Brandon Hunter

Hello Kentucky Lake Fishing friends! The spring weather has been something else here in the lakes region with winds and rains. Lake temps are starting to warm up, but have been very slow in doing so with several cool nights still the last few weeks. With temperatures slow to warm this year, everything seems to be a bit behind and slow to get going. That all being said, we are finally starting to see some warm days and we are looking forward to that fun summer ledge fishing bite that we have all come to love here on the TN River. It is so good to see the lake in great shape after some very tough years and I am looking forward to many great days on the water!

Lake Conditions and What's Happening on the Lake

Water Temp: 72-76 degrees

Lake Level: Full Summer Pool 359’

Water Color: Clean to Light Stain

After coming off of some unusual cool air and water temps for this late in the year, the warmer late spring days are finally here. It’s hard to believe that Memorial Day is already here. This time of year, water temps are finally making their way to a consistent mid 70 and when its consistent, it will drive those fish out offshore. There are still a lot of fish up shallow guarding fry and even still spawning, but right now I would say the biggest majority of the bass, largemouth and smallmouth, have spawned. The shad spawn is happening and it’s a good time to start looking first thing in the morning for that bite. While there are still a lot of ways to catch bass in the spring, here on Kentucky Lake everyone looks forward to that well known ledge fishing that it is famous for. Fish are starting to make their way to the mouth of the creeks in that 15-20’ range. Creek Channel ledges at the mouths of the bays are always a starting place when they start moving out. It won’t take them but only a few days to get out there good to the main lake and they will stay out for a couple months until those dog days of summer get here.

Techniques & Where

Spinnerbait or Swimjig- The shad spawn is always a fun way to catch them. This time of year the shad will spawn on hard areas. Rip Rap, Laydowns, and Gravel are great places to look for it, but it just doesn’t last very long in the mornings. The swimjig can be great up shallow for those fry guarders or around the shad spawn.

Specifics – Nichols Spinnerbaits or Dirty Jigs Compact Spinnerbait, Dirty Jigs Swimjigs

Colors- White or Chart Shad, Bluegill Colors

Swimbait- There are many swimbaits that work on Kentucky Lake, but if you’re looking for a bait to throw here for the next month or two that will get a lot of bites, a simple jighead with a small swimbait is a must. This technique will work through the summer on any kind of rock banks or gravel points. The big swimbaits are also one of my favorite baits to throw when fish get offshore.

Specifics- 6th Sense Fishing Finesse Swimbait Head 5/16, Ignite Baits Baller Head ¼, 6th Sense Fishing Divine 3.2 or 3.8 Swimbaits, Ignite ¾ Heads with the 5” Frenzy

Colors- Pro Blue, Platinum White, Sexified Shad, Pro Shad, TVA Hitch, Ky Lake Special, Sexy Shad

Deep Cranking- Deep Cranking is probably my favorite way to catch them. When fish move out offshore, they are hungry from the spawn and ready to eat. When you find them right, you catch them fast on a big plug. 15-22” is the depth range to look and as the days get warmer, they’ll get closer to that main river channel.

Specifics- 6th Sense Fishing Crush DD 300,400,500

Colors- Blue Treuse, Citrus Scales, Smash Fest

Minnow Bait- A jighead minnow of your choice and a minnow style bait has been proven on smallmouth and largemouth both. FFS is a great tool and it’s proven to be dominate today. When those fish feel pressured, this is a great bait to toss at them to make them bite.

Specifics- 6th Sense Fishing Ozzie, Juggle Minnow, Ignite Baits Nicotine Minnow

Colors- Ghost Ice Minnow, Ghost Minnow, Threadfin Shad, Forty4, GBG, Gizzard

Neko Rig or Dropshot- When fish start moving offshore and they start to feel pressured, the neko and dropshot are always on the deck of my boat. They are both great baits to toss around those deep pressured fish. While we love to throw big baits, I have probably caught just as many big fish on these two baits as I have anything in the boat.

Specifics- 6th Sense Fishing Bamboosa, 6th Sense Fishing Glitch Worm

Colors- Blue Fleck or Plum, Morning Dawn

Big Spoon- The big Magnum Spoon can be an awesome bite. Sometimes you are able to make them bite, even when they don’t want to with a big Nichols Spoon. When fish stack up offshore, throw this in the mix, you may just catch the biggest one in the school.

Specifics- Nichols Magum Spoon and Mini Mag Spoon

Colors- Silver Chrome

*All of the 6th Sense Fishing Baits mentioned in this report can be purchased at 6thsensefishing.com and use code “BHFISHING10” at checkout and save some money.

For those of you who are not familiar with my service, I competed for eight years on the Major League Fishing Tour. I am a full time, Licensed and Insured Captain, with First Aid and CPR Certification. I offer one-on-one training, technique-specific trips, fun bass fishing trips, and electronics training in your boat. I would love the opportunity to share a day with you in my Vexus VXS21 or in your own boat to get your electronics dialed in. I am here to help you and to help you become a better angler and to give you confidence in your equipment.

If you plan to visit us on the north end of the lake, I want to invite you to our new business, Sonar Solutions. We are a full service marine electronics retail and install shop. If you are looking at upgrading your marine electronics, needing products installed, or need help learning about your system, give us a call at 270-460-0733 or visit us online at sonar-solutions.com.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram @brandonhunterfishing and @bhunterfishing for anything fishing. Make sure you are following along and subscribe to my YouTube Channel BrandonHunterFishing for updated reports and tips. Please visit brandonhunterfishing.com and shoot me an email to book your next trip. See you on the water!