• Kentucky Lake Fishing Report

    Bass Buster Guide Service
    (270) 362-9987 http://www.kentuckylakeguide.com dave@kentuckylakeguide.com
  • "Specializing in Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Lake Familiarization, Tournament Preparation, and Technique Instruction"

  • Kentucky Lake Fishing Report

    April 10, 2014

    Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 358.19 Surface Temperature - 57
    Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 358.20 Surface Temperature - 56

    Both lakes are about one foot below summer pool and rising. Kentucky Dam has been generating an average rate of 52,000 cfs the past day or so. Barkley Dam has been generating an average rate of 22,800 over the past couple of days. 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 . Due to some heavy rains late last week and earlier this week, both lakes are ahead of schedule on the rise to summer pool which is 359 msl. We have more rain in the forecast tonight and tomorrow as well as early next week. At this point there is no way to tell for sure if the TVA will keep the lakes rising at their present rate or if they will slow down the rise, but at the present rate of rise, I expect the lakes will reach summer pool by next mid week. You can monitor the lake levels with the link to the TVA site mentioned above. With the rising lake levels I am seeing some floating debris on both lakes. It is scattered but one needs to pay attention when running to avoid a mishap with the debris. The water color on Kentucky Lake is good with only some stain on the shallow flats on windy days. The water color on Barkley is stained but more than fishable with only a few of the creeks showing heavy stain.

    Cooler weather last weekend and then a nasty cold front earlier this week has kept the water temperatures down through mid week but they are starting to rise today with temperatures today reaching into the 70's and strong south winds. The forecast is for the warming trend to continue through the weekend with Friday's forecast showing a high of 70 and low of 56 with a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms and wind SW at 11. Saturday is showing an expected high of 78 and low of 63 with a 20% chance of rain and wind S at 15. Sunday's forecast is for a high of 76 and low of 57 with wind SSW at 17. Another cold front is due to come through the area late Sunday night bringing with it some cooler temperatures through next mid week. Highs are projected to be in the high 50's to low 60's with night time low's in the mid 30's to low 40's. Rain is expected on Sunday night and into Monday with the frontal passage. All in all the upcoming weekend looks good temperature wise but watch the wind forecasts as it will be coming from the south.

    We spent most of the week targeting Largemouth in the creeks and bays where they are staging in large numbers on secondary points and channel banks with some moving shallow during the warmer part of the day. The best bite for us this week was on jigs and Texas rigged lizards on these staging areas with some medium running crankbait bite also. Lipless crankbaits with some spinnerbaits are working in the shallows on warmer days after the shallows have warmed up a few degrees. With the big warming trend today and over the next few days coupled with the rising water, I expect the shallow bite on the flats off the spawing areas is going to increase in activity. We did spend a little time and I did receive a number of reports of bass being taken on main lake primary and secondary points also on crankbaits and jigs with some suspending jerk bait bite still producing some fish. As with last week, we are catching large numbers of smaller buck bass on the staging points and banks but we are also catching some nice fish up to 5lbs plus by backing off and fishing a little deeper on those areas where we are catching the bucks.

    LARGEMOUTH BASS: Largemouth are being taken by slow rolling medium running crankbaits, jigs, tube jigs and suspending jerk baits on primary points and main lake secondary points. Largemouth are also being taken on secondary creek channel points and channel banks in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on medium running crankbaits, jigs and Texas rigged lizards. Largemouth are also being taken on shallow banks just off the spawning areas and on flats adjacent to spawning areas in the backs of the creeks and bays during the warmer part of the day with lipless crankbaits, shallow running crankbaits and spinnerbaits. There is a lot of buck bass activity and numbers of smaller Largemouth are being taken but we are also getting some nice early female Largemouth too. The Largemouth fishing has been good this past week.

    SMALLMOUTH BASS: Some Smallmouth have been taken on main lake gravel banks and also on gravel creek channel banks in the creeks and bays on medium running crankbaits, jigs and tube jigs. Although the numbers are few, some nice fish have been taken.

    Productive lures: Rapala Shadraps in orginal crawdad and black/silver and also in rootbeer painted by BAG5 Baits. Strike King DT6 in red crawfish . Bandit medium runners in red crawfish and rootbeer/chartreuse patterns. Spro Little John in spring craw pattern. Strike King Red Eye Shad in red craw and chrome sexy shad, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer and white/chartreuse, D&L baby advantage jigs in Cumberland craw and "oops" patterns. Last Cast Hairy Bug jigs in green pumpkin. Charmer lizards in green pumpkin and watermelon/red, Charmer tubes in green pumpkin with orange and purple flake and road kill.

    CRAPPIE: Black Crappie are being taken over brush piles in 6-8 ft of water off spawning banks and points in the creeks and bays over brush piles and stumps by vertically fishing with minnows under bobbers and by casting curly tail jigs. Black Crappie are also being taken by casting to the banks adjacent to these staging areas with curly tail jigs and road runner type jigs in 3-5 ft of water as well as by fishing with minnows under bobbers on these banks. White Crappie for the most part are still being taken on staging brush in 8-15 ft of water over brush piles in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken by vertically fishing with curly tail jigs and jigs tipped with minnows on spider rigs. The Crappie fishing is reported to be good. Expect the Black Crappie to be active this weekend with the warming waters.

    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

    Flash: Fisherman's Headquarters just recently received a limited shipment of Lucky Craft Gunfish topwater lures in the 115 series size and ghost pearl lemon color pattern. I found many years ago that this is one of the most productive topwater lures on these waters in the fall but the dealers have a very hard time securing them for their customers. It took over a year and a half for FHQ to receive this limited shipment of their original order. I know that over the past couple of years I have even loaned some to my clients so they would have them to fish their fall tournaments. These lures won't last long so if you want one or two, you should go by FHQ and get them or call them and have them ship them to you.

    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:

    April: 18, 20, 21, 22, 24 (this is prime spawn time...book now)
    May: Sorry, I do not have any days available in May.
    June: 3, 4, 6, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26

    Call me or drop me an email to book your 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 enviromental conditions.


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