Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 359.48 Surface Temperature - 68
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 359.45 Surface Temperature - 68

Both lakes about about one half foot over summer pool. Kentucky Dam has been generating at an average rate of 29,000 cfs today. Barkley dam has been generating at an average rate of 19,200 cfs 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 .

This has been a week of above normal tempertures, sunny skies and lots of south wind. We have had lake wind warnings out every day this past week. Although the wind has made moving around the lakes and fishing somewhat of a challenge, it has not kept the anglers off the lakes for the most part. The winds this week were caused by a stationary line of low pressure sitting to our northwest all week with a high pressure area sitting to our east. This line of low pressure is now slowly moving toward the lakes area today bringing with it some rain and scattered thunderstorms. We are forecasted to have a chance of thunderstorms and south winds in our forecast through Monday until the front has moved through the lakes area. The extended forecast after Monday through next midweek is for post frontal conditions bringing more seasonable tempertures with a chance of thunderstorms through mid week. The forecast for the weekend is as follows: Saturday is calling for a high of 81 and low of 67 with wind S at 7 with a 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms. Sunday's forecast is for a high of 83, low of 69 with wind S at 12 and a 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms.

At the time of last week's report the lakes were one foot over summer pool. Since last week the TVA drew the lakes down to levels just under summer pool and then they brought the lakes slowly back up to present levels. The quick draw down had an impact on the Largemouth fishing. Just as large numbers of late prespawn Largemouth moved into the shallows to bed, the lakes were drawn down and many of these fish moved back out onto the adjacent staging areas and somewhat scattered these fish. The fish that were already on the beds were not affected, but many of the fish that had not locked on the beds moved out. What we have going right now is some post spawn Largemouth from the early spawners, some Largemouth on the beds and some late prespawn Largemouth yet to move onto the beds. We took a some numbers of late prespawn Largemouth this week on the staging points and banks just off the spawning areas with only slight tail rubs or no signs of tail rubs that were full of eggs. These are the fish that pulled back when the water was dropped. We also had a few post spawn fish with bloody tails that had already spawned out in these areas, but we had more late prespawners than post spawners. What this tells me is that we still have a number of Largemouth that have yet to spawn and these fish are now moving shallow with the rise in the water levels over the past 24 hours and with the full moon phase approaching early this next week, there are going to be numbers of Largemouth going on the beds over the next few days.

LARGEMOUTH BASS: Largemouth are being taken in the spawning areas in the backs of the creeks and bays as well as the coves in the creeks and bays as well as on staging points and lead in banks just off the shallow spawning areas. The shallow fish are located around and in the button brush as well as cypress trees and other cover. These late prespawn and spawning fish are being taken on a myriad of lures and techniques. Texas rigged lizards and creature baits, jigs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, whacky rigged worms, and topwater lures are all being reported as catching fish. Our best bite this week was on spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, Texas rigged lizards and creature baits, whacky rigged worms and jigs working the staging areas just off the spawning areas where the late prespawn fish had moved out with the drop in the water levels.

SMALLMOUTH BASS: Smallmouth on post spawn patterns now and are being taken on gravel banks and points on the main lakes as well as in the creeks and bays. Jigs, shaky heads, tube jigs and Carolina rigged creature baits are taking some fish. There are some Smallmouth now being taken early in the morning on gravel main lake points on topwater lures.

Productive lures: Chatterbuzz buzzbaits in white and white/chartreuse, Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer and white/chartreuse, Chatterbaits in shad patterns, D&L baby advantage jigs in Cumberland craw and "oops" patterns. Last Cast Hairy Bug jigs in green pumpkin. Charmer lizards and Timber Pups in green pumpkin, green pumpkin/blue and watermelon/red, Charmer tubes in green pumpkin with orange and purple flake and smoke purple and whacky rigged Zoom trick worms in watermelon/purple and watermelon red.

CRAPPIE: Crappie reports indicate that most of the Crappie have now spawned with only a few late spawners. The post spawn fish are being taken by vertically fishing with curly tail jigs and jigs tipped with minnows on spider rigs and by long line trolling in 8-14 ft of water. There are still some spawning Crappie moving to the banks in 4-6 ft of water early and late in the day. These spawners are being taken by casting curly tail jigs and by fishing with minnows under bobbers.

Bluegill/Redear: The Bluegills have been active this week on gravel flats near the button brush and mustard flowers in the creeks and bays. These fish are starting to come in numbers now and with the full moon approaching, this coming week should be very good for them. The Bluegills are being taken with crickets and worms under bobbers as well as on split shot rigs dragged on bottom with small jigs tipped with worms. The Redears are starting to show up on gravel banks and especially on gravel bars in 3-6 ft of water and although I have not received any reports yet of big numbers, this should change also with the approaching full moon. These fish are being taken on the same baits and techniques as the Bluegill.

Catfish: Catfish are now being taken in large numbers on shallow rocky flats and banks both in the creeks and bays and on the main lakes. These fish are spawning and very active. These fish are being best taken on nightcrawlers fished both on bottom and under bobbers. A lot of jug fishermen are now working the shallow flats so boaters should be aware of these floating jugs when transversing the flats in the creeks and bays.

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

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:

May: 19, 21, 22, 27
June: 18, 19
July: I have a number of days still available...call me or drop me an email to get the date(s) you want.

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"