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fve things you should know about boat insurance
Are you ready to embark on your next on-water adventure? Before you set sail, here are fve things to know about boat insurance.
1. Boat insurance isn’t just for accidents
With comprehensive coverage, you’ll also be protected fnancially for theft, vandalism, and unexpected events like storms if you need repairs or replacements due to damage.
Accidents can happen to anyone
When accidents happen, boat insurance offers liability coverage for damages or injuries you cause while boating, up to specifed limits. It can also cover lawsuit costs if you’re sued.
3. Boat insurance can cover medical payments
Boat insurance offers a range of optional medical payments coverage limits, helping to cover medical expenses if you’re in an accident or someone is hurt on your boat, regardless of fault.
4. Most lenders require boat insurance
If you fnanced your boat, you’ll likely need boat insurance since most lenders require boat insurance to protect their investment. Additionally, some marinas or municipalities require proof of insurance for docking.
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By A. deGruchy
Mahi season is one of those drop everything and go times of year, and when we begin to slide from spring into summer, you can usually count on schools showing up o!shore. e warmer the water, the better it gets, especially when you nd clean blue water, good current edges, weed lines, oating debris, or any kind of structure holding bait in that 75- to 82-degree range. Fishing with Bean Sport shing in the Florida Keys and other parts of the state, over the past few years we’ve de nitely seen more smaller sh and fewer big cows and bulls, but that doesn’t mean they’re gone. When conditions line up, there’s always a chance a quality mahi-mahi is mixed in with the schoolies.
Mahi love anything moving, so live bait is tough to beat, and when they’re really red up, you can even catch them on y. Tackle-wise, we like running a 6500 size setup because you never know when a better sh shows up. e Penn Slammer IV 6500 paired with a Carnage III rod is a go-to for us, and the Penn Spin sher VII 6500 spinning combo is another solid option. We’ve had great success using the Mustad 7766D 6/0 hook, and for bait we’ll typically sh whitebait or troll Islamorada Flyers depending on the day.
When it comes to the table, blackened or fried mahi is hard to beat, and we only keep what we’re going to eat that day. Even though mahi are one of the fastest-growing sh in the ocean, conservation still matters, and being mindful about what you harvest goes a long way.
Bean Sport shing can run this type of trip, but it’s highly weather dependent o!shore. If you’re looking to book a dedicated o!shore charter in e Keys, I highly recommend LegaSea Charters. Capt. Joey can be reached at legaseacharters.com.
If you’re planning on visiting Islamorada, book at the fabulous ree Waters Resort and reach out to us about a special captain’s discount.
Follow deGruchy’s adventures on Instagram @bean_sport shing and on YouTube @BeanSport shing. To book a charter, visit beansport shing.com.
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Jacksonville Offshore Fishing Club
By Darrin “Doc” Willingham
April is here and we are looking forward to calmer weather, following seas and many more fishing days. Thursday, April 2, 2026, will be out Easter celebration meeting. We will have our Annual JOSFC Easter Egg hunt for our Junior Anglers. We hide hundreds of eggs in the playground behind the Clubhouse/Community Center and the first Easter Egg Hunt starts around 6:00. We look forward to lots of junior anglers from our Northeast Florida Fishing Community, Mayport Village and our extended Northeast Florida Inshore Slayers Family. Dinner will start close to 7:00 PM with the JOSFC providing Carroll’s Meat Shoppe smoked hams and plenty of sides from our members. Please come join us at the William “Bill” Gulliford, Jr. -Mayport Community Center, 4875 Ocean Street, Jacksonville Florida 32211 (across the street from the Mayport Boat Ramp).
Our JOSFC Club tournaments during April are the “Unlimited Trolling” tournament for our Offshore Captains and the “Shrimp Only” tournament for our Inshore Captains.
Our April 16th meeting will hopefully have updates from the most recent NOAA Fisheries Atlantic Coast/FWC Exempted Fishing Permit Public Comment requests and, we are all anxious to hear if Governor Ron DeSantis’ and FWC’s hard work will award our East Coast Fishing Community the 39 days (30 days in mid-May through mid-June, and (3)-three day weekends in October 2026) of Red Snapper Fishing that they have been fighting for.
