December 30th, 2010

The lake level is stable at winter pool and water clarity ranges from stained in the main river channel to clear in the bays.
 
Water Temperature Forecast - Water temps are running below normal for this time of year and ranging from the high 30’s to low 40’s.  Some slightly warmer temps are being found in bays adjacent to the main river channel and these are the areas that are producing the most consistent action.  If we get the warmer rains forecasted this weekend the water temps will be on the rise which always bodes well for us fishermen.
 
Weekend Weather Outlook – Warmer!  High’s in the upper 40’s and 50’s maybe even 60 with rain before cooler temps arrive early next week.
 
Fishing Report …
Considering the cold weather and water temps fishing is pretty decent for those who brave the elements.  Crappie fishing has been fair on minnows over submerged brush in 10-12 feet deep.  Also Sauger fishing is fair on the deep flats near the old river channel on ½ jigs and blade baits.  Stripes and Largemouth are being caught on the deep water flats yo-yoing blade baits especially the steel shad.  Largemouth & Smallmouth bass are being caught on jerk baits and soft plastics on calm overcast days on the east side.  Remember to dress warm and wear your PFD at all times!

Shad Kill on the way?  If you're going to continue fishing when the air and water temperatures drop, you're eventually going to see a shad kill. What? Dead shad! Don’t worry it’s a good thing. It’s a natural occurrence that happens when the water temps plummet. With the surface lake temps now around 40 degrees schools of shad will go deeper in search of warmer water. The colder the water gets the deeper the shad will go. When the schools of shad have gotten deep enough, they're sucked through the turbines at the bottom of the dam and end up in the river. Some shad die and others are stunned and some even float on the surface. Once in the river, they become easy prey for any fish that swims. When this happens the fish go on a feeding frenzy. The more shad that pass through the generators, the more intense the feeding frenzy becomes. The shad kill can provide some very exciting fishing. A dead giveaway that a shad kill is on is the presence of huge numbers of gulls working below the dams.

Now is the time for anglers to be thinking about the opportunities for catching Striped Bass in the tailrace below the Dams.  This holds true in your area not just here in my home state of Kentucky.  One needs the right equipment and a little know-how to take advantage of this opportunity. Here are some tips to get you started.

The Bait … Fishing with live bait, in this case, threadfin shad, is the way to go. You might catch a fish or two on artificials but since it’s shad they’re feeding on, there’s no sense in trying to re-invent the wheel. I’m going to back up a little bit here … I do keep a stout rod handy with my favorite blade tied on just in case we get into “the jumps” which can happen! Getting bait is not difficult if you know where to look. The best places are along the lock wall and in corners where there is a slight eddy in the current. The easiest way to get a fair amount of bait is to use a cast net. It takes a little practice to cast one effectively but if I can do it you can too. When cast, the net fans out like an umbrella and the lead weights on the hem cause the net to close, trapping the bait. Retrieve the net and shake the shad into the live wells. Aeration is important in keeping the bait energetic and the live wells do a decent job of keeping the threadfin lively. Remember this; if the nose of the threadfin turns red, get rid of it. To store the fish we catch, a 48 quart cooler is bungee corded to the cleats on the back deck.

The Rod … This is not sissy fishing and it calls for stout tackle as in Medium / Heavy action rods. By using medium/heavy action rods the fish aren’t as apt to let go of the bait as if you were using a stiffer rod. A 7’ rod works best for me but it really comes down to what you feel most comfortable using.

The Reel … Your favorite bait casting reel will work but make sure the drag works smoothly. The drag plays a very important part in this type of fishing. Hopefully sooner than later you will hook a really big fish and you’ll appreciate how a properly set drag helps you in landing the fish. You’ll want to crank the drag down but not all the way. Set it so the line comes off the reel smoothly but not easily; you can always adjust it as you go.

The Line … My personal choice is 20 lb fluorocarbon for the main line. The line weight of the leaders, and I’ll explain more about leaders below, needs to be 12 lb max so that if you get hung up you’ll only break off that leader. Remember to set your drag to the leader weight as it will keep break offs to a minimum.

One 3-Way Swivel … Size 4 is about right.

Sinkers … I prefer the bell type sinker in 3/8 oz with a swivel attachment. The bell shape will bounce along the bottom helping you feel your way through rocks and won’t get hung up like other sinkers.

The Hooks … The Plain Shank Size 1 offset hook is a great all around hook for this type of fishing. These hooks are strong and sharp and are big enough to hold a good size fish without killing the action of the bait.

Putting It All Together … First, attach the 20 lb main line to the top of the three way swivel. Next, using about a 10 inch 12lb. leader, attach the bell sinker to the bottom swivel. Finally, tie the hook to the remaining swivel using a 6 inch 12 lb. leader. Using different length leaders will keep the rig from getting tangled and keep the bait just off the bottom. Also by using the lighter weight leaders, if you get hung up, they will break as opposed to breaking the main line and you won’t loose the entire rig. One thing I really like about this set up is if the fish are suspended off the bottom you can adjust the length of the sinker leader in order to keep the bait in the strike zone. This next part is very important … wet your line before tying your knots. Fluorocarbon line will weaken if you put too much stress on the line when tying the knot. Now set the drag to the leader line weight, NOT the main line. This will keep break offs to a minimum when fighting a big fish. Remember, you’ve got three knots tied and you want a big fish to be able to take line without breaking the lighter leaders.

