Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 356.14 Surface Temperature - 84
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 356.15 Surface Temperature - 84

Both lakes are three feet below summer pool and on a slow draw down toward winter pool. Kentucky Dam has been generating an average flow of 33,700 over today. Barkley Dam has been generating an average flow of 15,100 today. The latest lake levels , current flows and forecasts for all the TVA lakes can be found at http://www.tva.com/river/lakeinfo/index.htm . With the water levels now well below summer pool, boaters should be cautious about navigating outside of the marked channels. Just because these are big lakes does not mean they are deep lakes. Certainly, nothing can ruin a fun fishing trip quicker than a damaged lower unit or even worse an injury caused by striking an unseen underwater object.

We have been under high pressure with humid hot days this week and the heat has kept the water temperatures up but relief is coming starting with a cold frontal passage this evening to be followed by another cold frontal passage later tonight. This is going to bring in some early fall weather for the weekend and into next week. The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 77 and low of 48 with wind NNE at 14. Saturday's forecast is for a high of 76 and low of 48 with wind ENE at 9. Sunday is showing a high of 83 and low of 59 with wind ESE at 4. It is going to be a beautiful weekend here in the lakes area. The extended forecast into next week is showing highs in the mid 80's and low's in the mid 60's through the week with another cold front now forecasted to come through the area around next Thursday or Friday. These cooler temperatures will most certainly start moving the water temperatures down and move more baitfish and bass into the creeks and bays to stage for the coming fall feeding patterns. Our fishing this past week showed little change from the past week with us having taken fish early in the mornings on main lake points and also back shallow in the creeks and bays on topwater lures and then backing out to deeper flats and lead in banks using spinnerbaits, crankbaits and swim baits. We have also been taking fish on the ledges during the day, but as reported last week, the baitfish and the following bass are moving a lot on the ledges so it is a matter of finding which spots have the baitfish right now and capitalizing on the following bass when they decide to eat. We are still taking ledge fish on crankbaits and swim baits but the most productive techniques have been Carolina rigs and drop shot rigs with some jig bite.


Largemouth Bass: Largemouth are still being taken on the river and creek channel ledges on the main lakes as well as around the mouths of the creeks and bays. Some fish are being taken on deep diving crankbaits and swim baits but the more productive bite has been on Carolina rigged creature baits, dragging football head jigs and drop shot rigs. The ledge fish have been scattered this week but we are still managing to find some actively feeding fish. Largemouth are also being taken in the back halves of the creeks and bays as they are feeding on schools of young threadfin shad. These fish are being taken on topwater lures early and late in the day with spinnerbaits, lipless and square billed crankbaits and chatterbaits working during the day on deeper flats and lead in banks. The better bite has been around schools of small white and yellow bass where the Largemouth are mixing in with these feeding smaller fish. Although we are taking some numbers of fish on this shallow water pattern, most of the fish are small or just over keeper size with some occasional 3 lbs fish.

Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken on main lake gravel and rocky points early and late in the day on topwater lures and then on finesse jigs and tube jigs during the day. The better Smallmouth fishing is still being reported at night. These night feeders are being taken on rocky banks and gravel banks on the main lakes on slow rolled dark colored spinnerbaits with a single oversized Colorado blade.

Some productive lures reported this week are: Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon, Strike King KVD splash baits in bone, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer, Bag 5 custom painted Strike King XD 6 series baits in blue glimmer and green gizzard shad, Bag 5 custom painted square billed crankbaits in blue glimmer pattern, Bandit medium running crankbaits in rootbeer/chartreuse, Bag 5 custom painted Strike King Red Eye shad in blue glimmer, Chatterbaits in blue glimmer with twin tail Yamamoto trailer in blue pearl, Charmer timber pups in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple on Carolina rigs, Slong's football head jigs in Cumberland Craw, D&L baby advantage jigs in Cumberland Craw and "oops" patterns as well as Last Cast hairy bug jigs in green pumpkin, Charmer shaky head worms on drop shot rigs in green pumpkin candy and Charmer tubes in road kill and green pumpkin.