Our Reef Development Director and his team are getting closer to announcing an artificial offshore reef deployment date range for the Harm’s Ledge area in the foreseeable future. We are standing by as the JOSFC, FWC and the City of Jacksonville continue our offshore and nearshore reef development efforts.
As a reminder, we meet the first and third Thursday of each month, doors open at 6:00 PM, Dinner at approximately 6:50 PM, Educational/
Guest Speakers at approximately 7:30, a little Club business and then we close each meeting with a great Raffle. Guests are always welcome. Come check out our fishing club. We would love to meet you. We would love for you to become a member.
Darrin “Doc” Willingham JOSFC President “Living the Dream”
Fishing Report & Forecast Sisters Creek
By Capt. Tony Bozella
April can be a very exciting month to Fish. Most of the Bait will be back in North Florida and with that migration comes many of the Pelagic fish. This is a very good time to work lures for big speckled trout. Gator trout.( over 5lbs) will be lurking around structure, rocks, grass, lines, and any other place that has current and Bait. It’s a good time to run and gun and hit a lot of points that have these features if you make 10 or 20 good cast and no action move to the next spot I like Fishing low light conditions on the last of the incoming tide. Good methods include throwing Long cast up Current and working your Bates back with the Current since Fish stem into the tide. Some of the top producing baits include mirro lures, Rappala’s, & Yo- zuri’s in natural colors. Any type of top water bait or diving lip plug at this time that matches a mullet Polkey or any bait fish local to your area can be a real ticket. Rig your bait with a 30 inch piece of floor carbon liter and secure any type of loop not directly to the eye of the lure. This will eliminate mechanical failures with the split rings, that do separate under a load. Float rigs, and Jig and Shrimp combinations will take their fair share as well. A popping cork with a shrimp can also be another effective method. Flounder will be starting to show
up. TBS Jig paired with a Mud Minnow can be a deadly combination. In the past, I have used a TBS bucktail paired with a gulp is about the most deadly lure I have used. One afternoon fishing a bend in a creek and hopping the bucktail across the bottom we caught 22 flounders, to make for one of the better days!!! blue fish, Spanish mackerel, lady fish, and Jacks, will all be in the mix. Although not the big wintertime schools that you might be used to looking at. There will still be some red fish in the back country. Jig and Shrimp / Mud Minnow combos can still be very effective way to fish for them. I like to throw into the Eddie‘s alongside a rip, coming around an oyster bar and I wait 15/ 20 minutes if I do not get a strike, then I move to the next spot. I like fishing this style for the backcountry reds on the last three hours of the outgoing tide to the dead low. Ok, get out and enjoy a beautiful spring. Tight lines.
Contact me to book a charter or for some first class jigs
Capt. Tony Bozzella TBS JIGS
Pro Angler/Guide tonybozzella.com
904 651-0182
Finding the Right Boat
earching for a boat today can feel different than it did just a few years ago. With listings spread across multiple websites and platforms, it’s important to know where to look and how to compare your options.
Professional marine listing sites operated by licensed yacht brokers can be a helpful starting point, as they often provide detailed information and follow industry standards designed to support both buyers and sellers. Social media platforms and dealership websites can also offer additional opportunities to see what’s available.
If you’re beginning the search for your next boat and would like
guidance on where to start, you’re always welcome to reach out. I’m happy to help point you in the right direction and share insight about the current boating market. Larry Redmond Redmond Boats & Yachts Call or text anytime 904-206-0719 www.redmondyachts.com”
Fishing Report & Forecast Mayport
By Capt. Kirk Waltz
The locals know it’s been a very tough few weeks with the barrage of cold fronts that have pushed through. The frigid extreme weather has pushed our water temps down to the low 50’s in some places to reports as low as 49 degrees. One after another they have pounded the First Coast and have kept many people at bay in the comfort of their homes. With that being said the few windows of warm weather we have had brought some really good fishing opportunities.