The Drift … Fishing the Shad Kill is done by drifting at the same speed as the current. Game fish like to hang along the current break waiting for an easy meal to come by, so set your boat up so that it will drift along the current break. If needed, use your trolling motor to fine tune the drift. Cast out about twice the amount of line as it is deep. Reel in until your sinker is barely bouncing along the bottom. Keeping it in contact or near the bottom is very important in finding the fish. You will know when things are right when you feel it hitting bottom most of the time but not getting hung up. If you are getting hung up you most likely have too much line out. Ideally, your line should be drifting ever so slightly upstream. If you hook a fish before you hit bottom, it’s possible they’re suspended. If this happens several times, you’ll need to adjust the length of your bottom leader. If you find a hot spot, visually mark it along the bank and set up your drift accordingly. Marker buoys are useless in this type of fishing so don’t bother. Keep in mind that drift patterns can change according to the number of generators that are on. Expect this to change from day to day. Just remember to start off by working the current break.   

The Catch … Expect to catch a mixed bag which could include Stripers, Hybrids, White Bass, Sauger and anything else that swims. Yeah, you’ll probably catch rough fish too… but you don’t have to tell anyone about it. Try tailrace fishing during the shad kill; it can be pretty productive this time of year and don’t forget to wear your life jacket!

Sonar Tip of the Week

Can you catch them deep?  You bet you can!  Usually fish schooled up deep like this are basically unmolested and are willing biters, finding them is the key.  We found this school of White Bass and Hybrids and marked their position by assigning a GPS waypoint to the location.  We positioned the boat so we could vertically fish a Blade Bait and caught several from this school. When the blade bait bite quit we trolled using the track back feature.  More than once we doubled up by trolling.  Without the GPS and Sonar I doubt seriously if we would have found the school much less caught anything.
 
Do your electronics have you baffled?  Do you know what your electronics are telling you?  Kick’n Bass can help you get more out of your electronics and become a better fisherman.  To schedule an on the water tutorial and fishing trip, email Kick’n Bass today! rk@kicknbass.net

WOW!!!  Big Time Outdoor Show coming Jan. 14, 15 & 16
Plan to attend the 27th Annual West Kentucky Boat & Outdoor Show Jan. 14, 15 &16 at the Special Events Center in Murray, Kentucky.  Last years show had a record number of attendees.  Again this year, with the show being the only one in our area, the promoters are going all out to make it another really great event.  Admission is free.  The list of exhibitors is long and the anglers presenting Fishing Seminars is impressive. Check it out at www.westkyboatshow.com
 
Kick’n Bass Guide Service will have a booth at the show located on the upper level near the Seminar area.  On Saturday at 6:30 PM we’ll be presenting a seminar on Shakey Head fishing, how to fish blade baits and also share some real good fishing tips that will help you become a better angler.  In addition to our Kentucky Lake Guide Service, once again we will be offering our popular guided Canadian Wilderness Smallmouth Trips.  We only have two trips available this year and our June trip is completely SOLD OUT!  Be sure to drop by and talk Kentucky Lake fish’in and view our slide show presentation on Wilderness Camping and Fishing in the Great Northwoods. 
 
Don’t Wait!  Book your 2011 Fishing Trips Now!
Thanks to all you early birds that have already booked your trips for 2011.   For those of you that are considering a trip but haven’t booked yet, booking early has its advantages.  Booking in advance not only gets you the dates you want to fish it allows you to get the best accommodations during the prime fishing times.  There really is no advantage to waiting. I still have a few days available in Late Feb and March so now’s the time to book!
 
Fisherman's Headquarters is staying open this winter!
 
Fisherman’s Headquarters in will be open the months of December and January for all the die hard anglers.  Many places are shut down and don't have live bait, but we are keeping minnows and some nightcrawlers on hand.  We will have Rosy Reds as soon as they are available.
 
Now that cold weather is here, we are planning our first annual Cure for Cabin Fever series.  Beginning in January, we will host a series of one night seminars on a variety of topics of interest to everyone.  We tentatively plan to have one evening with a seminar on Sonar and GPS.  We will discuss sonar interpretation, side scan technology and how to get the most from your GPS.  Another evening will be spent one on one with FLW Tour pro Terry Bolton and friends. The third event will be Strike King Night, featuring BASS Elite Series and Strike King pro Mark Menendez.  Menendez is a noted cold water expert and will offer insights into winter fishing and the early spring transition.  Don't be surprised if there are Strike King samples available!
 
Below are the dates for the Cure for Cabin Fever series to be held at Fisherman’s Headquarters.
 
Jan. 8, 2011 1PM CST
"Sonar and GPS, What is it Telling Me??" Power Point presentation by John Parks
If you have a bass club that would be interested in a seminar at Fisherman’s Headquarters contact John Parks @ (270)527-5938
 
Jan. 22, 2011 1PM CST
Open Round Table Discussion with FLW Tour pros Terry Bolton and Dan Morehead.
 
Feb. 5, 2011 1PM CST
"Cold Water Bass and the Spring Transition" with B.A.S.S. Elite pro Mark Menendez
Sponsored by Strike King...door prizes and SK sample packs!
 
In the event of inclement weather, dates will be rescheduled as possible. Call the store at (270) 527-5938 for more information.

Tight Lines,