Possible Trip to KY Lake/Barkley

[pkfish]

Thinking about bring my dad and uncle down to LBL this week for some fall bass fishing. The drive takes us about 7 hours across the state. How is the fishing on the big lakes? With the weather forecast for this weekend, will it be worth the drive down? The trip is more about spending time with my dad and uncle, but I want them to catch fish as well. Thanks in advance for any input...

[olducker]

Sat
Nov 8 Partly Cloudy 55° 31° 20%

Sun
Nov 9 Partly Cloudy 56° 33° 10%

HMMM,, I'm goin deer huntin opening week end for KY DEER eH

[Col Forbin]

It should be a great weekend of fishing. The Crappie should be moving up a little more than they have, and hopefully the bass will stabalize - they have been pretty scattered, but I hear of people catching some good bags every day. Check out Dave Stewart's report on here - he spends more time on the water than anyone down here.

This being opening weekend for guns here, the lake traffic will be way down - you may have an entire bay to yourself.

[pkfish]

It should be a great weekend of fishing. The Crappie should be moving up a little more than they have, and hopefully the bass will stabalize - they have been pretty scattered, but I hear of people catching some good bags every day. Check out Dave Stewart's report on here - he spends more time on the water than anyone down here.

This being opening weekend for guns here, the lake traffic will be way down - you may have an entire bay to yourself.

Thanks for the info. We use to make bi-annual trips (spring and fall) to the lakes, but since getting married a few years ago the trips come less often (no ones fault but my own as my wife encourages road trips with my dad - I think because it gets me out of the house and her hair)...I will be checking out Dave's report before driving down Friday morning. My wife and I hired Dave for some ledge fishing and lake familiarization a couple of summers ago and really enjoyed our time on the water with him (class act). I've never really done alot of crappie fishing, but my uncle is wanting to give it a try so hopefully we can find a few.

[Dave Stewart]

Just back in off the water...actually just back in from the hospital...had a lure come free from one of my client's fish this morning as we were landing it and the trebles embedded in my finger where the only way to get it out was to have it cut out..pure accident and have only had that happen a couple of times over the years but it can happen, even to the best of us.

Anyway, the shallow bite has been slow this week for the most part but seeing more and more of the big schools of shad moving shallow yesterday and this morning. Had a little shallow action this morning but the water went glass as the sun came up and the bite died but with the wind picking up now they are probably eating it up back shallow right now....figures, slow all week and then my day gets cut short.

My best bite this week has been working off the flats over creek channels in 10-12 ft of water ripping spoons (strike king in silver patterns) and strike king red eye shad in blue/chrome and sexy shad. We are doing this around the big shad schools. We are catching a lot of variety, including LM bass (yellow bass, white bass, rockfish, drum, sauger, catfish etc) Plenty of action and rewarded with a nice 3-4 lb LM now and then. I suggest if you come down this weekend (post frontal conditions) that if you don't get bit shallow...just back out and do the same. Crappie guides I have talked to this week so far are reporting a slow scattered bite so they are concentrating more on the yellow bass (of which you can catch as many as you want pretty quick).

I will put up a full report on the reports board tomorrow.

[Col Forbin]

Just back in off the water...actually just back in from the hospital...had a lure come free from one of my client's fish this morning as we were landing it and the trebles embedded in my finger where the only way to get it out was to have it cut out..pure accident and have only had that happen a couple of times over the years but it can happen, even to the best of us.

Sure hope it wasn't your middle finger - you will need that next may when the pleasure boaters pick up. You have time for a full recovery by then. LOL!!

Glad everthing is ok - I just got a fresh bottle of Woodford, if the pain becomes unbearable.

[Dave Stewart]

LOL......the pain is not a problem...but I still have that bottle you gave me way back this past spring...saving it until business slows down and you get the day off so that we can sit over here at my bar and swap lies.

[thebassman30]

Woodford! I can make up a few lies 8^)

Hand/finger hook is the worst. Slap some dirt on it and get back out there...j/k.
M

[roadrunner]

Just back in off the water...actually just back in from the hospital...had a lure come free from one of my client's fish this morning as we were landing it and the trebles embedded in my finger where the only way to get it out was to have it cut out..pure accident and have only had that happen a couple of times over the years but it can happen, even to the best of us.

Anyway, the shallow bite has been slow this week for the most part but seeing more and more of the big schools of shad moving shallow yesterday and this morning. Had a little shallow action this morning but the water went glass as the sun came up and the bite died but with the wind picking up now they are probably eating it up back shallow right now....figures, slow all week and then my day gets cut short.

My best bite this week has been working off the flats over creek channels in 10-12 ft of water ripping spoons (strike king in silver patterns) and strike king red eye shad in blue/chrome and sexy shad. We are doing this around the big shad schools. We are catching a lot of variety, including LM bass (yellow bass, white bass, rockfish, drum, sauger, catfish etc) Plenty of action and rewarded with a nice 3-4 lb LM now and then. I suggest if you come down this weekend (post frontal conditions) that if you don't get bit shallow...just back out and do the same. Crappie guides I have talked to this week so far are reporting a slow scattered bite so they are concentrating more on the yellow bass (of which you can catch as many as you want pretty quick).

I will put up a full report on the reports board tomorrow.

Dave have you ever tried jerking the hook out with mono line I saw Fish Fishburn bury a lure into his hand so he could show the technique on his show. I have never done this but if I had been in the boat with you I would have offered to try it.

Beep Beep

[Dave Stewart]

I have performed that technique a number of times on other folks and also had it done on me...not this time...the hook was buried deep and in the cartledge of a knuckle from the side of the finger...no way to do that technique this time.

[Col Forbin]

I have performed that technique a number of times on other folks and also had it done on me...not this time...the hook was buried deep and in the cartledge of a knuckle from the side of the finger...no way to do that technique this time.

Sissy!!!

Just kidding. I have been lucky and all of mine have been in soft tissue, and pull right out. Maybe I need to exercise some, and get rid of all my extra soft tissue.

[GonFishn]

That's an ouchy Dave :-( I've had no problem with cartlidge so far though, I carry a "kit" in the boat complete with a heavy duty side cutters, loop handle and 100# plus type rope/mono as well as various ointments and wound cleaning materials. I always try to hold the shank portion of the hook tight against the skin, while subsequently jerking the hook out with the handle and mono loop. It' simportant to get as close to the entry angle as possible, not necessarily from the perspective of the hole itself as much as it is to get the alignment of the barb and hook in line when jerking it out. I use an adjustable loop setup, if I have the room I usually allow for a 12" long loop which pops it out just fine and flings it a good distance, for harder to get to spots, behind the ears etc., I shorten the loop to accomodate the jerk. Anyone trying this should realize that human skin is remarkably tough and as such a good jerk is definitely the only way to go. Most times, when its done right, folks will ask when you're gonna pull it out, this after you've already done it :-) I've easily exceeded 75 disgorgements to date with no complaints from the injured party. The biggest problem I've had has been when folks have tried to get it out themselves with a pliers or whatever and only managed to embed the hook deeper in muscle or ligaments thus throwing off the original entry path of the hook, this is when practice really comes through.