favorite KY lake ledge baits

[kc]

I don't know about you guys but this winter has got me with the worst case of cabin fever imaginable. It's killing me to only be able to watch fishing on TV but watching ESPN yesterday I saw the segment from last June on KY lake where Bobby Lane won the tournament ledge fishing up in the TN section of the lake. I have not done much ledge fishing on KY to date but I am looking forward to giving it more of a try this year. ESPN was touting a 10" carolina rigged worm, a fat-free crank bait, and they showed Bobby using a swim bait which is kind of intriguing to me. For you seasoned KY lake anglers what are your favorite ledge lures and are do you have any special twists to setup or presentation that may help a nubie ledge fisherman?

kc

[LoomisLover]

I agree with the cabin fever, i am itching to get out ...

With that said I have a question to the experienced ledge experts: are there specific deciding factors when choosing what to throw on the ledge? I like to throw jigs but mainly throw them around docks and structure, so what is your though process when choosing to throw a texas rig, carolina rig, jig or whatever else?

Thanks (and this is not meant to jack the thread)

[Stevens]

I'm sure Dave can answer your guys questioned better than me, but ill give you my thought process as it is now and i hope to learn alot more in the future also. But what to throw is mainly about current, usually from the dams and sometimes from the wind. When theres good current the crankbait is hard to beat, thats also when that swimbait came into play big time. When they arnt pulling any current, and theres no wind or anything thats when your c-rigs, the big worms, and football jigs come into play. and you usually have to really slow down. I usually like to start off with a crankbait no matter what and try to fire up the school, but if thats not working it doesnt take me long to slow down. Once you catch one tho you want to cast right back on that spot because the school might be a little fired up. And like i said, i dont want to go into to much detail because i know Dave and some other fella's can give you a more in depth feel of whats going on, but i hope i helped a little.

[Col Forbin]

I probably use a c-rig most of the time, you can really work the sweet spots of the ledge a little more slow. But different times of the year I will change it up often. Here are my favorites.

When fish are active, and I can see balls of bait fish - I will always start with a crankbait. When you get into them on a crankbait, it is as much fun as you could have fishing ledges, and that is good, you will need the adrenaline rush to keep you arm from wearing out.

Rapala Dt-16 in parrot, or Lucky Craft in Blue/Char - Fish here seem to love that blue and char. color.

Jigs in all sizes depending on depth and how steep the drop of the ledge is. I usually stick with Green pumpkin, or green pumpkin and blue. Some orange in the skirt seems to help some.

Big worms. Usually in big worms I will stick to plum colors (I just have better luck on reddish/plum colors), but I know quite a few people that stick with wartmelon, and green pumpkin - some purple flake in those will sometimes do the trick. As far as brands, there are a ton of good ones out there Baby Huey's are my favorite, but I also really like Charmers, Todali Tackle, Net bait and 10" power worms.

Carolina rigs - I pretty much only throw Charmers timber pups. Every once in a while, I will put a large worm on it.

I also have had some luck on the big spoons in Chrome color - but still need to gain some confidence in those. I know some people that swear by them, but I have only got into them good on a few occassions with them.

[davidsa]

Guys-

Can you tell when current is being pulled? Do you know in advance? Or other?

That epsidode of the bassmasters from last year where Shell beds were being worked was interesting but also gave me the impression that I'm looking for a needle in a very big lake.

[Stevens]

Guys-

Can you tell when current is being pulled? Do you know in advance? Or other?

That epsidode of the bassmasters from last year where Shell beds were being worked was interesting but also gave me the impression that I'm looking for a needle in a very big lake.

I know some guys are very good at finding shell beds, so good that they can find them with there electronics.. which i havnt been able to do, so i dont really go out looking for the shells i usually bring one up with a crankbait and thats when i know that spot really has potential. From what i understand, shell beds are going to be where the current hits that piece of structure the hardest, so the front side of a hump or maybe the end of a point where the current is strongest. If your electronics are good enough, theyll usually be on a hard bottom so look for a wider yellow line, and theyre suppose to look like brown fuzzy lines. Its tricky, and you'd really have to concentrate and have good electronics to find them that way.
Generation times are posted on the TVA website, but there not concrete. You can also call 1-800-238-2264 and hit 33 for KY Lake for generation times. I forget which # Barkley is but its on the website too. If theres enough current, you can see it moving.

[barkleyhawggitter]

favorite bait is what they are hitting, you never know when you go out there. i have done well on every kind of bait on the ledges. most of the big fish i have caught have come on a worm, but i have caught them on spinnerbaits on the top of the ledge, cranks on top and the sides, top water, spoons, grubs, etc. hard part is figuring out the position of the fish on the ledge, front, back, sides, on top in the stumps, ditch on the corner, in brush etc. i always have an open mind everyday and try to find what part of the ledge they are on. the fish will tell you what bait they like best.

