Dumb question here.... When do bluegill & red ear start to spawn around central KY??

[drakeshooter]

Something else, I don’t know if the lakes in central and eastern Kentucky get the willow fly hatches all summer like we do on Kentucky and Barkley, but we wear them out all summer by rolling up on banks full of willow flies and fishing shallow right on the banks. I’ve been bass fishing before and not have any worms or crickets so I’d have to tie on the smallest hook possible and gently thread 2-4 willow flies on the hooks and wear them out too.

 

[Lady Hunter]

Fingers crossed. Maybe I can talk hubby into playing hooky at least one day that week & we can get on the water when it's not too crowded. Also that weekend (and hopefully the weekend before). I'd push for more weekdays but he's gonna be off work at least two weeks taking care of me after the surgery so that's not an option.

 

[Lady Hunter]

Something else, I don’t know if the lakes in central and eastern Kentucky get the willow fly hatches all summer like we do on Kentucky and Barkley, but we wear them out all summer by rolling up on banks full of willow flies and fishing shallow right on the banks. I’ve been bass fishing before and not have any worms or crickets so I’d have to tie on the smallest hook possible and gently thread 2-4 willow flies on the hooks and wear them out too.

No willow flies that I know of but I can usually catch a few right on the banks using a redworm & tiny hook. Just trying to hit the gold rush since my time on the water is gonna be so limited this year. p.s. The hub gets so mad at me for using little hooks for panfish... he absolutely HATES them... and then I catch twice as many as he does. (In his defense, he tends to catch bigger fish - more cats & an occasional bass - but I can catch 5-10 eatin' size panfish while he's still waiting for his first bite!)

 

[drakeshooter]

No willow flies that I know of but I can usually catch a few right on the banks using a redworm & tiny hook. Just trying to hit the gold rush since my time on the water is gonna be so limited this year. p.s. The hub gets so mad at me for using little hooks for panfish... he absolutely HATES them... and then I catch twice as many as he does. (In his defense, he tends to catch bigger fish - more cats & an occasional bass - but I can catch 5-10 eatin' size panfish while he's still waiting for his first bite!)

I’m used to willow fly hatches that can get overwhelming if you’re the least bit claustrophobic. Millions and millions hatching on the banks causing a shallow water feeding frenzy of every species. At night running a black light we use to take a scoop shovel with us to get them out of the boat. Crazy y’all don’t get that to the east.

 

[mcbuck58]

I’m used to willow fly hatches that can get overwhelming if you’re the least bit claustrophobic. Millions and millions hatching on the banks causing a shallow water feeding frenzy of every species. At night running a black light we use to take a scoop shovel with us to get them out of the boat. Crazy y’all don’t get that to the east.

Willow flies? Oh you mean Mayflies. Largest hatches I’ve ever seen were up on Lake Erie.

 

[HeadedWest]

Willow flies? Oh you mean Mayflies. Largest hatches I’ve ever seen were up on Lake Erie.

Seriously. Sit back, grab an adult beverage, and watch the cloud rise over the water.

 

[drakeshooter]

Willow flies to the locals around here and along the Tennessee River, July is the big month. I’ve seen fish gorged and nearly busting at the seems haha.

Willow Flies In July On The Tennessee River

The phenomenon recurs every year. Swarms of willow flies by the millions make their appearance along the Tennessee …

aonmag.com

 

[mcbuck58]

Many years ago was in Port Clinton Ohio. The hatch was so bad on Lake Erie that during a week’s fishing we hardly caught any walleye. They we’re using street cleaners across all lanes and people were using snow shovels and brooms to clear sidewalks.

 

[drakeshooter]

I bet @1wildcatfan has seen some messes at his lakeside home. When they get mashed a little and dry on anything they’re a PITA to clean off. They’ll ruin a new boat finish.

 

[1wildcatfan]

I bet @1wildcatfan has seen some messes at his lakeside home.

Yep. A backpack leaf blower is your friend the morning after a big hatch. Never had any luck with night time bass when the mayflies hatched. Now, if we hear em swarming when we get to the boatdock, we head back up to the house.

 

[HeadedWest]

Port Clinton and Door Co Wisconsin we’re my taste of it…..hard to describe.

 

[drakeshooter]

Yep. A backpack leaf blower is your friend the morning after a big hatch. Never had any luck with night time bass when the mayflies hatched. Now, if we hear em swarming when we get to the boatdock, we head back up to the house.

I never thought they helped or hurt nighttime smallies. The moon phase and amount of current being pulled were the biggies, along with month of the year. We always caught more in April and September/October than other months. .

 

[ribsplitter]

Willow flies? Oh you mean Mayflies. Largest hatches I’ve ever seen were up on Lake Erie.

Same here,. We had a place on south bass for years. I've seen swarms that just seemed to make everything go away.

 

[drakeshooter]

Bluegill fisher.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1638941939910447105

 

[Redlined]

When I used to fish the Ohio hard back about 20 years ago, the may flies would get ridiculously thick in early summer. I rememer a particularly heavy hatch one year and at dark giant schools of channel cats (hundreds) would come up to the surface with their mouths out of the water and suck them up. Fish farm type feeding frenzy.