Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 359.61 Surface Temperature - 84
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 359.70 Surface Temperature - 84

Both lakes are about one half foot over summer pool and on a draw down. Both dams have gates open and are spilling water. Kentucky Dam has been spilling today at an average rate of 164,000 cfs. Barkley Dam has been spilling at rates between 35,000 - 55,000 cfs. 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 .

Outflow rates on both lakes increased significantly late last week when the both lakes reached levels at 2 feet over summer pool. As mentioned in last week's report, many of the shad and bass had vacated a number of the main lake ledges because of the heavy current and had moved into the mouth of the creeks and bays. The rate of outflow has decreased somewhat today and I saw a number of fish returning to some of the main lake creek channel ledges which had previously been vacated. Both lakes are forecasted to reach near one foot below summer pool by midnight Sunday...of course this could change depending on weather patterns. We have been experiencing a heat wave this week with afternoon heat indexes over 100 degrees. A cool front is expected to pass through the area sometime on Sunday and hopefully this will cool things down a little. The forecast for tomorrow is a high of 94 and low of 75 with 20% chance of thunderstorms with wind SSW at 10. The forecast for Saturday is a high of 92 and low of 73 with a 30% chance of thunderstorms with wind SW at 10. Sunday's forecast shows some cooling with a high of 86 and low of 74 with a 50% chance of thunderstorms. The extended forecast through next midweek is showing highs around 90 and low's in the lower 70's with a 40% chance of thunderstorms each day. Boaters need to keep an eye on the sky with these summer afternoon isolated thunderstorms. These storms form quickly and move quickly and have a lot of nasty lightning and localized high winds.

We found the ledge fishing to be somewhat slow early this week although we were able to manage limits plus of keeper fish. The ledge bite picked up and was better today with the decrease in the very heavy current flow. There was a lot of schooling of fish today and this makes for some fun ledge fishing. We did have a good early topwater bite all week in the backs of the creeks with the higher water. These shallow schooling bass were not big....ranging from 10 inches to a little over keeper sized but they were aggressive and in good numbers.


Largemouth Bass: Largemouth are being taken on the old 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 in current breaks around main lake 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 buck brush. These fish are feeding on schools of fry. Topwater lures, spinnerbaits and Texas rigged creature baits and fluke style baits are taking these fish.

Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken in current breaks on main lake points as well as on old creek 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 best bite on the Smallmouth is at night now fishing rocky points with current breaks on the main lakes and inside the mouths of the creeks and bays. These feisty summer night feeders are taking spinnerbaits with dark colored skirts and large single Colorado blades as well as on jigs and tube jigs.

Some productive lures reported this week are: Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon, chug baits in shad patterns, Zoom horny toads in white and popping frogs in white over submerged grass, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer, Strike King 6XD and 10XD crankbaits in powder blue back with chartreuse side and chartreuse sexy shad, Bag 5 custom painted deep diving crankbaits in green gizzard shad and Tennessee shad, 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 and "oops" patterns, and Slong's football head jigs in Cumberland Craw (all with Net Baits green pumpkin trailers).

White Bass: White bass are being taken along the old creek channel ledges on the main lakes 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. Some white bass are also being taken early in the morning around mayfly hatches. We have seen a lot of White Bass in the jumps all week around the mouths of the creeks and bays and on the main lake flats near creek channels. These jumps are not lasting very long in duration but White Bass anglers should be rigged and ready for some surface feeding fish.

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: I received a number of reports of Catfish being taken in the creeks and bays on flats where they are feeding on schools of fry. These fish are being taken on jugs baited with yellow tails and on bottom rigs baited with night crawlers.

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.

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. I am currently doing a number of these teaching trips and as usual the feedback I am getting from those that have taken the class is very positive. 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 July, August and September:

July: Sorry, I am booked up.
August: 6, 7, 12, 14, 16, 27, 28, 29
September: A good number of dates are still available, call or email to get the date(s) you want before they are taken.

Of course I am taking reservations for the fall fishing in October and November. Now is the time to make those reservations, especially those that want tournament prep trips for the fall classics.