Grass on Kentucky and Barkley

[plowboy]

I keep hearing reports that the grass is making a comeback in Kentucky Lake. Can anyone tell me how much of a comeback we are talking about. I can remeber several years ago it was so thick they were pitching/flipping it out in the middle of the bays. I'm sure it's not that thick yet but I would like an update. That was when Kentucky was at it's best I think.

[SlopFishin]

From what I hear, the stuff in the lakes several years ago was milfoil. The new grass is supposedly (and there is quite a bit of it) is naiad (sp?) and coontail. I've heard that there is a little milfoil in places, owever, I can't tell the difference between the milfoil and other stuff.

[trentonc2000]

I can't tell the difference between it either. some of it looks like hydrilla, some doesn't. There were some pretty good sized beds around paris landing both on the main lake, and in the creeks/bays last summer. As far as barkley, I've heard there are a few spots, i haven't seen anything but what some of the guys call "snot", that crap that grows on the rocks and slimes up your crankbaits every cast.

[Danny]

Three years ago I was flipping grass patches in the middle of a bay. The bay was in the TN section, but north of the HWY 79 bridge, and on the LBL side. I won't get anymore specific than that, as I had someone else reccomend this bay to me. However, the whole bay is a community hole!!

Good luck.... I just need to be better at fishing the vegetation.

Danny

[kc]

I noted a modest comeback of grass on KY but I haven't noted any on Barkley. I fish north of the bridge most often on KY and two years ago there was some grass as far north as Sugar bay. Last year it didn't spread that far but many of the shallow pockets on the bays just north of the bridge had grass. Nothing like it was 15 years ago where the grass was everywhere. If the lakes stay low and clear this spring I suspect the grass will thicken up some this year.

kc

[dew32202]

Its coming back but slow if ky does not get a lot of flow thru it this year and stays clear think it will come on fast. Most of it seems to be on the east side. I found some last week and the week before in Sugar Duncan Higgins Vickers Colson Turkey Blockhouse and down towards were Danny said Ginger Bay. On the west side i no last fall it was thick in the back of Anderson Bay hope this helps DW

[thebassman30]

Chat up Dave Stewart?

[Dave Stewart]

Last year there were good grass beds from Sugar Bay south on the LBL side. Actually some in Duncan and Smith too but not as much. On the west side grass beds from Anderson south with a little in Ledbetter. No it isn't what it was 15 years ago but what it takes man minutes to destroy takes mother nature years to recover. Very little hydrilla now...lots of niad and coontail. Caught a lot and I mean a lot of fish out of the grass last summer...and expect to do so again this year. It will be June before it gets up really good though.

[drew238]

Dave, what approaches do you use in the grass?

[Dave Stewart]

Early morning and late evening: topwater lures and soft jerkbaits just outside the matted grass beds (over submerged grass)

During the day: Horny toads (or its equivalent) on the matted grass and just outside the matted grass. Senko type lures and Texas rigged worms on the edges of the grass lined banks. Spinnerbaits just over the submerged grass.

[artcarney_agr]

I agree with the spinnerbait. A Fluke works also.

[Dave Stewart]

They all work or I would not have put it on here.