Weekly Report For Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley dated April 5, 2018

[Dave Stewart]

April 5, 2018

Kentucky Lake:  Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 355.43  Surface Temperature - 56
Lake Barkley:  Water Level at Barkley Dam - 355.35  Surface Temperature - 55

Both lakes are about one and one half foot above winter pool and on a slow rise.  Barring any unforeseen large input of water, the lakes are on schedule to reach summer pool at the end of this month.  Kentucky Dam was generating at an average rate of 47,000 cfs this morning  Barkley Dam was generating at an average rate of 46,700 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:  Cold fronts, warm fronts, rain and wind has been the story over the past couple weeks.  It is not over yet from the looks of the weather forecast.  The weather has kept us off the water a number of days over the past couple weeks but we have managed to get a few days in when it is not cold, raining and/or the wind blowing to bad to be on the water.  The Bass bite remains scattered and somewhat slow.  We are getting a nice fat big fish now and then but the bigger fish are not coming in numbers for us yet.  We are catching a number of smaller bass most days.  The confirmed reports I have received and the tournament results lately are mirroring the same as we have been doing.  We need some more stable warm weather to get the water temperatures up and the fish biting better.

The forecast for tomorrow looks good with a morning low of 46 and afternoon high of 61 with a chance of rain showers during the late afternoon. Wind is forecasted to be SSW at 8.  Another nasty cold front is coming through Friday night and is making the weekend outlook nasty.  A forecast of rain and possibly changing over to snow tomorrow night is in the offing.  The forecast for Saturday is for a morning low of 30, daytime high of 46 with NNE wind at 15.  Sunday's forecast is showing a morning low of 29, daytime high of 49 with wind E at 9 and a 60% chance of rain showers during the afternoon. 

LARGEMOUTH BASS:  Largemouth are being taken on main lake points and banks on crank baits, Alabama rigs, jigs and suspending jerk baits.  Largemouth are also being taken in shallow cuts on the main lake near deep water on spinner baits, lipless crank baits, vibrating jigs and jigs.  Largemouth are being taken on creek channel banks and secondary points in the creeks and bays on Alabama rigs, jigs, Carolina and Texas rigged creature baits, neko rigs and crank baits.  Largemouth are also being taken in the shallows in the creeks and bays on spinner baits, chatter baits and lipless crank baits as well as Texas rigged creature baits.  As you can see, the fish are scattered.  Most of the shallow fish are small fish with an occasional nice fish.

SMALLMOUTH BASS:  Some nice Smallmouth have been taken as they are on their pre spawn bite right now.  Most of these fish are being taken on main lake points and deep points in the mouths of the creeks and bays on crank baits, suspending jerk baits, Alabama rigs and jigs. 

PRODUCTIVE LURES:  Alabama rig with Keitech swim baits in French pearl and Pro blue, Big Hammer swim baits in pearl white and "woops"y smelt, Rapala DT 10 and DT 6 crank baits in crawdad patterns, Rapala Shad Raps in crawdad patterns,  Strike King Red Eye Shad in red craw, chrome "woops"y shad and blue chrome, Rattle Traps in red craw and chrome shad, D&L jigs in black blue and oops patterns, Slong's jigs in black blue, Slong's spinner baits in white/chartreuse, Lucky Craft suspending jerk baits in pearl ayu, Mega Bass suspending jerk baits in ito watsugi, vibrating jigs in blue glimmer with pearl white swim bait trailer and Charmer 6" lizards in watermelon/red.

Crappie:  Crappie are being reported as scattered also, with most of the fish still being taken in the 10-20 ft range over submerged cover by vertically fishing with minnow rigs and small jigs tipped with Crappie nibbles.  These fish are still staging around the mouths of the creeks and bays with an occasional few fish being taken in 8-10 ft of water on warmer afternoons. 

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 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 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 Comanche 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.

Available Dates: 

April:  27, 30
May:  1, 2, 3, 4, 15, 16, 24
June: 12, 13, 14, 21 25, 27, 28, 29

I am also taking reservations also for July, August, September, October and November.

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

[Lipripper]

Thanks for the report Dave and sounds like y'all are having that crazy up and down weather like we are . Them fish don't know how to act.