Fishing Report Archives

This is a great time to report on Kentucky Lake's infamous summer ledge fishing. Kentucky Lake showed signs of improved ledge fishing last year with largemouth showing up here and there on what were once main river ledges full of fish.

Other offshore drop-offs closer to shore were holding large groups of bass in numbers. Knowing last year was a big improvement in the ledge fishing department, I expected 2023 would be even better.

We're at the end of the third week in June 2023 and the bass population is certainly up from last year with more quality bass - both largemouth and smallmouth - being caught.

The 2023 summer ledge fishing got off to a decent start with bass showing up on first arrival offshore locations today all the way out to some river ledges. I call a river ledge "a significant drop off within 100 yards of the main river channel".

Historically river ledges on the Tennessee River are the farthest drop off from the shore right where the river channel begins. When those current-influenced holes get significant current you can really load the boat and catch them nearly every cast for a spell.

On a few occasions this season I was able to catch 10 to 20 largemouth bass in a row nearly every cast. When I was able to do this it was not because of electronic technology but rather I had my boat sitting in the right position and I made casts at the right angle without spot lock or Livescope.

I already knew bass had been holding on these locations so there was no need to go over them looking through electronics. To qualify a location I will surely use electronics to check a spot that I haven’t been to yet or better yet a hole that I have never fished.

This year I have been using a 10 inch worm plum color, a scrounger or tremor head with a straight tailed swimbait, wobble head, one ounce spinner bait, and a deep diving crankbait. I use the worm the most then I’ll switch to a scrounger head or big spinnerbait for a change up to catch the big one. The change up works great!

It’s a great time to get out and learn how to fish these ledges or check some of your old favorite holes to see if they are holding bass. Please checkout and like Shelldivers Guide Service on Facebook and shelldiversguide.com.