Lake House Retreat Bed and Breakfast
Poplar Creek Lodge
The Cabin Bait and Tackle
****************************************
2012
Feb. 20
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are sitting around 354.8, just over winter pool stage. There is little current in both lakes as they are close to their winter pool stage. Kentucky is pulling 51,000 while Barkley has been running 61,000 CFM's. Kentucky is clearing nicely with great visibility in the bays and throughout the main river with water temps running 44-49 degree range while Barkley has more color but very fishable and water temps are running 43-47 degrees.
Weather: The past couple of weeks have given us shot of what winter is suppose to feel like. Now we've got spring like weather in the works with highs in the mid 60's and sunshine for the better of the week. We will have some windy conditions blowing in the warm weather with a little turn for the weekend for the mid 40's.
Fishing: Fishing has been great this week in fact this whole winter has been off the charts. The A-rig bite is on! KY Lake is back with the water clearing up it is putting out some great catches. We had a 7.2 and 6.8 and a number of fish over 5lbs this week and it took almost 30lbs to win a tournament on Saturday. Jerkbaits and tubes are also catching fish as water temps have dropped the past couple of weeks with the cooler weather. Spro McStick and Lucky-E-Strike RC Stick have been baits of choice along with Outkast Tackle tubes texas rigged with a rattle have taken a bunch of fish this week also. We've thrown almost all the different models of A-rigs on the market with most working as well as the other. The biggest difference comes in the type of jig and bait used. The two heads of choice have been the Outkast Tackle Pro Swim jig or Buckeye Lures JWill head both in 1/8 or 1/4oz. Choice of bait to put on these heads vary from curly tail grubs to high end Bass Trix swimbaits with the new Keitech Swimbait (if you can get your hands on them) which looks like a large ring worm with a paddle tail and the Net Bait BK swimbait being the two go to baits. Reaction Innovations Skinny and Little Dippers are also getting a lot of use.
Crappie - It's been another good week of crappie fishing with lots of fish being caught though you tend to have to weed thru them to get a limit of keepers. Fish have pulled back out to deeper brush on KY Lake in 12-20 feet over brush piles. I've been able to catch them a bit shallower on Barkley where they have been anywhere from 7-12' of water. Most our fish have come by vertical jigging a tube or grub over the brush. White, pink, and chart. have been the best colors as of late. Some of the biggest fish came from minnows and floats around brush piles. There looks to be an excellent spring and early summer bite on the lakes this year with lots of 9 - 9 3/4" fish being caught.
*****Make sure to stop by The Cabin Bait and Tackle before you hit the lake to catch up on the hottest baits and areas to help you have a great day on the water. While there check out the great selection of A-rigs and accessories to catch your next trophy. You can also get a quick bite to eat from the deli before you head out or after long day on the water.
******If you're in the need of your favorite bait, rod or reel before you have a chance to stop by The Cabin make sure to stop by our online store at www.tackleexperts.com
*****Winter is coming to a close and the spring fishing season will be here soon. Make sure to give us a call today to set up a crappie trip or learn how to throw the A-rig.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian Brown
Fishing Hype Guide Service
(612) 889-2423
Feb. 3
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are sitting around 355, 1 ft above their winter pool stage. There is significant current in both lakes as they try to keep them around their winter pool stage due to recent heavy rains in lakes areas. Kentucky is pulling 180,000 while Barkley has been running 68,000 CFM's. Kentucky has a heavy stain to it with the bays beginning to clear but still stained and water temps running in the 47-52 degree range while Barkley has much more color with only 6'' of visibility and water temps are running 48-53 degrees.
Weather: It has been another mild week temp. wise. With highs running in the low 60's ushered in by some very windy days early in the week. The past couple of days have been down right spring like. The weekend looks to have move into the lakes area on Friday night and Saturday with sunny cool days Sunday thru Weds.
Fishing: Fishing overall has been good this week. The A-rig is still catching fish but not the way it had before the water got dirty. Jerkbaits and tubes have come into play more this week than in the past few months due to the heavy stain to the water. Spro McStick and Lucky-E-Strike RC Stick have been baits of choice. With the warmer water temps we are moving these fairly fast with only short pauses between jerks. Outkast Tackle tubes texas rigged with a rattle have taken a bunch of fish this week also. We've thrown almost all the different models of A-rigs on the market with most working as well as the other. The biggest difference comes in the type of jig and bait used. The two heads of choice have been the Outkast Tackle Pro Swim jig or Buckeye Lures JWill head both in 1/8 or 1/4oz. Choice of bait to put on these heads vary from curly tail grubs to high end Bass Trix swimbaits with the new Keitech Swimbait which looks like a large ring worm with a paddle tail and the Net Bait BK swimbait being the two go to baits. Reaction Innovations Skinny and Little Dippers are also getting a lot of use.
Crappie - It's been another good week of crappie fishing with lots of fish being caught and weeding thru them to get the keepers. I've been fishing brush on KY Lake in 12-20 feet of water but have been catching them much shallower on Barkley where I've caught them as shallow as 7' down to 15'. We've caught some fish by casting a tube jig or curly tail grub to brush piles on bank breaks. Most fish though have come by vertical jigging a tube or grub over the brush. White, pink, and chart. have been the best colors as of late. There looks to be an excellent spring and early summer bite on the lakes this year with lots of 9 - 9 3/4" fish being caught.
*****Make sure to stop by The Cabin Bait and Tackle before you hit the lake to catch up on the hottest baits and areas to help you have a great day on the water. While there check out the great selection of A-rigs and accessories to catch your next trophy. You can also get a quick bite to eat from the deli before you head out or after long day on the water.
*****Winter may be here but the fishing has been hot give me a call today to set up a crappie trip or learn how to throw the A-rig. Also this is the time to get your dates set for the upcoming spring season before someone else gets them.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian Brown
Fishing Hype Guide Service
(612) 889-2423
Jan. 14
Jan. 14
Lake Conditions: The lakes are sitting at 355' up a foot over the past 48hrs to 1' above their winter pool stage. With a break from rain the lakes have began to clear up. Kentucky has a slight stain to it while Barkley has a bit more color but much better than the past few weeks with 8-12'' visibility and water temps are running 48-50 degrees.
Weather: A cold front came thru the lakes area last night pushing out some very nice unseasonably warm weather. With stiff winds and snow flying for the first time this year it finally felt and looked like winter. It will be a short stay as highs are looking to be back up in the mid to upper 40s with a chance of rain Monday and Tuesday.
Fishing: What else can you say but fantastic. Ever since last October the A-rig has the bass fishing world buzzing with the good and bad of this new bait. Agree or disagree with it's use for tournaments, it flat out catches fish and has changed the face of late fall and winter fishing here on the lakes. The past couple of tournaments have been won with over 27lbs on a 5 fish limit and at least 10 bags over 20lbs which is unheard of this time of year. We are catching most of our fish in 20-25 feet of water around brush piles. Of course the rig isn't the only bait that is catching fish right now as tis the season of the jerkbait and there are some good fish being caught on main lake and secondary points in 5-10 feet of water. Outkast Tackle finess jigs or 4'' tubes have also been coaxing bites from some of the finicky eaters. Right now winter fishing has been as good as it has ever been with quantity and quality.
Crappie - Just as the bass fishing has been on fire the crappie bite seems to be in full swing. They seem to be a bit more effected by the changing weather as one day it may only take a couple hours to get a limit and the next it may take 4hrs. I've been fishing brush on KY Lake in 12-20 feet of water but have been catching them much shallower on Barkley where I've caught them as shallow as 7' down to 15'. We've caught some fish by casting a tube jig or curly tail grub at the brush piles. Most fish though have come by vertical jigging a tube or grub over the brush as this is my favorite way to fish for them as you can watch the fish come up and bite your bait on the graphs. White, pink, and chart. have been the best colors as of late. There looks to be an excellent spring and early summer bite on the lakes this year with lots of 9 - 9 3/4" fish being caught.
*****Make sure to stop by The Cabin Bait and Tackle before you hit the lake to catch up on the hottest baits and areas to help you have a great day on the water. While there check out the great selection of A-rigs and accessories to catch your next trophy. You can also get a quick bite to eat from the deli before you head out or after long day on the water.
*****Winter may be here but the fishing has been hot give me a call today to set up a crappie trip or learn how to throw the A-rig. Also this is the time to get your dates set for the upcoming spring season before someone else gets them.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian Brown
Fishing Hype Guide Service
(612) 889-2423
****************************************
2011
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are sitting just over 355 a little over a foot above their winter pool stage on a slow draw down to 354'. Both lakes over the past month or so have a mix of color from clear in some areas to dirty in others. Not sure why but each bay I've been in seems to have a mix of water color in it. Kentucky Lake has been pulling around 21,000 to 34,000 CFM while Barkley has is pulling 12,000 to 17,000 CFM respectively. Water temps are running in the low 70s.
