Ky Lake April 26-28 for bass

I'm coming down to Kentucky Lake, about a month earlier this year than the previous few but still staying at Big Bear. Wondering if anyone has any advice for bass April 26-28. It looks like that might be right around the time of spawn judging from reports of years past. The full moon is on the 20th so how do you think this will affect things? Do you think this will move the fish shallow the week before I'm there or set me up pretty nicely for the spawn? I'm sure weather will play a part but I read somewhere that moon is considered a bigger influence on spawn than weather is. Anyway, just trying to get a gameplan together for the trip, can't wait to get down there. Thanks in advance for the advice.

That should be a fun time for largemouth. You will still have a good deal on the beds, and some staging out in ditches in flats or slight drop offs feeding getting their energy back. They don't all spawn and get up on beds at the same time, so there should be a variety of ways to catch them. I always do pretty good this time of year. A weightless trick worm or senko should be productive, or at least it has been for me in the past when hitting the shallows around cover. I also did good last year fan casting a carolina and texas rigs in flats. If you can find a ditch in a flat back in a bay with a little cover here and there, you can catch some hogs by working that -this is one of the first places post spawn fish will congregate and feed after leaving the beds. Different parts of the lake will usually produce differently this time of year, so experiment.

[quote=Smooty;320101]I'm coming down to Kentucky Lake, about a month earlier this year than the previous few but still staying at Big Bear. Wondering if anyone has any advice for bass April 26-28. It looks like that might be right around the time of spawn judging from reports of years past. The full moon is on the 20th so how do you think this will affect things? Do you think this will move the fish shallow the week before I'm there or set me up pretty nicely for the spawn? I'm sure weather will play a part but I read somewhere that moon is considered a bigger influence on spawn than weather is. Anyway, just trying to get a gameplan together for the trip, can't wait to get down there. Thanks in advance for the advice.[/quote]
Smooty some of the big girls are moving up now there are some large bag beining taken. Go to page two on this form and check out KY lake allive and well. down at bottom of page.

Well, with the weather being crazy like it has been the past year or so anything could happen but if we have a normal spawning cycle here you should be coming down in the middle of it. There should be fish on prespawn, spawn and post spawn patterns then. Like Col Forbin says...depends on which area of the lake you are on that week..as to which pattern is the strongest. There are fish moving up shallow right now...not necessarily to spawn..we do have a group of early spawners here each spring but the water temps are not near their spawn temps yet...water temps are key for spawning. I would expect a lot of fish will move to spawn on the full moon in April if we have normal water temps...but there will still be plenty left to come in too.

Sounds good, I was down there last year when it was 70 the week before I got there and then dropped to 20's and 30's when I arrived (Easter weekend). I'm hoping I can avoid that this year. I'm probably going to stick close to Bear Creek and on north towards the dam. The lake is usually close to summer pool by late April isn't it? I guess it is now already actually but could be lowered before then. So would it be a decent guess to concentrate on the backs of bays and the bays themselves and not worry too much about main lake or mouths of the bays? Obviously weather will influence this but I am just wanting a general idea for that time of year. And thanks for all the help already, great advice and info.

Is there a good topo map for northern ky lake out there somewhere I could purchase? Which is your favorite and where is the best place to get one? I am wanting something that clearly shows channels and contour lines. I have a hot spots map but it's not the best when trying to follow channels and their swings in the bays especially.

Check this out:

[URL]http://www.fishin.com/forums2/showthread.php?t=64759[/URL]

hope it helps...

man your going to be down there at an awesome time...last year we went for spring break sometime in april and the night bite was awesome...throw a big black/blue colorado blade spinnerbait and a jig afterdark right there in front of big bear on the rip rap and youll wackem...the first night we were there i caught a 7lber and 3 5s and my buddy caught plenty of fish on the jig,wish i could come with ya:D

[quote=Smooty;320394]Is there a good topo map for northern ky lake out there somewhere I could purchase? Which is your favorite and where is the best place to get one? I am wanting something that clearly shows channels and contour lines. I have a hot spots map but it's not the best when trying to follow channels and their swings in the bays especially.[/quote]

one of the best maps for ky and barkley is made by Atlantic Mapping. They have a web site you can order from or pick 1 up when you get here www.atlanticmapping.com

[QUOTE=Smooty;320394]Is there a good topo map for northern ky lake out there somewhere I could purchase? Which is your favorite and where is the best place to get one? I am wanting something that clearly shows channels and contour lines. I have a hot spots map but it's not the best when trying to follow channels and their swings in the bays especially.[/QUOTE]

I agree with Nitro - get the atlantic mapping co. Ky lake map. They sell them at all the good shops here. Fisherman's Headquarters (in Draffenville) or Judy's (on the left on the way out to Big Bear from Draffenville). They are around $7.00.

Thanks for all the help guys, I know where Judy's and Fisherman's Headquarters is, I'll be sure to stop in on the way down. Can't wait to get there. Bereabasser - by riprap in front of Bear are you talking about the break wall right there coming out from the marina and the rip rap around the campground? I have caught some fish there too, normally closer to summer though. How about smallies for that time in April? I have never caught a smallie anywhere and would love to get on a few of them. Any advice on the browns?

im talking about the rip rap across from big bear on the other side...its got some docks and stuff on em too