June 25, 2015

Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 358.80 Surface Temperature - 85
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 358.90 Surface Temperature - 84

Both lakes are a couple of inches below summer pool and on a slow rise. Kentucky Dam was generating at an average rate of 21,000 cfs this afternoon. Barkley Dam was generating at an average rate of 7,300 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: The heat and humidity continued through this week with daytime heat indexes hovering around 100 during the afternoon. The TVA has not generated enough flow for any appreciable current either this week. However, we still were able to find and catch some nice Largemouth on the ledges this week although the numbers were not high, the quality has been holding up. Although we caught fish on a variety of lures this week, our best producers continue to be with slower techniques of Carolina rigs and dragging jigs. We do get one every now and then on a crankbait as well as on a Texas rigged worm, shaky head and drop shot. I have received a number of reports of large swim baits and large spoons working also. The shallow water bite where bass are feeding on schools of fry is still producing with more smaller fish being taken but we do get an occassional nice fish too. Although I am not on the lakes during the evening or at night, I am receiving reports of a more active bite during the late evening and night on both the ledges and on main lake points.

It appears we are finally going to get a little relief from this heat wave with a cold front that is forecasted to pass through the area sometime tomorrow evening. The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 90/low of 64 with an 80% chance of scattered thunderstorms and wind WSW8. Saturday is showing a nice cooler post frontal day with a high of 78/low of 57 with wind NNW12. Sunday's forecast is calling for a high of 83/low of 65 with wind NW6. The extended forecast through next mid week is for high's in the 80's/ lows in the 60's with a chance for scattered thunderstorms each day and prevailing SW wind.

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, dragging large football head jigs, Texas rigged large worms, shakey heads and drop shot rigs as well as large spoons and large swim baits. 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 spring fry. These fish are being taken on topwater lures, Texas rigged creature baits as well as spinner baits. 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. Largemouth are also being taken at night on main lake banks and points on dark skirted spinner baits.
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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 as well as on ledges. These fish are being taken on Carolina rigged creature baits, jigs, tube jigs and shakey heads. The summer night bite for these fiesty fighters is on now and they are being taken on large dark skirted spinnerbaits on both gravel and rocky main lake points.

Productive Lures: Some of the more productive lures reported this week are: Strike King XD6and XD10 in chartreuse sexy shad and blue/chartruese, Charmer Timber Pups in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple on Carolina rigs (deep) and Texas rigs (shallow), 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, Necessity football head jigs and D&L football head jigs in Oops and Cumberland Craw patterns, Slong's and Necessity 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 behind deep diving crank baits along channel ledges and vertically fishing inline spinners and small spoons over schools of deeper fish. The White Bass activity is increasing.

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.

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: Sorry, I am booked up.
August and September: I have plenty of dates still available...call or email me now to get the date(s) you want.

Call me or drop me an email to 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"