Water temps are running 84 and the lake is gin clear. The lake level is still 5ft. over summer pool and dropping about 3-4in. a day. At this rate by my next fishing report everything should be close to normal only a couple feet high.

“CRAPPIE”
Lots of short fish is all I hear from everyone. Mainly because the lake is so high the larger fish are just roaming under balls of bait in open water making it difficult to locate them. We have close to 3000 manmade structures in the lake that house millions of crappie. Problem is they are below the thermocline which is 15-17ft. deep. Some are close to climbing above it. Once we get back to summer pool crappie will move to them. Or roughly 2-3 weeks. Minnows are the bait of choice and I like to drift them across cubes on a slip bobber. Don’t worry mid-August on through mid-September will be great minnow bites. Once we get into October break out my Deep Ledge Jigs and tip them with a Brushpile plastic. November even better. Can’t wait…

“WHITE BASS”
I have been wearing them out on my jigging spoon hair jig combo. 75-100 a day minimum. Anything hard bottom. Boat ramps, parking lots, gravel islands, hard bottom points, edges of flooded willows. You find the yellow bass the whites are close by. cast my spoon allow it to hit bottom then rapidly pop it off bottom. Gather up your slack as it falls hit bottom do it again. Don’t drag it on bottom. Everything loves them Catfish, Walleye, Sauger, Crappie, White Bass, Yellow Bass and not to forget Drum Perch. Hundred plus days for several weeks now having a ball. Hands are showing it.

“KENTUCKY LAKE”
My trips down there have been filling so I added some more and this will be it. September 4,5,6,7,8,9,15.
We all stay at The Lake Lodge a great spot secluded, clean, quite. Then I just come next door and get you your day is done. Eric Nichols owns it and he charges 100.00 per night plus tax.
Just like up on Shelbyville I get 400.00 per day for one or two anglers everything included.
Crappie are huge and these really are trophy trips and nowhere is like Kentucky Lake my second home…… You come once and this will be a twice a year adventure. All my regulars will attest.
Steve Welch 217-840-1221
The Lake Lodge 731-571-8304

“LAKE SHELBYVILLE”
My dates are filling so don’t miss out……217-840-1221
Crappie/White Bass Combo Trips
August 12,13,19,20,24,25,26,27
October 4-9,11,13-24,29,31
November 1-5,7-30 Done for 2026

Steve Welch
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