Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 358.67 Surface Temperature - 77
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 358.90 Surface Temperature - 77

Both lakes are a few inches below summer pool and on a drawdown. Kentucky Dam has been spilling at an average rate of around 89,000 cfs today. Barkley Dam has been generating at an average of 16,200 cfs today. Expect both lakes to continue to drop until they once again line up with the TVA River Operating Schedule for this time of the year. Normally we are one and one half foot below summer pool at this time in August but the rains of last week and earlier this week raised the lake levels back to summer pool so we should continue with good current for the foreseeable near future. 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 .

The stationary front that had been sitting to our northwest all last week and early this week finally moved through the area and brought with it some nice dry air and some very unseasonable cool temperatures. The past two mornings we saw temperature's in the low 50's so it should not have been any big surprise when I noted the surface temperature on the main lake of Kentucky was 77 at first light today. We have had some beautiful weather the past few days and if I did not know otherwise, I would have thought that it was fall rather than late summer with the cooler temperatures. The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 81 and low of 63 with wind NE9 and a 20% chance of rain. Saturday is looking good with a pleasant high of 83 and low of 63 with only a 10% chance of rain. Sunday looks pretty good also with a high or 82, low of 65 with a 30% chance of rain and possible isolated thunderstorm. A warming trend is in store for next week with high's returning to the mid to high 80's with some south quadrant winds. Still, this forecast is certainly cooler than what we would normally be seeing during the month of August.

The ledge fishing was overall slow this week with the shad and bass seemingly scattered with the weather change. Our most productive bite was in the creeks and bays this week although even this bite was not great. What I did notice today was that some larger young threadfin shad had moved towards the backs of some of the creeks and bays we visited today on Kentucky Lake, no doubt due to the cooler early fall like water temperatures over the past couple of days. We did not see this in all the creeks and bays we visited but that is not surprising either as not all the creeks and bays develop into an early fall bite at the same time. As would be normal for early fall, I am certain we will see the water temperatures rise a little again before some more cooler weather enters the picture. Typically these type early fall weather patterns lends to a scattering of the shad and bass, I guess we will just have to wait a little longer to see if we are really starting to go into the fall migration patterns a little early this year.

Largemouth Bass: Largemouth are still being taken on the river and creek channel ledges on the main lakes as well as around the mouths of the creeks and bays. Some fish are being taken on deep diving crankbaits, large slow rolled spinnerbaits and swim baits but the more productive bite has been on Carolina rigged creature baits, Texas rigged large worms drop shotting and slow dragging football head jigs. Largemouth are also being taken in the back halves of the creeks and bays as they are feeding on schools of young baitfish and pin minnows. These fish are being taken on topwater lures early and late in the day, spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and chatterbaits. The better bite has been around schools of small white and yellow bass where the Largemouth are mixing in with these feeding smaller fish. Overall the Largemouth bite was slow this week.

Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken on main lake gravel points early and late in the day on Carolina rigged creature baits, tube jigs and finess jigs. There is some early morning topwater being reported on these fish using walking baits and poppers but it is short lived and scattered.

Some productive lures reported this week are: Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon, Strike King KVD splash baits in bone, Slong's spinnerbaits in blue glimmer, Strike King 6XD crankbaits in chartreuse sexy shad, Bag5 custom painted deep diving crankbaits in green gizzard shad, Big Hammer swim baits in sexy smelt, Strike King Red Eye shad in chrome sexy shad, Chatterbaits in blue glimmer with twin tail Yamamoto trailer in blue pearl, 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 on the old river channel ledges where they are feeding on schools of baitfish. These fish can be taken by vertically fishing with inline spinners and small spoons. Some fish are also being taken by trolling inline spinners behind deep diving crankbaits along the river ledges and main lake creek channel ledges. The bite has been reported as scattered also on these fish.

Catfish: A good Catfish bite is being reported on the old river channel ledges in 25-35 feet of water using nightcrawlers and cut baits. No doubt this is due to the good current we have been having this week.


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: 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.