The reds have pushed into the shallow creeks and flats to warm themselves in the mid-day sun. Though at times a little spooky, it’s been fun chasing them around in the shallows. Look for this pattern to continue. I like to ease along the edges of the creeks slowly casting a light ¼ oz to 3/8 oz jig with a mud minnow or shrimp. It’s best to dead stick the baits and let them lay with a slight ever so gentle twitch to alert the reds of the bait. Too much movement will spook them so think very slight movement at best. The creeks north and south of the ICW to Cabbage, Pablo creeks to the south and Broward, Horseshoe, Hannah Mills, and Clapboard to the north will hold reds and trout. Remember slow, slow, slow presentation is going to be the most productive. And here’s a tip that will really help you if your fishing live bait. The smaller the bait the better when this water is so cold.
The main channel of the ICW both north and south at low tide has been good for reds and trout. Float rigs, jigs, and even a light Carolina rig can be effective. Look for that to continue this month. Good-sized weakfish (yellow-mouthed trout) and speckled trout can be found from the Dames Point area all the way out to the big rocks at Mayport this month. I like to toss shrimp/Mud Minnow and jig combo along the deep drops at high tide.
The big rocks at Mayport will hold good numbers of reds, sheepshead, trout, ringtails, and black drum this month. Fiddlers, cut crab, mud minnows, shrimp, and clams can be very effective. Work the tides from high to low tide and they can be highly productive. Several techniques can work well from jigs to float rigs or a bottom rig. Be patient as the water is cold and the fish are somewhat lethargic.
The offshore scene will be in slow mode, but you can hit the party grounds and catch good numbers of seabass, red snapper, ringtails, triggerfish, and a few flounder. Whether you hit Jax Wreck or run to the MR reef it can be a blast. Cut cigars, squid, and even shrimp will catch fish. Be sure to check the regulations for what you can harvest. Good fishing and remember you can’t catch them from the couch.
To book a charter Capt. Kirk can be reached at 904.626.1128. online: www.Enterprisefishingcharters.com
Listen to the Outdoors Show on 1010am or 92.5 fm from 7-10am for weather, tips, and tides every Saturday morning
21
Fishing Report & Forecast Pier and Surf
By Noel Kuhn
The best Whiting bite in over ten years PERIOD! February and March were off the chart as far as quantity and quality. Days of catching, not fishing, has been the new normal. I like the tough decision - do I want to clean any more than what is in the cooler? This trend should last through this month also.
If you want to fill the cooler with Whiting, down size your tackle. My go to hook is NOT 1/0, but a #1 Eagle Claw Circle Sea. Also, down size your bait to 1” x ½”. You can never go wrong with fresh dead shrimp. However, two of my favorite baits, when the bite is hot, catch multiple fish with the same bait. They are pink Fishbites in shrimp flavor and Whiting strips. Catching Whiting with Whiting is very productive. I learned this 20 years
ago when we ran out of shrimp. Just fillet one and keep the skin on. Next cut in strips ½” x 1”. Finally go through the meat then out through the skin. Then check the tip of your hook for a scale. Time to send it.
This month and next month are prime times for the return of the fastmigrating Pompano. They spent this cold winter down in south Florida. Now they are on the move headed all the way to North Carolina for the hot summer months. When pursuing these Silver Nuggets, use this pro tip. Do not cast too far. My first six-pound Pompano came when the bite was so hot that I could not get three rods baited. I had just finished baiting rod number two when my first rod went off. I made a panicked cast with number two. It went about 30 feet into three feet of water. As I was reeling in number one, I heard drag ripping! That short mistake cast ended up being a six-pound 4-ounce Pomp that was 22” to the fork!
When you set up, if you have more than one rod, throw one short. If you have three or more, cover all ranges. Especially one short. One just inside the bar and one as far as you can cast. If you do not have a quality fish in the cooler within 20 minutes, move. Look up and down the beach and find some different structure. In the words of my friend Larry Finch “You can’t make them be there and you can’t make them bite!”
