Weekly Fishing Report For Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley dated June 8, 2017

[Dave Stewart]

June 8, 2017

Kentucky Lake:  Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 360.17  Surface Temperature - 78
Lake Barkley:  Water Level at Barkley Dam - 360.25  Surface Temperature - 78

Both lakes are one foot over summer pool.  Kentucky Dam was generating at an average rate of 62,000 cfs this afternoon.  Barkley Dam was generating at an average rate of 40,000 cfs this afternoon.  The latest lake levels , current flows and forecasts for all the TVA lakes can be found at http://www.tva.com/river/lakeinfo/index.htm.

Current Conditions:  We started off the week with numerous thunderstorms and heavy rains on Monday but the post frontal weather the past few days has been nice.  The rains here and up river has caused the lakes to rise to present levels.  The bass fishing has been good this week on the ledges with good numbers of fish taken.  We also took fish back shallow and on transition banks and points in the creeks and bays but the ledge fishing was the prime pattern for us.  Slower techniques ie...Carolina rigged creature baits and worms, Texas rigged worms and dragging football head produced best for us this week in both numbers and size on both lakes.  A good example of the ledge bite being on is the results of the first day of the FLW Costa Series today.  There were 23 five fish limits over 20lbs weighed today.  For you panfish anglers, I saw the first mayfly hatches this week on the north end of Kentucky Lake.  Panfish were feeding voraciously on these hatches. 

The forecast for tomorrow is for a high of 84/night time low of 60 with wind WSW at 4.  Saturday's forecast is calling for a high of 87/night time low of 65 with wind S at 8.  Sunday is looking good also with a high of 90/night time low of 69 with wind S at 10.  The forecast through mid week is calling for high's in the low 90's, night time low's in the 70's with an increasing chance of rain and scattered thunderstorms each day.


Largemouth Bass: Largemouth are being taken on primary points on the main lake as well as on ledges on the main lake and in the mouths of creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on deep diving crank baits, swim baits, spoons, Texas rigged large worms, Carolina rigged creature baits and jigs. Largemouth are being taken in the shallows around brush as they are guarding nests with topwater lures, Texas rigged creature baits, tube jigs and jigs. Largemouth are being taken on channel banks and secondary points in the creeks and bays on crank baits, chatter baits, Carolina and Texas rigged creature baits, jigs and shaky heads.

Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken on the main lake points and secondary points in the front halves of the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on jigs, Carolina rigged creature baits and tube jigs. The numbers are low but some nice fish have been taken. Some Smallmouth are also being taken on ledges (same as above) on crank baits, jigs and Carolina rigged creature baits.

Productive Lures: Some of the productive lures reported this week are Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon, Strike King spash baits in white, Bandit crank baits in rootbeer/chartruese, Rapala DT 6 and DT 10 in bluegill,  Strike King XD 6 and XD 10 in Tennessee shad, "woops"y shad and chartruese "woops"y shad, Rapala DT 16 in parrot, Big Hammer swim baits in "woops"y smelt and bay smelt, Kitech swim baits in pro blue, D&L jigs in "oops" and cumberland craw, Slong's jigs in cumberland craw, Slong's spinner baits in white/chartruese, Chatter baits in white/chartruese, Charmer and Zoom large worms in plum and watermelon/red on Texas rigs, Charmer lizards and timber pups on Texas rigs and Carolina rigs in green pumpkin and green pumpkin/blue and watermelon/purple.

Bluegill/Red Ear: Bluegills and Red Ears are being taken around brush shallow as well as on the spawning flats in the creeks and bays in 2-5 ft of water. Crickets, red worms, wax worms under bobbers and red worms and pinched night crawlers fish on bottom on split shot rig is the ticket for these tasty fish. Bluegills are also being taken around mayfly hatches near overhanging trees early and late in the day on crickets and wax worms fished under bobbers.

Catfish: Channel catfish are being taken on rocky banks and points as well as rocky bottom flats in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on night crawlers fished under bobbers and on bottom rigs. Some good numbers of these fish are being reported.

IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON VISITING OUR LAKES I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES FOR ALL YOUR FISHING AND BOATING NEEDS:
Fisherman's Headquarters is located in Draffenville at the U.S. 68/U.S. 641 triangle, or the Draffenville "Y". FHQ stocks everything an angler could need, from live bait, hooks and bobbers to top of the line tournament bass tackle. More than a "bait and tackle" store, Fisherman's Headquarters is a true "pro shop", offering advice, training and special order assistance not found online or at the big box retailers. Services even include custom electronics training and installation. The store offers a wide variety of nationally known brands as well as many regional and hard to find items we use on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. They stock many of the products I rely on daily, such as Charmer Baits, Slong's lures, Picasso lures, Bag 5 lures and Pro Tungsten weights. From bluegill to bass and catfish to crappie, FHQ has you covered! Stop by and visit or phone 270-527-5938

Jet-A-Marina: If you have a problem with your boat while you are visiting our great fisheries, let me recommend you have the folks in the service department at Jet-a-Marina check it out. These folks have a well known reputation for trying to keep our visitors on the water while they are here if they can possibly do so, especially you tournament anglers. Hopefully you will not need this kind of assistance but if you do, you can find Jet-a-Marina located on U.S. 62 in Calvert City, just a couple of miles north of Kentucky Dam. Jet-a-Marina also has a great showroom for all your boating accessories and check out the new Ranger and Stratos bass boats too as well as bulk oil at rock bottom prices for your engine. Phone: 270-395-4030.

GUIDE SERVICE:

For those of you that may not be familiar with my service: I am a full time catch and release bass fishing guide. I only guide for bass. I have been guiding for bass full time on these lakes for over 20 years and bass fishing the lakes for over 30 years. I do not go out and fish panfish for 4 or 5 days and then try to guide on bass for one or two days.

No one knows everything the bass are doing but one thing is for sure, if you only fish for bass day in and day out, you will have a lot better idea of what they are doing and also be familiar with all the different techniques it takes to be a successful bass angler.

If you book with my service, you will have me as your guide and you will be guided in the comfort of a late model Z522 Ranger Commanche equipped with Lowrance HDS electronics and top of the line tackle. I provide just for fun bass fishing trips, tournament preparation trips, focused teaching trips and technique instruction. If you are in need of a bass fishing guide give me a call or drop me an email.

Ledge Teaching:

I am also taking bookings for my Ledge Teaching trip. The Ledge Teaching trip consists of both classroom and time on the water. This trip not only teaches you how to find the highest percentage ledges but also what you are looking for on your electronics and how to interpret what you are seeing, how to search the ledges, set up on the ledges as well as making decisions on what type lures you should be throwing depending on enviromental conditions. You do not learn how to find and fish the best ledges by simply looking at your electronics....it takes knowledge to find and fish the best ledges, the electronics are just a tool to assist you in seeing the fish afer you find them.

Available Dates:

June: Sorry, I am booked up.
July: A number of available dates, make your reservation now to get the date(s) you want.

Of course I am taking reservations for the rest of the season also through November. Make your reservations now to get the dates you want.

Captain Dave Stewart
Bass Buster Guide Service
270-362-9987
dave@kentuckylakeguide.com
www.kentuckylakeguide.com
"Fish With a Professional"

[Lipripper]

Thanks Dave for another great report and I use to hate fishing for walleye up in Canada around Mayfly hatch time.