The Sentinel-Echo I www.sentinel-echo.com MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012 I 11 KENTUCKY AFIELD OUTDOORS: MARCH FISHING MADNESS White bass run just around the corner This is the third frothy water gets imme- installment of a seven diately crushed, hence week series titled “March the extreme popularity Fishing Madness” pro- of white bass fishing in filing productive early spring. fishing spots across White bass hit small Kentucky. topwaters such as shad- BY LEE MCCLELLAN colored propeller baits, Special to The Sentinel- chuggers and popping Echo baits. They also strike small silver casting FRANKFORT— spoons, chrome lipless Looking back at old crankbaits and white or photos from the 1950s chartreuse in-line spin- and 1960s in Happy ners. Hunting Ground maga- The most reliable and zine, the precursor of versatile lure is an old Kentucky Afield maga- standby: a white 3-inch zine, you see anglers curly-tailed grub rigged wading in the Dix River on a ¼ -ounce leadhead. in spring with strings of A little heavier lead- fat white bass tied to head gives an angler their belts. The spring extra casting distance. white bass runs in the When you encounter headwaters of Lake a school of marauding Herrington and up into white bass, work the the Dix River drew grub near the surface anglers from all over first. If no fish strike, let central Kentucky and the lure sink a few feet beyond when the dog- before retrieving. woods bloomed in late Check out our other March and April. features of the March The drought years of Fishing Madness the late 1980s and early Kickoff on a new page 1990s impacted the at the Kentucky Fish strong spring flow that and Wildlife website at white bass need to fw.ky.gov. If you plan to spawn. White bass pop- fish, you’ll need to buy a ulations all over the new 2012 Kentucky fish- South declined, precipi- ing license, available in tously in some waters. the sporting goods sec- Herrington Lake was tion of department one of those waters stores and tackle shops. where white bass popu- You may also buy one lations fell dramatical- by visiting the Kentucky ly. By the late 1990s and Fish and Wildlife the early 2000s, the homepage at fw.ky.gov famous white bass runs or by calling 1-877-598- dwindled to a shell of 2401. their former greatness. The population bot- Author Lee McClellan tomed out, but once reg- is an award-winning ular spring tides associate editor for returned, so did the Kentucky Afield maga- white bass runs. zine, the official publica- “There are now fan- tion of the Kentucky tastic white bass at Department of Fish and Herrington,” said PHOTO SUPPLIED Wildlife Resources. He is Kathryn Emme, assis- Anglers came from all around to fi sh the famous white bass runs in the Dix River upstream of Herrington Lake in decades past like in a life-long hunter and tant central district this archival photo. White bass fi shing in the headwaters of Herrington, Nolin River, Taylorsville and Cave Run lakes should get hot in angler, with a passion fisheries biologist for for smallmouth bass the coming weeks. The locks and dams on the Kentucky River and the lower Green River along with the tailwaters of Kentucky Lake the Kentucky fishing. Department of Fish and and Lake Barkley offer productive white bass fi shing as well. Wildlife Resources. “We Bridge. Both of these reports of white bass see many fish from 14 to access points lie inside showing up below locks 16 inches. The the Taylorsville Lake and dams in the lower Herrington Lake white Wildlife Management sections of Green River. bass are bigger and bet- Area. The tailwaters of ter than most of our The spring white bass Kentucky Lake and lakes in our region, run into the headwaters Lake Barkley also have except Taylorsville.” of Nolin River Lake is good spring white bass Anglers targeting arguably the best in fishing. The upper end white bass in Herrington Kentucky. The lake of Cave Run Lake will may launch at Bryant’s holds high numbers of have excellent white Camp Boat Ramp and 12- to 16-inch fish. The bass fishing this spring London,London, KY continue upstream until section from the Broad with many fish 12 to 14 the lake returns to the Ford boat ramp all the inches long with some rocky pool and riffle of way upstream to KY 224 fish longer than 16 inch- the Dix River. They may Bridge at Millerstown is es. Fisheries biologists encounter white bass highly productive. witnessed more white 8 Lb. Bag 50 Lb. Bag jumping anywhere in bass in Cave Run Lake Green Anglers may bank Russet Potatoes Potatoes Cabbage this stretch. access the Nolin River this past fall than in the White bass showed up Lake headwater at the past 15 years. Be careful in Taylorsville Lake in Bacon Creek Boat Ramp boating in the upper the early 1990s. They and also at the Broad ends of this lake as it $ 29 $ 99 ¢ didn’t appear in the Ford Bridge on KY 1214. contains significant early years of the lake, Boaters venturing amounts of submerged Lb but now they make one upstream of the Bacon timber. 2 9 19 of the strongest spring Creek Boat Ramp must With water tempera- runs in Kentucky. tread carefully as Nolin tures pushing up Dole Jumbo Bone-In Quarter “We saw some dandy River Lake quickly through the 50 degree Salad Mix Sweet Onions Pork Chops white bass in becomes the Nolin mark, the spring white Taylorsville, up to 16 River, full of rocks, rif- bass runs are right at inches long and fles and shallow shoals. the doorstep. “With the healthy,” Emme said. ¢ ¢ $ 69 Other waters in warm winter we’ve had, “The run up the Salt Kentucky offer produc- the runs are probably Lb. Lb. River should be strong tive spring white bass going to be early this 99 Ea. 69 1 this spring if everything fishing. A stocking pro- year,” explained Emme. cooperates.” gram begun in 2006 “They could start soon.” Boating anglers after placed tens of thou- When white bass Family Pack Boneless Boneless Beef Goolsby Taylorsville Lake white sands of white bass into make their spring Chicken Breast or Chuck Roast Sausage bass may launch at the the Kentucky River. spawning runs and Tenderloins Van Buren Boat Ramp They congregate in show up in numbers, 2/ and continue upstream. spring below locks and the fishing is practically Bank anglers may use dams on the river with non-stop. They churn $ 00 the Palmer Road access 79 some fish up to 12 inch- the water surface from $ 79 $ Lb. Lb. off Pleasant Grove es long. The fisheries bank to bank when they 1 Lb. Ridge Road via KY 248. division of Kentucky get into the “jumps” 2 4 They may also access 1 Fish and Wildlife and gorge on baitfish. the river at the KY 248 recently received Any lure cast into this Family Pack Center Kellogs Assorted Hargis House Cut Pork Loin Chops 17oz. Cereals Vieanna Sausages Optimist soccer sign ups underway Sign ups for the upcoming Laurel- until 2 p.m. and March 10 (final day) $ 19 $ 99 ¢ London Optimist Club spring soccer from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lb. season will start on Saturday. For more information, call 862-7027. 2 2 45 Ea. Sign ups dates are March 10 a.m. Mrs.Freshleys O’Days Macaroni Nestle Carmel Trio PowHer Surge softball team having tryouts Snack Cakes 8pk & Cheese Ice Cream Sandwichs PowHer Surge Softball 12U girls beginning March 12 thru March 24. travel team has a few spots open for The team will be playing in Kentucky 2/ 2/ experienced players. and Tennessee. $ 19 00 00 They will be having open tryouts If you have questions please call Ila 1 $1 $5 Store Hours: 8 AM - 9 PM Sunday 9 AM - 8 PM Prices good 3-5 thru 3-10-12 E-MAIL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR to [email protected] We accept WIC and Government Food Stamps We reserve the right to correct pricing errors.