Page B2 Saturday, March 3, 2012 email: [email protected] THE TIMES LEADER — Princeton, Ky.

OUTDOORSEVEN MORE NEWS, SPORTS AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.TIMESLEADER.NET AND ON THE TIMES LEADER FACEBOOK PAGE MARCH FISHING MADNESS White bass run just around the corner merged timber. By LEE McCLELLAN With water temperatures Afield Outdoors pushing up through the 50 Looking back at old photos degree mark, the spring white from the 1950s and 1960s in bass runs are right at the door- Happy Hunting Ground maga- Anglers came from step. “With the warm winter zine, the precursor of Kentucky all around to fish we’ve had, the runs are proba- Afield magazine, you see the famous white bly going to be early this year,” anglers wading in the bass runs in the explained Emme. “They could in spring with strings of fat Dix River upstream start soon.” white bass tied to their belts. of When white bass make their The spring white bass runs in in decades past spring spawning runs and show up in numbers, the fishing is the headwaters of Lake like in this archival practically non-stop. They Herrington and up into the Dix photo. White bass churn the water surface from River drew anglers from all over fishing in the head- bank to bank when they get into central Kentucky and beyond waters of Herring- the “jumps” and gorge on bait- when the dogwoods bloomed in ton, , fish. Any lure cast into this late March and April. Taylorsville and The drought years of the late frothy water gets immediately Cave Run lakes crushed, hence the extreme 1980s and early 1990s impacted should get hot in the strong spring flow that popularity of white bass fishing the coming weeks. in spring. white bass need to spawn. The locks and White bass populations all over White bass hit small topwa- dams on the ters such as shad-colored pro- the South declined, precipitous- ly in some waters. peller baits, chuggers and pop- and the lower Herrington Lake was one of ping baits. They also strike Green River along those waters where white bass small silver casting spoons, with the tailwaters populations fell dramatically. By chrome lipless crankbaits and of the late 1990s and the early white or chartreuse in-line spin- and 2000s, the famous white bass ners. offer productive runs dwindled to a shell of their The most reliable and versa- former greatness. The popula- white bass fishing tile lure is an old standby: a tion bottomed out, but once reg- as well. white 3-inch curly-tailed grub ular spring tides returned, so rigged on a 1/4-ounce leadhead. did the white bass runs. A little heavier leadhead gives “There are now fantastic an angler extra casting distance. white bass at Herrington,” said KENTUCKY AFIELD When you encounter a Kathryn Emme, assistant cen- PHOTO school of marauding white bass, tral district fisheries biologist work the grub near the surface for the Kentucky Department of first. If no fish strike, let the lure Fish and Wildlife Resources. sink a few feet before retrieving. “We see many fish from 14 to 16 Check out our other features inches. The Herrington Lake of the March Fishing Madness white bass are bigger and better Kickoff on a new page at the than most of our lakes in our everything cooperates.” Millerstown is highly produc- The fisheries division of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife region, except Taylorsville.” Boating anglers after tive. Anglers may bank access Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website at fw.ky.gov. If you plan Anglers targeting white bass white bass the headwater recently received reports of to fish, you’ll need to buy a new in Herrington may launch at may launch at the Van Buren at the Bacon Creek Boat Ramp white bass showing up below 2012 Kentucky fishing license, Bryant’s Camp Boat Ramp and Boat Ramp and continue and also at the Broad Ford locks and dams in the lower available in the sporting goods continue upstream until the lake upstream. Bank anglers may Bridge on KY 1214. sections of Green River. section of department stores returns to the rocky pool and use the Palmer Road access off Boaters venturing upstream The tailwaters of Kentucky and tackle shops. You may also riffle of the Dix River. They may Pleasant Grove Ridge Road via of the Bacon Creek Boat Ramp Lake and Lake Barkley also buy one by visiting the encounter white bass jumping KY 248. They may also access must tread carefully as Nolin have good spring white bass Kentucky Fish and Wildlife anywhere in this stretch. the river at the KY 248 Bridge. River Lake quickly becomes the fishing. The upper end of Cave homepage at fw.ky.gov or by White bass showed up in Both of these access points lie Nolin River, full of rocks, riffles Run Lake will have excellent calling 1-877-598-2401. Taylorsville Lake in the early inside the Taylorsville Lake and shallow shoals. white bass fishing this spring 1990s. They didn’t appear in the Wildlife Management Area. Other waters in Kentucky with many fish 12 to 14 inches (Author Lee McClellan is an early years of the lake, but now The spring white bass run offer productive spring white long with some fish longer than award-winning associate editor they make one of the strongest into the headwaters of Nolin bass fishing. A stocking pro- 16 inches. Fisheries biologists for Kentucky Afield magazine, spring runs in Kentucky. River Lake is arguably the best gram begun in 2006 placed tens witnessed more white bass in the official publication of the “We saw some dandy white in Kentucky. The lake holds of thousands of white bass into this past fall Kentucky Department of Fish bass in Taylorsville, up to 16 high numbers of 12- to 16-inch the Kentucky River. They con- than in the past 15 years. Be and Wildlife Resources. He is a inches long and healthy,” Emme fish. The section from the Broad gregate in spring below locks careful boating in the upper life-long hunter and angler, with said. “The run up the Salt River Ford boat ramp all the way and dams on the river with ends of this lake as it contains a passion for smallmouth bass should be strong this spring if upstream to KY 224 Bridge at some fish up to 12 inches long. significant amounts of sub- fishing.) Now is a good time to purchase ‘crappie’ tackle By JERRY MAUPIN tion to these waves and them. It has been decent Blood River, Jonathan places where the best feast in the early days of Murray Ledger & Times then travel inside the big weather and the baitfish Creek, Cypress Creek and buys can be found and we Murray residents. As the wave. I would go across in are trying to bundle up in all of the bigger bays have some great