Kentucky Lake, KY Fishing Report

Air Temperature: Low 42 High 60
Water Temperature: Low 62 High 66
Water Elevation: 359' (Summer pool)
Water Clarity: 3' Visibility green stain

Listen! Those are leaves in the trees rustling in the breeze. Finally!

An old-timer once told me that when the Oak leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear the
bass start spawning. I tested that theory a few days ago and found that it was correct, the Bluegill and Red Ear will follow shortly. The Dogwood trees are in full bloom right now though and that means the Crappie are laying eggs. That's one of the best things about Spring fishing. You can throw your; depthometer, tempometer, calendar, side-scan, etc. away and just follow the signs to catch fish on Kentucky Lake!

CRAPPIE
Notes on Action: This has been and continues to be one of the best fish catching springs in my memory. Most days we've caught at least a couple limits (20 fish) of Crappie.
Where to Fish: Fish are being caught from 3' to 30' deep. You can cast to the shore, fish ledges, or deep brush piles and catch plenty of Crappie right now.
What to Use: My boat has been using 1/8 oz jigs with 2 1/2" curly tails. White, blue and
chartreuse. Fish will of course eat minnows, we just haven't needed them YET.

BASS
Notes on Action: Decent numbers of 3LB to 5LB fish are being caught.
Where to Fish: Points and deeper pockets.
What to Use: We caught our fish the other day on watermelon lizards and brush hogs rigged Texas with a 3/16 oz or 1/4 oz bullet weight. I've seen them eat spinner baits
and buzz baits. I'd try a big crank bait on shallow humps 8' to 10' and deep points. A
Carolina rigged lizard fished on main lake gravel points will catch a big spawning Smallmouth!

RED EAR & BLUEGILL
We caught a nice mess of Bluegill and Red Ears a couple days ago. The action wasn't
hot & heavy, but decent. A split-shot and night crawler worked best fished in deeper
pockets with grass 4' to 6' deep.

CATFISH
Some channel cats are being caught shallow with night crawlers around rocky banks.

WHITE BASS
Fish a 1/4 oz spoon on 10' to 20' main lake points for good action. Will get better in
July.

Check out my "Pictures" tab on this website to view current and past pictures.
Call or email me if you need help getting in on some of this Kentucky Lake Spring action!

See ya on the water.
Captain Kirk, out!

Air Temperature: Low 37 High 66
Water Temperature: Low 51 High 54
Water Elevation: 358' (Summer pool 359)
Water Clarity: 3' Visibility green stain

This weekend is what most fishermen look forward to all winter. Great weather and
great fishing. Bass and Crappie are biting in the shallows along banks. Fish tubes and
curly tails for Crappie and crank baits and shaky jigs for good bass action.

Check out current and past photos of happy clients on my pictures page.

See ya on the water.
Captain Kirk, out!

Largemouth Bass are being caught on main lake chunk rock banks. No one lure or pattern seems to be working better than others. We’ve caught them on ZMan Shakey Head finesse worms and PJ’s Bass Extractor jigs,

SPRO McStick jerk baits, Alabama rigs, jigs and slow rolled lipless crank baits. Secondary points in the mouths of the creeks and bays are turning on especially those areas that have a feeder creek close by. Some huge pre-spawn females are being caught too like the 8.91 pound bass caught by Marty Sisk (Photo). Last March Kick’n Bass clients caught more bass over 7 pounds than any month.

Smallmouth Bass are being taken on main lake points on suspending jerk baits, Alabama rigs and jigs. Smallmouth are in the early stages of pre-spawn and are cruising pea gravel banks near the first drop.

Crappie … The Kick’n Bass Pontoon has been busy! Decent numbers have been coming in fishing the flats using 1/16 oz jigs in Blue and Chartreuse or Electric Chicken. Both White & Black Crappie are being caught and the fish are above average in weight. Most fish are being caught spider rigging or long line trolling. Also

Crappie are being caught vertically fishing with minnows over submerged cover in 20 feet plus depths. These are primarily White Crappie. The nice thing about the pontoon is you’re comfortable no matter the weather. The big fish this week was a 3 lb. 1 oz. white crappie

Bass fishing has been up for some and ok for others. The umbrella style rigs are still working for the big bags as well as jerk baits. Fish are scattered from the main river to the banks, including some in the bays. Water temps are in the upper 40's. the biggest key is electronics and being able to find the fish on the ledges.

Kentucky / Barkley Lakes

Lake Conditions
Lake Levels … As of this morning both lakes are sitting approximately one foot above winter pool. For additional info, including generation schedule for Kentucky Lake, visit the TVA website: http://www.tva.gov/lakes/kyh_r.htm
Water Clarity and Temperature … on Kentucky Lake ranges from light stain in some of the creeks with the main lake clear. The lake is very fishable. Barkley is lightly stained and the lake is very fishable. Surface water temps on both lakes are in the low 50’s.
Weather Outlook
Friday...Showers likely. Highs in the mid 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent. Friday Night...Cloudy with a chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent. Saturday...Showers likely and a chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 60s. West winds 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent. Saturday Night...Showers likely and a chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent. Sunday...Showers likely and a chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of precipitation 70 percent. Sunday Night...Showers and a chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.
Prime Feeding Times For Gilbertsville, KY 42044
Date
Temps
Sun Data
Moon Data
Moon Phase
Major Times
Minor Times
Prediction
Friday 12/7/12
H: 64° L: 51°
Rise: 6:52 AM Set: 4:35 PM
Rise: 12:19 AM Set: 12:24 PM Overhead: 6:27 AM Underfoot: 6:51 PM
38% Waning Crescent
6:27 AM - 8:27 AM 6:51 PM - 8:51 PM
12:19 AM - 1:19 AM 12:24 PM - 1:24 PM
Average
Saturday 12/8/12
H: 61° L: 56°
Rise: 6:53 AM Set: 4:35 PM
Rise: 1:24 AM Set: 12:59 PM Overhead: 7:16 AM Underfoot: 7:42 PM
28% Waning Crescent
7:16 AM - 9:16 AM 7:42 PM - 9:42 PM
1:24 AM - 2:24 AM 12:59 PM - 1:59 PM
Average
Sunday 12/9/12
H: 66° L: 55°
Rise: 6:54 AM Set: 4:36 PM
Rise: 2:30 AM Set: 1:38 PM Overhead: 8:08 AM Underfoot: 8:36 PM
18% Waning Crescent
8:08 AM - 10:08 AM 8:36 PM - 10:36 PM
2:30 AM - 3:30 AM 1:38 PM - 2:38 PM
Average
Monday 12/10/12
H: 46° L: 43°
Rise: 6:55 AM Set: 4:36 PM
Rise: 3:40 AM Set: 2:22 PM Overhead: 9:05 AM Underfoot: 9:35 PM
10% Waning Crescent
9:05 AM - 11:05 AM 9:35 PM - 11:35 PM
3:40 AM - 4:40 AM 2:22 PM - 3:22 PM
Average
Tuesday 12/11/12
H: 44° L: 28°
Rise: 6:56 AM Set: 4:36 PM
Rise: 4:51 AM Set: 3:14 PM Overhead: 10:05 AM Underfoot: 10:37 PM
4% Waning Crescent
10:05 AM - 12:05 PM 10:37 PM - 12:37 AM
4:51 AM - 5:51 AM 3:14 PM - 4:14 PM
Better
Wednesday 12/12/12
H: 48° L: 30°
Rise: 6:56 AM Set: 4:36 PM
Rise: 6:01 AM Set: 4:13 PM Overhead: 11:08 AM Underfoot: 11:41 PM
1% Waning Crescent
11:08 AM - 1:08 PM 11:41 PM - 1:41 AM
6:01 AM - 7:01 AM 4:13 PM - 5:13 PM
Best
Check out the video on the New Bow Mount Sonar Bracket http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoLvui9b91Q&feature=relmfu
By the Way the Bracket makes a Great Christmas Gift!
Fishing Report
Bass Fishing … The best way to describe it is it’s unpredictable but not impossible. No one pattern or technique stands out. Bass are being caught on crankbaits and A-Rigs on gravel banks and rocky points, Ledge fishing is slow but a few nice fish have been taken on Shaky Heads with ZMan 4” finesse worms on 3/16 oz. PJ’s Bass Extractor jig being the best combo. Dragging the lure seems to work best. An occasional smallmouth has been caught casting grubs along the main lake points on the east side. (Photo) Ray Stanley from Madisonville with a couple of huge bass caught in the Tennessee River. The most consistent pattern for us has been the jerk bait bite. While this is slow fishing it has yielded us some good results. The best lure has been the SPRO McStick in the three hook version. Best locations are the long tapering North Western points in the afternoon. Not loading the boat by any means but catching enough to keep things interesting with an occasional really big fish to get your heart pumping and blood circulating real good.
Sauger Fishing
We didn’t spend a great deal of time Sauger fishing this week but when we did we managed to catch a few below KY Dam. A Sauger jig tipped with a minnow was the trick and fishing downstream from the bridge supports was the best location. Keep your bait near or on the bottom and drag it or hop it slowly. Ken or Barb McGregor at the Fisherman’s Friend in Lake City (270) 362-4323 can fix you up with the right Sauger Jigs. They make the best around.

