Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 359.26 Surface Temperature - 84
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 359.45 Surface Temperature - 84

Both lakes are just a few inches over summer pool with little change expected in the near future. Kentucky Dam has been generating an average of just over 59,000 cfs all day today. Barkley Dam has been generating an average rate of 16,000 cfs around the clock the past few days. 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 .

There has not been much change to report since last week's report. The ledge bite continues to be good with the current flow on both lakes. Although a number of techniques and lures are producing bass, our best fish and most productive techniques this week again was Carolina rigging creature baits, Texas rigging large worms and dragging football head jigs on the ledges. The weather forecast looks pretty typical for this time of the summer with some humid days and a chance for isolated thunderstorms pretty much every day though the 4th. The forecast for tomorrow is a high of 92 and low of 68 with a 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms and wind NW at 11. Saturday and Sunday is showing some slightly cooler temperatures but still humid with a chance of thunderstorms each day. Saturday's forecast is for a high of 81 and low of 65 with a 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms and wind NW at 13. Sunday's high is forecasted to be 79 with a low of 65 and 40% chance of isolated thunderstorms with wind N at 9. A return to the mid 80's is forecasted by midweek with a 30% chance of thunderstorms each day. It is now that time of year that everyone on the lakes should keep an eye on the sky for pop up afternoon and early evening thunderstorms. These heat of the day thunderstorms can form and move rapidly and normally have some nasty associated lightning and localized high winds. Do not wait too late to seek safe port if you see these storms forming.

Largemouth Bass: Largemouth are being taken on the old river and creek channel ledges on the main lakes and around the mouths of the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on deep diving crankbaits, swim baits, slow rolled spinnerbaits, Carolina rigged creature baits, Texas rigged large worms and football head jigs.Some Largemouth are also being taken on main lake primary points and also secondary points in the front halves of the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on deep and medium diving crankbaits, Texas rigged large worms and jigs. Some Largemouth are also being taken in the backs of the creeks and bays, especially near vegetation and wood cover. These fish are feeding on schools of fry. Topwater lures, spinnerbaits, square billed crankbaits and Texas rigged creature baits are taking these fish.

Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken on main lake points as well as on old creek and river channel ledges on the main lakes and around the mouths of the creeks and bays. The fish on the points are being taken on deep diving crankbaits, finesse jigs, tube jigs and Carolina rigged creature baits. The ledge fish are being taken on deep diving crankbaits, Carolina rigged creature baits, Texas rigged large worms and football head jigs. The night bite is still being reported as good this week of some nice numbers of Smallmouth as well as Largemouth being taken at night on the east side of Kentucky Lake fishing rocky points and banks. These fish are being taken on large dark skirted spinnerbaits and tube jigs.

Some productive lures reported this week are: Rebel Pop R in black/silver, Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon, Zoom horny toads in white and green pumpkin/red, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer, ABT suspending square bill crankbaits in sexy shad, Bag 5 square bill crankbaits in green gizzard shad, Strike King 5XD, 6XD and 10XD crankbaits in powder blue back with chartreuse side, chartreuse sexy shad and sexy shad, Rapala DT16 in parrot and bluegill, Big Hammer swim baits in sexy smelt, Charmer timber pups in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple on Carolina rigs, Charmer 10.5" ribbon tail worms in plum on Texas rigs, D&L football head jigs in Cumberland Craw, Perfect Craw and "oops" patterns, and Slong's football head jigs in Cumberland Craw (all with Venom and Net Baits green pumpkin trailers).

White Bass: White bass are being taken along the old river channel ledges and sunken islands as well as on the humps and ledges around the mouths of the creeks and bays by vertically fishing with inline spinners and small spoons. Whites are also being taken by trolling inline spinners behind deep diving crankbaits in these areas. I have observed a good number of short lived fish in the jumps around the mouths of some of the deeper bays as well as on some of the main lake flats on Kentucky Lake this week.

Bluegill: Bluegills are being taken around overhanging trees and also around wooden docks early in the morning after mayfly hatches. These fish are being taken on crickets and worms fished under bobbers.

Catfish: Catfish are being taken along the old river channel ledges in 25-30 ft of water. These fish are being taken on bottom bouncing rigs baited with shrimp and leech combinations and on bottom rigs with cut baits. This good bite should hold up with the current we have being generated.

If you are coming to the big lakes here to enjoy our great summer fishing, make sure you stop by these businesses for all your fishing and boating needs:

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. Fisherman's Headquarters boasts a great selection of the latest in rods, reels and lures for bass anglers that are on the market, not to mention one of the best selection of high end lures and local custom lures we use here on Ky/Barkley lakes. You can find many of the custom lures you see in my fishing reports there including the Bag5 custom painted crank baits and jerk baits. Fisherman's Headquarters also has a really good selection of Crappie and panfish tackle featuring Wally Marshall "Mr Crappie" rods, reels, lures and line as well as live baits. Phone: 270-527-5938.

FLASH: Don't forget to sign up for the Fisherman's Headquarters 3rd Annual Kentucky Lake Open Bass Tournament to be held this Saturday, June 29th out of Kentucky Dam Marina. A pretournament meeting complete with BBQ will be held at Fisherman's Headquarters beginning at 5:30 p.m. on June 28th. Phone 270-527-5938 for more information.

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 .

LEDGE FISHING:

Now is the time to make your reservations to learn how to fish the ledges. I offer a focused teaching trip on how to fish the ledges. This trip consists of a class on how to eliminate the water on your topo map before you leave home so that you can concentrate your time on only the highest percentage ledges while on the water as well as some time on the water to learn how to use your electronics on the ledges, set up on the ledges and learn the techniques used to fish the ledges. This teaching trip has been very popular over the many years since I started offering it as it will teach you how to go find and fish the best ledges on your own. To book one of these trips, all you have to do is give me a call or drop me an email to book one of my open dates.

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 16 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 2 Lowrance HDS 10's 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.

I have the following dates available for June, July and August:

June: Sorry, I am booked up.
July: 30, 31
August: 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 27, 28, 29

Make your reservations now for the fall season. Don't wait too long or you may not be able to get the date(s) you want.