (Oct. 28, 2026).