August 8, 2013

Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 357.67 Surface Temperature - 82
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 357.80 Surface Temperature - 81

Both lakes are slightly more than one foot below summer pool and on a slow drawdown. Kentucky Dam has been generating an average of 60,000 cfs today. Barkley Dam cut their generation flow down to 8,000 cfs early 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 .

Although not terribly hot this past week, it has been humid and we have had our share of scattered thunderstorms in the lakes area. A stationary front to our south with high pressure to our east has been pumping a lot of moisture into the area this week and a slow moving cold front to our northwest has been spawning these storms. The wind though has cooperated with some nice light wind days except for when thunderstorms come through the area. These storms are forecasted to continue over the next few days so anglers need to check the weather often and keep an eye out for these storms. These storms have some nasty lightning and localized high winds. The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 84 and low of 71 with wind NW5 and a 60% chance of scattered thunderstorms. Saturday's forecast is for a high of 83 and low of 69 with wind ENE5 and a 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms. Sunday is not much different with a high forecasted of 86, low of 72 with wind SSW5 and a 30% chance of thunderstorms. This pattern is forecasted to continue until next Tuesday when a cold front is forecasted to transverse the lakes area bringing slightly cooler weather with high's in the upper 70's and low's in the 60's with light north winds by mid next week.

Although we do not have as much current as last month, the rain we have been getting in the local area and up the Tennessee river valley has kept given us a steady current on Kentucky Lake with only a few hours of low flow. Barkley had a steady current all week until this morning when the generation level at the dam dropped to 8000 cfs. Our water temperatures are still running about 6-7 degrees below what we normally have this time of year, keeping the oxygen levels good and we aren't getting the over 100 degree heat index days we expect this time of year so we really can't complain as this has been one of the coolest summer's I can remember in years. Our best bite on the ledges continues to be on the slower techniques (Carolina rigs, dragging football head jigs and Texas rigged large worms). We are running into an occasional school where crankbaits, swim baits and spinnerbaits pay off but these have not been as consistent as the slower techniques, especially for larger fish.

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 top lures and spinnerbaits. Largemouth are also being taken shallow during the day by pitching tubes, jigs and senko type lures near wood cover. Our best bite this week in my boat has been on Carolina rigged creature baits 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 top lures.

Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken in current breaks on gravel 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 top lures early and deep diving crankbaits, finesse jigs, tube jigs and Carolina rigged creature baits during the day. The ledge fish are being taken on Carolina rigged creature baits 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, Norman DD22 in chartreuse with blue back, Bag 5 custom painted deep diving crankbaits in green gizzard shad and 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 and green pumpkin 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. I have observed a number of surface feeding whites early in the morning on the main lake flats but these jumps are short in duration.

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 on the old river channel ledges in 20-30 feet of water on bottom rigs baited with shrimp/leech combinations and night crawlers. 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: 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.