Lake Conditions
Lake Levels … As of this morning both lakes are sitting about 1.75 feet above winter pool. For additional info, including generation schedule for Kentucky Lake, visit the TVA website: http://www.tva.gov/lakes/kyh_r.htm
Water Clarity and Temperature … on Kentucky Lake ranges from light stain in some of the creeks with the main lake clear. The lake is very fishable. Barkley is lightly stained and the lake is very fishable. Surface water temps on both lakes are in the low to mid 50’s.
Weather Outlook
Friday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Friday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Saturday...Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Saturday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid 50s. Sunday...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Highs in the mid 60s. Sunday Night...Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s. Monday...Partly sunny. Highs around 70.
Prime Feeding Times For Gilbertsville, KY 42044
Date
Temps
Sun Data
Moon Data
Moon Phase
Major Times
Minor Times
Prediction
Thursday 11/29/12
H: 56° L: 26°
Rise: 6:45 AM Set: 4:36 PM
Rise: 5:40 PM Set: 7:32 AM Overhead: 12:12 AM Underfoot: 12:36 PM
99% Waning Gibbous
12:12 AM - 2:12 AM 12:36 PM - 2:36 PM
7:32 AM - 8:32 AM 5:40 PM - 6:40 PM
Better++
Friday 11/30/12
H: 61° L: 35°
Rise: 6:46 AM Set: 4:36 PM
Rise: 6:30 PM Set: 8:18 AM Overhead: 1:00 AM Underfoot: 1:25 PM
96% Waning Gibbous
1:00 AM - 3:00 AM 1:25 PM - 3:25 PM
8:18 AM - 9:18 AM 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Better
Saturday 12/1/12
H: 62° L: 43°
Rise: 6:47 AM Set: 4:36 PM
Rise: 7:25 PM Set: 9:01 AM Overhead: 1:49 AM Underfoot: 2:12 PM
91% Waning Gibbous
1:49 AM - 3:49 AM 2:12 PM - 4:12 PM
9:01 AM - 10:01 AM 7:25 PM - 8:25 PM
Good
Sunday 12/2/12
H: 66° L: 53°
Rise: 6:48 AM Set: 4:35 PM
Rise: 8:21 PM Set: 9:40 AM Overhead: 2:36 AM Underfoot: 2:59 PM
85% Waning Gibbous
2:36 AM - 4:36 AM 2:59 PM - 4:59 PM
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM 8:21 PM - 9:21 PM
Average
Monday 12/3/12
H: 70° L: 55°
Rise: 6:49 AM Set: 4:35 PM
Rise: 9:19 PM Set: 10:15 AM Overhead: 3:22 AM Underfoot: 3:45 PM
78% Waning Gibbous
3:22 AM - 5:22 AM 3:45 PM - 5:45 PM
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM 9:19 PM - 10:19 PM
Average
Fishing Prime Feeding Times Will Net You Better Results!
It’s as important to pay attention to when you're fishing as it is where you’re fishing. In 50 degree water fish don't feed as much, so paying attention to other factors that affect their feeding behavior is important. Lately it seems that they bite only during the prime feeding times and feed aggressively only every other day. I firmly believe and our results bear this out … that paying attention to the Prime Feeding Times is very important. That’s why I include them in the weekly Kick’n Bass Fishing report. In fact, this time of year I plan my guide trips to coincide with the best feeding times. Consequently we spend less time dealing with uncomfortable fishing conditions and have better fishing. Be at the best spots during the feeding times and you will most likely have better results.
How much does water temperature affect fishes eating habits? Fish being cold-blooded their body temperature is the same as surrounding water temperature. Fish activity slows for most freshwater game fish when the water gets cold. Metabolisms slow and fish feed less and become much more sluggish in colder water. Keep this in mind and S-L-O-W your presentation and use smaller baits and you’ll have more success.

Air Temperature: Low 42 High 50
Water Temperature: Low 65 High 66
Water Elevation: 356' (Summer pool 359/ winter pool 354)
Water Clarity: 3' to 4' Visibility green stain

When I take people fishing on KY Lake I like to catch lots of fish. Fishin's fun, but catching is more fun! Most of my clients will agree. That's why I like to Crappie fish while keeping a sharp eye out for active bass in October. Plus while Crappie fishing we'll catch a large variety of the game fish available in KY Lake.

This past October will go down in history as one of the windiest I can remember in my 19 years as a guide. Luckily, I've planted lots of brush in this lake for every wind direction and it payed off big this month. There seems to be a real
good number of 11" to 12" Crappie in the lake right now. On the calmer days we smoked 'em on the breezy days we still got a good mess. Most of the fish still seem to be on the main lake, but with November fast approaching, more and more fish will come in the bays and wind will not be as big of an issue (hopefully).

We've just posted lots of new pictures on the "Pictures" page of our website. We also have a new fishing video with MidWest Outdoors. It will be up on our website soon, but look for it on their TV show.

LARGEMOUTH AND SMALLMOUTH BASS
Notes on Action: Fall is traditionally a little tougher bass fishing but there are spells where the action couldn't be any better. Smallmouth action in particular picks up.
What to Use: Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, green pumpkin jigs, plastic worms, topwaters and the umbrella rigs will all work right now but you can't beat a live shiner or better yet, a live shad in the fall.
Where to Fish: Part of the reason this time of year is tuff bass fishing is the fact that the fish are being caught from 25' deep on the main lake to 1' deep in the backs of bays. As the water cools below 60 degrees I look for the umbrella rig action to get great again. We're at 65 degrees and falling fast. Right now I know of a few good schools of bass 22' deep, a few on main lake shallow ridges (3' with grass), a few on 10' flats in the backs of bays.

CRAPPIE
Notes on Action: The action on Crappie has been really good on 11" to 12" fish with an occassional fish over 2 Lbs. It is amazing how fast Crappie grow in this lake. I was getting an average fish of 10.5 " in August now they're averaging 11.5."
What to Use: Minnows or jigs trolled, spider rigged, cast or verticle fished will catch Crappie right now. I prefer casting or vertical fishing with one pole per person.
Where to Fish: Crappie can be caught from 3' to 30" deep in the bays and on the main lake, around wood cover. I've done best on the main lake this past month.

BLUEGILL
Notes on Action: In my opinion, October is one of the top three months to catch a good bunch of big Bluegill on KY Lake.
What to Use: Night crawlers, wax worms, crickets and small jigs will get 'em.
Where to Fish: Along steep rocky banks, on shallow main lake ridges and around Crappie brush piles are all good places.

