Quote Originally Posted by elnutsmalljaws View Post
Tough time to go to Dale. Fish are still moving from their summer homes to the shallows to put on the feedbags for winter. Transition period at Dale is always tough because everything looks so good that it is hard to stay on a pattern when you stumble across one. Dale will get better in a couple of weeks but KY Lake is better now. With water temps in the mid to low 70's at KY and the forecast as it is the temps will continue to cool. The shad will be moving to the backs of the bays in waves and my guess is there are shad everywhere from the ledges to the backs of the bays at KY. Big Jigs, C Rig creature baits on the ledges, texas rigged lizards - jigs - crankbaits - other shad imitating baits fished on the lead in channel banks up in the bays should produce as well. The shad are moving everyday so the bass are moving with them. Find the school of shad and the bass will not be far behind.
Elwood is dead on here! I fished barkley all day yesterday, and the better bite (bigger fish) was on the ledges in the mouths of bays. I would have stayed there all day, and probably had a very nice limit. However, about 11:00 - the wind went from nothing to 25 mph. There was not a ripple on the main lake, and all at once you could here the wind blowing down the lake. I stayed in the back of a bay for the rest of the day, and caught plenty of fish, with only a few keepers. Shad were so thick in spots, I could not get a clear depth read. Just be careful out on KY and Barkley and use the bouys. I was fishing a hump in the mouth of a bay that was less than 2 feet at the most shallow part.