KDFWR fielded calls this spring and summer complaining about the sub-par fishing for smallmouth bass in Kentuckys streams.
Stream anglers are beginning to feel the effects of the high spring rainfall in the state from 1995 to 1998. "The amount of rainfall we get from April to July dictates the bass spawning success," said Jeff Ross, KDFWR black bass research biologist. He said if the state receives 20 inches or more of rain in those months, the spawn of stream smallmouth bass falters because the high water delays nesting activity.
"When we get that much rain, the fish are smaller going into winter because they hatch later in the spring," Ross said. "Winter mortality is higher on smaller fish."
The poor spawns due to high water in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998 caused the downturn in fishing now. Population sampling on Elkhorn Creek in central Kentucky shows that four to five times as many smallmouth bass born in 1991 through 1994 survived to the next year as those born in 1995 to 1998. The fish born from 1995 to 1998 are the fish that now comprise the population of smallmouth bass from 11 to 16 inches in our streams.
"From 1990 to 1994, there were four of those five years where we had a good
spawn," Ross explained. "Then, we got those four poor years of spawning in a row."
The good spawns in the years from 1991 to 1994 provided excellent fishing as
those fish grew to 12 inches and longer. It takes roughly five to six years for a stream smallmouth bass to grow 12 inches long.
"People got used to that kind of good fishing," Ross said. "Its been a little bit of a
shock to the anglers system this year." Ross said Elkhorn Creek is being stocked with smallmouth bass on an experimental basis, "to see if we can compensate for poor environmental conditions for spawning."
"Were trying to determine if we can artificially buffer the effects of nature."
If this experimental stocking project works, it may be expanded to other smallmouth streams in the future.
This Information was provided by the Kentucky Dept. Of Fish and Wildlife
Trimmer
Stream anglers are beginning to feel the effects of the high spring rainfall in the state from 1995 to 1998. "The amount of rainfall we get from April to July dictates the bass spawning success," said Jeff Ross, KDFWR black bass research biologist. He said if the state receives 20 inches or more of rain in those months, the spawn of stream smallmouth bass falters because the high water delays nesting activity.
"When we get that much rain, the fish are smaller going into winter because they hatch later in the spring," Ross said. "Winter mortality is higher on smaller fish."
The poor spawns due to high water in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998 caused the downturn in fishing now. Population sampling on Elkhorn Creek in central Kentucky shows that four to five times as many smallmouth bass born in 1991 through 1994 survived to the next year as those born in 1995 to 1998. The fish born from 1995 to 1998 are the fish that now comprise the population of smallmouth bass from 11 to 16 inches in our streams.
"From 1990 to 1994, there were four of those five years where we had a good
spawn," Ross explained. "Then, we got those four poor years of spawning in a row."
The good spawns in the years from 1991 to 1994 provided excellent fishing as
those fish grew to 12 inches and longer. It takes roughly five to six years for a stream smallmouth bass to grow 12 inches long.
"People got used to that kind of good fishing," Ross said. "Its been a little bit of a
shock to the anglers system this year." Ross said Elkhorn Creek is being stocked with smallmouth bass on an experimental basis, "to see if we can compensate for poor environmental conditions for spawning."
"Were trying to determine if we can artificially buffer the effects of nature."
If this experimental stocking project works, it may be expanded to other smallmouth streams in the future.
This Information was provided by the Kentucky Dept. Of Fish and Wildlife
Trimmer