places in town population grew, so Can you believe this the center of these waves your brushpiles so they along the eastern side of Murray which offer a very did the businesses and the wonderful weather we are and when the “big” one can feed on the worms in the lake provide some of reasonable price on their creeks became dumping blessed with? Granted was about to hit me I the wood. the best fishing ever. lures. grounds for so many resi- there have been many would slide over into the I discovered that bit of Naturally, you have to We remember when dents who didn’t have days of high winds which next wave. After a couple information by putting on work harder some of the Clarks River was clean automobiles or other kept us off the water even of passes you can then diving gear and slowly time, but if you plan your and everyone along the means to dispose of their though the temperature take on the big one as it going from brushpiles to trips based on the position river caught catfish, blue- trash. was very nice. lifts your boat above and logs and slat boards so I of the moon you will catch gill, carp and the big buf- It was tossed into the Traveling through big slide over it safely to your could see the real reason more and better fish, be falo. It was best fishing creeks which ran through waves can be done safely destination. so many crappie are in they crappie, bass, blue- when it was raining Murray east to the Clarks but beware, there is Now, please have that these brush piles and tree gill, stripers and catfish. because the fish were on River. Gradually it always one huge rascal life jacket on you tightly tops. Now is also a good the hunt for food as the changed because of health lurking in amongst the because it will help keep There are untold num- time to purchase some water rose. Actually the hazards being pointed out medium sized ones and the water out of your col- bers of water wood new tackle such as rods, big buffalo and carp were by the residents who have you are going to be in its lar. worms which eat the bark reels monofilament, the best eating fishes for small children playing in path. Hopefully the sunshine from these limbs con- crankbaits, plastic worms the larger families those creeks. Now it is You can bet on it flying will stay with us a couple stantly and then become and a ton of the plastic because they grew so clean. over your bow and dump- of weeks at least so you food for the crappie, blue- grubs of so many great much more. Get ready for the crap- ing ten to twenty gallons can get out and catch gill and bass, probably all colors you had better Ten or 20 pounders pie boom to start up. This of cold water over you. some of those slab crappie species of fish know how carry a bucket to get them were common and would warm, weather will turn After a few cold soakings I that are biting very well, if to get a meal in these tree- all to your truck or boat. feed the whole neighbor- them on for sure. learned to pay close atten- you know where to find tops and logs. I choose to visit the hood which was a regular Happy Fishing! Hunters in Kentucky can chase bears with dogs By ROGER ALFORD states to hunt bears. criticized hunters who shoot commission not to allow even a put young cubs at risk. Associated Press Kentucky now is among bears. brief chase season. Kentucky has allowed a two- fewer than 20 states — includ- The Kentucky Houndsmen “Kentucky has a small, frag- day quota bear hunting season Hunters will be allowed to ing , Virginia and Association had argued that ile bear population, and allow- with guns in eastern Kentucky chase black bears with dogs in West Virginia — that allow hunt- using dogs to hunt bears would ing practices like chasing down for the past two years. The wild- Kentucky for a week late this ers to chase bears with dogs. instill a fear of humans in some bears with dogs just sends the life commission voted Friday to year but they can’t shoot them Doug Morgan, chairman of of the more brazen bruins in the message that cruel recreational extend that season to three when they get them cornered. the Kentucky Houndsmen state’s mountain region. opportunities are favored over days. The Kentucky Fish and Association’s political action More than a century ago, responsible wildlife manage- The maximum number of Wildlife Commission rejected a committee, said he was disap- bears thrived in Kentucky’s ment,” Rogers said. bears that could be killed will proposal Friday to allow the pointed he won’t be able to mountain region, but over-hunt- For some five years, the hunt- remain 10. hunters, known as houndsmen, chase bears with his dogs and ing and habitat loss led to their ers have been pressing state Last year, hunters got only to kill bears when their dogs shoot them in Kentucky. disappearance. wildlife officials to approve a four. chase them up trees or bay “I wouldn’t criticize the com- Over the past 20 years, they “chase” season for bears in the State Rep. Tommy Turner, them on the ground. Hunters mission,” Morgan said. “We have ventured back into state’s Appalachian region. co-chairman of the House are allowed to shoot bears dur- have a chase season, at least, Kentucky from other states. There, some of the animals have Sportsmen’s Caucus, said ing a three-day season in and that’s a positive thing. That The Humane Society had been raiding garbage cans, eat- Friday he was shocked by the December if they are not using was a good compromise that the called for the wildlife commis- ing from back porch pet food commission’s vote after being dogs. commission came up with. It sion to reject the proposal to bowls, and, in one instance, assured members were going to The commissioners will took us two years to get this allow “hounding” bears, calling mauling a tourist in the Red approve the August chase sea- allow houndsmen to chase chase season with dogs, and it “unsporting to chase down River Gorge. son and the December kill sea- bears with their dogs from Dec. we’ll just keep working to animals with packs of dogs.” The wildlife commission also son for the houndsmen. 17-23. expand that.” Pamela Rogers, the Humane voted down a proposal to allow “We had a compromise that This compromise lets the The Humane Society has Society’s Kentucky director, houndsmen to chase bears in everybody had agreed to, but hunters train their dogs so they said chasing bears with hounds said the organization would August after the Humane evidently some people can’t can take them to neighboring is inhumane and the group has have preferred that the wildlife Society complained that could keep their word,” Turner said.