White Bass: White Bass are being taken on the old river channel ledges where they are feeding on schools of baitfish. These fish can be taken by vertically fishing with inline spinners and small spoons. Some fish are also being taken by trolling inline spinners behind deep diving crankbaits along the river ledges and main lake creek channel ledges as well as on old creek channels around the mouths of the creeks and bays.

Catfish: Catfish are being taken on the old river channel ledges in 25-35 feet of water using nightcrawlers and cut baits. The best bite is during periods of current.

If you are coming to the big lakes here to enjoy our great fishing, make sure you stop by these businesses for all your fishing and boating needs:

The Cabin Bait and Tackle is located in Kuttawa on U.S. 62 about one mile west of the I-24/U.S. 62 interchange. The Cabin Bait and Tackle has a great selection of the latest in rods, reels, lures for you bass anglers and also a great selection of tackle for the panfish anglers to include live bait. You can also find a selection of bows and guns for the hunter as well as personal handguns in the store. The Cabin also hosts the a website where you can order all your fishing needs with free shipping on all orders over 50.00. Be sure to check them out at www.tackleexperts.com . The Cabin has a great delicatessen where you can get that early morning breakfast sandwich or enjoy a delicious lunch. Phone: 270-388-6440
Fisherman's Headquarters is located in Draffenville at the U.S. 68/U.S. 641 triangle. Fisherman's Headquarters boasts a great selection of the latest in rods, reels and lures for bass anglers that are on the market, not to mention one of the best selection of high end lures and local custom lures we use here on Ky/Barkley lakes. You can find many of the custom lures you see in my fishing reports there including the Bag5 custom painted crank baits and jerk baits. Fisherman's Headquarters also has a really good selection of Crappie and panfish tackle featuring Wally Marshall "Mr Crappie" rods, reels, lures and line as well as live baits. Phone: 270-527-5938.

Jet-A-Marina: If you have a problem with your boat while you are visiting our great fisheries, let me recommend you have the folks in the service department at Jet-a-Marina check it out. These folks have a well known reputation for trying to keep our visitors on the water while they are here if they can possibly do so, especially you tournament anglers. Hopefully you will not need this kind of assistance but if you do, you can find Jet-a-Marina located on U.S. 62 in Calvert City, just a couple of miles north of Kentucky Dam. Jet-a-Marina also has a great showroom for all your boating accessories and check out the new Ranger, Stratos and Triton bass boats too as well as bulk oil at rock bottom prices for your engine. Phone: 270-395-4030 .

LEDGE FISHING:

Now is the time to make your reservations to learn how to fish the ledges. I offer a focused teaching trip on how to fish the ledges. This trip consists of a class on how to eliminate the water on your topo map before you leave home so that you can concentrate your time on only the highest percentage ledges while on the water as well as some time on the water to learn how to use your electronics on the ledges, set up on the ledges and learn the techniques used to fish the ledges. This teaching trip has been very popular over the many years since I started offering it as it will teach you how to go find and fish the best ledges on your own. I am currently doing a number of these teaching trips and as usual the feedback I am getting from those that have taken the class is very positive. To book one of these trips, all you have to do is give me a call or drop me an email to book one of my open dates.

GUIDE SERVICE:

For those of you that may not be familiar with my service: I am a full time catch and release bass fishing guide. I only guide for bass. I have been guiding for bass full time on these lakes for 17 years and bass fishing the lakes for over 30 years. I do not go out and fish panfish for 4 or 5 days and then try to guide on bass for one or two days. No one knows everything the bass are doing but one thing is for sure, if you only fish for bass day in and day out, you will have a lot better idea of what they are doing and also be familiar with all the different techniques it takes to be a successful bass angler. If you book with my service, you will have me as your guide and you will be guided in the comfort of a late model Z522 Ranger Comanche equipped with 2 Lowrance HDS 10's and top of the line tackle. I provide just for fun bass fishing trips, tournament preparation trips, focused teaching trips and technique instruction. If you are in need of a bass fishing guide give me a call or drop me an email.

I have dates available in September, October and November. Make your reservations now for the fall fishing before the date(s) you want are taken.

Of course for next spring's bass fishing so now is a good time to make that reservation to get the date(s) you want.