August 18, 2016

Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 357.10 Surface Temperature - 84
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 357.10 Surface Temperature - 84

Both lakes are two feet below summer pool. Kentucky Dam was generating at an average rate of 25,500 cfs this morning. Barkley Dam was generating at an average rate of 29,100 cfs this morning. 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: In last week's report, the weather forecast for last weekend showed that we were supposed to get up to 4 inches of rain in the lake's area by this past Monday. This did not happen as the stalled front stalled out further north of us and all the heavy rains stayed to our northwest. We did receive some scattered rain over the past few days but this did not amount to much. The scattered and slower bite on the bass I have been reporting has continued this week. The better pattern has been what I call "junk" fishing, that is, fishing isolated wood cover on the top's of the main lake ledges near deep water or shallow wood cover located on main lake points near deep water as well as isolated shallow wood cover on the flats in the creeks and bays. It has been a one or two fish here on this cover and one or two fish there on the next spot. Slower techniques such as Carolina rigged creature baits, Texas rigged worms, jigs, shaky heads and drop shots have been the most productive.

We have another cold front that will be passing through the lakes area over the weekend. The forecast for Friday is for a high of 81/low of 71 with a 60% chance of scattered thunderstorms and wind SSW at 6. Saturday's forecast shows a high of 82/low of 67 with an 80% chance of thunderstorms and wind SW at 15. We will be post frontal on Sunday with a high of 77/low of 60 with wind NNW at 8. A post frontal cool down is forecasted from Sunday through next mid week with high's around 80/low's in the lower 60's with post frontal light winds beginning on Monday.

LARGEMOUTH BASS: Largemouth are being taken on the tops of the ledges as well as on main lake points where there is shallow wood near the deep water. These fish are being taken on Carolina rigged creature baits, Texas rigged large worms, drop shots, shaky heads and jigs There are also some bass being taken around docks where there are schools of fry. These fish are being taken on unweighted senko type baits and finesse jigs. Some Largemouth are also being taken around isolated wood in the shallows with spinner baits, lipless crankbaits, square billed crankbaits, jigs, shakey heads and Texas rigged creature baits.

SMALLMOUTH BASS: Smallmouth are being taken on the ledges with Carolina rigged creature baits and jigs. Smallmouth are also being taken on main lake rocky points and banks as well as rocky banks and points in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on jigs, Texas rigged creature baits, tube jigs and shakey heads. Smallmouth are being taken on the rocky points on the main lake and in the front halves of the creeks and bays at night on large dark skirted spinner baits and jigs.

PRODUCTIVE LURES: Some of the productive lures this week have been: Bag 5 custom painted Strike Red Eye Shad in blue glimmer, Stike King Red Eye Shad in sexy shad and chrome sexy shad, Slong's spinner bait in blue glimmer, Slong’s football jig with a blue craw skirt, D&L football head jigs in Cumberland craw and Oops patterns, Slong’s and Charmer shaky head jigs with Charmer shaky head worm in green pumpkin as well as Charmer timber pups in green pumpkin/blue and watermelon purple, Charmer timber pups in green pumpkin blue and watermelon/purple on Carolina rigs and Texas rigs, Charmer 10.5 inch ribbon tail worms in plum and green pumpkin on Texas rigs.

White Bass: White Bass are being taken along the old river channel ledges by vertically fishing with inline spinners, live minnows fished vertically and blade baits as well as trolling inline spinners behind deep diving crank baits. White Bass have been somewhat active this week in the jumps along the river channel ledges and creek channel ledges as well as on the main lake flats, but the jumps are short in duration. These fish are being taken on inline spinners and small spoons cast into the surface feeding fish.

Catfish: Catfish are being taken along the old river channel ledges in 20-30 feet of water on bottom rigs baited with cut baits, shrimp and leach combinations and yellow tails.

IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON VISITING OUR LAKES I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING 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, Picasso lures, Bag 5 lures and Pro Tungsten weights. 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 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 over 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.

Ledge Teaching: I have been providing a focused learning experience trip for a number of years to teach bass anglers how to find the most productive ledges and also how to fish them. This learning experience features both classroom and on the water instruction. You cannot learn everything you need to learn "in the classroom" nor can you learn everything you need to learn "on the water". This experience features both aspects. After this experience with me, you should be able to successfully find and fish the ledges here or on any body of water with ledges. If you would like to really learn how to find and fish the ledges as well as make the right lure selections etc, give me a call or drop me an email to book one of my open dates.

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: 25, 26, 29, 30, 31
September: 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 26, 27, 28
October: 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 29, 30, 31
November: A number of dates still available

Make your reservations now to get the date(s) you want.

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