Heading down Thursday morning to Ky lake.

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05-14-2019, 07:32 AM
killum

Heading down Thursday morning to Ky lake.

Will be staying at Big Bear. Fishing with my lovely wife for bluegill, redear and crappie. Any advice on where in general to look or presentation that is working would be appreciated. We don't want your honey holes just a little guidance. Pm me if you have specifics. Spent the weekend replacing bilge and aerator pumps. Hopefully ready to fish! Best to everyone! Shoutout to MRDUX our chocolate lab Maggie is doing great. Glad you are on the mend!

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05-14-2019, 07:59 AM
artcarney_agr

Should be hitting it right!
05-14-2019, 08:02 AM
killum

That is what we are hoping. Usually come down a week or 2 earlier and struggle to get on gills. Hopefully will be right on them this year...

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05-14-2019, 10:57 AM
perchjerker108

killum, I'm coming down this week also. On the Bluegill, my best luck is to find some small bays with some deep water off the main waterways with what they call 'buck' bushes in the back of these bays. I back off about 30-50 feet(or even more) from the bushes and fish near the edge of the bushes. Now, If you fish the area and do no good in 10-15 minutes, move and find another cove, just make sure you check out all the areas in the Cove before you leave. You may have to look at several places before you 'find' them. I use waxworms under a slip bobber. You can use a 'popeye' jig, a 'crawler' jig or a plain hook with a waxworm, regular worm, cricket. Usually, you need to fish near the bottom of whatever depth you are fishing in. Hope this helps and good luck!
05-14-2019, 01:17 PM
Mike1234

I’m planning on coming down Friday for a few days good luck

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05-14-2019, 02:18 PM
Dutch552

I just got a text from a coworker who is on the lake now with a massive redear caught dragging a redworm across the bottom. The bite is happening right now. The last couple cool night haven't helped us out much, but Thursday is the beginning of a warming trend with highs in the 80's for the next week that should turn the bluegills on like a gas grill. I've got two slip float rigs rigged up and a bottom rig for agitating those deeper redears into biting.
05-14-2019, 02:35 PM
killum

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch552

I just got a text from a coworker who is on the lake now with a massive redear caught dragging a redworm across the bottom. The bite is happening right now. The last couple cool night haven't helped us out much, but Thursday is the beginning of a warming trend with highs in the 80's for the next week that should turn the bluegills on like a gas grill. I've got two slip float rigs rigged up and a bottom rig for agitating those deeper redears into biting.

Sounds real encouraging. Here is hoping we all get into em big time! Thanks

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05-14-2019, 04:06 PM
Red190

Well y’all talked me into it. I’m coming too. Leaving Thursday after work if everything comes together no reservations anywhere and don’t care have a topper and an air mattress if I need it. Feels like a few days before Christmas as a kid.
05-14-2019, 04:38 PM
Dutch552

I'll see you guys on the water Saturday and Sunday. Be safe driving down.
05-14-2019, 09:06 PM
GREENFISH

Heading down Thursday morning to Ky lake.

I'm jealous of all of ya'll!!! Wish I could make it down. Hope everyone does well and has fun!

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05-15-2019, 08:35 AM
artcarney_agr

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch552

...Thursday is the beginning of a warming

Keep an eye on the wind forecast and pick your fishing areas accordingly. A big warmup usually comes with big south winds.
05-15-2019, 09:10 AM
killum

Quote:

Originally Posted by artcarney_agr

Keep an eye on the wind forecast and pick your fishing areas accordingly. A big warmup usually comes with big south winds.

Thank you! I assume I should look for bays sheilded from that wind?

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05-15-2019, 09:45 AM
artcarney_agr

Quote:

Originally Posted by killum

Thank you! I assume I should look for bays sheilded from that wind?