STRIPES
Notes on Action: The Yellow Bass action has been fast and furious with lots of 9" to 10"
fish being caught. Stripers and White Bass can still be caught on occasion.
What to Use: Spoons, spinners, small jigs and minnows will catch you some.
Where to Fish: Gravel rises on the main lake and in the bays.

CATFISH
Notes on Action: Good catches of Blues and Channel Cats are being made.
What to Use: Hot dogs, shrimp or minnows will catch 'em.
Where to Fish: Fish are still being caught on the river channel edge 45' deep but you're liable to catch some anywhere on the lake.

That's all for now. If there are any "Die Hards" that want to "brave the elements" and get in on this great fall fishing, call 877-354-6017.

Air Temperature:  Low 42  High 50
Water Temperature:  Low 65  High 66
Water Elevation:  356' (Summer pool 359/ winter pool 354)
Water Clarity:  3' to 4' Visibility green stain

When I take people fishing on KY Lake I like to catch lots of fish.  Fishin's fun, but catching is more fun!  Most of my

clients will agree.  That's why I like to Crappie fish while keeping a sharp eye out for active bass in October.  Plus while

Crappie fishing we'll catch a large variety of the game fish available in KY Lake.

This past October will go down in history as one of the windiest I can remember in my 19 years as a guide.  Luckily, I've

planted lots of brush in this lake for every wind direction and it paid off big this month.  There seems to be a real

good number of 11" to 12" Crappie in the lake right now.  On the calmer days we smoked 'em on the breezy days we

still got a good mess.  Most of the fish still seem to be on the main lake, but with November fast approaching, more

and more fish will come in the bays and wind will not be as big of an issue (hopefully). 

We've just posted lots of new pictures on our website and I invite you to view them at

www.CaptainKirksGuideService.com .  We also have a new fishing video with MidWest Outdoors.  It will be up on our

website soon, but look for it on their TV show.

LARGEMOUTH AND SMALLMOUTH BASS
Notes on Action:  Fall is traditionally a little tougher bass fishing but there are spells where the action couldn't be any

better.  Smallmouth action in particular picks up.
What to Use: Crankbaits, spinner baits, jerkbaits, green pumpkin jigs, plastic worms, topwaters and the umbrella rigs

will all work right now but you can't beat a live shiner or better yet, a live shad in the fall.
Where to Fish:  Part of the reason this time of year is tuff bass fishing is the fact that the fish are being caught from 25'

deep on the main lake to 1' deep in the backs of bays.  As the water cools below 60 degrees I look for the umbrella rig

action to get great again.  We're at 65 degrees and falling fast.  Right now I know of a few good schools of bass 22'

deep, a few on main lake shallow ridges (3' with grass), a few on 10' flats in the backs of bays.

CRAPPIE
Notes on Action: The action on Crappie has been really good on 11" to 12" fish with an occasional fish over 2 Lbs.  It is

amazing how fast Crappie grow in this lake.  I was getting an average fish of 10.5 " in August now they're averaging

11.5."
What to Use: Minnows or jigs trolled, spider rigged, cast or vertical fished will catch Crappie right now.  I prefer casting

or vertical fishing with one pole per person. 
Where to Fish: Crappie can be caught from 3' to 30" deep in the bays and on the main lake, around wood cover.  I've

done best on the main lake this past month.

BLUEGILL
Notes on Action: In my opinion, October is one of the top three months to catch a good bunch of big Bluegill on KY

Lake.
What to Use: Night crawlers, wax worms, crickets and small jigs will get 'em.
Where to Fish: Along steep rocky banks, on shallow main lake ridges and around Crappie brush piles are all good

places.

STRIPES
Notes on Action: The Yellow Bass action has been fast and furious with lots of 9" to 10"
fish being caught. Stripers and White Bass can still be caught on occasion.
What to Use: Spoons, spinners, small jigs and minnows will catch you some.
Where to Fish: Gravel rises on the main lake and in the bays.

CATFISH
Notes on Action: Good catches of Blues and Channel Cats are being made.
What to Use: Hot dogs, shrimp or minnows will catch 'em.
Where to Fish: Fish are still being caught on the river channel edge 45' deep but you're liable to catch some

anywhere on the lake.

That's all for now. If there are any "Die Hards" that want to "brave the elements" and
If you'd like to get in on this great summer fishing, call 877-354-6017 and I'll get you on 'em.

See ya on the water.
Captain Kirk, out!

