*November 1, 2017*
*Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 354.75 Surface Temperature
- 60*
*Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 354.65 Surface Temperature -
60*
*Both lakes are about one half foot above winter pool. Kentucky Dam was
generating at an average rate of 45,700 cfs this morning. Barkley Dam was
generating at an average rate of 29,700 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.*
*Current Conditions: *We have had some cold below average temperatures
over the past week and this has dropped the water temperatures about 5
degrees since last week's report. This is a good thing in that it puts us
more in line with water temperatures we would expect to have to get the
fall bite going, but we are still finding the bite slow and scattered on
the north end of both lakes. This is probably due to the rapid drop in the
water temperatures. A large two day tournament out of Kentucky Dam this
past weekend was won with about 22lbs. This is an average of 11 lbs per
day. A smaller one day tournament of 26 boats was won with 3 fish with
only 6 boats weighing a fish.
The better bite is still being reported on the south end of the lakes. The
FLW Costa Series National Championship will be launching out of Paris, Tn
tomorrow. Reports indicate that most of those folks are practicing south
of Paris in search of a better bite. It will be interesting to see how
these folks do overall as there will be some of the best professional
anglers in the country fishing this tournament.
We have a warm front setting up just south of the lakes today and this is
going to bring us warmer temperatures through the weekend. Forecasted high
temperatures in the 70s and lows in the low 60's are forecasted starting
tomorrow though the weekend with chances of rain and scattered
thunderstorms each day. This forecast has been changing almost hourly for
the past day or so. Anglers should check the latest forecast before
venturing on the water as this type of warm up this time of year can bring
some nasty storms and south winds.
*Largemouth Bass: *Largemouth are being taken on secondary points and
channel banks in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on medium
running crank baits, spinner baits, Carolina rigged creature baits, shaky
heads and tube jigs. A few Largemouth are being taken in shallow cuts on
the main lake as well as on shallow flats in the creeks and bays on top
water lures, lipless crank baits and Senko type baits near isolated wood
cover. The bite is overall slow and scattered.
*Smallmouth Bass: *Smallmouth are being taken on rocky main lake points
and rocky secondary points in the creeks and bays. These fish are being
taken on shaky heads and tube jigs. Some Smallmouth are also being taken
around submerged crappie beds in the creeks and bays on shaky heads and ned
rigs. The bite is overall slow and scattered.
*Crappie: *I had a few reports of Crappie now being taken around submerged
brush and stake beds in 7-10 feet of water in the creeks and bays by
vertically fishing with tube jigs and tube jigs tipped with minnows. The
reports indicate numbers of small fish are being taken with some occasional
nice fish.
*Productive Lures:* Some of the productive lures reported this week are
Lucky Craft Sammy and Lucky Craft Gunfish in ghost pearl lemon, Strike King
spash baits in white, Strike King Red Eye Shad in chrome sexy shad and sexy
shad, Strike King square billed crank baits in sexy shad, Bandit medium
running crank baits in rootbeer/chartreuse, Slong's spinner baits in blue
glimmer, D&L jigs in "oops" and Cumberland craw, Slong's jigs in
Cumberland craw and mustang, Charmer timber pups on Texas rigs and
Carolina rigs in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple, Charmer slim daddy's
in blue craw and green pumpkin on shaky heads and Charmer tubes rigged
stupid style in green pumpkin/blue tail and green pumpkin/orange.
*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 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 <(270)%20527-5938>.
*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 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 Commanche 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.
*ELIMINATING WATER CLASS:* I will be offering my class on how to Eliminate
Water again this winter during the months of January and February and I
will also teach a few classes this month in November. These classes are
limited to one or two people per class. The classes last approximately 8
hours. The cost of the class is 200.00 which covers one or two people.
These classes have been very popular with my clients over the past few
years and all the feedback I get is very positive.
*Here is a short description of the Eliminating Water Class:*
*"How to Eliminate Water":* This class is done in a classroom environment.
In this class you learn the most important thing that you can learn as a
bass fisherman, that is, how eliminate water to find the Bass by finding
the highest percentage spots during all the different seasons of the year
that will hold more fish, more often. In this class you will learn what
information you need to know in order to eliminate water to find these high
percentage spots during your preplanning for a trip and how to apply this
information as well as current environmental conditions to make decisions
on which techniques you should be using when on the water that day and how
to adjust to environment changes that can move your fish or change the
pattern from day to day, season to season.
Basically, what I teach you in this class is how to use knowledge of mother
nature by using scientific knowledge, logic and common sense to develop a
system to find your fish as well as madecisions before you get on the water
and while you are on the water to be a more consistent bass angler. What I
teach you in this class is what I do every day as a bass fishing guide when
I am trying to find and catch bass with my clients. What you will learn in
this class will apply anywhere you go bass fishing, this is not specific to
just Ky and Barkley Lakes.
Finding bass and making decisions as how to catch bass is not done solely
by looking at electronics, it is accomplished with knowledge. There is no
button on your sonar unit or mapping unit that says "Go Find Fish". Sonar
units show you fish AFTER you find them. Mapping units show you just that,
a topographical map of the body of water you are on. The mapping unit
allows you to mark spots on your electronic map where you have found fish
and assist you in navigating back to those spots. Just as with a paper
topographical map, you can scan over an electronic map and mark "places of
interest" or as I call them "looks good" spots to go check out when you get
on the water...but finding high percentage spots are not "looks good"
spots. High percentage spots are selected by having the knowledge of what
type spots have the highest percentage chance of holding bass during the
different seasons of the year coupled with how to apply what is going on in
the environment that will affect the fish.
*Call or email me to book your class date while dates are still available.*
*Available Dates:*
*November: A number of dates available. Call or email to book a date for
the fall fishing. I am also now booking dates for next year. Book now to
get the dates(s) you want.*
*Captain Dave Stewart*
*Bass Buster Guide Service*
*www.kentuckylakeguide.com <http://www.kentuckylakeguide.com> *
*dave@kentuckylakeguide.com <dave@kentuckylakeguide.com>*
*270-362-9987 <(270)%20362-9987>*
*"Fish With A Professional"*