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An angler holds a white bass caught in early May from the Salt River above Taylorsville Lake. The white bass runs typically peak in April.
This is the second installment of the “Spring Fishing Frenzy" series of articles, detailing productive fishing techniques and opportunities across Kentucky. These articles will appear on the second and fourth Thursday of the month. The series will continue until early summer.
The air temperatures will flirt with 80 degrees this week and the white bass are running sporadically in the headwaters of Taylorsville Lake. Water temperatures range from the mid-to-high 50s on lake across Kentucky and the temperature spike this week should get white bass running into the headwaters of Nolin River Lake, Herrington Lake, Fishtrap Lake, Green River Lake and Cave Run lakes.
David Baker, Central Fisheries District biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, said Herrington gets the nod for size of white bass in central Kentucky. “There are a lot of really big white bass in Herrington, many up to 14 inches long. For catching a big white bass, Herrington is better than Taylorsville,” he said. Taylorsville Lake produces numbers of white bass, but less size.
Anglers may access the upper section of Herrington Lake and Dix River via Bryants Camp Boat Ramp in Garrard County. Bank anglers may use the Dix River Voluntary Public Access area at the end of Rankin Road in Boyle County near the KY 52 bridge over the Dix River.
Bank anglers may access the Salt River above Taylorsville Lake via River Road on the Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area until this road closes on the opening day of spring turkey season April 18. After this time, anglers may use the parking lot at the end of Palmer Road and walk in to fish the Salt River. Boaters use Van Buren Boat Ramp on Taylorsville Lake and move upstream.
Nolin River Lake holds arguably the best white bass population in Kentucky. The Cane Run area, known to locals as the “Three Fingers,” in the upper lake upstream to Broad Ford at the KY 1214 Bridge is usually where the white bass runs begin.
Bank anglers use the access at Bacon Creek for productive white bass fishing and walk the bank up or down. The Corps property goes all the way up past Broad Ford. At winter pool, Broad Ford is the first shoal on Nolin River upstream of the lake.
Eventually, the white bass run makes its way to Broad Run and provides fast fishing.
Fishtrap Lake in Pike County received an excellent rating in the 2020 Fishing Forecast produced by the Fisheries Division of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. The fish run up into the Levisa Fork above the lake and the Lick Creek Boat Ramp is a good place to access them. Fishtrap Lake holds many 12-to 16-inch white bass.
Cave Run Lake also received an excellent rating in the 2020 Fishing Forecast for white bass and the lake holds impressive numbers of larger fish. Green River Lake has a good population of white bass 14 inches and larger from good white bass production in 2014 and 2015.
The tailwaters downstream of the locks and dams on the lower Green River also provide excellent white bass fishing. The water below Lock and Dam 1 at Spottsville, Lock and Dam 2 at Calhoun and Lock and Dam 3 at Rochester all have decent white bass. The mouth of Pond River downstream of Calhoun at Jewel City has a big white bass fishery. They run up into Pond River.
Anglers may access the mouth of Pond River via a public boat ramp at Jewel City. The tailwaters below Lock and Dam 2 has a boat ramp and limited bank access at the end of Second Street in Rumsey, across the river from Calhoun. The tailwaters below Lock and Dam 3 at Rochester offer excellent bank access just west of town on Boat Ramp Road via KY 70.
The tailwaters of Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley have productive white bass fishing. The water temperature in both lakes are 56 degrees, meaning the white bass are there now. Both tailwaters offer good bank fishing access.
The smaller male white bass make the initial runs. You will catch many fish during this time, but most will be of similar size. You often catch fish on consecutive casts when the males are running.
By the first weeks of April, the females show up and it is prime,” Baker said. “This is the best fishing of the spring runs.
Running white bass hit anything that resembles baitfish with abandon, one of the keys to their enduring popularity. When the spring white bass runs peak, nothing else compares to the furious fishing.
White, chartreuse or gray in-line spinners are hard to beat during the runs, but 2-inch white curly tailed grubs rigged on 1/8-ounce leadheads also produce many white bass. Use a heavier leadhead if you are fishing from the bank and need more casting distance.
Anglers also suspend 1/32-ounce white and red, pink or yellow feather jigs from 18 to 24 inches deep under small bobbers and allow them to drift in the current. Some anglers tip the feather jigs with small crappie minnows to make them more attractive to white bass.
As the runs peak, small topwater propeller baits draw vicious strikes, but you get more consistent action with subsurface presentations.
The warm front this week will get the white bass running. It is time for the most exciting fishing of the year. Remember to buy your fishing license if you haven’t already. The new license year began March 1.