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You might want to just look at a map before you head out and see if your spots are going to be impacted by it. I know when the local news channel says "breezy" on their forecast, it's usually pretty dang rough at the lake.
05-15-2019, 02:33 PM
perchjerker108

Greenfish, art, and all. I too am excited and appreciate advice comments posted. Will be with MR on the 17th to do some Crankin for Crappie(weather permitting). I would do the same for the rest of my trip, but I need to do a lot of work ($)on my little 16 footer, to do this stuff. So, I'm treating my brother to a special trip with MR for his birthday. After that for then next 5 days, we'll take my little boat and find some Bluegill. May slip over to Barkley in a bay that has a road bed running across the bay on the east side. Top should be in about 3-4 ft. and the edges drop off to 5-8 feet for about 600 yards across the bay. Found hundreds of Bluegill on this roadbed several years ago around this time. Caught a lot (about 150/day, some large, some not so large), but only kept about 30-40 per day. Every thing we kept were pretty good size. Like to go back and see if they are still there. I know the road bed didn't move.
05-15-2019, 02:43 PM
artcarney_agr

Quote:

Originally Posted by perchjerker108

May slip over to Barkley in a bay that has a road bed running across the bay on the east side. Top should be in about 3-4 ft. and the edges drop off to 5-8 feet for about 600 yards across the bay. Found hundreds of Bluegill on this roadbed several years ago around this time. Caught a lot (about 150/day, some large, some not so large), but only kept about 30-40 per day. Every thing we kept were pretty good size. Like to go back and see if they are still there. I know the road bed didn't move.

Sounds like Devils Elbow/Lick Creek.
05-15-2019, 03:21 PM
Red190

I’ll be in eddy Creek in a red tracker dragging the bottom for the gills mornings and evenings and cranking in between.
05-15-2019, 03:32 PM
perchjerker108

Art, Dang, you are correct. Haven't been there for a few years. There's also a 'blown out Bridge' about 3/4 ways across. So, I guess I will still check it out. Let me know if you've been there any time in the past few years. We had a Dang Pontoon trying to fish this spot/area, but luckily, the wind was low and we did Ok.
05-15-2019, 03:42 PM
artcarney_agr

Quote:

Originally Posted by perchjerker108

Art, Dang, you are correct. Haven't been there for a few years. There's also a 'blown out Bridge' about 3/4 ways across. So, I guess I will still check it out. Let me know if you've been there any time in the past few years. We had a Dang Pontoon trying to fish this spot/area, but luckily, the wind was low and we did Ok.

You might want to check out the Navionics website sometime, they have some good maps online that are free to view. Just go to the link below and click on "Chart Viewer" and then zoom your way around to KY and Barkley.

Navionics

Vickers and Barnett on KY are a couple I've been aiming to try, but I seem to always go hit my old reliable spots instead. Smith Bay campground offers some great bank fishing for shellcracker, but they are always scattered there and the action is slow but reliable.
05-15-2019, 09:13 PM
redearhoosier

I'll take slow redear action when they run 1.5-1.75lb! I found tons of bluegill beds this evening but struck out on the big crackers. At it early in the morning.
05-17-2019, 06:36 PM
Red190

Hope you fellers are doing better than we are. Tough. But sure is nice out there.
05-17-2019, 08:56 PM
killum

Quote:

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

I'll take slow redear action when they run 1.5-1.75lb! I found tons of bluegill beds this evening but struck out on the big crackers. At it early in the morning.

Feel free to send me coords for those beds. I will swap you my dang catfish honey holes![emoji16] All my gill spots full of cats.

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05-17-2019, 10:42 PM
GREENFISH

C'mon fellas. Give us some pics! I need to live vicariously through you all until I can hit the water again (hopefully in the next week or two). Sure wish I was gill or redear fishing this weekend

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05-18-2019, 05:25 AM
redearhoosier

1 Attachment(s)

Attachment 343309I caught these two Wednesday afternoon, but it's been tough. Windy already and it's not even 5:30am!!
05-18-2019, 12:25 PM
killum

2 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GREENFISH

C'mon fellas. Give us some pics! I need to live vicariously through you all until I can hit the water again (hopefully in the next week or two). Sure wish I was gill or redear fishing this weekend

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Got a couple nice redear and a bunch of cats. Few scattered gills. Beats working...Attachment 343343 Attachment 343344

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05-18-2019, 02:49 PM
wannabe fisherman

Quote:

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

Attachment 343309I caught these two Wednesday afternoon, but it's been tough. Windy already and it's not even 5:30am!!

