July 9, 2015

Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 362.43 Surface Temperature - 83
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 362.65 Surface Temperature - 82

Both lakes are 3 and one half feet above summer pool and on a draw down. Both dams are spilling with gates open. 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: It has been a week of thunderstorms, rain and rising lake levels. We have received over 8 inches of rain in the past week and there were also heavy rains up the rivers resulting in the current above normal lake levels. The lakes levels should start dropping tomorrow if the TVA forecast is correct. There is already some debris floating on Barkley and I would expect to start seeing some on Kentucky as the lakes are drawn back down. The water clarity on Barkley ranges from stained to heavily stained with some muddy water in the backs of some of the creeks. Kentucky has stained water in the river channel and there is some heavily stained water in the backs of some of the creeks. The ledges are still producing some nice fish although the numbers are still not as plentiful as one would expect this time of year. With the water having backed up into the brush in the backs of the creeks and bays, some anglers are having success there with early morning topwater and then flipping the brush with jigs, tubes and Texas rigged creature baits.

The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 91/low of 72 with a 40% chance of thunderstorms and wind WSW10. The weekend outlook is for hot summer conditions with high's in the 90's/lows in the mid 70's with wind WSW10 on Saturday and WSW6 on Sunday. The hot weather continues into next week with high's in the 90's/low's in the 70's and wind from the WSW through mid week.

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 schools of spring fry. These fish are being taken on topwater lures, Texas rigged creature baits, tube jigs and jigs as well as spinner baits. Largemouth are also being taken at night on main lake banks and points on dark skirted spinner 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. 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 XD10 in chartreuse sexy shad and blue/chartruese, Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon and Strike Splash baits in bone for the shallow topwater bite, 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 Charmer shaky head worms in watermelon candy.

White Bass: White Bass are active 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. Numbers of White Bass are also schooling on shallow flats early in the morning in the backs of the creeks and bays feeding on schools of spring fry. 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:
July: Sorry, I am booked up.
August: 10, 14, 17, 18, 24, 25, 26, 27
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"