If you want to take your surf fishing to the next level, I can help! There are two ways to meet up with me on the beach. First, each month I teach a class of ten people for Guy Harvey. You can find these classes by going to guyyharveyoutpost.com Then look for outdoor adventures. Secondly, is a one-on-one charter. Below you will find my website and info. .
Noel Kuhn
Surf fishing guide and long distance casting coach. 904-945-0660 www.TheSurfAngler.com
Fishing Report & Forecast St. Augustine Offshore
By Capt. Robert Johnson
MAHI MADNESS
Mahi, Dorado or more commonly called Dolphin are a favorite of NE FL anglers. I call them Mahi so customers don’t mistakenly think we are targeting Flipper - lol. The best fishing typically is around the full moon. Fortunately for anglers, Mahi aren’t picky. When you find them, they are more than willing to eat.
Mahi prefer water temps from 74 degrees and above. Temperature changes, current breaks, and weed lines are prime habitat for Mahi. If you find any two or more of the above conditions, it’s game on!
Mahi take a variety of baits, but I’ve found less is best. It’s hard to beat a medium Ballyhoo rigged naked - no skirt. When a fish comes into the spread, allow him to take the bait in free spool, it ensures a solid hookup. If sea conditions are choppy, a sea witch skirt or small headed lure will help keep your baits in the water. There will be other species
available as well. Blackfin Tuna, Sailfish, and Wahoo will be in the mix. For Wahoo, we pull one line down deep on a planner. To limit bite offs, we pull this bait on #9 wire. My favorite rig is a Blue and White Islander rigged with a large ballyhoo.
On the bottom there will be plenty of Triggerfish, Vermillion, and Mutton Snapper. Vermilions and Triggers will take a variety of cut bait. Muttons are a little finickier and require a longer leader. I prefer a Sardine on 80# monofilament leader at least 12 ft in length using just enough lead to get your bait to the bottom.
Whatever you choose to target, April is a great month to go fishing. Temperatures are mild and seas are getting calmer. It’s a great time to go to the Gulfstream.
Call me - Let’s Go Fishing!
Captain Robert Johnson
(904)540-2628
Jodielynncharters.com
Jlfishing@bellsouth.net
Fishing Report & Forecast St. Augustine Inshore
By Capt. Tommy Derringer
What an awesome time of year for fishing and for just being on the water in Northeast Florida. The weather is about as nice as it gets... The inshore fish (redfish, trout, flounder, drum, bluefish, ladyfish, jacks, etc.) will be on the feed with the influx of baitfish (finger mullet and pogies). With warming air and water temps the nearshore fishing should be firing up as well with huge jacks, cobia, and maybe even a tripletail or two.
Inshore the redfish will be crushing the finger mullet and that means a top-water plug, especially at first and last light, will be the go-to lure of choice. My favorite top-water plug is the Berkley J-Walker 120. It mimics a mullet to a tee and the “walk the dog: type action is just right. Look for
large concentrations of mullet and toss your plugs around them. There’s sure to be a redfish lurking around looking for an easy snack. Once the sun gets higher in the sky I like to switch to a search bait this time of year. One of my go-to search lures as of late has been the Berkley Stick Shad. You can cast it a mile and the redfish have been absolutely crushing it over the winter months and now early spring.
April has always been a great “gator” trout month for me. A top-water plug will account for some of the bigger trout catches this month. The outgoing tide along the ICW banks should be loaded with trout, especially if the baitfish are around. Once the day heats up a bit I like to fish a 1/4-ounce jighead paired with a soft plastic like a Gulp shrimp or paddle tail for the trout. Use a twitch, twitch, pause method and most of the time they’ll hit it on the pause. A free-lined live shrimp with a small pinch weight a few inches above it is a great was to catch some trout too.
The inlets will come alive with all kinds of fast hitting fish this month. Look for jacks, blues, ladyfish, and spanish macs to be on the feed around all the area inlets. Crankbaits, spoons, and just about anything that’s moving fast through the water will catch these fish.