Weather: What can you say about the past couple of weeks of weather, it has just been perfect. We do have a cold from blowing thru today that has brought some rain and cooler temps along with a cool breeze. It looks like another great weekend of weather coming up with the weekend highs in the 80s and another cold front pushing through Monday night bring windy cool conditions across the region the rest of the week. Remember it's time to start packing the hoodies and light jackets along now.
Fishing: There hasn't been much change for me over the past few weeks as it's either been feast or famine depending on your timing. I've caught fish everywhere from the backs of some creeks out to the main river ledge. We ran the back of a couple creeks the other day and seen very little shad activity. Pulling up on a long under water point that cut these two creeks off from the main river we noticed baitfish everywhere. Next thing 2-3lb bass are chasing shad a couple feet out of the water and over the next hour we caught 40-50 fish. On the other hand you can be around all the bait in the world and throw the tackle box at them and not get bit. Every bay is different as to the position of the shad and bass. Some have and have had baitfish all the way to the back and others only have them at the mouth. There are still some and always will be bait fish out on the main river and all you need to look for are the birds they will be feeding on these schools of bait as they roam the main lake flats. The schools of deep fish seemed to have broken up with the fish that are going to stay out in the main lake moving up on top of the flats and the others making their way to the creeks. Some bays have fish chasing shad in 6'' of water as far back as you can get, some only have fish half way back while others the fish are set up at the mouth. It has been a complete tackle box of lures that have caught fish this week. The normal shallow water tools have come into play with a squarebill crankbait taking the most fish with some on rattlebaits, topwater and spinnerbaits. Most of the fish on the flats and ledges have come on either a mid depth crankbait or Carolina rig. While a shaky head or finesse jig have been taking many of the fish on the secondary points in the bays and at the mouth of the creeks. Our best areas overall have been shallow underwater points in the back of creeks and bays or long underwater points that seem to cut the bay off from the main lake or river channel.
Crappie - I have spent only a few short hours this week fishing for them. I was on Barkley on caught a dozen throw backs (under 10") and 3 keeper size fish. I am hoping to spend more time coming up pinpointing where they are hanging out.
Catfish - I haven't fished strictly for these tasty critters but have caught a few while crappie fishing. While idling the creek channels looking for brush piles I've noticed schools of fish just out in what I call nothing land. Just in the middle of the basin or creek channel not really relating to anything. Taking shot these my be schools of crappie on the move I would drop a jig and minnow on them and have been catching catfish.
Gill and Redear - No report
Make The Cabin Bait and Tackle a must stop on your way to the lake. They now carry the OutKast Tackle line as well as the Slix rod covers and Powell rods along with all your fishing tackle needs, including marine batteries and oil they have it all and if there is something they don't have they can get it for you. Don't forget about the deli to getting you going in the morning or a lunch when getting of the water. Located 1 mile West of exit 40 off I-24 on hwy 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122.
Cool temps and some great fall fishing is on it's way so call today to book your trip. We can certainly accommodate large groups with some advanced notice.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian
612-889-2423
Sept 29:
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are sitting just over 356' a couple of feet above their winter pool on a slow draw down to 354'. Both lakes have a considerable mix of color from clear in some areas to dirty in others. Not sure why but each bay I've been in seems to have a mix of water color in it. Kentucky Lake has been pulling around 44-47,000 CFM while Barkley has maintained 17,000 around the clock. Water temps are running in the low to mid 70s and warmed a little the past couple of days but will definitely fall some more with the upcoming cool nights ahead.
Weather: The weather as of late has been spectacular as we've rounded the corner to a fall pattern of cool nights and warm afternoons. With the exception of some wind Friday we are looking at a great week of weather ahead with lows in the high 40s and highs running in the mid 70s. Remember it's time to start packing the hoodies and light jackets along now.
Fishing: Fishing has been feast or famine this week depending on your timing. If you pull up on a main lake flat or in the backs of the creeks that have fish feeding it can be the easiest fishing you'll ever experience. On the other hand you can be around all the bait in the world and throw the tackle box at them and not get bit. More and more shad are moving into the bays daily, in fact some bays I'm not sure you could get any more in there. There are still some and always will be bait fish out on the main river and all you need to look for are the birds they will be feeding on these schools of bait as they roam the main lake flats. We've caught fish from 6" of water all the way out to 20'. The schools of deep fish seemed to have broken up with the fish that are going to stay out in the main lake moving up on top of the flats and the others making their way to the creeks. Some bays have fish chasing shad in 6'' of water as far back as you can get, some only have fish half way back while others the fish are set up at the mouth. It has been a complete tackle box of lures that have caught fish this week. The normal shallow water tools have come into play with a squarebill crankbait taking the most fish with some on rattlebaits, topwater and spinnerbaits. Most of the fish on the flats and ledges have come on either a mid depth crankbait or Carolina rig. While a shaky head or finess jig have been taking many of the fish on the secondary points in the bays and at the mouth of the creeks.
Crappie - I still have not fished for them but the word from those that are chasing the slabs around is that they are coming out of brush 10-18 feet deep at the mouths of the bays on minnows or jig/minnow combo. Some real good catches in the 12-13 inch size fish are being caught. It will be another week before I put down the bass tackle and start focusing more on the slabs.
Gill and Redear - No report
Catfish - No report
Make The Cabin Bait and Tackle a must stop on your way to the lake. They now carry the OutKast Tackle line as well as the Slix rod covers and Powell rods along with all your fishing tackle needs, including marine batteries and oil they have it all and if there is something they don't have they can get it for you. Don't forget about the deli to getting you going in the morning or a lunch when getting of the water. Located 1 mile West of exit 40 off I-24 on hwy 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122.
***Mark your calendar***** - KVD with be at The Cabin, Saturday October 8th from 10am - 2pm. Be sure to stop by and meet the #1 angler in the world. There will be lots of give away prize from Strike King and other door prizes, so mark your calenders for this great oppurtunity to talk fishing with KVD.
Cool temps and some great fall fishing is on it's way so call today to book your trip. We can certainly accommodate large groups with some advanced notice.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian
612-889-2423
June 10:
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are sitting at 359.80 about a foot over summer pool and stable and should remain this way with the lack of rain we've had. Current draw on Kentucky is in the 34,000 range on avg during the afternoon power generation period. Barkley on the other hand is running steady in the 15-18,000 range around the clock. Water color on Kentucky is clearing nicely with a some stain in a few bays but overall light stain to clear. Barkley still has some stain to it with bays beginning to show signs of clearing. Base water temps on the lakes are now sitting in the 85 degree range with temps in some of the bays jumping up into the low 90s with the sun and high air temps we've had are going to experience over the next week and it's only the first week of JUNE!
Weather: It has a been a repeat of last week with light winds if any and sultry high temps and humidity. Highs again this week climbed into the mid 90s and very little wind this week it has been getting a little warm by the noon hour and has really jumped the water temps. It looks as if we are in for another week of hot and humid weather so make sure to keep plenty of sun screen on, wear the proper clothing, and keep your cooler full of ice and water.
Fishing: Overall fishing has been very good. The Bass bite has been very unpredictable there seems to be fish everywhere but nothing cut and dry as to why. Some fish are on a spot for a day and gone, other spots will hold fish for a couple days then move. This has been the biggest key of the puzzle the past couple of weeks. Most of the fish are on the move towards their summer homes on the ledges but are definitely not schooled up the way they normal would this time of year. This can be due to the overall wild weather since the spring flooding to records lows one week to record highs the next, water temps have jumped 20 degrees to a couple of weeks. I know it sounds like a lot of excuses but someone is always going to catch them no matter what happens but overall it's been a fish here and a fish there. There are more fish out on the main river ledges each day but not many places have them as of yet but they are not far away. The best bite offshore is still ledges at the mouth of the bays\creeks and secondary channel ledges, humps and points as these are the next stopping area before the will make their move out to the main river. Cranking is the king of spring and early summer fishing as you can cover water much faster and the fish are very aggressive and will chase down the shad imitating baits and if you're on a good school we can boat them two at time. Shallow cranks are still taking fish that are up protecting fry and chasing bream along with spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. A topwater bite has emerged with these shallow fish also early in the morning and early evening hours and the shady banks. Even with the power of the crankbait bite you cannot give up on the football jigs like the Outkast Tackle T-2 paired with a paca craw or zoom super speed craw or a carolina rig with your favorite plastic bait on the end to pick up a real big fish.
Crappie fishing has seemed to pick up now that the water has stabled. I have not fished for them but have seen plenty being caught on midbay flats out of brush while fishing the drops on the same flats for bass.
