• 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

    September 29, 2016

    Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 354.91 Surface Temperature - 78
    Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 354.70 Surface Temperature - 78

    Both lakes are 4 feet below summer pool. Kentucky Dam was generating at an average rate of 18,000 cfs this afternoon. Barkley Dam was generating at an average rate of 8,900 cfs 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: Thanks to everyone that sent well wishes for my wife and I to have a nice vacation last week. We had great weather at the beach and I gained about 5 lbs eating all the fresh seafood I possibly could. I must say though I am glad to be back on the water again this week.

    I mentioned in my last report 2 weeks ago that we were having some good days and some slow days with the bite still scattered but we were taking a few nice bags of largemouth. The results that I saw of tournaments last weekend pretty much reflected that with a few nice bags coming in but a lot of folks struggling to put keepers in the boat. Like everyone, I have been praying for cooler weather to get the water temperatures down to get the fall transition started. We have had 2 cold fronts in the past 4 days and the water temperatures are finally coming down, as a matter of fact the water temperatures have dropped 6 degrees in the past 4 days. Although this fast cooling of the water temperatures with post frontal conditions has made for some slow fishing this week, it will pay dividends in the near future. The forecast indicates the water temperatures should continue to drop over the next few days and I expect we will see the beginnings of the fall transition within the next few days.

    The fish were still scattered this week but some fish were taken on main lake points and also on secondary creek channel points and banks in the creeks and bays. There is some early morning and late evening top water bite on the main lake points where some fish are feeding on schools of fry. There is also some of the same in the backs of some of the creeks and bays although this shallow bite slowed considerably with the cold fronts and water temperature drops. We are getting our best daytime bites on main lake points as well as secondary points and creek channel banks in the creeks and bays with finesse techniques this week.

    LARGEMOUTH BASS: Largemouth are being taken on main lake points as well as secondary creek channel points and banks in the front halves of the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on top water lures early and late in the day and on medium running crank baits, spinner baits, jigs, shaky heads and dead sticking unweighted senko baits. Largemouth are also being taken on main lake ledges dragging football head jigs, Carolina rigged creature baits, drop shot rigs and shaky heads. The bite has been scattered and slow this week.

    SMALLMOUTH BASS: Smallmouth are also being taken on main lake rocky points and banks as well as rocky secondary creek channel banks and points in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on medium running crankbaits, finesse jigs, shaky heads, dead sticked senko type baits with some early and late topwater lures.

    PRODUCTIVE LURES: Some of the productive lures reported this week are: Lucky Craft sammy and gunfish in ghost pearl lemon, Bandit crank baits in rootbeer and rootbeer chartruese, Bag 5 square bill crank baits and medium running crank baits in blue glimmer and green gizzard shad, Slong's spinner baits in blue glimmer and white/chartruese, D&L baby advantage jigs in Cumberland craw and "oops" patterns, Charmer shaky heads worms in green pumpkin, Charmer timber pups in green pumpkin on Carolina rigs and dead sticked Yamamoto senko's in green pumpkin/black fleck and green pumpkin magic.

    White Bass: White Bass are being taken on main lake flats as well as along the ledges on the main lake on inline spinners and minnows fished vertically. Whites are also being taken on medium depth flats in the creek and bays as they are feeding on schools of fry. These fish are being taken with same techniques aforementioned techniques. There are some short lived jumps on both the main lake and in the creeks and bays.


    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.


    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:

    October: 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26, 31
    November: A number of dates still available

    Make your reservations now to get the date(s) you want. I am also taking reservations now for next season.


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