Just got back from Barkley

Man I was not having much luck. The water is up a few feet over normal and maybe that didn't help things either but I was getting skunked more often than not. One note that probably hurt my chances is that I was fishing from my kayak so I never went out much past some coves instead of fishing the main lake at all. Still I expected to at least catch some small ones regularly around some docks or cover along the shoreline but not too much. The only bass I caught was a small smallmouth. I did catch a nice sized catfish and an average sized Drum but that was about it.


Regardless it still was a lot of fun and I always enjoy fishing even when not having success, but it sure would have been nice to not come up empty so many times when I went out.

[QUOTE=SLP;548270]Man I was not having much luck. The water is up a few feet over normal and maybe that didn't help things either but I was getting skunked more often than not. One note that probably hurt my chances is that I was fishing from my kayak so I never went out much past some coves instead of fishing the main lake at all. Still I expected to at least catch some small ones regularly around some docks or cover along the shoreline but not too much. The only bass I caught was a small smallmouth. I did catch a nice sized catfish and an average sized Drum but that was about it.


Regardless it still was a lot of fun and I always enjoy fishing even when not having success, but it sure would have been nice to not come up empty so many times when I went out.[/QUOTE]

Were the bass still running bait shallow? A few weeks ago they were destroying bait in a couple feet of water. I discounted it as small fish, and then a little birdie :) :) told me to go camp a little shallower. Once I went shallow ( really, really shallow), I stuck some serious fish.

Later,

Geo

The way they were pulling current this week, you didn't need to be out in the main lake in a kayak. The lake is being drawn down from way over summer pool.

[QUOTE=GeoFisher;548335]Were the bass still running bait shallow? A few weeks ago they were destroying bait in a couple feet of water. I discounted it as small fish, and then a little birdie :) :) told me to go camp a little shallower. Once I went shallow ( really, really shallow), I stuck some serious fish.

Later,

Geo[/QUOTE]


I couldn't even tell you because I wasn't finding them at all. Much harder in a kayak without electronics. Maybe I wasn't shallow enough? I will probably be going back next week and trying again with the kayak so thank you, I'll keep that in mind.

I will have a lot of fun either way and at least I can post a report about what didn't work and maybe it helps someone with what not to do :)

[QUOTE=Shaggy;548337]The way they were pulling current this week, you didn't need to be out in the main lake in a kayak. The lake is being drawn down from way over summer pool.[/QUOTE]


That's the truth. I doubt even in perfect conditions I would venture out on the main lake in a kayak. Not sure I would want to meet a tug pushing a barge while paddling. I'm not quite that much of a thrill seeker :D