Gill and Redear anglers have been catching some nice fish as they are showing back up in the normal spawning banks. Look for red clay/gravel banks and points in 1-8 feet of water. Crickets or wax worms either under a float or tight lined with a split shot system is working.
Catfish are spawning on riprap banks, bluff wall banks, and shallow gravel bars and are willing biters. These are being taking on crawlers and shrimp also under a float or tight line system.
Make The Cabin Bait and Tackle a must stop on your way to the lake. They now carry the OutKast Tackle line as well as the Slix rod covers and Powell rods along with all your fishing tackle needs, including marine batteries and oil they have it all and if there is something they don't have they can get it for you. Don't forget about the deli to getting you going in the morning or a lunch when getting of the water. Located 1 mile West of exit 40 off I-24 on hwy 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122.
***** Pro Night - Come meet some of the FLW touring pros at The Cabin Bait and Tackle this Saturday night from 5-7pm. Some of the anglers that will be there include, Brent Elher, Ramie Colson, Terry Bolton and others so come by and say HI.
Some of the best bass fishing of the season is just about here do not miss your chance a trip of a lifetime call today to book your trip. We can certainly accommodate large groups with some advanced notice.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian
612-889-2423
June 3:
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are sitting at summer pool and have remained fairly stable now over the past couple of weeks. Current draw on Kentucky is in the 34,000 range on avg. with them bumping it up into the 60,000s in the late afternoon early evening when they are generating electricity. Barkley on the other hand is running steady in the 25,000 range around the clock. Water color on Kentucky is clearing nicely with a some stain in a few bays but overall light stain to clear. Barkley still has some stain to it with bays beginning to show signs of clearing. Base water temps on the lakes are now sitting in the 74 degree range with temps in some of the bays jumping up into the low 80s with the sun and high air temps we've had are going to experience over the next week.
Weather: If you like it calm and very warm this has been a dream week for you. With highs in the low 90s and very little wind this week it has been getting a little warm by the noon hour and has really jumped the water temps. This is a far cry from the weather of May when it either rained or blew 40mph each day. This streak of weather looks to continue throughout the weekend and into next week with possible record highs Friday and Saturday. In fact the National Weather Service has a heat advisory out for the weekend as a the heat and humidity continue to increase will push heat index levels into the 100 levels. Make sure to keep plenty of sun screen on, wear the proper clothing, and keep your cooler full of ice and water.
Fishing: Overall fishing has been very good.
The Bass bite has been great when you find them. This has been the biggest key of the puzzle the past couple of weeks. There are still a bunch of late spawners (not spawning) protecting fry and others cruising the bluegill and redear beds looking for a easy meal. Yet most of the fish are on the move towards their summer homes and on the move they are. You can find a school of fish one day and catch as many as you want from it and come back a couple days a later and only catch a few. Starting looking around with your electronics and there just isn't any fish in the area. We've found a few fish out on the main river ledges but not many places as of yet but they are not far away. The best bite offshore is still ledges at the mouth of the bays\creeks and secondary channel ledges, humps and points as these are the next stopping area before the will make their move out to the main river. It's spring and crankbait is king as the fish are aggressive and you can cover a bunch of water with them. I've had a lot of people ask about what rod to use when throwing a crankbaits. I personally like the glass rods like Powell's 703, 753, 804, which are 7'-8' rods that give you the length and power to throw a bait a long ways which is key to getting the bait as deep as it can go yet soft enough that when you have a fish the jumps at the end of the cast or makes that last hard run by the boat the hooks will not pull out. Shallow cranks are still taking fish that are up protecting fry and chasing bream along with spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. A topwater bite has emerged with these shallow fish also early in the morning and early evening hours and the shady banks. Even with the power of the crankbait bite you cannot give up on the football jigs like the Outkast Tackle T-2 paired with a paca craw or zoom super speed craw or a carolina rig with your favorite plastic bait on the end to pick up a real big fish.
Crappie fishing has seemed to pick up now that the water has stabled. I have not fished for them but have seen plenty being caught on midbay flats out of brush while fishing the drops on the same flats for bass.
Gill and Redear anglers have been catching some nice fish as they are showing back up in the normal spawning banks. Look for red clay/gravel banks and points in 1-8 feet of water. Crickets or wax worms either under a float or tight lined with a split shot system is working.
Catfish which are spawning on riprap banks, bluff wall banks, and shallow gravel bars and are willing biters. These are being taking on crawlers and shrimp also under a float or tight line system. We cleaned nine channels yesterday we caught on shallow gravel bars fishing for bluegills.
Make The Cabin Bait and Tackle a must stop on your way to the lake. They now carry the OutKast Tackle line as well as the Slix rod covers and Powell rods along with all your fishing tackle needs, including marine batteries and oil they have it all and if there is something they don't have they can get it for you. Don't forget about the deli to getting you going in the morning or a lunch when getting of the water. Located 1 mile West of exit 40 off I-24 on hwy 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122.
Some of the best bass fishing of the season is just about here do not miss your chance a trip of a lifetime call today to book your trip. We can certainly accommodate large groups with some advanced notice.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian
612-889-2423
****************************************
May 13
Lake Conditions: Both lakes as of this morning are at 366 putting them roughly 7 feet above summer pool. The TVA and Army Corp. have been drawing down both lakes at rate of 1 foot in a 24hr period this should then put them at summer pool by mid week next week. Water color on Kentucky is showing signs of clearing but with some stain to heavy stain mixing in around some of the bays and creeks. Barkley on the other hand is very stained and has more debris floating down the main channel. Water temps have really jumped with the past week of sunny near record high temps we've experienced here in the lakes area. Both lakes are sitting in the upper 60's for base temps but climbing into the low 70's during the day.
Weather: This has been one the nicest weeks of weather I can remember for some time. With highs in the 80-90 degree range plenty of sun and the winds haven't blown 40mph. We do have a front coming through the area today which is to bring some showers throughout the weekend drop temps into the upper 60's and keep them in the 70's for the up coming week.
Fishing: Even with the lakes dropping there is still plenty of high water out there and shallow fish to go with it. Some of the best fishing during high water is in the flood yards and this has been the case again this week for about all species of fish. Some are up taking advantage of the new food supply while others are trying to set up new spawning areas. As the water has been dropping the fish have begun to pull out with the water line making them a little more accessible rather than way back in the woods. Over the next week fishing should become a little easier as the fish have less places to hide.
Bass are in all the stages of the spawn right now with most being done and on the move in transition to summer haunts and the last wave ready to move up and do there thing. This has put a lot of fish on points at the mouths of the creeks and bays. Catching them is about as simple as throwing your favorite lure at them this doesn't mean your not going to catch them on every spot but the ones that have fish have been holding numbers. The bite has seemed to change each day as some days you can catch them on every cast while the same area a couple days later you may only get a few before having to look else where. These fish have been being caught cranking, carolina rigs, shakey heads, and my favorite dragging or even hopping a Outkast Tackle T-2 football head with either a paca chunk or zoom speed craw trailer. There is still a good flipping bite going on both lakes but a little stronger on Barkley as it tends to run a week or so behind the patterns on Kentucky. This bite should continue for about the rest of the month before it has run it's course and the topwater bite with replace it. There are already signs that a topwater bite is coming as many of the flipping fish I've caught are coming from the tree limbs with lots of leaves on them and the bait only dropping down a foot or so before the fish grabs it. This fish are generally protecting fry that are using the leaves as protection from predators this is when the topwater shines.
Crappie fisherman have seen a slowing bite and very scattered out bite as the water has been rising.
Gill and Redear anglers have been catching some nice fish as they are moving shallow to spawn and take advantage of the new insects in the water from the flood grassy yards. Crickets and crawler either under a float or tight lined with a split shot system is working.
Catfish which are taking a liking to the new surroundings and are willing biters. These are being taking on crawlers and shrimp also under a float or tight line system.
*** Be careful and courteous with there still being high watch your wake around the marinas and other sensitive areas around the lakes.***
Bass & Gas (formerly Judy's Fishing Depot) 3243 US Highway 68 East Benton, KY 42025, is having a Grand Opening Event May 27,2011 6:00am to 8:00pm. Come and help celebrate the complete remodeling of the store and meet the friendly staff. The event will include a store wide 10% discount** sale, hourly product giveaways and attendance prizes (see list of prizes on our website), Tackle Industry Representatives showing there new tackle and techniques, new product introduction from Fish Guardian, Kentucky Lake Fishing Pros and Guides to talk fishing. The Electric 96.9 will be doing a live remote from 9:00am to 11:00am as well as the Double Q 94.7 will be doing a live remote from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Listen for the new Bass & Gas radio commercials on WKYQ 93.3 FM, WQQR 94.7 FM, WKYX 93.4 FM and WNGO 1320 AM this week! If you are unable to attend on that day, don't fear, you will still be able to save 10% storewide from May 27 - 29, 2011. note **(gasoline not included). Call us at (270)527-1900 for more information or visit our website at www.bassngas.com . We look forward to meeting all of you.
