Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 357.89 Surface Temperature - 81
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 358.10 Surface Temperature - 81

Both lakes are one foot below summer pool. Expect the lakes to be drawn down another foot over the month in accordance with the TVA River Operating Guide barring any unforeseen influx of water. Kentucky Dam was generating at an average rate of just over 59,000 cfs today. Barkley Dam was generating at an average flow of 16,200 cfs today. The rate of flow at Kentucky Dam is somewhat less than we had last week and quite a bit less than we have had over the course of the summer so far. The TVA currently is projecting a drop in outflow to an average of 31,000 cfs for tomorrow and 33,945 on Saturday. Barring any unforeseen influx of water from up river, I expect we will start seeing low outflows during the morning hours pretty soon with higher flows coming in the afternoon and early evening during the heat of the day. 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 .


We had some nice cool days and nights over the past weekend and into earlier this week. A warming trend is in store for tomorrow and Saturday as another front approaches the lakes area. Tomorrow's forecast is for a high of 90 and low of 71 with wind S at 10 and a 20% chance of rain as more humid air comes into the area. Saturday's forecast is for a high of 90 and low of 69 with wind from the SSW at 13 and a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms as the next front transverses the lakes area. Sunday is forecasting post frontal conditions with a high of 84 and low of 64 with wind NNE at 10 and a 30% chance of scattered thunderstorms. The extended forecast through next midweek is for high's in the mid to upper 80's with a southerly flow of air and a slight chance for scattered thunderstorms each day.

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 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 early in the morning and late in the evening on topwater lures and spinnerbaits. Our best bite this week in my boat has been on Texas rigged large worms and dragging football head jigs on the ledges with some quick action early in the morning on the shallow flats in the backs of the creeks and bays with topwater lures.

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, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer, Strike King 6XD crankbaits in powder blue back with chartreuse side and chartreuse sexy shad, Rapala DT16 in parrot, 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 paca punch 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.

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. I noticed some large mayfly hatches the past couple of days and lots of feeding activity on them.

Catfish: Catfish are being taken on the old river channel ledges in 20-30 feet of water on bottom rigs baited with cut baits. Some nice catches are being reported.

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 17 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 August, September and October:

August: 14, 27, 28, 29
September and October: A good number of dates are still available, call or email to get the date(s) you want before they are taken. Now is the time to make those reservations for tournament preps for the fall classics if you have not already done so.

Of course I am taking reservations for the late fall bass fishing in November as well as for next spring's bass fishing.