Lake Conditions
Lake Levels … As of this morning both lakes approximately 2.75 feet below summer pool and on a steady drawdown over the next several days. For additional info, including generation schedule for Kentucky Lake, visit the TVA website: http://www.tva.gov/lakes/kyh_r.htm
Water Clarity and Temperature … on Kentucky Lake ranges from light stain in some of the creeks with the main lake clear. The lake is very fishable. Barkley is lightly stained and the lake is very fishable. Surface water temps on both lakes are in the low to mid 60’s.
Weather Outlook
Friday...Showers in the morning...Then a chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 50s. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 90 percent. Friday Night...Partly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of showers in the evening. Lows in the upper 30s. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Saturday...Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Saturday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Sunday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 50s. Sunday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. Monday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 50s. Monday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s. Highs in the mid 50s.
Prime Feeding Times for Gilbertsville, KY 42044
Date
Temps
Sun Data
Moon Data
Moon Phase
Major Times
Minor Times
Prediction
Friday 10/26/12
H: 58° L: 54°
Rise: 7:11 AM Set: 6:01 PM
Rise: 4:14 PM Set: 4:10 AM Overhead: 10:39 PM Underfoot: 10:17 AM
91% Waxing Gibbous
10:17 AM - 12:17 PM 10:39 PM - 12:39 AM
4:10 AM - 5:10 AM 4:14 PM - 5:14 PM
Good
Saturday 10/27/12
H: 56° L: 43°
Rise: 7:12 AM Set: 6:00 PM
Rise: 4:44 PM Set: 5:09 AM Overhead: 11:23 PM Underfoot: 11:01 AM
96% Waxing Gibbous
11:01 AM - 1:01 PM 11:23 PM - 1:23 AM
5:09 AM - 6:09 AM 4:44 PM - 5:44 PM
Better
Sunday 10/28/12
H: 56° L: 37°
Rise: 7:13 AM Set: 5:59 PM
Rise: 5:17 PM Set: 6:06 AM Overhead: --:-- Underfoot: 11:45 AM
99% Waxing Gibbous
--:-- - --:-- 11:45 AM - 1:45 PM
6:06 AM - 7:06 AM 5:17 PM - 6:17 PM
Better
Monday 10/29/12
H: 56° L: 34°
Rise: 7:14 AM Set: 5:58 PM
Rise: 5:51 PM Set: 7:03 AM Overhead: 12:08 AM Underfoot: 12:30 PM
100% FULL MOON
12:08 AM - 2:08 AM 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
7:03 AM - 8:03 AM 5:51 PM - 6:51 PM
Best
Fishing Report
Bass Fishing … another wave of bass have moved into the creeks and bays in hot pursuit of the massive schools of shad. Working Spooks on top or jerking SPRO McSticks early in the shallows and along rock banks has produced some good fish. This bite can be great but fickle. Plan “B” is to cast shallow running crank baits, spinner baits and Steel Shad blade baits over shallow flats, paying special attention to where ditches and drains create an abrupt change in the bottom contour. It has been areas like this where some very good catches have been made. Don’t rule out the ledge bite on the main river and at the mouth of the bays, it is still very productive. Shakey Heads (PJ’s Bass Extractor & ZMan Finnesse Worms) and Steel Shad blade baits are the top producers. Think of it this way … the fish have got to be located in one of the mentioned areas; it’s just a process of elimination.
Crappie Fishing … it’s been either the best of times or just the opposite because of the wind. When you could hold a boat over brush and cast jigs or minnows on a slip bobber you could catch them. Most fish are coming out of brush or stake beds about 12 feet deep. A better method for us this week was to Long Line Troll in the Kick’n Bass Fishing Pontoon. Finding lee areas where wind wasn’t a factor and trolling over submerged brush put a lot of really nice fish in the boat. Capt. Rich had several good trips this week in the Kick’n Bass Fishing Pontoon while others had fishless days. The Pontoon is set up nicely to cover a lot of water and present multiple lures which increases your odds of success. Below will give you more detail on how long line troll.
“Long Line Trolling for Crappie with Kick’n Bass”
In October & November here on Kentucky Lake Long line Trolling is one of our “go to” methods. It’s flat out a very productive way to fish and catch a good mess. (Photo) Capt. Rich Bay with a couple of good crappie caught this week Long Line Trolling.
What is Long Line Trolling? This method of fishing requires having a boat that is equipped with a trolling motor, fishing rods and holders. Our Kick’n Bass Fishing Pontoon is especially designed for this type of fishing. The trolling motor is particularly important because it will keep you moving at a consistent speed while trolling. You need a motor that will move the boat slowly because the slower you move the better your fishing will be. Long line trolling uses multiple rod holders and a series of rods of various lengths to cover a wide area and depths. The rod holders in the front of the boat are positioned on both sides between the bow and console. Using multiple rod holders, a 16’ rod is positioned to the outside, a 12’ rod in the center and an 8’ rod is placed closest to the boat. In the rear, rod holders are located port and starboard with 8’ rods extending directly behind the boat. A 1/16 oz curly tail jig is the lure of choice and in most cases your favorite color will work. However, don't hesitate to experiment with different combinations of colors and sizes until you find one that seems to be getting the results you are hoping for. Line sizes vary but 6 pound monofilament seems to be the overall best choice. If crappie are located in deeper water or you’re fishing in windy conditions, you may want to consider using a #5 or #7 split shot between two 1/16 oz lures placed about two feet apart. This will help keep the lures in the strike zone.
Trolling Speed is more important than weight of the lure …
When long line trolling, maintaining accurate and constant speeds is the key to consistently catching crappie. Boat speed controls the depth of the lure, not the weight. Relying on GPS speed, we troll .8 to 1 mph using a Minn Kota Terrova GPS I-Pilot which allowed hands free operation and kept us at a good steady speed and course. When making a turn the speed is increased to keep the lures off the bottom. This can be significant since the inside lines tend to drop on the turn and getting a hook up signals a slower troll speed or depth change might be required to increase the odds in your favor. However, if you pick up a fish on the outside lines when the turn is made, remember that those lines are rising on the turn and you may need to increase the troll speed or shorten up the lines in order to decrease your depth.
Keeping the lure in the strike zone … When long line trolling on Kentucky Lake I get asked quite often by my clients, when you do get a hook up how do you consistently return the lure back to the proper depth? One trick I learned a few years back is, once you hook a fish and before you reel it in, wrap a thin rubber band around the spool of the spinning reel. Doing so will mark the length of line that was out when the fish hit. When the jig is cast back out, the rubber band will stop the line on the spool and the jig will be exactly the same distance behind the boat and ride at the same depth. Make sure to use a small thin rubber band so the line will flow off the spool smoothly and not hinder the drag. This trick will work equally well for those of you that like to “spider rig” too!
Some Do’s and Don’ts … Don’t overextend yourself by trying to use too many rods all at once. If you’re by yourself four is plenty at one time. If you have other fishermen with you to help out you can troll as many lines as it is practical. Don’t stop trolling if you get hung up, if you do all the lines will get hung up. Don’t stop when you catch a fish … keep trolling. Do use a long handle dip net like the extendable Cumings C-120 fish saver net (www.cumingsnets.com). This net is very lightweight, extends to about 10 feet and with the opening being about the size of a drywall bucket, it’s perfect for reaching out and netting crappie before they’re able to tangle the other lines. Do keep your rod tip up when playing a fish; this will keep the fish coming heads up and away from the other lines. Do use light wire hooks in shallow weedy, snag infested waters so if you hang up all that is needed is a steady gentle pull and the jig will come free. Last of all but certainly not least, when sharing an area with a lot of boats be sure and work with others and DON”T CUT OTHERS OFF or obstruct their troll. Be courteous and most likely they’ll reciprocate.
Quality Rod Holders are the single most important accessory in this type of fishing! Since you will be using multiple rods and hopefully getting multiple hookups, I cannot over emphasize how important it is to use the best possible rod holders. The only rod holders I’ll use Trollmaxx Rod Holders (formerly River Road Rod Holders 850-627-3822). These rod holders are hand-made the old fashioned way.

Oct. 20th, 2012
Good News! My recovery from surgery is way ahead of schedule and I’m back on the water on a limited basis,
mostly getting Sonar Classes caught up. My weekly
fishing report will resume next week.
Capt. Rich Bay and the Kick’n Bass Pontoon fishing
service has been on the water so feel free to book
your trip and have a blast. The fall collors and fishing
has been pretty good so far especially for crappie.
If you want to book a Fishing Trip or Sonar Cllass feel
free to contact me via email and we’’ll set up a time to
do our thing: rk@kicknbass.net
BTW … Thanks for all the emails and phone calls. It’s
nice to be missed and feell appreciated!
Lake Conditions
Lake Levels … As of this morning both lakes approximately 2.25 feet below summer pool and on a steady drawdown over the next several days. For additional info, including generation schedule for Kentucky Lake, visit the TVA website: http://www.tva.gov/lakes/kyh_r.htm
Water Clarity and Temperature … on Kentucky Lake ranges from light stain in some of the creeks with the main lake clear. The lake is very fishable. Barkley is lightly stained and the lake is very fishable. Surface water temps on both lakes are in the high 60’s.
Weather Outlook
Friday...Partly sunny. Highs around 60. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Friday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s. West winds 5 to 10 mph. Saturday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. West winds 5 to 10 mph. Saturday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Sunday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. Sunday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 50s. Monday...Mostly clear. Highs in the upper 70s. Lows in the mid 50s. Tuesday...Mostly clear. Highs in the upper 70s. Lows in the mid 50s. Wednesday...Mostly clear. Highs in the upper 70s. Lows in the mid 50s..
Prime Feeding Times for Gilbertsville, KY 42044
Date
Temps
Sun Data
Moon Data
Moon Phase
Major Times
Minor Times
Prediction
Friday 10/19/12
H: 61° L: 47°
Rise: 7:04 AM Set: 6:10 PM
Rise: 11:43 AM Set: 9:54 PM Overhead: 4:48 PM Underfoot: 4:18 AM
24% Waxing Crescent
4:18 AM - 6:18 AM 4:48 PM - 6:48 PM
11:43 AM - 12:43 PM 9:54 PM - 10:54 PM
Average
Saturday 10/20/12
H: 64° L: 45°
Rise: 7:05 AM Set: 6:08 PM
Rise: 12:37 PM Set: 10:59 PM Overhead: 5:47 PM Underfoot: 5:18 AM
34% Waxing Crescent
5:18 AM - 7:18 AM 5:47 PM - 7:47 PM
12:37 PM - 1:37 PM 10:59 PM - 11:59 PM
Average
Sunday 10/21/12
H: 73° L: 48°
Rise: 7:06 AM Set: 6:07 PM
Rise: 1:24 PM Set: --:-- Overhead: 6:43 PM Underfoot: 6:15 AM
50% First Quarter
6:15 AM - 8:15 AM 6:43 PM - 8:43 PM
--:-- - --:-- 1:24 PM - 2:24 PM
Average+
Monday 10/22/12
H: 76° L: 55°
Rise: 7:07 AM Set: 6:06 PM
Rise: 2:04 PM Set: 12:04 AM Overhead: 7:34 PM Underfoot: 7:09 AM
56% Waxing Gibbous
7:09 AM - 9:09 AM 7:34 PM - 9:34 PM
12:04 AM - 1:04 AM 2:04 PM - 3:04 PM
Average