Make The Cabin Bait and Tackle a must stop on your way to the lake. They now carry the OutKast Tackle line as well as the Slix rod covers and Powell rods along with all your fishing tackle needs, including marine batteries and oil they have it all and if there is something they don't have they can get it for you. Don't forget about the deli to getting you going in the morning or a lunch when getting of the water. Located 1 mile West of exit 40 off I-24 on hwy 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122.
Some of the best bass fishing of the season is just about here do not miss your chance a trip of a lifetime call today to book your trip. We can certainly accommodate large groups with some advanced notice.
Tight Lines,
Brian
612-889-2423
****************************************
May 5
Lake Conditions: Both lakes as of Weds. night are at 372.5 putting them roughly 13 feet above summer pool and 2.5' above the former record high of 369.99. They should begin to stable out and begin a draw down by the weekend. Both lake have a heavy stain and Barkley is starting to see debris float in the main channel. With the cold rain and cool nights we've experience the back of the creeks have been running a few degrees cooler than the mouths which are 64-66 degrees and the backs running 62-63 degrees.
*** There has been no mention of the lakes being shut down and there are a few ramps around each lake yet that are usable ***
Weather: Now that the monsoon season is over we have enjoyed the past couple of days of sunshine though temps have been a bit cool. It looks as if we are in for a streak of good weather coming up with some scatter showers on Sat. but no washouts and highs back in the upper 70's to low 80's with some sun.
Fishing: Even with the water high and I mean high like 10' of water 200yds into the woods high, fishing has been descent and should only get better as the water stabilizes. Most of the week has found us with a flippin rod in our hands pitching at the new flooded bushes, trees, picnic tables, fire pits, lawn furniture and pretty much anything else we can get a bait around. Depending upon the area lawns have been the better bite either pitching plastics or throwing shallow running square bill crankbaits. In some of the pockets on the LBL side of each lake the fish have come a little deeper but on points where the bank still stops the fish from moving back to far into the trees. We've caught fish that look fresh like they just are moving up and yet others that are beat up and bloody tails showing signs of being spawned out. This should be the case for about the next week as some of the late spawners make there way in and the fish that have been up will stay now with the high water.
Crappie fisherman have seen a slowing bite and very scattered out bite as the water has been rising. Gill and Redear anglers have been catching some nice fish as they are moving shallow to spawn and take advantage of the new insects in the water from the flood grassy yards. Crickets and crawler either under a float or tight lined with a split shot system is working. These areas are also attracting catfish which are taking a liking to the new surroundings and are willing biters. These are being taking on crawlers and shrimp also under a float or tight line system.
*** Be careful and courteous with the high waters the next few weeks. Watch your wake around the marinas and other sensitive areas around the lakes. We haven't had to deal with water like this before and everyone needs to help out and police themselves.****
Make The Cabin Bait and Tackle a must stop on your way to the lake. With all your fishing tackle needs, including marine batteries and oil they have it all and if there is something they don't have they can get it for you. Don't forget about the deli to getting you going in the morning or a lunch when getting of the water. Located 1 mile West of exit 40 off I-24 on hwy 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122
Tight Lines,
Brian
***************************************
April 28th
Subject: Fishing Report
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are at 358.90 just shy of summer pool of 359 and on a slow steady rise. Kentucky Dam is still spilling at 140,000 cfm but taking in 150,000 from the Pickwick dam. Barkley on the other hand is releasing any where from 40,000 to 80,000 cfm. With the amount of rain in the forecast up to 6" predicted for some areas this will keep the dams spilling water to get them back down to normal pool levels. Water clarity seems to vary around the lake from stained to very stained. Barkley is much dirtier than KY and every bay/creek on each lake has different water color depending upon it's size and runoff coming in. Water temps are in the mid 60s and some bays running higher yet.
Weather: This has been by far one of the windest springs I've seen in general it has been a very adverse spring weather wise. If it hasn't blown 30+mph, we've gotten inches of rain the past couple of Mondays, we'll have a couple days in the 70's and 80's then a week long stretch of 40's. This past week was no expection with high winds on Mon and Tues with highs in the upper 70's to 80 degrees. Weds night brought in severe thunderstorms through the lakes are. Thurs. brought highs in the 60's and more wind and as I right this we are in the midst of more rain with some predictions of upwards of 6" in localized areas. So remember when planning a trip to make sure and check the local conditions but be prepared for just about all weather conditions. It was only a couple weeks ago I had a trip when we fished in snow, sleet and rain in the same day.
Fishing: The fish now what they want to do. It's that time of year that their biological lock says it's time to keep the reproductive cycle going. Mother nature on the other hand isn't helping out in this matter what so ever. She teased with a few days of warm weather and some sunshine to get the water temps close to where they should be and brings in a full moon which should have been game on for fish to hit the shore in droves this past weekend. Then comes another major cold front dropping temps, severe thunderstorms and major wind blows in and backs a majority of the fish and even cancelling the first day of competition to the USA Bassin Championship. There are fish that have been up and done their thing but most are still wanting or are on the bank looking for that perfect spot for a bed. We've been fishing fairly fast the past few days catching lots of males on clay gravel banks with square bill crankbaits, like the RC 1.5, Xclaibur XCS100, Strike King KVD 1.5, we haven't gotten into many large fish with this bait but you can cover a lot of water and find the bays holding males that will soon be followed by females ready to dumb eggs. The big female have been a little harder to come by as evident from this past weekends tournaments. Someone always finds a big fish here or there but with three major events going on with almost 400 boats there where only 6 bags in the 20+ lb range with most from 17lbs down to 11lbs which means they all had a male fish mixed with a one good kicker female. The better quality fish are coming in the 7-10 foot range as these are bigger males and the females on the verge of making the move in the next few days to week up to the bank to do their thing. Baits that are getting the job done are wide open as guys shallow are picking up fish on lipless crankbaits on flats and backs of creeks and jigs in the bushes. Med. running crankbaits are taking fish on lead-in banks in the creeks. While football head jigs and shakey heads are taking fish on main lake points. There are a few schools of fish out there but for the most part the bigger fish have been one here one there. That doesn't mean you can't pull up on the right point or bay and load the boat but with the fickle weather and falling water nothing is easy right now. Cranking lead in banks has probably been the most productive pattern for me so far with some fish coming some sort of wood either be it lay downs or brush on the bank or bushes in the pockets.
Crappie fisherman have seen a definite increase in action with the warm weather as more fish begin to move towards the spawing areas and are setting up on brush in 7-10 feet of water. There are some bank fish to be caught also and this bite should continue to get better as the water warms and we get into the full moon stage this weekend.
******* DO NOT FORGET ****** To stop by The Cabin Bait and Tackle for their Open House this weekend for some great seminars, which will have the Hibdon family there along with Shimano and B&R rod represenitives on hand. Free food and door prizes will also be part of the fun. You can also get a quick breakfast or lunch before or after a trip to the lake from the deli. They are located just West of exit 40 in Kuttawa on highway 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122.
Dates are filling fast with the weather feeling more like spring be sure to get your next trip booked.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian Brown
612-889-2423
March 24
Subject: Fishing Report
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are at 361.00 putting them a little over 7' above winter pool and 2' over summer pool. In fact Kentucky has been level the past 24 hours even though they are spilling at the dam at 124,000cfm because they are also taking in 100,000cfm from Pickwick Lake. Barkley on the other hand has dropped 2' in the past 12 hours and with rain in the forecast this will keep the dams spilling water to get them back down to normal pool levels. Water clarity seems to vary around the lake from stained to very stained. Barkley is much dirtier than KY and every bay/creek on each lake has different water color depending upon it's size and runoff coming in. Water temps are in the mid to low 50 degree down about 4 degrees from earlier in the week when I had some 60 degree readings.
Fishing: The weather has been fabulous this past weekend and the better part of the week with a nasty cold front making it's presence felt Weds bring strong straight line winds, thunderstorms, heavy rain and hail. Oh and did I mention this was a cold front, we went from pleasant 70+ degree weather to 40s, cloudy and windy the past couple of days and looks that way thru the weekend. Bass guys are starting to see things spread out pattern wise as will be the case for the next couple of weeks as fish make their annual migration towards the bays and shallow water. They are not heading there to spawn as of yet but to find food and warmer waters. With the water as high as it is it has put some fish in the bushes and some still out in 20+ feet of water in their winter huants. Some of the fish have pulled off the bank and out of the bushes as they can feel the water dropping out around them. The water temps dropping isn't helping anything either. Baits that are getting the job done are wide open as guys shallow are picking up fish on lipless crankbaits on flats and backs of creeks and jigs in the bushes. Med. running crankbaits are taking fish on chunk rock banks in the creeks and main river banks. While jerkbaits and shakey heads are taking fish on main lake points. There are a few schools of fish out there but for the most part the bigger fish have been one here one there. That doesn't mean you can't pull up on the right point or bay and load the boat but with the fickle weather and falling water nothing is easy right now. As the water drops and pulls fish of the bank and more fish move in they will start to stack up in the creek channels. Cranking lead in banks has probably been the most productive pattern for me so far with some fish coming some sort of wood either be it lay downs or brush on the bank or bushes in the pockets.
