leaving for barkley 4-29 have questions

[bigwormy]

anyone telll me what mode the bass are in spawn, post spawn, a little of both? any information would be greatly appreciated. is the lake at summer pool? are the bass in the bushes and flowers? thanks for any info. this is my spring trip and will be there all week so any info will be appreciated. thanks!!!!!

[James]

Hey Wormy,

Give me a call. I spent the past 3 days on Barkley and Ky Lake and im going back down on Friday for another tourney this weekend. We have a 2 day tourney going out of south barkley. Should see some huge bags this weekend.

Skeeter James

502-744-5553

[bass33]

we found some schooling fish in north barkley in back of a bay.they had the baitfish pinned in a small pocket about 10' deep and we caught 40+ fish. only two keepers (16"&18"). but had a blast using a spinning reel w/8# test with a shad rap.we thought this was strange too.tight lines

[Dave Stewart]

There are some fish locked on the beds and plenty of fish still coming in. The fishing is up and down like a yo-yo with the cold fronts but that is shallow water fishing. The tournaments here on Saturday had a tough day behind the cold front...have not had any reports on Sunday but I was out on Sunday on Barkley and we got into schooling fish early (this is something new...got into schooling fish twice on Barkley in the last week). If your not getting a good shallow bite in the flowers back off on the flats and throw a trap..you might just be surprised. If you get lucky and get a overcast day with lots of rain like we did last Thursday and today be prepared for a banner day in the flowers and brush...we had so many big fish last Thursday I did not think I would see another day like that this spring but we duplicated it today..well over 40 fish in the 3-4lb range and a couple of 5's that took my clients by surprise and showed themselves at eye level before they spit their lures back at them.

[Danny]

Last Thursday when Grumpy and I were out, we saw at least three schools of bass in jumps. I am not accoustomed to seeing jumps this early, is that usual?

I am really stoked wanting to get back down there. I have not ever had a spring when I could fish, as this was always my busiest time of the year, and I was working weekends. I may not be able to fish a very long time each trip, but I've had many more trips. Go figure, I finally get to fish in the spring, and gas prices go through the roof, and I am not making money. Bad combination, I know... LOL

I figure with the strong cold front coming through tonight, it might take a day or two to get the fish biting again.

Danny

[Dave Stewart]

Danny: I have never encountered schooling fish like that down here this time of year....had a number of my local friends tell me the same...definitely unusual.
Yeah, the cold front is coming thru tomorrow...or should we say the latest in a long string of cold fronts is coming thru tomorrow...cold fronts and shallow water bass don't mix very well...you can still get fish but it definitly is not prime time fishing.

[Danny]

Got home work... not the school type either, to do Tuesday. I'm busy on Thursday and Friday, so that gives me Wednesday to do any damage I can.

I'll be looking for a partner if anyone wants to split a trip?

Hey Darrell, I've sent you an email, and haven't seen you around, you OK? I hope all is OK. If so, and you would like to split a trip on Wednesday, let me know.

Danny

[Danny]

Water has reached summer pool of 359 feet.

Last Thursday, the fish were shallow, I caught all the fish off very hard road beds, shallow, at the drop into deeper water.

However, on KY lake over the weekend, the water was cooler, and we were finding few, very few fish, as it was a tough bluebird sky day, and they were shallow then. My buddy caught several on Sunday right against the buckbrush stalks.

Not sure the water temps now, but Saturday, at launch the water on KY was around 68, and last Thursday at launch the temps were 72 degrees.

It seems the water temps raised too quickly for the fishg to spawn in the mid 60's. The ones I got on KY lake did not have bloody tails, but the ones on Barkley did have. I would imagine both lakes should be getting just right if you want to fish for spawners. Either way, you can also choose to fish for pre and post spawners, as not all the fish will spawn at the same time.

Good luck for a good trip.

Danny

[SlopFishin]

I found some in the brush yesterday. With the new moon, the shallow bite should be busting wide open this weekend.

[bigwormy]

exactly what i was thinking.