Lake Conditions
Lake Levels … As of this morning both lakes approximately 2.5 feet below summer pool and on a steady drawdown over the next several days. For additional info, including generation schedule for Kentucky Lake, visit the TVA website: http://www.tva.gov/lakes/kyh_r.htm
Water Clarity and Temperature … on Kentucky Lake ranges from light stain in some of the creeks with the main lake clear. The lake is very fishable. Barkley is lightly stained and the lake is very fishable. Wit the unseasonably cool nights the surface water temps have cooled and are now in high 60’s to low 70‘s depending on which part of the lake you’re on.
Weather Outlook
Friday...Partly sunny. A slight chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 20 percent. Friday Night...Showers likely. Lows in the mid 40s. North winds around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent. Saturday...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Highs in the mid 50s. North winds around 10 mph. Saturday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Lows in the lower 40s. Sunday...Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of showers in the morning. Highs in the upper 50s. Sunday Night...Mostly clear. Patchy frost after midnight. Lows in the mid 30s. Columbus Day...Mostly clear. Highs in the lower 60s. Lows around 40. Monday Night...Mostly clear. Highs in the lower 60s. Lows around 40.
Prime Feeding Times for Gilbertsville, KY 42044
Date
Temps
Sun Data
Moon Data
Moon Phase
Major Times
Minor Times
Prediction
Friday 10/5/12
H: 71° L: 53°
Rise: 6:51 AM Set: 6:29 PM
Rise: 9:59 PM Set: 11:52 AM Overhead: 4:33 AM Underfoot: 4:57 PM
74% Waning Gibbous
4:33 AM - 6:33 AM 4:57 PM - 6:57 PM
11:52 AM - 12:52 PM 9:59 PM - 10:59 PM
Average
Saturday 10/6/12
H: 53° L: 46°
Rise: 6:52 AM Set: 6:27 PM
Rise: 10:49 PM Set: 12:40 PM Overhead: 5:21 AM Underfoot: 5:45 PM
65% Waning Gibbous
5:21 AM - 7:21 AM 5:45 PM - 7:45 PM
12:40 PM - 1:40 PM 10:49 PM - 11:49 PM
Average
Sunday 10/7/12
H: 56° L: 40°
Rise: 6:53 AM Set: 6:26 PM
Rise: 11:44 PM Set: 1:24 PM Overhead: 6:09 AM Underfoot: 6:33 PM
56% Waning Gibbous
6:09 AM - 8:09 AM 6:33 PM - 8:33 PM
1:24 PM - 2:24 PM 11:44 PM - 12:44 AM
Average
Monday 10/8/12
H: 62° L: 36°
Rise: 6:54 AM Set: 6:25 PM
Rise: --:-- Set: 2:05 PM Overhead: 6:58 AM Underfoot: 7:22 PM
50% Last Quarter
6:58 AM - 8:58 AM 7:22 PM - 9:22 PM
--:-- - --:-- 2:05 PM - 3:05 PM
Average
Fishing Report
Special Note: “Due to an influx of water from the south TVA is pulling water pretty much around the clock. This should enhance the overall fishing but be sure to pay special attention to the Prime Feeding Times and be at your best spot when these times occur.
Bass Fishing is the hot topic right now here on the Twin Lakes. The Renegade Tournament is here Thursday, Friday and concluding Saturday and with other Tournament trails coming in the next few weeks the bass are getting plenty of attention. Here are some of the patterns that we found productive this week …
Wood Pattern … Creek channels that swing against the bank in some of the bays have down timber and are holding some pretty fair bass. Flip or pitch a jig or worm for best results or flutter a spinner bait. B oat Dock Pattern … Flip or pitch plastics around boat docks that have spud poles, especially the ones on the main lake that have deeper water. The lake drawdown is positioning baitfish and fry around the docks and bass see this as an easy opportunity. Ledge Pattern … working the ledges is still a very productive way to fish. Once we’ve located a school we worked them with Football Jigs, Shakey Heads and Steel Shad Blade Baits. Best baits this week have been a 3/16 oz. PJ’s bass extractor jig head and Zman 7” finesse worm fished Shakey Head style and a Trout or Gold Steel Shad Blade Bait. The Shakey Heads were slowly crawled on the bottom amongst the shell beds and at times the best bite came with little or no action. The Steel Shad blade baits were gently lifted off the bottom and dropped on a tight line. (Photo) Bobby Dorton from Shepherdsville, KY on a cool, rainy, miserable day, caught this KY Lake football on a Steel Shad Blade bait.
White Bass … With the shad migration the bigger schools are scattering. We had to hunt and peck to find them but by the end of the day we managed to catch a few. The best lures have been the Steel Shad Blade baits in Gold and Silver and Ken’s Hybrid Spinners. Ripping the baits off the bottom and let the lure fall on a semi-tight line seemed to work well.
Crappie Fishing … With all the attention bass fishing is getting it’s almost easy to overlook how good crappie fishing is getting. Smart anglers are catching their share. Crappie are plentiful and are holding at many depths. The bite is good over submerged cover 8 – 15 feet on minnows and jigs and 15- 25 feet around stumps along the old river channel. Most fish we caught were in the 11-12 inch class but some nice 2 pound whites (Photo) were caught too. Crappie fishing is getting better by the day.
Catfish, Bluegill, and Redear … We didn’t fish for these therefore there is No Report

