Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 354.95 Surface Temperature - 51
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 354.90 Surface Temperature - 49

Both lakes are about one foot over winter pool. Kentucky Dam is generating an average rate of 14,500 cfs. Barkley Dam is generating an average rate of 30,600. 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 . Kentucky Lake water clarity ranges from clear to slightly stained. Lake Barkley ranges from stained to heavily stained. With the water levels 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.

High winds were the senario here on the lakes many days this past week but we did get a couple of nice warmer days which allowed anglers to get on the water. Water temperatures dropped a little earlier in the week with a cold front but rebounded nicely the past couple of days although we are still running about 6-7 degrees below normal for this time of year. The far south end of Kentucky Lake where the water is warmer and the fish are in prespawn patterns produced some very nice bags in tournaments with some bags topping the 30lbs range. The north end of Kentucky Lake is still in early prespawn patterns but the slowly warming water is getting the bass more active and numbers of fish taken increasing. What we are seeing on the north end is a lot of buck bass activity with some of the larger females starting to get more active. We have more wind in the forecast today with a high of 69 and low of 46 associated with another frontal passage. Wind today is forecasted to be SSW at 15. We are in for another cool down behind this front with Saturday's temperatures showing a high of 57 and low of 36 with a slight chance of rain and wind N at 11. A high of 49 is forecasted for Sunday with a low of 28 with wind N at 13. The colder weather is forecasted to continue through mid week with daily high's in the 40's and low's in the 20's-30's. The good news is that another warming trend is forecasted to begin after the mid week with temperatures going back up to more normal for this time of year with high's in the 60's. No doubt we are in the typically unpredictable March weather patterns with it being cold a few days after frontal passages and followed by a warmer day or two as the next front approaches.

The Largemouth patterns have pretty much remained the same except we are now starting to see some early Largemouth now roaming a little more shallow in the creeks and bays during the warm part of the days. Slow rolled crankbaits have been the best producers this week both on the main lakes and in the creeks and bays with lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, suspending jerkbaits, Alabama rigs, tube jigs and jigs also producing. The reports I have received on the Crappie indicated that they were still somewhat scattered but fish were being taken here and there over staging brush piles around the mouths of the creeks and bays as well as in the front halves of the creeks and bays in the 12 - 16 ft range.


LARGEMOUTH BASS: Largemouth are being taken by slow rolling deep diving crankbaits on primary points on the main lakes and deep secondary channel points in the mouths of the creeks and bays. Medium running crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, slow rolled spinnerbaits, tube jigs and jigs are taking Largemouth on gravel bars and shallow chunk rock banks near deep water on the main lakes and in the creeks and bays during the warm part of the day. Largemouth are also being taken on suspending jerkbaits on the main lake points and on channel points in the mouths of the creeks and bays. Largemouth are also being taken by slow rolling Alabama rigs near cover on the main lakes and on shallow ledges in the mouths of the creeks and bays.

SMALLMOUTH BASS: Some Smallmouth have been taken on main lake gravel banks and points on suspending jerkbaits and slow rolled crankbaits. Although the numbers are few, some nice fish have been taken. These fish are starting to get a little more active with the warming water.

Productive lures: Rapala Shadraps in orginal crawdad, and also in rootbeer painted by BAG5 Baits. Strike King DT6 in red crawdad and Bandit medium runners in red crawfish and rootbeer/chartreuse patterns. Strike King Red Eye Shad in red craw and chrome sexy shad, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer and white/chartreuse, Lucky Craft pointers in aurora black and pearl ayu. BAG5 custom painted megabass jerk baits in aurora black. D&L baby advantage jigs in "oops" pattern and black/blue. Charmer tubes in green pumpkin with orange and purple flake and Big Hammer swim baits in pearl and sexy smelt on Alabama rigs.

CRAPPIE: Some Crappie are being taken on the warmer days as they are suspending over brush piles in staging areas at the mouths of the creeks and bays in 12-16 ft of water. These fish are being taken primarily on jigs tipped with minnows fished vertically and by spider rigging. The Crappie were reported as scattered for the most part but some nice fish have been taken.

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

Flash: The Cabin Bait and Tackle will be hosting their Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday, March 29th in conjunction with their 10 year Anniversary. There will be a free lunch provided with pork loin, hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and ice tea. There will be door prizes given away as well as special pricing through out the store. You don't want to miss this so make your plans now!

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

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 18 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.


Available Dates: I also still have some dates available in April and May for guided trips. Call me or drop me an email to book your spring dates now. The sooner you book, the more likely you can get the dates you want. I also will take bookings for the rest of the season. I am also taking bookings for my Ledge Teaching trip. The Ledge Teaching trip consists of both classroom and time on the water. This trip not only teaches you how to find the highest percentage ledges but also what you are looking for on your sonar and how to interpret what you are seeing, how to search the ledges, set up on the ledges as well as making decisions on what type lures you should be throwing depending on environmental conditions.


Captain Dave Stewart
Bass Buster Guide Service
270-362-9987
dave@kentuckylakeguide.com
www.kentuckylakeguide.com
"Fish With a Professional"