You don't have RED EARS !!:Rofl nice looking Shell Crackers !
05-19-2019, 06:27 PM
chaunc

1 Attachment(s)

Attachment 343509Me and my buddy Ben’s catch my last day down there this year.
05-19-2019, 07:29 PM
GREENFISH

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaunc

Attachment 343509Me and my buddy Benâ€™s catch my last day down there this year.

Nice Chaunc!! You're always on fish! Awesome mess

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05-19-2019, 08:03 PM
killum

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GREENFISH

Nice Chaunc!! You're always on fish! Awesome mess

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Yes that was quite a mess of fish. Finally found a few gills today after the rain. And one nice shellcracker.Attachment 343528

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05-19-2019, 11:16 PM
redearhoosier

I found a small bed of big redear on Barkley that I sight fished for close to two hours today and they wouldn't touch it. There were only about six redear on the beds but you could see them plain as day and each fish was a pound and a half. I dropped a worm on their head and they ignored it. I did talk to a guy that actually limited out on redear today. They seem to be biting for some people. We only caught one today among tons of catfish.
05-20-2019, 07:15 PM
chaunc

Quote:

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

I found a small bed of big redear on Barkley that I sight fished for close to two hours today and they wouldn't touch it. There were only about six redear on the beds but you could see them plain as day and each fish was a pound and a half. I dropped a worm on their head and they ignored it. I did talk to a guy that actually limited out on redear today. They seem to be biting for some people. We only caught one today among tons of catfish.

Should have dropped a wax worm in there. Just might have made a difference. Or a black hair jig.
05-20-2019, 08:25 PM
killum

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaunc

Should have dropped a wax worm in there. Just might have made a difference. Or a black hair jig.

X2 on the wax worm. I would have bought a pound of em before coming down had I known we missed the gills first spawn or near missed anyway. Caught cats till my arms are sore. Mamma caught a couple great redear and this fine specimen. Wouldn't kiss him bye bye?Attachment 343640

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05-20-2019, 08:46 PM
redearhoosier

I'm going over there tomorrow to see if they're still there and try that, Chaunc. They were studs and only accessible by foot. They were on rocks/gravel in a marina that the docks make inaccessible.
05-20-2019, 08:48 PM
GREENFISH

Channel cats you all catching? Average size? Sounds like fun and good eating!!

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05-20-2019, 09:03 PM
killum

Quote:

Originally Posted by GREENFISH

Channel cats you all catching? Average size? Sounds like fun and good eating!!

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Average 1.5 lb to 3. Perfect eating size. 18 today, 15 yesterday maybe a dozen the day before. Anywhere there was a possible bluegill we caught cats. Some gills and redear too but not big numbers. Lotta fun regardless.

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05-20-2019, 09:16 PM
redearhoosier

Killum, did you guys catch any redear today? Are you catching yours mixed in on bluegill beds? That's how we've caught most of them.
05-21-2019, 05:47 PM
killum

Quote:

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

Killum, did you guys catch any redear today? Are you catching yours mixed in on bluegill beds? That's how we've caught most of them.

We caught a couple near beds and the rest in deeper water 8 to 20 ft at 5 to 7 ft depth close to rock walls...

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05-21-2019, 05:48 PM
killum

Quote:

Originally Posted by killum

Average 1.5 lb to 3. Perfect eating size. 18 today, 15 yesterday maybe a dozen the day before. Anywhere there was a possible bluegill we caught cats. Some gills and redear too but not big numbers. Lotta fun regardless.

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Sorry missed part of the question. Some blues some channels...

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05-21-2019, 09:34 PM
redearhoosier

1 Attachment(s)

Attachment 343783
Recent mess
05-23-2019, 03:58 PM
killum

Quote:

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

Attachment 343783
Recent mess

Thanks to everyone who lent advice. We had a great time. Caught plenty fish and learned alot as always. Tight lines!

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