May 28, 2015

Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 360.05 Surface Temperature - 73
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 360.35 Surface Temperature - 72

Both lakes are one foot above summer pool and on a slow draw down after having reached 1.5 feet above summer pool this past week. Kentucky Dam was generating an outflow as high as 70,000 cfs this afternoon. Barkley Dam was generataing an average of 15,800 cfs this afternoon. 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.

General Conditions: High winds were the norm for this past holiday weekend but things have settled down over the past couple of days except for an occassional afternoon thunderstorm. The high winds ran us off the ledges earlier this week so we went shallow and as indicated in my last report there is still a shallow water pattern where we took a number of bass guarding nests and also feeding on fry and nesting Bluegills. We were able to get back on the ledges the past couple of days and what I have noticed is more bass and baitfish are showing up each day as the summer ledge pattern develops. We still are finding that the bass are favoring slow techniques over reaction baits. The TVA started moving more water through the dam yesterday and we now have some current so I am noticing more fish positioning in the current breaks on the main lake ledges.

The weather forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 84/low of 68 with a 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms and wind S7. Saturday's forecast is indicating a high of 80/low of 65 with a 60% chance of thunderstorms and wind SSW9 as another cool front approaches. Sunday is showing post frontal conditions with a high of 75/low of 62 with a 30% chance of thunderstorms and wind N8. The extended forecast into next week is showing a warm up back in the 80's with low's of 60's and chances of thunderstorms each day. Boaters need to keep an eye on the sky for approaching storms this time of year, especially during the afternoon hours. Don't wait too late to find shelter when you spot storms approaching. These early summer storms bring a lot of lightning and localized high winds.

Largemouth Bass: Largemouth are being taken on a myriad of patterns right now. Some largemouth are being taken on early post spawn ledges with deep diving crankbaits, Carolina rigged creature baits, Texas rigged large worms and dragging football head jigs. The slower techniques have been our best producers this week. Largemouth are also being taken on primary points and secondary points and channel banks in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on Carolina and Texas rigged creature baits, jigs and shaky heads. Largemouth are also still being taken around the spawning brush, especially those with grass and/or flowers. These fish are being taken with jigs, Texas rigged lizards and creature baits, spinnerbaits, whacky rigged worms and some topwater lures.
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Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken on rocky main lake primary points and secondary points in the front halves of the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on Carolina rigged creature baits, jigs, tube jigs and shakey heads.

Productive Lures: Some of the more productive lures reported this week have been: Bag 5 custom painted deep diving crankbatis in blue glimmer and green gizzard shad, Rapala DT 16 in parrot, Strike King XD6 in chartreuse sexy shad, Charmer Timber Pups in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple, whacky rigged Yamamoto Senko's in green pumpkin/black, Zoom Trick Worms whacky rigged in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer and white/chartreuse, Last Cast jigs in green pumpkin with Missle baits turbo tail and Net Baits Baby Paca craw trailers, D&L football head jigs in Oops and Cumberland Craw, Slong's football head jigs in mustang with Net Baits Paca Punch trailers in green pumpkin, Slongs shaky heads with Yamamoto Senko's in green pumpkin/black.

Catfish: The Channel Catfish are being taken in numbers right now on rocky banks and points on the main lake and on the flats in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken with night crawlers under bobbers and on bottom rigs as well as on jug lines baited with night crawlers and threadfin shad.

Bluegill/Red Ears: The Bluegills and Red Ears are still being taken shallow although a litte finicky this past week with the water fluctuations. The Bluegills are being taken with crickets under bobbers on shallow flats in 3-5 feet of water near vegatation. The Red Ears are being taken on split shot rigs baited with worms and slow rolled on gravel bars in 4-7 feet of water. We should see the second spawn on these fish next week with the full moon.

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, or the Draffenville "Y". FHQ stocks everything an angler could need, from live bait, hooks and bobbers to top of the line tournament bass tackle. More than a "bait and tackle" store, Fisherman’s Headquarters is a true "pro shop", offering advice, training and special order assistance not found online or at the big box retailers. Services even include custom electronics training and installation. The store offers a wide variety of nationally known brands as well as many regional and hard to find items we use on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. They stock many of the products I rely on daily, such as Charmer Baits and All Pro Rods. From bluegill to bass and catfish to crappie, FHQ has you covered! Stop by and visit or 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 20 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 Lowrance HDS sonar 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: Sorry, I am booked up.
June: Sorry, I am booked up.
July: Plenty of weekday dates available...call or email to make your reservation now!

Call me or drop me an email to book your late summer and fall trips with me now. The sooner you make a reservation, the more likely you are to get the date(s) you want.

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 electronics 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. You do not learn how to find and fish the best ledges by simply looking at your electronics....it takes knowledge to find and fish the best ledges, the electronics are just a tool to assist you in seeing the fish afer you find them.



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