Be sure to make a stop by The Cabin Bait and Tackle for up to date fishing reports and pick up the hot baits of the week. You can also get a quick breakfast or lunch before or after a trip to the lake. They are located just West of exit 40 in Kuttawa on highway 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122. Be sure to make time to come check out the Open House on April 22-23 which will have the Hibdon family there along with Shimano and B&R rod represenitives on hand. Free food and door prizes will also be part of the fun.
Dates are filling fast with the weather feeling more like spring be sure to get your next trip booked.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian Brown
612-889-2423
March 17
Subject: Fishing Report
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are at 362.60 putting them a little over 8' above winter pool and 3' over summer pool and on a slow rise. In fact Kentucky has been level the past 24 hours with Barkley rising 3'. With little in the way of rain in the forecast this will help stablize the lakes and help clear up the bays. Water clarity seems to vary around the lake from stained to very stained. Barkley is much dirtier than KY and every bay/creek on each lake has different water color depending upon it's size and runoff coming in. Water temps are in the mid to low 50 degree mark but should continue to rise with the warmer temps and some sunshine. KY is releasing water at 124,000 cfm while Barkley is releasing 64,000.
Fishing: Sorry for no reports the past couple of weeks as I was over in Missouri fishing the FLW Central Everstart series on Lake of the Ozarks. The weather has been changing daily with this past weekend feeling like spring then the begining of the week feeling more like October with cold temps and more rain and today a steady 15-20mph wind. Bass guys are starting to see things spread out pattern wise as will be the case for the next couple of weeks as fish make their annual migration towards the bays and shallow water. They are not heading there to spawn as of yet but to find food and warmer waters. With the water as high as it is it has put some fish in the bushes and some still out in 20+ feet of water in their winter huants. Baits that are getting the job done are wide open as guys shallow are picking up fish on lipless crankbaits on flats and backs of creeks and jigs in the bushes. Med. running crankbaits are taking fish on chunk rock banks in the creeks and main river banks. While jerkbaits and shakey heads are taking fish on main lake points. There are a few schools of fish out there but for the most part the bigger fish have been on here on there. That doesn't mean you can't pull up on the right point or bay and load the boat but with the fickle weather and rising water nothing is easy right now.
Be sure to make a stop by The Cabin Bait and Tackle for up to date fishing reports and pick up the hot baits of the week. You can also get a quick breakfast or lunch before or after a trip to the lake. They are located just West of exit 40 in Kuttawa on highway 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122. Be sure to make time to come check out the Open House on April 22-23 which will have the Hibdon family there along with shimano and B&R rod represenitives on hand. Free food and door prizes will also be part of the fun.
Dates are filling fast with the weather feeling more like spring be sure to get your next trip booked.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian Brown
612-889-2423
Feb. 20:
Fishing Report:
Lake Conditions: Both lakes are at 355 and change putting them a little over 1' above winter pool. With little in the way of rain or snow in the forecast this will help bring the lakes below the 355 mark for the first time in months. Water clarity seems to vary around the lake from stained to clear. Water temps are still hovering around the 40 degree mark but should continue to rise with the warmer temps and some sunshine.
Fishing: What has seemed like a forever of a winter has lost it's grip and the fresh 12" of snow we got last week is all but history. With highs this week reaching the upper 60's and touching 70 in some areas with the sun shining down the last of the snow melted away rather rapidly. The change in weather has seemed to put a much needed attitude lift for those of us with a bad case of cabin/spring fever. Those who have had the opportunity to get out on the lakes have seen the bite pickup a little bit to. Most boats I've seen or have talked to have been spider rigging for crappies right now in the mouths of cove or following the creek channels into the coves. Bass guys are starting to get bit on jerkbaits again along with jigs worked slow on main lake points. As the water warms a little more and we get a couple sunny days look for the fish to move up on the dark chunk rock banks as they tend to warm faster and hold the heat a little longer. Just remember this time of year the weather is feeling nice and the fish are getting active but stay slow and if you think your fishing slow enough slow down some more.
Be sure to make a stop by The Cabin Bait and Tackle for up to date action reports and pick up the hot baits of the week. You can also get a quick breakfast or lunch before or after the trip to the lake. They are located just West of exit 40 in Kuttawa on highway 62/641 or give them a call at 270-388-0122.
Dates are filling fast with the weather feeling more like spring be sure to get your next trip booked.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Brian Brown
612-889-2423
Jan 28:
Fishing Report:
Winter just doesn't seem to want to let go this year throwing another shot of snow at us this week and the cool temps to go with it. Though it looks to be a pleasant weekend with sunshine and highs in the upper 40's. Unfortunately that will be replaced with the white stuff again come Monday and Tuesday. The lakes right now are about 1' above normal winter pool at 355 and change and cold with temps hovering in the 38-40 degree area. Fishing wise there hasn't been much to report as many just haven't been out and those that have are struggling to put much together.
As I stated last week this is the time of year to get yourself organized, not only will this make you more efficient on the water but it helps in knowing how much of certain baits you have left and what you need to get. Well this is also a good time of year to be looking for deals as this is a slow time for tackle retailers that would love to move some product. Look for open houses or special events going on. Again boat and sport shows are great places to get a good buy on tackle and accessories. If you wait until the last day to attend a show you can work with some of the retail exhibitors to get some real good discounts as they do not want to have to pack up all that inventory pack in their trailer or whatever means they have of moving merchandise from show to show. For those looking at bigger purchases in a boat or upgrading motors buying a carryover can be a great way to go. Even though the marine industries new year begins in July many dealers do not order the new model year until now and this means 2010 models need to go. And hopefully we will get some spring like weather around here to enjoy the new products for the year.
I always look forward to spending time on the water making new friends and just enjoying the lakes so book your trip now and lets go catch something.
Jan. 21:
Jan. 21:
Winter has taken a tight grip over the lakes area with cold temps and more of that white stuff called snow. The lakes are both at 355.5 which is a foot over normal winter pool and are sitting at 40 degrees at the dams. This could change with the very cold nights we are going to experience the next couple of nights and the snow we have received. It's shaping up to be a nice week next week with plenty of sun and temps around the 40 degree mark. Those who have braved the cooler temps have been catching some fish both crappies and bass. The crappies have been coming on minnows over brush in 10-15 feet of water as it's been the past several weeks and should be the case for the next month before they start thinking about the spring move. Bass are being caught on jerkbaits and bladebaits around main lake points. Keying in on the baitfish seems to be the biggest key in finding numbers of fish.
It's still Boat and Sport show season and if you haven't had the chance to get to one try to make some time. They are great places to meet new people and learn some new techniques to help put more fish in your boat this season. Check with your local tackle shops also to see if they provide seminars during the winter months.
Now is also the time to get your tackle organized, reels cleaned and orders put in for the tackle you need to replenish. Nothing saves more time in the boat or getting ready for a fishing trip than to have your tackle and equipment organized. This just doesn't mean have stuff put in neat rows or tackle boxes stacked neatly in the garage. It also is prepping tackle by putting new hooks on crankbaits, cutting old line from the baits you chucked in the bottom of the boat, replacing skirts on jigs and spinnerbaits and the list goes on. But start now and you will be ready when that phone rings and your buddies want to get out on the lake for the day or a week trip somewhere. Getting organized will also help in knowing what you need to buy. You may think you went through a lot of one bait or color and need to get a bunch more when really you've still got a years supply. If you have the patience you can save some money and do your own reel maintance or you can ship them off to either the company or have the local repair guy clean them up for you. This is probably the most over looked aspect of fishing. For the weekend or every other weekend angler it's not as big of deal as it is to the true weekend warrior or guys that are on the water 4+ days a week. For tournament anglers and guides reels are the life blood of what we do. If you can't cast or reel the line back in your in trouble.
The next time your in the lakes area be sure to stop by The Cabin Bait and Tackle on hwy 641/62 just West of exit 40 on interstate 24, they have a new deli for your breakfast and lunch needs and all the tackle you could possibly need. You can reach them at 270-388-0122 or on the web at www.thecabinandtackle.com.
I will be taking trips again the first of March which is filling up so don't hesitate to drop a line about a trip.
