Grass on Kentucky and Barkley

[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.

[thebassman30]

Dave you must be good with all the information you share. I know KY/Barkley is a bass factory, but still...big time kudos to you. I'm sure you have your reasons for not fishing the big tournaments...thanks man.

Oh and check out my post on the striper guides discussion. Probably nothing new for you and my analysis is not very indepth. I'd like to do more work for an industry/business/hobby/passion that I share.

I'll be down to share water with you end of next week 8^)

[SlopFishin]

Do you want a guide that fishes tournaments and is likely to hide his best spots from you (simply because he wants to save them for his tourneys) or a guy who will show you those honeyholes? That's one thing alot of us like about Dave...he'll show you all of his best spots and not think twice about it.

[drew238]

He knows what he is talking about. went out with him last summer for tourney prep. He taught me more in a few hours than I learned in several years on that lake. It was over 100 degrees that day so we went to a restaurant for the last few hours and he marked up a map for me to the point where you couldn't buy that map from me for any amount of money.

[Dave Stewart]

I have no problem with sharing my opinion or information about bass fishing and the lakes I fish. If my sharing of fishing information on the lakes here helps folks that come here to catch fish then they are happy and will come back...and they will either eventually book a trip with me or make a referral to someone that asks them about a guide to hire here. Happy folks are return business folks not only for me but for the local motels, restaurants etc....it is just good business.

As far as fishing the big tournaments...well, I look at it this way...I can either fish bass tournaments or I can guide for bass full time. One thing I learned about this business, there are a lot of really good tournament anglers...but not as many really good bass guides. I look at bass guiding as more of a "coaching" job than a player and I believe my talents are better suited for being a "coach" than a player.

[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.