Nearshore the cobia will be along the beaches following the manta rays. The magic water temp seems to be somewhere between the high 60’s and low 70’s. Pick a calm sunny day and have your shot at some of the most fun sight-fishing Northeast Florida has to offer. Also be sure to bring a few live shrimp when hitting the beach as there may be a few tripletail hanging around as well. .
Capt. Tommy Derringer 904-377-3734 • www.InshoreAdventures.net
Topwater Lures for Big Spring Snook and Trout
CAPT. MIKE SMITH
Are you tired of catching tons of 13 inch speckled trout and 16 inch snook?
It’s time for you to switch to a big top water lure to catch big springtime sh. A walk-the-dog type of lure is an excellent choice. I like Zara Super Spooks, Mirrolure Top Dogs and Rapala Skitterwalks the best. Make sure to choose a lure that is at least four inches long. Hungry springtime sh are ready to eat a big meal as the water temperatures rise.
A larger lure has many advantages over smaller baits. e larger pro le and length creates more vibrations to attract monster sh from long distances. A larger lure allows you to cover more water because you can make longer casts. A larger lure also discourages most of the smaller sh from biting. You will catch fewer sh but they will be of much better quality.
e best topwater lure colors for speckled trout and snook are silver and white. Choose lures with silver or white sides
Pro Tip #1: Do yourself and the sh a favor and smush down the barbs on your treble hooks. You won’t lose any sh as long as you keep the line tight. e hooks will also come out of the sh and your hand much more easily.
and bellies. e back color doesn’t really matter because the sh will hit from under and behind the lures. e best retrieves for a walk-the-dog lure includes a pause every ten feet or so. Quite o en you will get a vicious reaction bite right a er the pause.
Pro Tip #2: e best leader material for walk-the-dog lures is mono lament. Mono lament line oats versus uorocarbon line that will sink and negatively a ect your topwater lure’s action. A short heavy leader, 12 to 15 inches is a great choice. Long leaders will o en negatively a ect your lure presentation. Many shermen believe that you can’t use topwater lures in the middle of the day. But they are wrong. You can use a topwater lure all day and catch huge speckled trout and snook. Topwater lures do work the best in low light scenarios. It can be sunrise or sunset but cloudy or stormy days are also great times to use big topwater lures. If you nd a school of mullet, cast your topwater lure just outside of the school. You want to make it easy for the snook and trout to distinguish your lure from the rest of the school.
Spring is a great time to catch huge snook and speckled trout with big topwater lures. ese sh need to fatten up again a er fasting through much of the winter. ey would rather eat one large calorie meal than have to chase a bunch of small sh around for the same caloric input.
Capt. Mike Smith, owner of Fish Your Ass O Charters, is an inshore shing guide who has been shing the inshore waters, oyster bars and grass ats of Florida for more than 40 years. Reach him at (561) 339-2317, email: contact@ shyourasso .com or visit shyourasso .com.
= approximately 8”
(10) year
L O S CLUB
First
APRIL ON THE FLATS: WHEN SPRING HITS ITS STRIDE
If March is the warmup, April is go time.
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
Longer days, greener water, and steady warming trends ip the inshore switch from “transition” to “feed.” e bait is thicker, the tides feel stronger, and the sh are no longer just staging — they’re hunting. April is when things start getting fun in a hurry. e key word this month is movement. By April, speckled trout are pushing onto reefs, sandbars, and grass edges with more consistency. Red sh are cruising shorelines, ooded grass, and marsh drains with purpose. Flounder settle into ambush points along drop-o s and current seams. Water temperature swings aren’t as drastic as early spring, but bait movement tied to tides becomes critical. Instead of asking where the warmest water is, start asking: Where is the cleanest moving water? Where is bait being pushed? Where is current creating ambush points? Points, drains, and wind-blown shorelines shine in April. If water is moving and bait is present, predators won’t be far away.