To Book a trip call 270-703-6133 or visit our website www.kicknbass.net
Sept. 21st, 2012
Lake Conditions
Lake Levels … As of this morning both lakes approximately 2 feet below summer pool and on a very slow, inches per day drawdown over the next several days. For additional info, including generation schedule for Kentucky Lake, visit the TVA website: http://www.tva.gov/lakes/kyh_r.htm
Water Clarity and Temperature … on Kentucky Lake ranges from light stain in some of the creeks with the main lake clear. The lake is very fishable. Barkley is lightly stained and the lake is very fishable. Wit the unseasonably cool nights the surface water temps have cooled and are now in the low to mid 70‘s depending on which part of the lake you’re on. The Northwest bays have the warmer water
Weather Outlook
Friday...Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds 5 mph in the morning increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night...Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Saturday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Saturday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 40s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Sunday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Sunday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 40s. Monday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 70s. Monday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s
Prime Feeding Times for Gilbertsville, KY 42044
Date
Temps
Sun Data
Moon Data
Moon Phase
Major Times
Minor Times
Prediction
Friday 9/21/12
H: 84° L: 58°
Rise: 6:40 AM Set: 6:50 PM
Rise: 12:52 PM Set: 11:00 PM Overhead: 5:57 PM Underfoot: 5:28 AM
37% Waxing Crescent
5:28 AM - 7:28 AM 5:57 PM - 7:57 PM
12:52 PM - 1:52 PM 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Average
Saturday 9/22/12
H: 75° L: 56°
Rise: 6:40 AM Set: 6:48 PM
Rise: 1:50 PM Set: --:-- Overhead: 6:56 PM Underfoot: 6:27 AM
50% First Quarter
6:27 AM - 8:27 AM 6:56 PM - 8:56 PM
--:-- - --:-- 1:50 PM - 2:50 PM
Average
Sunday 9/23/12
H: 67° L: 47°
Rise: 6:41 AM Set: 6:47 PM
Rise: 2:40 PM Set: 12:02 AM Overhead: 7:52 PM Underfoot: 7:24 AM
60% Waxing Gibbous
7:24 AM - 9:24 AM 7:52 PM - 9:52 PM
12:02 AM - 1:02 AM 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM
Average+
Monday 9/24/12
H: 72° L: 43°
Rise: 6:42 AM Set: 6:45 PM
Rise: 3:25 PM Set: 1:06 AM Overhead: 8:46 PM Underfoot: 8:20 AM
71% Gibbous Waxing
8:20 AM - 10:20 AM 8:46 PM - 10:46 PM
1:06 AM - 2:06 AM 3:25 PM - 4:25 PM
Average
Jim Simpson from Frankfort, KY caught his best ever KY. Lake bass and moments later did it one better. Both monster bass were caught on a Steel Shad blade bait. Jim and I had a day that both of us will always remember …. After all, isn’t that what it’s really all about!
Husband & Wife Whack’em (Photo) Thomas and Katie Marbury from Tennessee with some nice bass caught on Shakey Heads and Steel Shad Blade baits. These fish and others like them were found stacked on Transitional Humps that just weeks earlier, were completely void of bass. Finding these sweet spots wouldn’t have been possible without our Lowrance HDS System. The Marbury’s would gladly tell you that the Lowrance HDS System we used played an important part in finding locations that held quality fish like these.
Fishing Report Blade Baits For Schooling Bass!
Bade Baits and Shell Beds … an unbeatable combination! Blade baits come in many forms but a personal favorite and the choice of many Kick’n Bass client’s is the Steel Shad. Over the past several seasons the Steel Shad has been the #1 selling blade bait in our area and probably yours too. The Steel Shad has the action and look that most mimics the size of the baitfish this time of year plus it’s easy to fish. With fall fast approaching bass are chasing shad and schooling on shell beds at the mouth of the many bays on Kentucky Lake. Bass are notorious for roaming and following schools of baitfish. Look for shell beds in the 10- 13 ft. range near a ledge. This is a great place to start. I especially like these areas if they’re located close to the mouths of main lake bays. Using your Lowrance High Definition Electronics to find these likely spots will offer you a better chance at finding bass this time of year. Shell Beds + Shad + Blade Bait = Bass in the boat. Choosing the right size lure and fishing equipment for this type of fishing is easy. The Steel Shad comes in only one size and your favorite spinning combo or bait casting outfit will work; just remember that the rod needs to about 7’, can handle the weight of the lure and has an extra fast tip to get the distance on your cast. The line choice is much more important for a lot of reasons. Since there is a possibility that you could be making extra long casts, you’ll want a line that will launch the bait a great distance and doesn’t have any line stretch. A combination of a braided main line and a fluorocarbon leader is just what the doctor ordered. The braid and fluorocarbon leader allows one to feel the bait vibrating and, with no line stretch, the hook sets are true. This line set up has proven to be far superior to just mono or fluorocarbon. My personal choice is a 10 lb Power Pro braid and a P-Line 100% 10 lb fluorocarbon leader. The two lines are joined using a double uni-knot. Experience has shown that more fish will be hooked and landed on the braid combo because of the sure hook-sets and lack of line stretch. Catching fish on this bait is not as difficult as you might think. Actually working the lure is pretty simple. There are several ways to use this bait but it’s most important that you match the retrieve to the mood of the fish. Two of the most effective methods are the yoyo retrieve, which works well on aggressive fish, or a slow steady retrieve for those fish that are not so aggressive. Start by casting the lure and let it fall to the bottom. You’ll know it’s on the bottom when you get some slack in your line. Using the yoyo retrieve you’ll want pull the lure off the bottom about a foot ever so gently but still feel the vibration of the lure. Let it fall to the bottom on a semi-tight line. Drop your rod tip, take out the slack and repeat the process all the way back to the boat. A lot of the strikes will come as the bait is falling. The reasoning behind this retrieve is; bass are mauling baitfish and if they don’t swallow it head first they have to spit it out to swallow it correctly. Some of the stunned baitfish fall to the bottom and the bass
has to go get it. Other times when I feel a strike but no hook up I immediately drop the bait to the bottom and then steadily bring it back to the boat. This mimics a stunned baitfish coming back to life and trying to get out of harms way. On active fish a steady retrieve works well and it’s just what it says it is. Make a long cast let the lure drop to the bottom. Then take up the slack, give the lure a little jerk to get it started and reel in at a slow pace, just enough to keep the bait off the bottom and vibrating. You’ll know it when you get a fish on … the braided line will transmit those strikes and you’ll have a better than average chance at landing the fish. Blade Baits are fun, productive and easy to use. Don’t be surprised when you catch a mixed bag either. Crappie and White bass love these baits too. (Photo) Day 1 of Eddie & Tom’s Big Adventure … Tom Norvell and my good friend Eddie Caldwell from Danville, Kentucky with some nice early fall bass caught on Steel Shad blade baits.
B oat Dock Pattern … Flip or pitch plastics around boat docks that have spud poles, especially the ones on the main lake that have deeper water. The lake drawdown is positioning baitfish and fry around the docks and bass see this as an easy opportunity. Topwater … Fishing the deeper banks in the bays with topwaters in the early morning hours. With shad being the primary focus we’ll look for baitfish flicking on the surface or swirls. If so we’ll stick around. If not we’ll go to the next bay and check it out. You just have to keep on the move until you find an active area. We’ve used several different baits but the SPRO McStick has been doing a pretty good number on the bass. Cast the lure and let it rest and then give it a couple of jerks. Table Rock Shad, Cell Mate and Chrome Shad have been the best colors for us. Grass Bass … Several nice fish were caught on frogs where the grass is matted and tube jigs on the edge of the submerged grass. Most grass is in the bays south of Anderson Creek. The grass pattern has been feast or famine for us. Ledge Pattern … working the ledges is still a very productive way to fish. Once we’ve located a school we worked them with Football Jigs, Shakey Heads and Steel Shad Blade Baits. Best baits this week have been a 3/16 oz. PJ’s bass extractor jig head and Zman 7” finesse worm fished Shakey Head style and a Trout or Gold Steel Shad Blade Bait. The Shakey Heads were slowly crawled on the bottom amongst the shell beds and at times the best bite came with little or no action. The Steel Shad blade baits were gently lifted off the bottom and dropped on a tight line. (Photo) Day2 of Eddie & Tom’s Big Adventure … Eddie Caldwell with a monster Largemouth caught dragging a ½ oz Football Jig.
White Bass fishing has been good this week but not without its challenges. With the shad migration the bigger schools are scattering. We had to hunt and peck to find them but by the end of the day we managed to come up with a good catch. The best lures have been the Steel Shad Blade baits in Gold and Silver and Ken’s Hybrid Spinners. Ripping the baits off the bottom and let the lure fall on a semi-tight line seemed to work well.
Crappie … We didn’t get to fish for crappie much this week but when we did we caught several nice fish in the 1-1 ½ pound class. The fish are holding at many depths. The bite is on over submerged cover 8 – 15 feet on minnows and jigs and 15- 25 feet around stumps along the old river channel. Take your pick … it’s all good!
Catfish, Bluegill and Redear … We didn’t fish for these therefore there is No Report
Sonar Tiip of the Week …
This week we found this hump full of bass and stripes. My clients and I caught a bunch on Steel Shad blade baits before the school got wise and moved on. Without the use of our Lowrance HDS System finding a hot spot like this would not have been possible. Participate in Kick’n Bass “On the Water” sonar class and you’ll learn how to use modern technology to find fishing hotspots like this. Having your system professionally programmed by a member of Lowrance’s Pro Staff assures you that it’s done right the first time. For your “On the water Sonar Class” contact Lowrance Pro Staffer Randy Kuhens at rk@kicknbass.net you’ll be glad you did!
Here’s what some of our clients are saying about
Kick’n Bass’ “On the Water” Sonar Class …
Randy, Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed our on the water sonar class yesterday. The reprogramming you did made more difference than I ever imagined. I felt like I knew my electronics really well. But, like everyone else, I was looking for that little something extra. Well I found it and then some! I could have saved myself a lot of time and money if I had taken this class a long time ago! Your sonar class will help me get the most out of my time on the water! Thanks again Randy for your knowledge and the professionalism you demonstrated on our trip.
Nathan Johnson - Eddyville, KY.
(Via the world-wide web) Hi Randy, I’ve read a lot of your fishing reports and the screenshots of the Structure Scan are one the best I`ve ever seen! They’re always top notch and awesome. This is a picture of the biggest Zander (Walleye) I’ve caught so far. It was 36.6 inch Many thanks in advance! With kind regards, Roger Evers –Landgraaf, The Netherlands You’ve Made a Significant Investment in Electronics.
Learn to Use Them to Their Full Potential.
What is Kick’n Bass’ “On the Water Sonar Class”?
Kick’n Bass offers a one on one, hands on, in your
boat using your electronics class that will take your
understanding and know-how to another level!
IF YOU’RE CONFUSED, FRUSTRATED, AND NEED
ANSWERS then Kick’n Bass’ “On the Water Sonar
Class” is for YOU!
*** Crappie & White Bass Fishing on the Kick’n *** Bass Pontoon is a Great Value and a lot of FUN!
Make Your Fall Fishing Pontoon Fishing Reservation NOW!Be sure and check out the Fishing Pontoon Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIjrXQe4FfI

