• 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

    August 20, 2015

    Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam – 357.39 Surface Temperature – 83
    Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam – 357.35 Surface Temperature – 84

    Both lakes are just inches of being 2 feet below summer pool. Kentucky Dam has been generating an average rate of 34,500 cfs over the past 24 hours. Barkley Dam has been generating at an average rate of 25,500 cfs over the past 24 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.

    General Conditions: I have been reporting for the past few weeks that the ledge bite has been intermittent although we have managed to take some nice fish but not large numbers of fish. This week I am reporting that not only is the ledge bite intermittent during the morning and early afternoon but the bite is slow...maybe the slowest I have seen it in a long time. We are still managing to get a nice big fish now and then but we have not had a limit of big fish all this week. Folks that follow my fishing report for years know that I tell it like it is and this is the way it has been. All you have to do is talk to the folks that have been out there to get the same feedback. We have not had any current on the lakes all week and the oxygen levels are low. The fish we are getting are still coming on the slower techniques of Carolina rigged creature baits, dragging football head jigs and Texas rigged large worms. On the bright side, I am getting reports of a better late evening and night bite on both lakes. Hopefully we will see this bite turn around as the water temperatures continue to drop but historically, September is one of the tougher months and it is fast approaching.

    The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 84/low of 61 with wind E6. The forecast for Saturday is for a high of 86/low of 66 with wind SE4. Sunday is calling for a high of 85/low of 61 with a 60% chance of scattered thunderstorms with wind WSW8.


    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 Carolina rigged creature baits, dragging large football head jigs, Texas rigged large worms, shaky heads and drop shot rigs. Largemouth are also being taken on primary points and channel banks of the main lake as well as on the points inside the mouths of the creeks and bays using the same techniques as mentioned above. One can also catch fish on the deeper flats in 5-8 ft of water during the day where bass are feeding on these fry schools. These fish are being taken on chatter baits, spinner baits and lipless crank baits. These bass are being taken on Carolina and Texas rigged creature baits as well as finesse jigs. Largemouth are also being taken at night on main lake points and points inside the mouths of the deeper creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on dark skirted spinner baits, jigs and tube jigs.

    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 shaky heads. The bite on these fish during the day is slow. The summer night bite for these feisty fighters is on now and they are being taken on large dark skirted spinner baits and tube jigs on both gravel and rocky main lake points.

    Productive Lures: Some of the more productive lures reported this week are: Charmer Timber Pups in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple on Carolina rigs , Charmer shaky 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, Slong’s trokar football head jigs in possum and Cumberland craw and D&L football head jigs in Oops and Cumberland Craw patterns, Slong's shaky head jigs with Charmer shaky head worms in watermelon candy and Charmer tubes in road kill and green pumpkin/orange on tube jigs.

    White Bass: Whites are now being taken by trolling inline spinners behind deep diving crank baits along river channel ledges as well as main lake creek channel ledges and vertically fishing inline spinners and small spoons over schools of deeper fish. The reports I receive this week indicate these fish are still being taken but the numbers are down.

    Catfish: Catfish are being taken in the old river channels now in 20-30 ft of water on bottom rigs with cut baits,night crawlers. shrimp and leach combinations and yellow tails during periods of current.

    If you are planning a visit to the lakes area, I highly recommend these local businesses for all your fishing and boating needs:
    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, Slong’s lures 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.

    FLASH: Fisherman’s Headquarters has expanded their line of Slong’s fishing lures, including the football head jigs with the trokar hook that I prefer as well as an ample supply of the Slong’s spinner baits. The Blue Glimmer pattern spinner baits are a must for every tackle box for the up coming fall bite. Stop by and check them out!

    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 and Stratos 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 electronics 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:

    August: 24
    September: I have a number 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 environmental 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 after you find them.

    Captain Dave Stewart
    Bass Buster Guide Service
    www.kentuckylakeguide.com
    dave@kentuckylakeguide.com
    270-362-9987

    "Fish With A Professional"
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