• Fishing Report for Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley

    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"

  • Fishing Report for Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley

    June 11, 2015

    Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 359.48 Surface Temperature - 82
    Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 359.55 Surface Temperature - 82

    Both lakes are one half foot over summer pool. Kentucky Dam generated between 30,000 - 55,000 cfs today. Barkley Dam generated an average of 16,000 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.

    General Conditions: This week started out on Monday with high winds and thunderstorms associated with a frontal passage and then things got hot with flat water and blue skies the past few days along with afternoon high's in the 90's. The water temperatures have risen 7 degrees since last Thursday. Sunblock and lots of gatorade and water was the ticket this week. We stayed with the ledges for our bass this week but we did go back shallow and check the shallow bite a couple of times also. The ledges are pretty much working like they have been over the past couple of weeks. You can get some nice fish but the better bite is definitely early in the morning and late in the evening. The bite during the heat of the day has been slow. We are still catching most of our fish on slower techniques such as dragging jigs, Texas rigged large worms, Carolina rigged creature baits with shaky heads and drop shot rigs during periods of slower activity. We are still finding most of the fish deep on the ledges with only one or two fish off the tops of the ledges now and then. One of my clients did get a nice 8lb Largemouth during the heat of the day today and she also came off the bottom of a creek channel ledge. We caught fish on our forrays to the shallows also where Largemouth are feeding on schools of fry near wood cover. Although most of these fish were smaller fish, we did get fish up to just over 5lbs.

    The weather forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 88/low of 72 with a chance of thunderstorms in the morning. Chances of thunderstorms are in the forecast everyday through next midweek. Saturday and Sunday are showing high's around 90 and low's in the 70's and of course chances of thunderstorms each day. The extended forecast through next mid week is calling for high's in the upper 80's and low's in the 70's with south quadrant winds each day. This is the time of year to expect a chance of severe thunderstorms every day, especially in the afternoon. Anglers need to keep an eye on the sky for approaching storms and seek safe port before the storms arrive. These early summer storms are accompanied by lots of lightning and localized high winds.

    Largemouth Bass: Largemouth are being taken ledges on the main lake and around the mouths of deeper creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on deep diving crank baits, Carolina rigged creature baits, Texas rigged large worms, shakey heads and drop shot rigs. Largemouth are also being taken on primary points and channel banks of the main lake using the same techniques as mentioned above. Largemouth are also still being taken near brush and vegatation in the backs of the creeks and bays, especially early and late in the day where they are feeding on bluegills and fry. These fish are being taken on topwater lures, Texas rigged large worms and creature baits as well as whacky rigged worms. During the late morning and afternoon hours, these shallow fish are relating to wood cover and we are catching them on Texas rigged creature baits.
    .
    Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken on rocky main lake primary points and secondary points in the front halves of the creeks and bays as well as on ledges. 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 green gizzard shad, Rapala DT 16 in parrot, Strike King XD6 in chartreuse sexy shad, Charmer Timber Pups in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple on Carolina rigs, whacky rigged Yamamoto Senko's in green pumpkin/black, Zoom Trick Worms whacky rigged in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple, Charmer shakey head worms on drop shot rigs in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple as well as Robo worms in green pumpkin variations, Charmer 10.5 inch worms in plum and green pumpkin/purple on Texas rigs, D&L football head jigs in Oops and Cumberland Craw, Slongs shaky heads with Yamamoto Senko's in green pumpkin/black.

    White Bass: White Bass activity is picking up with a number of schools of these fish surfacing early in the morning around the mouths of the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken by casting inline spinners into the feeding schools. So far most of these fish are smaller fish. Some larger Whites are now being taken by trolling inline spinners along channel ledges and vertically fishing inline spinners and small spoons over schools of deeper fish.

    Catfish: Channel Catfish are being taken on creek channel ledges with cover on bottom rigs baited with night crawlers. Catfish are also being taken in the old river channels now in 20-30 ft of water on bottom rigs with cut baits and yellow tails during periods of current.

    Bluegill/Red Ears: . There are still some nice bluegill and redears being taken shallow in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on crickets and worms under bobbers and worms on split shot rigs. The Bluegills can be found in 3-5 ft of water near brush and vegatation. The Red Ears are being taken on gravel bars in 5-7 ft of water. Some nice catches have been reported.

    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:

    June: Sorry, I am booked up.
    July: I still have some week day 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"
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