Kentucky lake water levels remain stable, with the lake at 358.9ft. Flow rates have been averaging between 30-40,000cfs, mostly due to power generation. Expect the lake to slowly fall a few inches each week during the month of July, with more significant drops in the upcoming months, as TVA brings the lake to winter pool by late fall. Lake water temperatures have been in the mid 80’s most of the week, and the dissolved oxygen levels at 7.32 and pH at 8.36. The Duck River is at 1.4ft and the Buffalo is at 3.8ft.
Fishing is still showing some good catches this past week, with most being bass and catfish. The bass are being taken on the “ledges” and along shallow shorelines with weeds. Most bass fishermen are using crankbaits and Texas rigged worms while current is present on the higher humps and drops near the main river channel. Catfish continue to be found by fishermen using nighcrawlers and other baits fished in 25-35ft depths. There still seems to be a morning bite, often slowing up by 8-9am, with some activity just at dark till about 10pm. Crappie fishermen seem to have been finding a few fish before the crowds hit the water, with most fish scattered in water depths of 12-20ft, both inside of bays and out on river flats. It seems that moving produces the best catches.
Many outdoor events will be held mid July, including; Benefit Bass Tournament for Larry Odom out of Danville on July 15th, contact Jamie McCloud 209-7795. Tn Madcatters night event, out of Bumpus Mills from 7pm-3am. Also Larry Bradford (264-0049) will be having a Hunter education class on July 14-15th , preregister at TnWildlife.org. And for all those interested in learning about Flint Knapping, the Duck River Flint Knappers will be having an event on July 14-16th. The event will be held at 747 Chapel Hill Pike, Eagleville, TN 37060. Contact Mike Hayes (615) 504-1851 or Mike Conkle (615) 310-1854.
We continue to see a few Mayfly hatches across the area. There are over 2,100 species of mayflies across the world, and about 700 can be found in North America. Mayflies spend most of their life as a nymph, living underwater feeding on small food particles in the water, spending up to 2 years passing through many stages of development before emptying its guts and filling its mid-section with air while floating up to the surface of the water, when it gets to the top, its outer layer splits open and the wings come out. Where this subimago gains some strength and then flies from the surface of the water to a more sheltered place, like a tree, it stays there and rests until its final molt, which occurs within 24 to 48 hours, leading to the final stage of the mayfly. Adult mayflies object is only to reproduce, as the adults has no digestive system or mouth parts, and only breed and lays eggs and then dies.