Brian Brown
Fishing Hype Guide Service
I will resume my weekly fishing reports begining March 1st when I get back to being on the water on a daily basis.
****************************************
2010
Fishing Report:
Water and Weather:
Water Temps:77-83, Color : Clear to light green stain - Elv. 355.74 on KY Lake - stained to clear and 355.70 on Barkley
Air Temps: 86-91: Mostly clear with occasional clouds
Fishing:
Sorry for no report last week as I wasn't on the water early in the week and was at Old Hickory in TN for a regional tournament mid week through the weekend. This week was another great week of weather to be out on the water with day time highs in the upper 80's to low 90's and little wind to speak of. The rest of the week looks great also with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s and sunny with scattered thunderstorms towards the end of the week and will likely develop in the late afternoon Friday and Saturday of course this is the long term forecast. Current draw again this week has been a steady on Barkley pulling in the 12,000 CFS range and Kentucky at 14,000 in the morning hours and ramping up into 60,000 range during the late afternoon to early even. Both lakes are now roughly 3 1/4 feet below summer pool and the cooler temps have brought the water temps on both lakes into the low to mid 80s depending on the time of day and if the sun has been out. Both lakes are still showing signs of more fish moving shallow and not just into the bays. There are fish moving shallow onto main lake flats getting on isolated cover such as stumps, laydowns and manmade structure. This isolated cover is not holding numbers of fish but a quality, single fish or two. I'm still running into some big schools of small fish on some flats and main river ledges where you could catch a fish on every catch but very few were keeper size fish. Main lake points at the mouth of the large creeks and the first couple of secondary points within the creeks are holding fish also as the are following the shad into the creeks. Steeper gravel main river banks are also holding fish and are a great place to look for smallmouth when night fishing. There are a ton of smaller fish chasing and busting fry all over the lake and can make for some great topwater action. Look for these fish in the backs of coves on secondary points and docks or along rip rap banks around the marinas, bridges and dams there are some schools of these fish on the shallow main river flats also. With the shorter days of fall working in on us, we are one good cool week from the fish making a big push shallow and really putting the feed bag on.
Tackle:
This week again it was a full tackle box of baits that I caught fish on. I did have the C-rig out fish the jig, Weds this week. The fish are all over the board as they begin to transition towards the fall period and have been catching them on crankbaits, C-rigs, jig and chunk trailers, texas rig worm, and topwater. There a still fish deep on the ledges but fewer by the day as they seem to be moving up on top of the flats following the shad. Fish are also moving in of the main river channel into the creeks and can be caught on the points in the mouth of the creek and on banks with a channel swing close by on C-rigs, football head jigs, and shakey heads. When fishing in the bays or around rip rap banks I've be throwing shallow running crankbaits such as the Strike King 1XS, Manns baby 1minus, and a Wake bait. Also don't forget about the topwater action with either a popper type bait or the classic spook type baits as groups of fish are chasing shad and fry just below the surface. An Outkast Tackle T-2 football head with craw type trailer and a Carolina rig with a small creature style bait are taking some of the bigger fish I've been catching by dragging it slow across shellbeds and gravel spots along the ledges. A 1/8oz shakey head with a finesse worm in 4'' to 10" lengths are also hard to beat. Make sure to use a Tru-Tungsten sinker with when thowing a Texas rig or Carolina rig presentation as this will give you a much better feel as to the bottoms composition and help you distinguish between sand, shells and rock bottoms. Another bait that has been getting some action is slow rolling a spinnerbait on the bottom, this has been taking fish in both deep and shallow water.
Important:
**** Even though the weather is going to cool off some keep plenty of cool drinks with you.. The sun and heat are a harsh combination, remember to put that sun screen on, not only does a sunburn hurt and is uncomfortable it can cause some serious damage to your skin. Proper clothing can make for much more enjoyable day on the water. Make sure to wear lighter color clothes, even light weight long sleeve shirts can keep you cooler than the sun beating down on bare skin. Hats are key also, more and more guys are going to full brims to keep the sun off the sides of their face, ears and the back of the neck. Also be careful and respectful to all the other boaters out there as the warm weather has drawn many people the lakes to cool off and enjoy their favorite water activities.
Note:
When making your trip here to the lakes area be sure to stop by The Cabin bait and tackle to get your fishing license and pickup the hottest baits working on the lakes. These guys are on the water weekly and know what's going on and if you can't find it talk to Wayne Winters and he can get it ordered for you. The Cabin is located in Kuttawa on highway 62 just West of I-24, you can also check them out on the web at www.thecabinbaitandtackle.com, or by phone at 270-388-0122.
****************************************************************
Water and Weather:
Water Temps:85 - 94, Color : Clear to light green stain - Elv. 358.50 KY Lake, Muddy and 359.00 on Barkley
Air Temps: 91-97: Mostly clear with occasional clouds/ pop-up thunderstorms
Fishing:
Highs again this week reached the 90 degree mark or better for the 30+ day in a row and it looks like that streak is going to continue through the rest of next week also. I've been reading waters temps of 88 in the early morning and later evening to 91-92 during mid day periods with some bays as high as 95! The up coming week looks like a repeat of this past week with more high temps in the mid to upper 90s with scattered thunderstorms towards the end of the week and will likely develop in the late afternoon so keep on eye to the sky and take cover if neccessary. Current draw again this week has been an all day but steady affair with Barkley in the 14,000 CFS range and Kentucky in the low 20,000s. As usual these have been the better times for the ledge bite as the current positions the fish on the ledge ambushing shad for an easy meal. With heavy rains in the south and TN both lakes are on the rise and the TVA is letting it flow through creating some heavy current on both lakes as of Friday. Barkley is now very muddy and a full of debris so be very carefull with on the water. Overall the bite has been sluggish and hit or miss for the ledge bite, this should change now with the excess current being generated on both lakes. I have found Barkley this week to be a better bite on the ledges with fish coming off the tops of them in 6-8 feet of water on crankbaits. On Kentucky Lake it has been the same bite as last week by really slowing down on the areas and drag a football head, carolina rig and shakey head. Though we are fishing slow you really have to run a number of spots to catch fish as it seems it's a couple fish here and couple there with no consitency. Fish have been taking relatively deep in the 18-25 foot range, you can get some fish in the 12-17 foot range early in the moring and late evening, with some fish coming shallow around isolated cover like stumps and laydowns. There has been some signs of fish starting move and stay shallow on mid lake flats. These fish are not extremely active and have been biting mid to late afternoon when current is generated. There are fish still on points and humps in the mouth of the creeks and are a little easier to catch during times of low current draw. Steeper gravel main river banks are also holding fish and are a great place to look for smallmouth when night fishing. There are a ton of smaller fish chasing and busting fry all over the lake and can make for some great topwater action. Look for these fish in the backs of coves on secondary points and docks or along rip rap banks around the marinas, bridges and dams there are some schools of these fish on the shallow main river flats also. There have been a number of fish being caught relatively shallow even in the hot weather and water temps and many believe it has to do with lack of oxygen. This is more evident on the weekends with lots of boat traffic sturring up the water and bring more oxygen into the upper layers of the water column. We are right now in the midst of the toughest fishing of the year with hot weather and hot water temps making the fish very sluggish. There are definitely fish to be caught but patiece and persiverince is key. With the high water and heavy current generation the fishing this week should really improve from the past month or so.
Tackle:
This week my best bait was a fat free shad worked over shallow ledges with a steep break on Barkley. I've also been catching some numbers of fish, though smaller in size in the 13-16 inch range, chasing shad and fry on shallow running crankbaits such as the Strike King 1XS, Manns baby 1minus. Also don't forget about the topwater action with either a popper type bait or the classic spook type baits as groups of fish are chasing shad and fry just below the surface. These fish can also be taken on a small spinnerbait, jerkbait and jig and grub combo swam threw the balls of shad. An Outkast Tackle T-2 football head with bulky trailer, Carolina rig with a beaver style bait are taking some of the bigger fish I've been catching dragging it slow across shellbeds and gravel spots along the ledges. Texas rigs and Carolina rigs with big 10"+ worms or creature style baits are taking some also due to the sluggish bite. A 3/16oz shakey head with a finesse worm in 4'' to 10" lengths are also hard to beat for these tough conditions. Make sure to use a Tru-Tungsten sinker with either presentation as these will give you a much better feel as to the bottoms composition and help you distinguish between sand, shells and rock bottoms. Another bait that has been getting some action is slow rolling a spinnerbait on the bottom, this has been taking fish in both deep and shallow water.