Unlike the slower mid-a ernoon bites of late winter, April o en rewards early risers. at rst light window can be electric — especially on calm mornings with bait dimpling the surface. is is when topwaters re-enter the rotation in a serious way. ere’s nothing subtle about an April blowup. But don’t force it. If sh are swiping and missing, switch to a so plastic or suspending bait and clean up the followers.
April sh are more aggressive, but they’re still opportunistic. Paddle tails, shrimp imitations, and swimbaits all shine, especially when worked with a con dent, steady retrieve. Water clarity should dictate your approach. In cleaner water natural colors and subtle action are key. In stained water, vibration and contrast matter more. If sh are chasing, cover water. If they’re following but not committing, slow down and add pauses. Let the sh tell you what they want.
April breezes can stack bait against shorelines and points. Wind creates feeding lanes. Instead of hiding from it, position yourself to use it. Dri with it. Fish into it. Work the edges it creates. Wind plus tide plus bait equals opportunity.
Next trip, challenge yourself by starting on a wind-blown shoreline and working it thoroughly. en move to a protected drain and compare activity. Pay attention. Which has more bait? Which has more strikes? Fishing in April is less about luck and more about reading conditions in real time.
April feels alive. e marsh hums. Birds dive. Mullet scatter. e sun carries warmth instead of warning. It’s the month where con dence returns, patterns stabilize, and sh feed longer and harder. Somewhere between the rst cast and the last dri , you’ll remember why spring inshore shing is hard to beat. e water’s warming and the sh are moving. Are you taking a kid shing?
Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor and owner of Knockin Tail Lures® — https://knockintaillures.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®
SPEND LE TIME ON TASKS More Time Fishing
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Hello Spring!
TIM BAREFOOT
It’s o!cial…say hello to spring. Anglers can now look forward to targeting a wide variety of species, including black n tuna, wahoo, African pompano, and many other sought-a er sh. With these species actively feeding during their migration north, the opportunities for successful catches are abundant. Whether you prefer trolling, dri ing, or bottom shing, the spring months bring a wealth of options to ll your cooler with quality sh.
e troll bite will probably die as soon as the sun gets up around the nine or ten o’clock timeframe. is is when you need to change tactics. Stop trolling. Put the trolling motor over and start making strategic dri s with the light line out while bottom shing. I would also suggest putting a couple baits out under the kite, as this is the most e ective presentation with very little to no leader in the water. Have at least one person dedicated to the kite baits, if you’re shing a kite. is is one of the best times of the year to spend the night, especially here in North Carolina, as the night bite could be crazy good. Put the bright lights out and you will draw the squid, cigar minnows, sardines, and all the predators to you like moths to a porch light. If you have the ability to spend the night, April could be the month you see the ultimate results. Everything including ying sh are very susceptible to a Sibiki rig. Fill the live well with live baits and start shing on the daylight bite. Fish are like us; they like to eat breakfast and dinner, so be there early and late.
Be sure to keep an eye on the recorder while on the dri for the mid water marks. In addition to shing for the snappers, have rods at the ready for sh that show on the recorder way o the bottom. ese may very well be the African pompano, so have a rod ready with a jig that you can re down and erratically jig upwards 25 to 50 feet o the bottom and then let ascend back to the bottom. Repeat over and over as this will get bites! It’s not just African pompano that frequent these deeper waters. During the middle of the day, wahoo can be found surprisingly deep, and tuna also inhabit these depths. It only takes a few wahoo, black n or pompano to make a great box of sh to take home. is is also a good time to target the smaller snapper with smaller baits on “chicken rigs” with small circle hooks. When you’re on a good bite (using small circle hooks) I would strongly recommend feeling the bite, winding tight to it and stopping. is is when another snapper will jump on the second bait. You will load up quickly with delicious groceries when you’re catching two at a time.
Bring the heat… It’s on!
Learn more tips and techniques at barefootcatsandtackle.com and on Barefoot’s YouTube channel: @timbarefoot5698.
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CRAPPIEFISHINGONKENTUCKYLAKE
By Julie Graham- ExploreTRV
Spring
As the last bite of winter gives way to the gentle stirrings of spring, Kentucky Lake comes alive. Located along the western edge of the Bluegrass State, this sprawling body of water—technically a reservoir—has long been a mecca for anglers, especially those in search of springtime crappie.
