KY Lake should have current tomorrow.....

[Danny]

Just checked the TVA information, and KY Lake dam is spilling until further notice. This should mean there will be some current helping to position the fish.

Danny

[Dave Stewart]

Both lakes are spilling. Ky is gonna be rolling big time with that 20-30 mph SW wind forecast for tomorrow.

[elnutsmalljaws]

I just returned from 3 days of TERRIBLE fishing conditions at KY Lake. Went down Thursday morning and my intentions were to try to FNF the lake. I know, nobody or very few do this at KY, but I am extremely hard headed and knew that I could catch a few. What I did not know was they had drained all the water out of the lake and replaced it with Vitamin D Chocolate Milk with extra CHOCOLATE. Launched Thursday and went straight to a main lake point with a Clay bank thinking the clay may heat up the water a little plus it was my first stop on my trip down the lake. Within the first 15 cast or so I was beginning to wonder about this FNF on Ky Lake. Then just as I am ready to move, the bobber went straight under. I thought this was a dream for I did not set the hook for a few seconds waiting for someone to wake mu up. The fish, 13 incher, must have been wanting to commit Fishicide for he basically caught himself. I tell myself it is now going to be a good day tater. After several more cast, I move to prime location number 2 back in a bay that has a creek channel running right up next to the wall. I stay there for about an hour and a half and land 2 more Smallies on the fly, 11 incher and the MONSTER OF THE DAY 15 incher. I was pleased to see the fly work at KY in such terrible water clarity. My guess is that all 3 of these fish were swimming by and yawned just as my jig hit them on the nose and they inhaled it by mistake. Water temp was 48.9 when I took out at dark. Some wind but very manageable. Friday daybreak temp was 26 degrees, water temp was 41.2 and every spillway is discharging water at a rapid pace and the water clarity is many more times worse than Thursday. I tried the fly early and soon abandoned it for the jig disappeared at a depth of 1 foot. Went to jerkbaiting which I found out is defined as me (JERK) casting lure (BAIT) to attempt to catch fish in these conditions. Daylight to Dark, NOT ONE SINGLE BITE. FNF, Jerkbait, Jig, Slow Rolled a Spinnerbait and Crankbait - NOTHING. Jerkbait (Rouge, Husky Jerk, X Rap, Bomber, No Name bait) you name it I jerked it. Different colors, different techniques, long pauses, short pauses, NOTHING. Overcast, No Sun until late in the afternoon, Jerked deep bluffs, Rip Rap, points, humps........did not matter. Wind was blowing around 10-15 all day straight out of the South to Southeast. Friday night, a guy I met on this site came down to join me and fish today. We launched a little after daybreak after staying up until 3am talkin fishin. It was good to meet another guy that has Fishidis like me. (Both of our wives will just have to deal with it.) Water temp was around 43 when we launched, wind blowing out of the South at 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 mph, who knows but with them pulling so much and the wind blowing straight to the dam HAPPY ROLLERS ARE HERE AGAIN. We went straight to my favorite bay and together we collecively, FNF, Jig, Crankbait, Spinnerbait, Carolina Rig, Texas Rig and Jerk Bait for NOTHING, NOT ONE BITE. Shad and Fish on the graph everywhere but we could not get them to bite. More birds in this bay than I have ever seen in my life. We made a move to a spot that I never fished before but picked it out on the map Friday night just to get out of the wind and have a chance. We pull up and I put on a Hook Some Bass 4" Green Pumpkin Tube, 3/8 oz rattling tungsten bullet weight on 6 lb Green P line, Texas rigged. Second cast and I feel a little tug on the string, wham 13-14 inch Green fish. A few cast later another little tug but a swing and a miss. Jim was now putting on the same setup as fast as he can for in his words, "You don't have to hit me in the head with a 2x4 to get your point across". I believe I had 2 more bites both with missed hooksets which came to 1 fish landed and 3 more bites in a little over an hour. Bite went away and we moved to the Rip Rap around Ken Lake with nothing. Tried one other place and caught nothing. Jim did have one bite somewhere in this mess but I am don't remember where (Sorry Jim). 3 days fishing, 300 miles pulling the boat total both ways approximately 8 hours sleep total, 14,345,679 casts with a jerkbait which each had 123,456 jerks per cast reveals one sore wrist and shoulder for someone that has never jerkbaited before this trip. Tough fishing conditions I hope for I thought I was a better fisherman than this. I have it on good authority that 3 of the better fishermen on the water who spend probably 300 days each on the water did not land a keeper on Thursday or Friday. If anyone that reads this caught any keeper Green or Brown fish, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU DID. I don't want your spots just what you were doing to catching them. Sorry Jim that I did not put you on fish. Maybe I should have driven the 2 extra hours each way and went to Dale or Cumberland, who knows maybe the fish were biting there.

Tight Lines

[sparkie_212]

They were not biting at Barren either, and I almost went to Dale, probably should have. Barren was just like you described Thursday and Friday. I was going to stay and fish Saturday and said to myself better go home and come back when they're biting. The lake looked like a muddy river.

Elnuts,
Was looking for you on the fishing.com get together thread and did not see a post. Are you going to go? I am wondering because I did not see your vote. I hope you do cause you have always seem to be one if not the first to help out the beginners. I stopped and chatted with Ranger Bob again for about an hour. He gave me some more good tips. Was helping me out with some crappie techniques.
Sparkie

[elnutsmalljaws]

I did not vote for I have never fished either of them. I originally voted for KY Lake but after this weekend am wondering if I can put a keeper in the boat at KY. Tough fishing but thought for sure I would catch at least 1 keeper in the 3 days I fished. I appreciate your comment about helping out the rookies for I am a rookie myself. I only been fishing since 2003 but have spent a bunch of days on the water mainly at Cumberland, Dale and Ky. Had my share of bad days on the water but also some very good ones as well, but it is always that next cast that keeps me coming back for more pain and agony. I have been told by several people they think the next world record smallie will come out of Ky Lake within the next couple of years. It is like the lottery to me, the more cast I make the better my odds become. My FNF, Tube, Jig, Jerkbait, Crankbait, Slow Rolled Spinnerbait, Carolina Rig, Texas Rig........is just as good as the next guy. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then and maybe that 12 lb World Record Biggun will play a little song with the drag on my reel. Willing to offer any help that I can.

Tight Lines

[BassBest]

drop-shot............3lb, 17" greenfish, thursday, Ky. Lake.
only one.

[kc]

I wouldn't be too hard on yourself and give up on the big lake. With a rise like that fishing was bound to be tough. Although I must admit I have not had a bunch of success for bass on the big lakes in January. February is a different story. Let the lakes settle down and get a few sunny days and go back and try that jerk bait a few more casts. Focus on spots that soak up the sun and show up a few degrees warmer than the norm. It can be a lot of fun!!!

kc