Important:
**** Even though the weather is going to cool off some keep plenty of cool drinks with you.. The sun and heat are a harsh combination, remember to put that sun screen on, not only does a sunburn hurt and is uncomfortable it can cause some serious damage to your skin. Proper clothing can make for much more enjoyable day on the water. Make sure to wear lighter color clothes, even light weight long sleeve shirts can keep you cooler than the sun beating down on bare skin. Hats are key also, more and more guys are going to full brims to keep the sun off the sides of their face, ears and the back of the neck. Also be careful and respectful to all the other boaters out there as the warm weather has drawn many people the lakes to cool off and enjoy their favorite water activities.
Note:
When making your trip here to the lakes area be sure to stop by The Cabin bait and tackle to get your fishing license and pickup the hottest baits working on the lakes. These guys are on the water weekly and know what's going on and if you can't find it talk to Wayne Winters and he can get it ordered for you. The Cabin is located in Kuttawa on highway 62 just West of I-24, you can also check them out on the web at www.thecabinbaitandtackle.com, or by phone at 270-388-0122.
Brian Brown
Fishing Hype Guide Service
612-889-2423
****************************************
Water and Weather:
Water Temps: 85-90 - Color : Clear to light green stain - Elv. 358.50
Air Temps: 90-100: Mostly clear with occasional clouds
Fishing:
Bass fishing again was hit or miss this past week and the weather was flat out hot!!! With high temps ranging from mid 90s up to the 100 degree mark this past weekend. The up coming week looks like we will get a small break in the temps as highs are looking to be in the upper 80s to low 90s with scattered thunderstorms throughout the week and will likely develop in the late afternoon so keep on eye to the sky and take cover if neccessary. The current this week has generally been generated between 1pm-6pm, which has been the better times for the ledge bite as the current positions the fish on the ledge ambushing shad for an easy meal. Fish have been taking relatively deep in the 18-25 foot range, you can get some fish in the 12-17 foot range early in the moring and late even, with some fish coming shallow around isolated cover like stumps and laydowns. Catching fish isn't hard once you find them as they seem to be moving around more which means you need to keep moving to find them. You can pull up on a ledge with baitfish and bass showing up all over on your electronics, these are the fish that are going to bite. The next day you can pull up on this same spot and it will void of any activity what so ever. Main river ledges are high percentage areas now along with the deeper secondary channel ledges. There are fish still on points and humps in the mouth of the creeks and are a little easy to catch during times of low current draw. Steeper gravel main river banks are also holding fish and are a great place to look for smallmouth when night fishing. There are a ton of smaller fish chasing and busting fry all over the lake and can make for some great topwater action. Look for these fish in the backs of coves on secondary points and docks or along rip rap banks around the marinas,bridges and dams there are some schools of these fish on the shallow main river flats also. This all probably sounds like a broken record but it's summer fishing and nothing is going to change much until the water starts to cool down.
Tackle:
I've been catching better numbers of fish, though smaller in size in the 13-16 inch range, chasing shad and fry on shallow running crankbaits such as the Strike King 1XS, Manns baby 1minus. Also don't forget about the topwater action with either a popper type bait or the classic spook type baits as groups of fish are chasing shad and fry just below the surface. These fish can also be taken on a small spinnerbait, jerkbait and jig and grub combo swam threw the balls of shad. An Outkast Tackle T-2 football head with bulky trailer is still taking some of the bigger fish I've been catching dragging it slow across shellbeds and gravel spots along the ledges. Texas rigs and Carolina rigs with big 10"+ worms or creature style baits are taking more fish each day now due to the sluggish bite. Make sure to use a Tru-Tungsten sinker with either presentation as these will give you a much better feel as to the bottoms composition and help you distinguish between sand, shells and rock bottoms.
Important:
**** Even though the weather is going to cool off some keep plenty of cool drinks with you. This weekend my co-angler was over come with heat exhaustion and needed to be iced down and sit in an air conditioned trailer to bring the heart rate and temp down. The sun and heat are a harsh combination, remember to put that sun screen on, not only does a sunburn hurt and is uncomfortable it can cause some serious damage to your skin. Proper clothing can make for much more enjoyable day on the water. Make sure to wear lighter color clothes, even light weight long sleeve shirts can keep you cooler than the sun beating down on bare skin. Hats are key also, more and more guys are going to full brims to keep the sun off the ears and the back of your neck. Also be careful and respectful to all the other boaters out there as the warm weather has drawn many people the lakes to cool off and enjoy their favorite water activities.
Note:
When making your trip here to the lakes area be sure to stop by The Cabin bait and tackle to get your fishing license and pickup the hottest baits working on the lakes. These guys are on the water weekly and know what's going on and if you can't find it talk to Wayne Winters and he can get it ordered for you. The Lowrance rep was there this past Friday night giving a seminar on using their side scan features so if you have any question they will be able to help you out. The Cabin is located in Kuttawa on highway 62 just West of I-24, you can also check them out on the web at www.thecabinbaitandtackle.com, or by phone at 270-388-0122.
Brian Brown
Fishing Hype Guide Service
612-889-2423
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Water and Weather:
Water Temps: 83-86 - Color : Clear to light stain
Air Temps: mid to upper 80's: Mostly clear with occasional clouds
Fishing:
Bass fishing has been good this week and the weather fantastic with a break from the 90s was more than welcome. Fish have been taking relatively deep in the 18-25 foot range, with some fish coming a bit shallower as the water temps have cooled off a few degrees. Catching fish isn't hard once you find them as they seem to be moving around more with the lack of current this week. You can pull up on a ledge and baitfish with bass with be showing up all over on your electronics these are the fish that are going to bite. The next day you can pull up on this same spot and it will void of any activity what so ever. Main river ledges are high percentage areas now along with the deeper secondary channel ledges. There are fish still on points and humps in the mouth of the creeks. Steeper gravel main river banks are also holding fish and are a great place to look for smallmouth when night fishing. There are a ton of smaller fish chasing and busting fry all over the lake and can make for some great topwater action.
Tackle:
This area sounds like a broken record but it is that time of year when the bait selection doesn't really change much till fall. Though is seems the crankbait bite has slowed some with the slack current. Crankbaits in the Strike King 6 XD model, Rapala DT 16&20, Norman DD22 and Bomber Fat Free Shad #7 are all good bets though I have found this bite to be fading a bit as the fish have moved deeper and the lack of current. An Outkast Tackle T-2 football head with bulky trailer has taken the majority of the fish either being dragged or hopped off the bottom. Texas rigs and Carolina rigs with big 10"+ worms are taken some big fish. Also don't forget about the topwater action with either a popper type bait or the classic spook type baits as groups of fish are chasing shad and fry just below the surface.
Important:
We enjoyed a break from the heat this past week but the forecast is for 90's again for the week ahead. With the hot weather forecasted make sure to keep cool, drink lots of water and need be get into some shade for a while. Also remember to put that sun screen on not only does a sunburn hurt and is uncomfortable it can cause some serious damage to your skin. This is a big holiday weekend here on the lakes also with many activities and fireworks going on around the lakes so be careful and respectful to all the other boaters out there.
Note:
When making your trip here to the lakes area be sure to stop by The Cabin bait and tackle to get your fishing license and pickup the hottest baits working on the lakes. These guys are on the water weekly and now what's going on also if you can't find it talk to Wayne Winters and he can get it ordered for you. They are located in Kuttawa on highway 62 just east of I-24, you can also check them out on the web at www.thecabinbaitandtackle.com, or by phone at 270-388-0122.
Brian Brown
Fishing Hype Guide Service
612-889-2423
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June 28th
Water and Weather:
Water Temps: 86-92 - Color : Clear to light stain
Air Temps: lower to mid 90s : Mostly clear with occasional clouds
Fishing:
Bass fishing has remained out standing for the most part even with the hot air and water temps. Fish have been taking relatively deep in the 18-25 foot range due to the high water temps pushing the shad deeper into cooler more oxygen rich water. Main river ledges are high percentage areas now along with the deeper secondary channel ledges. There are fish still on points and humps in the mouth of the creeks. Steeper gravel main river banks are also holding fish and are a great place to look for smallmouth when night fishing. There are a ton of smaller fish chasing and busting fry all over the lake and can make for some great topwater action.
Tackle:
Nothing has changed to much on the tackle selection this week. Crankbaits in the Strike King 6 XD model, Rapala DT 16&20, Norman DD22 and Bomber Fat Free Shad #7 are all good bets though I have found this bite to be fading a bit as the fish are moving deeper. An Outkast Tackle T-2 football head with bulky trailer has taken the majority of the fish either being dragged or hopped off the bottom. Texas rigs and Carolina rigs with big 10"+ worms are taken some big fish. Also don't forget about the topwater action with either a popper type bait or the classic spook type baits as groups of fish are chasing shad and fry just below the surface.
Important:
With the hot weather that is forecasted for the up coming week make sure to keep cool, drink lots of water and need be get into some shade for a while. Also remember to put that sun screen on not only does a sunburn hurt and is uncomfortable it can cause some serious damage to your skin.
