September 27, 2018 Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 355.96 Surface Temperature - 78 Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam - 356.00 Surface Temperature - 78 Both lakes are 3 feet below summer pool. Kentucky Dam was spilling at an average rate of 99,000 cfs this morning. Barkley Dam was generating at an average rate of 36,600 cfs this morning. As the lake levels drop boaters should be cautious when navigating the lakes. There are a number of areas where old foundations, stumps, humps and ridges are just waiting to ruin your trip and cause damage to you and your boat. If you are not familiar with the lakes, follow the navigation buoys and be very careful when navigating outside the buoys. 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: Last week we experienced summer temperatures with even some record breaking high temperatures. Heat indexes were around 100 degrees each day and the water was flat with blue skies. Fishing was overall slow for bass. We had a tournament out of Kentucky Dam last Saturday with 50-60 boats and no limits were weighed in. It only took 4 fish weighing around 11lbs to win the tournament. Water temperatures last week ranged in the mid 80's. We had a cold front move through the area this week which stalled out to our south. This front brought with it much cooler temperatures and thunderstorms with heavy rains here in the local area and up the rivers south of us. This dropped the water temperatures to present levels. The influx of water in the local area and up the rivers has increased the water flow on both lakes with Kentucky Dam now having some flood gates spilling water. I was only able to get out on the water twice this week due to high winds and storms. We found the bass bite to still be scattered and slow. The present forecast is showing more seasonable temperatures over the next week so hopefully the water temperatures will continue to drop and the fish will start transitioning to fall patterns. We did catch fish this week although the bite was slow and scattered. The most productive techniques was finesse fishing with ned rigs, tube jigs and shaky heads on rocky main lake points and rocky secondary points in the front halves of the creeks and bays.
Flash: As many of you know, I announced last fall that I would be retiring after this season. I have had a lot of loyal clients this season asking me to reconsider and continue to guide. I told them I would take their requests into consideration and let them know here in my report this fall of my final decision. I have made that decision now and I will be retiring from guiding at the end of November this year. This was a tough decision to make but after 26 years in the military and 23 years of guiding it is now time for me to relax and just go fishing when I want to and spend more time with my family. I also had a lot of folks asking me this year if I would be teaching my Eliminating Water class this winter because they have always wanted this popular class and just never found the time to take it or they were not able to get a date last winter for the class as I was booked up. I also told these folks that I would let them know my plans in my report this fall. I have made that decision also. I will be offering my Eliminating Water Class in November, December, January and February. This will be your last opportunity to take this class so if you wish to take the class, you should make a reservation soon. ELIMINATING WATER CLASS: This class has been popular with folks from all over the country over the past 10 years of so that I have been teaching it. This class teaches you how to increase your bass fishing success rate by being able to eliminate 80-90% of the water you plan to fish before you go on the water in all seasons of the year to find the highest percentage spots to be holding bass. The class also teaches you how to make decisions on techniques and lure selections using knowledge of what is occurring in the environment on any day that affects fish activity and movement. Electronics are great for showing you fish after you find them, but you need to learn how to find them first. If you can't reduce the water down to find the highest percentage spots before you go on the water, you certainly will not be consistent in catching them. This information in this class works on any river or lake you fish, not just Kentucky and Barkley. This is why I have had many satisfied anglers take this class from all over the country over the years. The information in this class is exactly what I use every day which has allowed me to be a successful bass guide for the past 23 years. This is a one on one type class. I do not teach more than 2 people at a time. I want you to have my personal attention for the duration of the
class. The class takes approximately 8 hours in the classroom. You do not learn what I teach in this class on the water with a fishing rod in your hand. The price of this class is 200.00. This price will cover one or two people. You can make a reservation for this class by emailing me or calling me. email: dave@kentuckylakeguide.com phone: 270-362-9987 LARGEMOUTH BASS: Largemouth are being taken on the ledges on the main lakes and around the mouths of the deeper creeks and bays. The ledge bite is slow. These fish are being taken with Carolina rigged creature baits, Texas rigged large worms, jigs, drop shots, shaky heads and swim baits. Largemouth are also being taken on rocky river channel banks and points. These fish are taking top water lures early in the morning and ned rigs, shaky heads, tube jigs and finesse jigs during the day. Largemouth are also being taken in the creeks and bays on channel banks and secondary points, especially those with wood cover. These fish are being taken on shaky heads, ned rigs, tube jigs, Texas rigged creature baits and finesse jigs. SMALLMOUTH BASS: Smallmouth are being taken on rocky river channel points and banks on the main lake and rocky secondary points and channel banks in the front halves of the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on ned rigs, shaky heads, tube jigs and finesse jigs. White Bass: White Bass are being taken by vertically fishing with blade baits and inline spinners along the river channel ledges. PRODUCTIVE LURES: D&L jigs in Cumberland craw and oops patterns, Slong's jigs in mustang, Charmer timber pups on Carolina rigs, shaky heads and Texas rigs in green pumpkin, green pumpkin/blue and watermelon/purple, Big Hammer swim baits in bay smelt and Robo worms on drop shot in mean green. Zman TRD in green pumpkin on ned rig, Yamamoto Senko in green pumpkin/black, green pumpkin magic and Charmer Slim Jim in blue craw on shaky heads. Strike King top water splash bait in white and Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon.. 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:
I still have some dates available in October and November. Now is the time to make your reservations for the fall fishing. Captain Dave Stewart Bass Buster Guide Service www.kentuckylakeguide.com dave@kentuckylakeguide.com 270-362-9987 "Fish With A Professional"