Weeky Report For Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley dated September 1, 2017

[Dave Stewart]

September 1, 2017

Kentucky Lake:  Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 355.60  Surface Temperature - 80
Lake Barkley:  Water Level at Barkley Dam - 355.45  Surface Temperature - 80

Both lakes are 3.5 feet below summer pool.  Kentucky Dam was generating at an average rate of 57,000 cfs this morning.  Barkley Dam was generating at an average rate of 42,000 cfs this morning.  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:  Water temperatures have dropped 3 degrees since last week's report.  Although we are still finding the bass scattered the bite has picked up some with the better oxygen levels and we have put more numbers of bass in the boat, but numbers of bigger fish are still low.  The big news is that the remnants of Harvey came into the lakes area last night and has dumped some heavy rains in the area but even more so in the areas up the rivers in Tennessee and Alabama.  

The TVA has pulled the lakes down over the past few days to present levels in anticipation of a large influx of water from these heavy rains up the rivers.  The current lake levels are about 1.5 feet below where we normally would be at this first day in September.  Projections by the TVA have been changing rapidly over the last couple of days as to how high the levels may or may not go over the next few days.  I have seen projections from summer pool levels to near winter pool levels by Monday.  One thing is for sure, boaters this weekend need to be aware of where they are running if the lake levels remain this low or go lower.  If the lake levels do rise as to near summer pool levels, I expect the shallow water bite will turn on as the water covers up the grass that has grown on the shallow flats in the backs of the creeks and bays.  

The weather forecast for the holiday weekend is looking good as the remnants of Harvey will be exiting the lakes area later today.  Expect high levels of boat traffic so please drive your boat defensively and be courteous to the other boaters and anglers.  Let's get through this last big holiday weekend on the lakes for the season without any accidents!

We have high wind warnings out today but Saturday's forecast is showing a high of 79/low of 54 with wind WNW at 9.  Sunday and Monday look good with high's in the 80's/low's in the 60's with light south quadrant winds.  The extended forecast for next week is showing high's in the 70's/low's in the 50's with north quadrant winds.  If this forecast is correct, the water temperatures are going to continue to drop and I expect we will be in the early stages of the fall transition  by the end of the week if not sooner.  

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 swim baits, Texas rigged large worms, drop shot rigs, shaky heads, Carolina rigged creature baits and jigs. Largemouth are being taken on secondary points in the creeks and bays as well as on main lake points and shallow flats early and late in the day on top water lures as they are feeding on schools of fry. Some Largemouth are also being taken shallow near isolated wood cover and around docks with cover during the day on spinner baits, Texas rigged creature baits, jigs, tube jigs, Senko type baits and flukes.
 























Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken on main lake points and on ledges during the day on jigs and Carolina rigged creature baits. Smallmouth and Largemouth are being taken at night on rocky main lake points and rocky points inside the mouths of creeks and bays on dark skirted spinner baits, jigs and tube jigs.
 























Productive Lures: Some of the productive lures reported this week are Lucky Craft Sammy and Lucky Craft Gunfish in ghost pearl lemon, Strike King spash baits in white, Big Hammer swim baits in "woops"y smelt and bay smelt, D&L jigs in "oops" and Cumberland craw, Slong's jigs in Cumberland craw and black/blue, Charmer and Zoom large worms in green pumpkin on Texas rigs and Carolina rigs, Charmer lizards and timber pups on Texas rigs and Carolina rigs in green pumpkin, green pumpkin/blue and watermelon/purple, Charmer shaky head worms and zoom trick worms on shaky head jigs in green pumpkin and watermelon/purple and Charmer tubes in smoke purple and green pumpkin/orange flake on tube jig heads rigged stupid style, Zoom fluke junior in white and variations of green pumpkin robo worms on drop shot rigs.
 

























White Bass:  White Bass are being taken by vertically fishing with inline spinners and blade baits on river ledges and around the mouths of the creeks and bays as well as by trolling medium running crank baits on main lake flats and in the creeks and bays.

Catfish:  Catfish are being taken in the main river channel ledges in 20-30 feet of water on cut baits and prepared baits on bottom rigs.  This bite has been reported as good with the current this week.
 
 
















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 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
FLASH: Fisherman's Headquarters has recently received a shipment of the sought after Realis crank baits and jerk baits as well as Lucky Craft 100 series Sammy's and 115 Series Gunfish in my favorite Ghost Pearl Lemon colors just in time for the upcoming fall bite. The store also now has a selection of the now popular "HeyBo" clothing in stock.

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 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 after you find them.

Available Dates:

September, October and November: I have a number of dates available. Make your reservations now for the fall fishing to get the date(s) you want.






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

[Lipripper]

Thanks again for your in depth report from down there.