• Kentucky/Barkley Lakes 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/Barkley Lakes Fishing Report

    October 2, 2014

    Kentucky Lake: Water level at Kentucky Dam - 355.05 Surface Temperature - 77
    Lake Barkley: Water level at Barkley Dam - 355.05 Surface Temperature - 77

    Both lakes are one foot above winter pool. Kentucky Dam generation varied over the past day between 21,000 cfs - 56,000 cfs with the higher flows during the hot afternoon hours. Barkley Dam generation varied over the past day between 8,200 - 24,900 cfs with the higher generation during the hot afternoon 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 lake levels down, everyone needs to be cautious when navigating the lakes. Use the navigation channels unless you know exactly where you are and if you are not sure, idle your boat until you are sure you are in safe water.

    FLASH: As many of you know, I am a retired military man. I will not be publishing a report next week as I will be attending my annual military reunion which we have been doing for 26 years now. We will do a little trout fishing and whole lot of catching up and telling stories of the ol times and I always look forward to seeing so many of my fellow veterans with whom I had the privilege of serving our country.

    This past week was a mirror of the weather patterns we have been having for the past 3 weeks with high pressure, blue skies and flat water. The only exception this past week was last Sunday when we had a high level low pressure center move over the lakes bring low cloud cover and light wind. This little weather change turned the fish and some nice bags of fish were weighed in at the Toyota Owners tournament out of Paris. It took 25 lbs to win the tournament. Of course on Monday the high pressure, blue skies and flat water returned along with temperatures near 90 each day since and we were back into the slower early fall transition bite we have been experiencing over the past few weeks. This warm up period actually raised the water temperatures 2 degrees this week and this is not good. We need to get the water temperatures down to get more fish actively feeding and moving into the creeks and bays to feed up for the coming winter. As I have mentioned in my last couple of reports, this fall transition period is always a tougher bite overall and normally last 5-6 weeks depending on water temperatures and weather patterns. We have been concentrating our efforts in the creeks and bays and on shallow main lake flats where large schools of small threadfin shad have already transitioned and catching the early transitioned bass. We are catching more numbers of smaller bass feeding on these shad but we are also managing to get some nice keeper sized with an occassional very good fish...but the numbers are low and you just have to grind it out to put together a good limit.

    We have our second fall cold front coming through the lakes area this evening and into tomorrow morning. The forecast for Friday is for a high of 71 and low of 43 with a 70% chance of showers in the morning with wind W 16. Saturday's forecast is for a high of only 62 with a low of 41 with wind from the W 15. Sunday is showing a high of 75 with a low of 50 with wind SSW 14. Keep tabs on that wind forecast for Sunday....it could get worse than is forecasted with some very rough water. Hopefully this cold front will drop these water temperatures and get them moving into the right direction. The extended forecast into mid next week is showing a slow warming trend back to highs in the lower 80's by midweek but some nice night time low's in the lower 50's.


    LARGEMOUTH BASS: Largemouth are being taken on ledges on the main lakes and in the mouths of the deeper creeks and bays as well as on main lake points and on secondary channel points in the front halves of the creeks and bays. There is some early and late topwater bite on the points but it is scattered. The ledge bite is scattered as the shad and fish are moving around a lot and it is hit and miss. The ledge fish and the fish on the points are more consistant using slow techniques with smaller lures on Carolina rigs, shakey heads and jigs but some of the fall transitioning fish are starting to school on main lake points and it is opportunity fishing and not consistant but there are reports of these traveling schools and when you find them you can get well quick with a crankbait. Some bass are also being taken early and late on main lake flats near stumps on topwater lures, slow rolled spinnerbaits and square billed crankbaits. We are taking some shallow topwater bass in the backs of the creeks and bays early in the morning and late evening on walking baits and splash baits. We are taking bass on lead in channel banks and on staging points in the creeks and bays after sunrise and during the day on finesse jigs, shaky heads, and light Carolina rigs with creature baits. Some bass are also being taken during late morning and during the day on flats in the creeks and bays where they are chasing schools of small shad. These fish are being taken on spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits and slow rolled square billed crankbaits. The fish are scattered there but can be taken with patience. Overall, the Largemouth bite during the day is slow.
    SMALLMOUTH BASS: Smallmouth are being taken on main lake ledges on jigs and Carolina rigged creature baits as well as on main lakes points and the SMALLMOUTH BASS: Smallmouth are being taken on the primary points and secondary points and channel banks in the front halves of the creeks and bays.. The numbers of fish are not great but some quality fish have been taken. We are getting most of these fish on jigs and shakey heads. Smallmouth are also being taken at night on rocky points and banks on Kentucky Lake with dark colored spinnerbaits and tube jigs. Good Largemouth are also being taken on this night pattern.

    Some of the more productive lures reported this week: Strike King Splash baits in shad pattens and Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon, Bag5 custom painted lipless and square billed crankbaits in blue glimmer pattern, Charmer timber pups in green pumpkin and watermelon with purple flake on Carolina rigs, D&L football head jigs in Cumberland craw and Oops patterns on the ledges and the baby advantage jigs in the same patterns on the points and channel banks in the creeks and bays,Chatterbaits in blue glimmer, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer, Charmer shaky head worms in green pumpkin blue and green pumpkin on Slong's shakey heads, Yum Dingers and Yamamoto Senkos in green pumpkin and shaky heads.

    CRAPPIE: Crappie are being taken on staging brush piles on ledges around the mouths of the creeks and bays in 12-16 ft of water by vertical jigging with small curly tail jigs tipped with minnows. There are some reports of some Crappie being taken in the creeks and bays over brush piles in 8 - 10 ft of water off secondary channel points being taken in the same manner.

    White Bass: White Bass are being taken along the river channel ledges and on creek channel ledges around the mouths of the creeks and bays with inline spinners, blade baits and small spoons as well as by trolling with small spinners behind deep diving crankbaits. The better bite is reported with the vertical fishing and the White Bass bite is reported as good right now.

    Catfish: Catfish are being on the main lake on river channel ledges in 20-30 ft of water by bottom bouncing shrimp and leach combinations and also on bottom rigs baited with cut baits with best bite during the current draw periods.

    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:

    October: 29, 30, 31
    November: I have a number of openings available in November. November can be one of the most fun times of the season with the true fall bite in the creeks and bays with schooling fish taking topwater, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. If the extended weather forecasts are right we should be in for a good late fall bite this year. Book your trip now while I still have dates available.

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