[Col Forbin]

I know some guys are very good at finding shell beds, so good that they can find them with there electronics.. which i havnt been able to do, so i dont really go out looking for the shells i usually bring one up with a crankbait and thats when i know that spot really has potential. From what i understand, shell beds are going to be where the current hits that piece of structure the hardest, so the front side of a hump or maybe the end of a point where the current is strongest. If your electronics are good enough, theyll usually be on a hard bottom so look for a wider yellow line, and theyre suppose to look like brown fuzzy lines. Its tricky, and you'd really have to concentrate and have good electronics to find them that way.
Generation times are posted on the TVA website, but there not concrete. You can also call 1-800-238-2264 and hit 33 for KY Lake for generation times. I forget which # Barkley is but its on the website too. If theres enough current, you can see it moving.

I have fished with a guy down here that is a wiz at finding shell beds. He gave me a quick lesson on the electronics. At first I thought he was full of it, until I pulled up a couple. You described exactly what I saw, except with a little bit of red on top of the brown. I still have had little luck finding them this way, but I guess I need more practice.

Honestly, the best way to learn about ledges is to take a trip with Dave Stewart. You can read all you want about them, but to really get a grasp of it, you need to experience it. I learned more on one trip with Dave, than all my studying, reading, and time I put in the water by myself combined. What he teaches you, is not only specific to Kentucky lake, but can be applied to any lake where shad is the primary food source. It is well worth the money, and I am looking forward to another trip with him.

[crazyfishinnut]

I love Ky lake ledges, I use the elusive Side kick crankbait if they are pulling water, sometimes a DD22. I rig a 10 inch worm preferrably charmers in watermeon red or plum.
I have used swim bait and caught fish but just not real confident in them. I plan on working them into my fishing more this year. Hot Sunny days with them pulling water I am on a ledge.

[kc]

I appreciate all of the thoughts on ledge fishing. I also did the ledge trip with Dave later in the season (August) last year and it was a great learning experience. I can't say enough of how informational and useful that session was with Dave and I also look forward to doing that again. I didn't get much of a chance after going out with Dave to try out what I had learned on the ledges but since I have put a Lowrance LMS520 and the Navionics chip on my rig and I am raring to go for ledge season this year.

One twist on lures that I am thinking for ledge fishing is tubes. I like to fish tubes on KY rigged on jig heads in which I swim them more than hop or drag like a worm. Smallies at night love tubes fished that way and I am thinking that same technique with slighly heavier heads may be pretty interesting on the drops. Time will tell.

One last thought on equipment. I have not fished the large, super-deep diving crankbaits much like you guys are using and watching that BassMaster show yesterday KVD talked about using a 7'10' graphite composite rod with flourocarbon line and he said that the right rig was crucial for fishing large cranks. I don't have such a rod and I wonder if it truly makes that much difference. I once purchase a "David Fritts" crank bait rod which was kind of like a buggy whip and I did not like the feel. I tend to use MH loomis rods and like the feel much better than the whippy rods. Any thoughts on rods for the big cranks? What type and action do you guys like?

kc

[sflam123]

I've been fortunate enough to fish KY Lake for the last 12 years and have lived here for the last 3. I am by no means an expert. I am however learning every time I get on the lake.

With regard to the equipment, I think you will find that a relatively soft tip rod is vital to throwing a big deep diving crankbait on KY Lake ledges. You are using a bait that is diving to 14-16' and the soft tip not only gives you some "give" when trying to fight the fish, but also is a little less tiring than a stiff MH rod.

As to what bait to use when, current and bait drive the choice for me. If there is current and/or I see baitfish on the graph, I'll try a crankbait first. I'll throw a Texas rigged 10" worm or jig before I throw a C-Rig. I have thrown a relatively large tube (4.5") on a 3/8 oz. jighead and have caught fish on it, but not as reliably as I have on a 10" worm. Good luck.

[demodan]

I don't know about you guys but this winter has got me with the worst case of cabin fever imaginable. It's killing me to only be able to watch fishing on TV but watching ESPN yesterday I saw the segment from last June on KY lake where Bobby Lane won the tournament ledge fishing up in the TN section of the lake. I have not done much ledge fishing on KY to date but I am looking forward to giving it more of a try this year. ESPN was touting a 10" carolina rigged worm, a fat-free crank bait, and they showed Bobby using a swim bait which is kind of intriguing to me. For you seasoned KY lake anglers what are your favorite ledge lures and are do you have any special twists to setup or presentation that may help a nubie ledge fisherman?

kc

Hands down, best all around....when all is said and done is the 3/4 or 1 ounce (football) jig with "trailer of choice"!!!....Of course there are times that you will throw what you are confident with. But I assure you...if they will hit a C-Rig with a large brush hog / lizard, or a large worm and even a CB bite...the jig bite will be just a little better 99% of the time; ...if you have the "right" equipment...and know how to "detect" different bites,... if I may add.