Kentucky Lake stretches a remarkable 184 miles from the Tennessee state line to the northernmost point at the Kentucky Dam making it the largest reservoir in the state and one of the largest in the U.S. e lake was formed in 1944 with the completion of the Kentucky Dam, a key project by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Today, the lake covers over 160,000 acres, with an average depth of 8-10 feet, though some areas reach even deeper. Its shoreline stretches over 2,000 miles, o ering countless coves, islands, and inlets that make it a paradise for anglers. Fishing enthusiasts quickly discovered the lake’s potential as a world-class destination for crappie, bass, and cat sh, earning it a reputation that has only grown over the decades. Feeding Kentucky Lake are several major tributaries (Blood River, Jonathan Creek, Big Sandy River) that become shing hotspots in early spring, especially where submerged timber
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and man-made structures provide cover. Every seasoned angler in this region knows spring is crappie season. As water temperatures creep into the low 60s, crappie begin their migration from deep winter haunts to shallow spawning grounds— brush piles, stumps, and submerged structures along the shoreline. Preferred bait and techniques vary by angler, but some classics stand the test of time. Live minnows, o en rigged under a slip oat, are a go-to for many, especially during the pre-spawn. Jig shing is equally e ective, with popular choices like 1/16 or 1/32 oz. so plastics in chartreuse, white, and monkey milk colors. When the bite gets tough, tipping jigs with a small minnow or switching to hand-tied hair jigs can coax hesitant sh. Long-line trolling and spider rigging also dominate certain sections of the lake, especially in the deeper channels near creek mouths.
Mornings on the lake feel almost sacred this time of year. Fishermen, some in sleek bass boats, others in aluminum ski s passed down through generations, fan out across coves and creek arms, quietly working the banks. e goal is the same: feel the tap of a crappie on the line, set the hook, and haul in what many call the “gold of the lake.” For many, the draw of spring crappie shing isn’t just the thrill of the bite. It’s also the chance to connect with the natural rhythm of the season while sitting in a quiet cove as the dogwoods bloom, passing along stories, rods, and values to the next generation. At its core, Kentucky Lake is more than a reservoir. It’s a living, breathing legacy—a place where history, sport, and stewardship come together on every cast.
For more information on shing licenses and regulations, visit the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources website - fw.ky.gov - or the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency website - www.tn.gov/twra.html.
“I never expected it to be so beautiful that it takes your breath away.”
— Kaya C., on Stauer Opals
In a quaint village, nestled between rolling hills, lived a young woman with a deep appreciation for gemstones. Her grandmother gifted her a delicate cross pendant adorned with opals. "e opals shimmered with a mesmerizing play of colors, reflecting hues of blues, greens, and fiery oranges. Her grandmother shared the legend of the opals, believed to bring hope, purity, and luck to those who wore them.
Using this story as inspiration, Stauer brings you the Opal Spirit Cross Pendant. With over 2 total carats of Kyocera lab-created opals set in .925 sterling silver encased in yellow gold, this pendant is a radiant celebration of beauty and craftsmanship. Each opal captivates with a kaleidoscopic dance of fiery oranges blending into oceanic blues, streaked with flashes of vibrant green that seem to come alive with every movement. "e shimmering opals are skillfully arranged to create an enchanting, otherworldly glow, embodying the spirit of hope and harmony.
"is breathtaking combination of color and craftsmanship is available as a limited availability of
only 930 pieces, making it a rare and treasured addition to your jewelry collection. Plus, when you order today, you’ll receive the gold-!nished sterling silver chain—a $69 value—absolutely free!
Don’t miss your chance to own this exclusive tribute to timeless elegance and meaningful symbolism.
Necklace Speci!cations:
• 2 ½ ctw. Kyocera lab opals and DiamondAura® accents
• Yellow gold-finished .925 sterling silver setting
• 18" gold-clad .925 sterling silver chain Opal
