Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 354.59 Surface Temperature - 55
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 354.70 Surface Temperature - 55
Both lakes are about one half foot over winter pool. Kentucky Dam has been generating between 28,000 - 59,000 cfs over the past 24 hours. Barkley Dam has been generating between 8,700 - 17,800 cfs over the past 24 hours. 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. Certainly we all need to be aware that our water and air temperatures are now in the ranges that hypothermic conditions are present. Now is the time to make sure you have a survival kit in your boat to include a change of clothes, fire starter and make sure you keep your cell phone in a waterproof bag. Let someone know where you are going to be fishing and when you will be coming off the water.
I mentioned in my last report that if you wanted to get in on some of the late fall fishing here you should try to get on the water earlier this week because the winter type weather was just around the corner. Well, we have an arctic front that will be passing through the lakes area tonight and the cold weather is coming in behind it. The forecast for tomorrow is a high of 55 and a low of 37 with wind NNW14 and 70% chance of rain. Saturday is showing a high of 45, low of 23 with wind NNW17. Sunday is forecasted to have a high of 38, low of 26 with wind NNE9. The extended forecast into mid next week is for high's in the low 40's and night time low's in the lower 30's.
Although the weather was somewhat more hospitable early this week after the terrible storms of last weekend, the wind was a factor and kept a lot of folks off the water. I did not get out myself the past few days as I have been teaching my Eliminating Water Class but I did have a few reports from some folks that did find some areas out of the wind to catch some fish. The reports I received indicated that the patterns had not changed since my last report with most of the bass being taken in the creeks and bays as they were feeding on schools of shad but that the feeding activity was scattered and it was reported to be feast or famine. The reports also indicated that the bite is better around mid day when the water is at it's warmest. Spinnerbaits and flat sided crankbaits were reported to be the best producers on the schooling fish with some single fish being taken here and there on topwater lures on shallow flats. Crappie anglers were reporting a scattered bite also with one or two fish here and there. Most of the Crappie anglers were reporting finding their fish suspended over brush piles in 15-20 ft of water and were taking them while spider rigging with small jigs tipped with minnows.
FLASH: This will be my last weekly fishing report until the first week of March next year. I do not guide in the winter time and I don't write fishing reports without good verified information. I will write an occasional report this winter when I do have enough verifiable information. I will however, be teaching my class (Eliminating Water) this winter...see information on the class below. Of course you are always invited to contact me for advice or just to talk fishing anytime.
FLASH: GIFT CERTIFICATES:
Gift Certificates for a guided bass fishing trip or my "Eliminating Water" class make great Chirstmas and other special occasion gifts for your favorite bass angler. When you give one of these certificates to your favorite bass angler, you know they are getting something they will appreciate and use. To purchase a gift certificate, just give me a call at 270-362-9987 or drop me an email at dave@kentuckylakeguide.com .
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 .
ELIMINATING WATER CLASS: I will be offering my class on how to Eliminate Water again this winter during the months of January and February and I will also teach a few classes this month. These classes are limited to one or two people per class. The classes last approximately 8 hours. The cost of the class is 200.00 which covers one or two people. These classes have been very popular with my clients over the past few years and all the feedback I get is very positive. Here is some examples of that feedback:
**Dave ... Harry and I took your "Eliminating Water" class and it has helped both of us like you wouldn't believe! - J. Harris
**In the past 3 tourney's I have managed to get a limit on 3 separate lakes. Old Hickory, Barkley, and Barren. Managed a 3rd place finish Sunday on Barkley with a 6lb kicker. I have a lot more confidence when I hit the water now. I no longer pull the old "that bank looks good, lets waste a few hours here". Thanks Dave - M. King
**Well worth the money - and probably the most valuable thing I have purchased in the terms of fishing. - K. Stephens
**The eliminating water class is without a doubt the best money I've spent on fishing in my life. - D. Page
Here is a short description of the Eliminating Water Class:
"How to Eliminate Water": This class is done in a classroom environment. In this class you learn the most important thing that you can learn as a bass fisherman, that is, how eliminate water to find the Bass by finding the highest percentage spots during all the different seasons of the year that will hold more fish, more often. In this class you will learn what information you need to know in order to eliminate water to find these high percentage spots during your preplanning for a trip and how to apply this information as well as current environmental conditions to make decisions on which techniques you should be using when on the water that day and how to adjust to environment changes that can move your fish or change the pattern from day to day, season to season. Basically, what I teach you in this class is how to use knowledge of mother nature by using scientific knowledge, logic and common sense to develop a system to find your fish as well as make decisions before you get on the water and while you are on the water to be a more consistent bass angler. What I teach you in this class is what I do every day as a bass fishing guide when I am trying to find and catch bass with my clients. What you will learn in this class will apply anywhere you go bass fishing, this is not specific to just Ky and Barkley Lakes. Finding bass and making decisions as how to catch bass is not done solely by looking at electronics, it is accomplished with knowledge. There is no button on your sonar unit or mapping unit that says "Go Find Fish". Sonar units show you fish AFTER you find them. Mapping units show you just that, a topographical map of the body of water you are on. The mapping unit allows you to mark spots on your electronic map where you have found fish and assist you in navigating back to those spots. Just as with a paper topographical map, you can scan over an electronic map and mark "places of interest" or as I call them "looks good" spots to go check out when you get on the water...but finding high percentage spots are not "looks good" spots. High percentage spots are selected by having the knowledge of what type spots have the highest percentage chance of holding bass during the different seasons of the year coupled with how to apply what is going on in the environment that will affect the fish.
Call or email me to book your class date while dates are still available!
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 am taking reservations for next spring's bass fishing so now is a good time to make that reservation to get the date(s) you want. I am already getting a number of bookings for next spring so don't delay too long to make your booking.
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