Note:
When making your trip here to the lakes area be sure to stop by The Cabin bait and tackle to get your fishing license and pickup the hottest baits working on the lakes. These guys are on the water weekly and now what's going on also if you can't find it talk to Wayne Winters and he can get it ordered for you. They are located in Kuttawa on highway 62 just east of I-24, you can also check them out on the web at www.thecabinbaitandtackle.com, or by phone at
270-388-0122.
Brian Brown
Fishing Hype Guide Service
612-889-2423
****************************************
June 21, 2010
Weather and Water:
Water Temps 85-90 degrees
Air Temps - 90-96 degrees
Warm Temps have been the standard thus far the past couple of weeks and are expected through the up coming week with highs in the mid to upper 90s. These temps have really pushed the water temps high also so if you are coming down for a tournament please take of the fish and bring extra bags of ice for your livewells. Take extra precaution while on the water and outside in general to keep yourself hydrated and keep the sun block on!
The weather has stayed hot and the bass action is staying just as hot. Fish are being caught all over the board yet but the majority are coming out of 12-20 feet of water with some coming even deeper. This is evident by the feed back from some of the tournament anglers this weekend, with fish beening caught shallow pitching isolated cover on Barkley to 20 feet of water on Kentucky with big worms and football heads. You can still load the boat rather quickly on crankbaits when you catch them up on the flats feeding. Small fish are chasing young fry on the flats out in the main river and in the backs of the creeks and can be caught throwing small crankbaits and top waters baits like a rebel pop- r.
The best bite for me is still throwing an Outkast Tackle T-2 football head with either a creature bait or chunk style trailer fished over gravel or shell beds on the ledges. Fish are still being caught from the mouths of the creeks all the way out to the main river channel on both lakes and some fish are starting to move up shallow on Barkley as well. I've also been throwing a couple different deep diving crankbaits - Norman DD22, Bomber Fat Free Shad #7, and the new 6XD by Strike King these are great tools ounce you've got the school fired up as you can fish them faster than a bottom bait. We've also thrown in a mix of C-rigs, spoons and swimbaits to mix it up a bit after fishing has slowed on a spot to help get some extra bites.
Tackle - For those of you planning a trip to KY/Barkley lakes you are going to want to pack the deep water tackle. This will consist of deep diving crankbaits (DD22s, DT 16&20, Fat Free Shad #7, ect.) in shad colors, some 1/2-1oz football heads in a natural brown and green colors, and don't forget the C-rig, 1/2-1oz Tru-Tungsten weight coupled with a 18"-24" leader, preferably in copolymer which helps float the bait off the bottom a bit and attach your favorite plastic bait, baby brush hogs are hard to beat but you can also use anything from a 4" zoom centipede to a 12" worm or lizard all again in natural brown and green colors, watermelon red flake is a personal favorite, these baits haven't really changed from last couple of weeks and probably will not for the next couple of months.
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*** Also for any body in need of the lastest hot tackle be sure to stop by "The Cabin" bait and tackle, they have a new store and just had their grand opening this past weekend with a great crowd showing up the event. For more information they can be reached at 270-388-0122.
Visit my website at www.fishinghype.com or give me a call (612-889-2423) today to book a great trip to the KY/Barkley Lakes
Tight Lines,
Brian
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June 4, 2010
Weather and Water:
Water Temps 74-76 degrees
Air Temps - 86-92 degrees
Warm Temps are expect through Sunday with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s, with a cold front pushing through the area on Monday bring some dryer cooler air with highs in low to mid 80s and 60 degree nights which will make for some nice open window nights. Always have an eye to the sky as this is the time of year for quick afternoon pop-up thunderstorms.
The weather has been hot and the bass action just as hot. Fish are be caught all over the board yet but the majority are coming out of 12-20 feet of water with some coming even deeper. It can take a little work on finding them but once you are on them it can be a fish on every cast. We've started the holiday weekend fishing cranks over the tops of bars and ledges that had gravel or mussel beds on them with some success but mostly small fish. I noticed we were marking a lot of fish under the boat in 15-18 feet of water and back the boat out over 22-25 feet of water and throwing the new Outkast Tackle T-2 weedless football jigs and began to catch fish one after another. There are still a few guys catching fish up shallow as the last of the spawners are cruising protecting fry and in my opinion by the end of next week most fish and definitely the better ones with be out on the ledges.
Tackle - For those of you planning a trip to KY/Barkley lakes you are going to want to pack the deep water tackle. This will consist of deep diving crankbaits (DD22s, DT 16&20, Fat Free Shad #7, ect.) in shad colors, some 1/2-1oz football heads in a natural brown and green colors, and don't forget the C-rig, 1/2-1oz Tru-Tungsten weight coupled with a 18"-24" leader, preferably in copolymer which helps float the bait off the bottom a bit and attach your favorite plastic bait, baby brush hogs are hard to beat but you can also use anything from a 4" zoom centipede to a 12" worm or lizard all again in natural brown and green colors, watermelon red flake is a personal favorite.
***Note - anyone interested in watching the pros from the BASS Elite series, I will be available to do follow trips for those who want to see the pros in action, June 9,10, and 11.
*** Also "The Cabin" bait and tackle with be holding their Grand Opening June 12th with some of the Elite pros who don't make the cut there along with some local pros giving seminars to help improve your success. For more information they can be reached at 270-388-0122.
Visit my website at www.fishinghype.com or give me a call (612-889-2423) today to book a great trip to the KY/Barkley Lakes
Tight Lines,
Brian
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5/24 - It's been a couple weeks unfortunately since I've wrote a report, sorry for that. It's been busy with prefishing for the final central division American Fishing Series tournament 6-15. A Renegade team tournament on the 16 and a USA Bassin team tournament on the 22. For the most part now that the water has been brought back down to summer pool the bass have pulled off the bank and are staging to head out to the ledges and some are already there. The week of the AFS found guys fishing a little bit of everything from flipping bushes, working shallow secondary gravel points, to cranking ledges and main leading creek points. I did manage a 7.12lb fish while cranking an under water point in front of a spawning bay. During the team tournament on the 16th we cranked all main lake points to finish 1st with 5 fish for 24.94lbs. A DD22 was the bait of choice thrown on 12lb fluorocarbon line. This past week has seen a big migration of fish out to the ledges with some fish still on main lake points and some even up in the bushes and trees yet. With 5 fish for 18.58lbs Mary and I ended up 3rd cranking main lake points and secondary channel ledges. Citrus colored Fat Free Shad and a DD22 catching the majority of the fish. Our biggest fish did come off a Outkast Tackle T-2 football head jig and Paca Chunk trailer.
*** The crankbait bite is on and anyone wanting to come down and take advantage of some exciting fishing now is the time. As this is the time of year you can load the boat very quickly and have a very good chance at catching some doubles on your favorite crankbait.***
As for panfish or catfish I have not spent anytime fishing for them this month at all. Talking
with other anglers on the water the catfish bite has been steadily good on main lake bluff points. While the redear have tapered off some anglers are catching some really nice Bluegills that seem to be bedding now, on either crickets or earth worms tipped on a jig below a bobber in the backs of the coves in 3-6 feet of water.
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5/5 - The past week and half have been a trying week for anglers as we have seen every weather condition possible. Thunderstorms blew through the area on April 24th with large amounts of rain bring the lakes up 3 feet above summer pool of 359'. Then during the past week we had beautiful sunny weather but with some stiff southerly wind which didn't make for easy boat control. This past weekend we got hammered by a slow moving front that dumped upwards of 12'' rain in the region. The lakes are now shut down to recreational boating until Monday 5-10-2010.
With the full moon being this past Wednesday the spawn was on for the Largemouth bass. Add to this high water and the bushes were the place to be. I've spent most of the past week and a half shallow flippin bushes with soft plastics creature baits such as the Outkast Tackle "Naughty Bug" rigged with a 4/0 MiHattchi OWG hook , and a 3/8oz. Tru-Tungsten Flippin weight on 20lb fluorocarbon line. This worked very well when the sun was high in the sky. Early in the morning and later evening I would cover more water throwing an Outkast Tackle swim jig in a 3/8oz. head and glimmershad skirt with white fat tail grub on 16lb fluorocarbon line. The one day it was calm and you could get out and work the ledges I did, but with little success. I was hoping to find some early spawners out there in post spawn recovery but just came up with some 14-14 1/2'' fish. With the results of the past weekends tournaments the best bags came shallow flippin bushes. With the recent torrential rains and the lakes up and flooding, fish have remained shallow, very shallow.
I have not done any panfishing lately but from the looks of the cleaning staitons and talking to folks on the lake the Redear and Bluegill bite was very good. This high muddy water is going to mess things up for a bit but as the water drops and things begin to clean up the bite should resume.