Lake Conditions

Lake Levels …

As of this morning both lakes approximately 1 foot below summer pool and on a very slow, inches per day drawdown over the next several days. For additional info, including generation schedule for Kentucky Lake, visit the TVA website: http://www.tva.gov/lakes/kyh_r.htm

Water Clarity and Temperature …

on Kentucky Lake ranges from light stain in some of the creeks with the main lake clear. The lake is very fishable. Barkley is lightly stained and the lake is very fishable. The surface water temps are in the high 70‘s early and in the low 80’s as the day progresses.

Weather Outlook

Friday

...Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 90s. Southwest winds 5 mph. Friday Night...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds 5 mph. Saturday...Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Saturday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s. Sunday...Partly sunny. Highs around 90. Sunday Night...Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. Monday...Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Monday Night...Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 70.

Air Temperature: Low 68 High 82
Water Temperature: Low 82 High 84
Water Elevation: 358.5'
Water Clarity: Fairly clear (4' visibility green stain)

Late August fishing on Kentucky Lake is a collage of contradictions. We're still a month away from official "fall" fishing, yet some days it sure feels like fall is here and other days make you think summer is here to stay. You can catch 'em shallow one day and deep the next (or in the same day). Water temps are falling so the fish should come shallow, right? Cooler water sinks, so the deeper water is coolest, right? Throw some river current, abundant grass beds, shell beds, ledges, bright sun, clouds, wind, etc. into the equation and this fishing sure can get confusing! Here's my advise...hire a good guide, let him worry about all this stuff and enjoy the beautiful day catching fish!

I had mostly Largemouth Bass and White Bass fished lately with good success. The past few days I've done a little Yellow Bass and Crappie fishing. I've noticed a big increase in the Crappie activity level. Remember those hundreds of 9 1/2" Crappie we caught last April? Well, now they're 10 1/2" and biting! (10" being legal size) It's fairly easy to catch a limit of Crappie with a few monsters mixed in right now.

September is just around the corner and I'm looking forward to the great pre-fallfishing to come. The biggest problem I find with September fishing is deciding which species of fish to target. They're all biting! Why not take advantage of the good weather and good fishing? Get on down here to KY Lake and let's have some fun! Call 877-354-6017. View pictures of recent catches on my "Picture" web page.

Largemouth Bass:
Finding good action early and late in the day fishing shallow. Top water baits, spinner baits, rattle traps, shallow cranks, and light soft plastics are productive. Later in the day a 10' worm, football jig, and one ounce spinner baits fished on main lake drops are producing. Main Lake flats 6' to 10' are also producing good sized fish and good action. Crank baits and blade baits are best on these shallower flats.

Smallmouth Bass:
We've caught some nice Smallmouth on crawfish colored jigs fished 12'to 16' deep along rocky banks and shallow wood near deep water.

Crappie:
The Crappie bite has been best during cooler periods. Early in the morning has been best. Fish main lake brush and stumps 12' to 20' deep with jigs and minnows for some nice slabs.

Bluegill:
Fish vertical pillars, concrete walls, docks, and mussel beds for good action. Small spoons, wax worms, night crawlers, or crickets will catch some extra big gills.

Catfish:
The Blue Cats are schooling up in deep holes on the main river channel. Fish large shiners, shrimp, leaches, or your own favorite concoction 40' to 65' deep for the best action of the entire year.

White Bass:
The White Bass bite has been good but spotty fishing in-line spinners and spoons 15' to 25' deep near the main river channel. Early and late in the day there has been some surface busting on shallower main lake flats 10' to 15' deep.

If you're in need of some good fishing or a few good spots, techniques, or patterns for your upcoming tournament, feel free to give me a call at 877-354-6017 or e-mail me at info@CaptainKirksGuideService.com

See ya on the water.
Captain Kirk, out!

Bass Fishing …

WOW! Bass fishing has dominated the action this week with lots of fish and some really big ones being caught. As I reported last week you can’t catch fish in the shallows but my clients would rather I scan the ledges with our High Definition Lowrance Sonar System and find willing schools of bass (See Sonar Photo). Once we located a school we worked them with Shakey Heads and Steel Shad Blade Baits. It was on the ledges that we made some incredible catches both in numbers and size. Best baits this week have been a 3/16 oz. PJ’s bass extractor jig head and Zman 7" finesse worm fished Shakey Head style and a Steel Shad Blade Bait. During low current generation or no wind the Shakey Heads were slowly crawled on the bottom amongst the shell beds and the best bite came with little or no action. The Steel Shad blade baits were gently lifted off the bottom and dropped on a tight line. At times the strikes were vicious. I feel confident that Kick’n Bass clients would rate this week’s bass fishing an A+.

The Steel Shad … a very good choice this time of year!

Some of you may remember late last summer several of my fishing reports featured the Steel Shad and photos of some phenomenal catches made by my clients fishing this bait. Well it’s that time of year again and fishermen have been catching a lot of bass on these baits and they’ve been disappearing off the shelves at the local tackle shops at a pretty good rate. The Steel Shad is a very versatile bait and will catch most anything that swims, especially bass. Right now Bass are chasing baitfish and the profile of the Steel Shad mimics a shad to a T. One technique that works well for us is the yoyo retrieve on a tight line. Start by bringing the lure gently off the bottom, feel the vibration and then let it fall on a-tight line. This allows the lure to drop slowly giving the bass a real good look at it. Sometimes the sheer weight of the lure on a free-fall drops too fast and the fish can’t catch up to it, especially if the bite is waning. However, ripping it off the bottom at times will catch its share of fish too. The tackle shops around Kentucky and Barkley Lakes keep a pretty good supply of these baits in inventory. Here’s my good friend Capt. Steve Niemoeller’s website www.steelshad.com

White Bass Fishing …

has been very good again this week. The best lures have been the Steel Shad Blade baits in Gold and Silver and Ken’s Hybrid Spinners. Ripping the baits off the bottom and let the lure fall on a semi-tight line seemed to work well. Most fish are relatively deep, suspended 15-25 feet along the Tennessee River. Smaller schools are holding 10-13 feet deep along the flats next to the secondary channel during current draws or windy days. On several occasions some really nice Largemouth bass and catfish were caught as they followed a hooked white bass to the boat.

Catfish …

We didn’t fish specifically for cats this week but we caught our share on Ken’s Hybrid spinners while fishing for white bass and Steel Shad Blade Baits when fishing for bass on the ledges. One angry channel cat decided to deposit a treble hook in my left calf this week. Ouch!

