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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Aug 2, 2013 17:43:54 GMT -5
There is nothing I like doing better in the dog days of summer is ledge fishing, which is nothing more than offshore fishing, out in the middle of the lake away from the crowds. Kentucky Lake is one of the best lakes in the country to do this. I arrived Sunday afternoon and came come yesterday with both thumbs bleeding. It can be challenging and requires the knowledge and use of good electronics. I only fished in the mornings till about 10AM and then went back out again after dinner. During the day I spent time with my wife doing different things or just cruising the lake in the boat lloking at the beautiful lakeside homes. This trip was incredible. I boated about 150 bass and out of all those I only had 6 short fish. 2-3 pounds were average and had some 4's. My wife really doesn't have the patience to fish but took her mid day for about an hour one afternoon and she caught a 5 pounder. I had her watching the sonar and I was telling her when she would get bit. It was one of those trips you dream of having. Having good lake current during this trip played heavily into my success. At times it was cast after cast of catching them. 95% of the fish were caught using a Carolina Rig with a Charmers Timber Pup. There were times when the bass pushed to the surface and then it was Zara Spook time! I would be reeling one in with one rod and they start busting on the top. I'd hold that rod between by legs and cast my top water rod and have two on at once. I have many good ledge waypoints saved and I basically set up a milk run and looked for active shad, those that are "balled up" and not just spread out. Shad that are "balled up" are that way for a reason. They're being chased and ate by other fish. These shad are scared. You can see some larger fish underneath them  Below is a ball of shad right on the edge of the ledge. Those are largemouth to the left of the shad.  Below is a big school of largemouth feeding on shad. The shad can be seen on the far left pic close to the orange line. I flat out whacked them there. I don't know how many bass I caught out this school. I did catch 11 on 11 consecutive casts.  2D sonar pic of Largemouth.  My wife's big fish...  Just random pics of fish.        |
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Post by whitetail1 on Aug 2, 2013 19:55:16 GMT -5
Congrats on a great trip Hoosier Hunter! Those are some HAWGS!
I've never fished Kentucky Lake, but plan to in the next couple of years. Life has been so busy, I've been limited to one or two trips per year and I use those for St. Clair. But I've got to hit Kentucky Lake. I've read a lot about the summer time ledge fishing, but not much about the spring time. You ever been there in the spring?
By the way, I love the screen shots of your electronics.
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Post by GS1 on Aug 2, 2013 21:41:39 GMT -5
Sounds like a great trip. Kentucky Lake is hard to beat without crossing the border to the north.
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Post by featherduster on Aug 3, 2013 5:38:36 GMT -5
I have not seen a thumb like that since my last visit to the Boundary Waters during the Smallmouth spawning period.
That photo right there is one to frame and show everybody how good fishing can be when everything comes together just right.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Aug 3, 2013 8:49:01 GMT -5
Congrats on a great trip Hoosier Hunter! Those are some HAWGS! I've never fished Kentucky Lake, but plan to in the next couple of years. Life has been so busy, I've been limited to one or two trips per year and I use those for St. Clair. But I've got to hit Kentucky Lake. I've read a lot about the summer time ledge fishing, but not much about the spring time. You ever been there in the spring? By the way, I love the screen shots of your electronics. Yes, been there in the spring as well. Pretty much every month from March to October. I just like summer because they really get schooled up on the ledges. Spring is fun when they get up into the flooded brush. |
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Post by Decatur on Aug 3, 2013 9:25:09 GMT -5
Excellent! Love the thumb pic!
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Post by joeyb on Aug 5, 2013 11:28:09 GMT -5
Nice! Too bad you weren't out there on a tournament!!
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Aug 5, 2013 16:11:05 GMT -5
Very cool Gary. Glad you had a good trip.
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Post by HuntMeister on Aug 5, 2013 17:13:36 GMT -5
Looks like a great time! Did you see Dave while you were down there?
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Aug 5, 2013 19:31:59 GMT -5
Looks like a great time! Did you see Dave while you were down there? I ran into him at the dock on Tuesday morning. He had a ledge class and was going out on the water for first few hours. He said it's been one of the best ledge seasons ever. Lots of rain in the south has kept the current favorable for fishing. I'm ready to go again but no plans until the end of September. |
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Post by raporter on Aug 10, 2013 8:43:15 GMT -5
Happiness is a sore thumb.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2013 17:43:35 GMT -5
Congratulations on the fine Bass. Those Side Scan/ Down Scan devices are great. I think they have changed Bass and Crappie fishing forever. They are one of the best things a fisherman can have in their Boat.
I have a Lowrance HDS 10 in my Bass Boat.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2013 17:57:48 GMT -5
I read your post, and I agree that Kentucky Lake is one of the best, perhaps the best Ledge fishing lakes in America. Since I bought my Lowrance HDS 10 Down Scan/ Side Scan Unit I have really been able to find dozens and dozens of good Ledges and underwater stump fields out on the main lake.
It seems like the Bass come up from the ledges on the flats in the mornings to feed, then they do the same thing in the evening. We have been going out and catching a limit of keepers about every time we have fished this Summer on KY Lake.
We mostly fish south of the Eggners ferry Bridge out on the main lake Ledges.
A lot of people don't really know how to fish KY Lake. If people come here in the Summer and fish the coves/ bays they probably will only catch a few Bass all day !
But if they go out on the main lake which is over 100 miles long, and fish Ledges they could potentially catch dozens of Bass per day rather consistently.
There are literally tens of thousands of keeper sized Largemouth Bass in Kentucky Lake out on the main lake Ledges during the Summer months.
Most Tournaments here are won out on the main lake Ledges during the Summer months.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2013 17:59:11 GMT -5
Looks like a great time! Did you see Dave while you were down there? I ran into him at the dock on Tuesday morning. He had a ledge class and was going out on the water for first few hours. He said it's been one of the best ledge seasons ever. Lots of rain in the south has kept the current favorable for fishing. I'm ready to go again but no plans until the end of September. I see Dave Stewart a lot at Kenlake fishing with his customers. Were you at Kenlake Boat Ramp or someplace else ? |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2013 18:03:10 GMT -5
Congrats on a great trip Hoosier Hunter! Those are some HAWGS! I've never fished Kentucky Lake, but plan to in the next couple of years. Life has been so busy, I've been limited to one or two trips per year and I use those for St. Clair. But I've got to hit Kentucky Lake. I've read a lot about the summer time ledge fishing, but not much about the spring time. You ever been there in the spring? By the way, I love the screen shots of your electronics. Spring can be good in the coves/ bays. If the bays are flooded fish the buckbrush or flooded Timber. Also the Grass has really grown back a lot this year, many of the bays have underwater grass in them this year. During the Summer your best bet is to fish the main lake ledges, with Shakey Head Worms, Lizards, other types of worms, and Swim Baits, or at least that is what works good for me. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2013 13:36:08 GMT -5
Hoosier Hunter
Are you coming down here to Kentucky Lake anymore this fall or winter ?
And, how did your trip to Lake Guntersville go ?
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Oct 21, 2013 17:08:58 GMT -5
No more trips to KY lake until spring unless the a-rig bite is hot this winter. Here's one G-ville I took on a swimbait.  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2013 20:23:10 GMT -5
No more trips to KY lake until spring unless the a-rig bite is hot this winter. Here's one G-ville I took on a swimbait. Nice Bass. I will be down at Lake Guntersville next Spring. |
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