Bluegill and Redear …

We didn’t fish specifically for these species this week, however we couldn’t help but catch some nice ones. I can tell you that if you fish windblown points you should do very well. The wind and waves are pinning scores of small minnows and game fish fry against the bank and the bluegill and Redear are having a feast. Casting small grubs in Blue Pearl on a 1/16 oz jig head does the trick.

Crappie … No report.

Lake Conditions
Lake Levels … As of this morning both lakes approximately 6 inches below summer pool and on a very slow, inches per day drawdown over the next several days. For additional info, including generation schedule for Kentucky Lake, visit the TVA website: http://www.tva.gov/lakes/kyh_r.htm
Water Clarity and Temperature … on Kentucky Lake ranges from light stain in some of the creeks with the main lake clear. The lake is very fishable. Barkley is lightly stained and the lake is very fishable. The surface water temps are in the mid to high 80’s.
Weather Outlook
Friday...Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 80s. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Friday Night...Clear. Lows in the upper 50s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Saturday...Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s. Northwest winds 5 mph. Saturday Night...Mostly clear. Lows around 60. Sunday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. Sunday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s. Monday...Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. Monday Night...Mostly clear. Lows around 70. Highs in the lower 90s.
Prime Feeding Times for Gilbertsville, KY 42044
Date
Temps
Sun Data
Moon Data
Moon Phase
Major Times
Minor Times
Prediction
Friday 8/10/12
H: 84° L: 70°
Rise: 6:05 AM Set: 7:49 PM
Rise: --:-- Set: 2:27 PM Overhead: 7:10 AM Underfoot: 7:34 PM
41% Waning Crescent
7:10 AM - 9:10 AM 7:34 PM - 9:34 PM
--:-- - --:-- 2:27 PM - 3:27 PM
Average
Saturday 8/11/12
H: 83° L: 60°
Rise: 6:06 AM Set: 7:48 PM
Rise: 12:37 AM Set: 3:19 PM Overhead: 7:58 AM Underfoot: 8:23 PM
32% Waning Crescent
7:58 AM - 9:58 AM 8:23 PM - 10:23 PM
12:37 AM - 1:37 AM 3:19 PM - 4:19 PM
Average+
Sunday 8/12/12
H: 87° L: 61°
Rise: 6:07 AM Set: 7:47 PM
Rise: 1:24 AM Set: 4:09 PM Overhead: 8:47 AM Underfoot: 9:12 PM
24% Waning Crescent
8:47 AM - 10:47 AM 9:12 PM - 11:12 PM
1:24 AM - 2:24 AM 4:09 PM - 5:09 PM
Average
Monday 8/13/12
H: 89° L: 66°
Rise: 6:08 AM Set: 7:46 PM
Rise: 2:14 AM Set: 4:55 PM Overhead: 9:37 AM Underfoot: 10:02 PM
16% Waning Crescent
9:37 AM - 11:37 AM 10:02 PM - 12:02 AM
2:14 AM - 3:14 AM 4:55 PM - 5:55 PM
Average
Fishing from the Kick’n Bass Pontoon is a Great
Value and a Good Time! Book Your trip Now!
Rick Blake and his group from Iowa enjoyed a great time on the Kick’n Bass Pontoon. From left to right - Topher, Sallie, Kyle, Lynne and Rick. A big Kick’n Bass High Five goes to Sallie for catching her largest bass ever … and who said girls can’t fish!
Warm Water Spurs Feeding Activity … Water temperature is one of the most significant factors that affect fish behavior and metabolism. An increase in water temps shifts metabolisms in high gear and fish feed basically non-stop. Fish feed more during the hot months than at any other time of the year. Right now, all species are schooled up and feeding.
Bass Fishing … has been outstanding for both numbers and size. Not that you can’t catch fish in the shallows because you can, it’s just that my clients would rather I scan the ledges with our High Definition Lowrance System and find willing schools of bass. Once we located a school we worked them with Shakey Heads and Steel Shad Blade Baits. On one trip in particular the thee of us had a triple on that included one bass close to seven pounds (Photo) and two four pounders. So there are some real good fish on the ledges right now and they are quite active.
Find a school of bass and its game on. Long tapering points at the mouth of the bays are holding good numbers of fish also and some are being caught shallow in the back of the bays in the jumps chasing shad. Lipless crank baits and Steel Shad blade baits are the best baits for the jumps. Best baits this week have been a 3/16 oz. PJ’s bass extractor Shakey Head and Zman 7” finesse worm and a ½ oz PJ’s football head jig tipped with a ZMan Flappin Craw. During low current generation or no wind the Shakey Heads were slowly crawled on the bottom amongst the shell beds and the best bite came with little or no action. The jigs were crawled inched along the bottom. Another method worth mentioning is fishing boat docks. Casting small curly tails on 1/16 oz. lead heads caught a surprising number of good bass for us this week. The spawn fry are now large enough for the bluegill and shad to feast on and the bass are making life miserable for all of them. The best docks are ones that have spud poles on the corners. Remember this is a finesse presentation.
White Bass Fishing … The Pete Poggii group proviided a llaugh a miinute on
our recent two day triip fiishiing for whiite bass.
From lleft to riight … Jiim Arnolld from Chiicago, Pete
Jr., Pete Sr. and Allex Ray allll from Flloriida. A good
tiime was had by allll and the fiishiing wasn’’t too
shabby eiither!!!
This has been another great week of white bass fishing from the Kick’n Bass Pontoon . The best lures have been the Steel Shad Blade baits in Gold and Silver and Ken’s Hybrid Spinners. Ripping the baits off the bottom and let the lure fall on a semi-tight line seemed to work well. Most fish are relatively deep, suspended 15-25 feet along the Tennessee River. Smaller schools are holding 10-13 feet deep along the flats next to the secondary channel during current draws or windy days. On several occasions some really nice Largemouth bass and catfish were caught as they followed a hooked white bass to the boat. Some really nice Hybrids have been showing up too like the 5 lb. 13 oz. caught by Matt Florey from Illinois (Photo).
Catfish … We didn’t fish specifically for cats this week but we caught our share on Ken’s Hybrid spinners while fishing for white bass and Steel Shad Blade Baits when fishing for bass on the ledges.
Crappie … this is another species we didn’t devote much fishing time to and be maybe we should. Several nice crappie were caught along the stumps along the old river channel casting Steel Shad Blade Baits for bass. One could only wonder how good crappie fishing could be if we had time to fish for them.
Bluegill and Redear … We didn’t fish for this species this week therefore there is no report. 

Bass Fishing …

this had been another outstanding week for Kick’n Bass clients. The numbers were good and the size was better than average. (Photo) Andrew Holmes from Baton Rouge, La. with some nice bass caught on a Steel Shad Blade Bait. Basically what we’ve done this week is scan the ledges for schools of bass (See Sonar Tip of the week photo). Once we located a school we marked them and cast Shakey Heads and Steel Shad Blade Baits and caught a bunch including some real quality fish. Find a school of bass and its game on.Long tapering points at the mouth of the bays are holding good numbers of fish also and some are being caught in the back of the bays in the jumps chasing shad. Lipless crank baits and Steel Shad blade baits are the best baits for the jumps. Best baits this week have been a 3/16 oz. PJ’s bass extractor Shakey Head and Zman 7" finesse worm and a ½ oz PJ’s football head jig tipped with a ZMan Flappin Craw. The Shakey Heads were slowly crawled on the bottom amongst the shell beds and the

best bite came with little or no action. The jigs were crawled inched along the bottom. Another method worth mentioning is fishing boat docks. Casting small curly tails on 1/16 oz. lead heads caught a surprising number of good bass for us this week. The spawn fry are now large enough for the bluegill and shad to feast on and the bass are making life miserable for all of them. The best docks are ones that have spud poles on the corners. Remember this is a finesse presentation.