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The spring temps are finally starting to warm up and the cooler nights are hopefully behind us. It still seems like the wind doesn’t want to let up with only a few calm days. We are finally getting some much-needed rain this week that will hopefully be enough to help some of these drought conditions. Fish are on the move and making their way offshore. Here’s a rundown.

Lake Conditions and What's Happening on the Lake

Water Temp: Mid 70s
Lake Level: 359.5
Water Color: Clean/Normal

Overall Lake conditions overall are in pretty good shape. While the water was slow to come up this year, it has finally made its way up to summer pool and even a bit over. That being said, there are still a good number of fish up shallow.

Depending on where you are at on the lake, you will find shallow buck brush in the water with these levels. The pitching and flipping bite can be fun, it’s the quality that lacks here. While there are a good number of fish that stay shallow year-round, most of the quality is starting to make way to the main lake for the summer.

This year we have experienced a severe drought with little to no rain, until recently. Lack of rain means lack of current and the overall post spawn bite has been a little stingy. We have also had some cooler nights. These fish will make a big push when those warm days and nights finally set in.

I have found several places where fish are starting to school up, they have just been a bit harder to catch due to the lack of current. Hopefully some of this rain will give us some much needed relief and TVA will start moving some water.

Fish are on the move and staying on top of what they are doing is key. You will still find fish shallow around cover or shad spawns early in the morning. There are fish in between that are making their way out on points and under water points in the creeks.

Then there are the fish that we all look forward to seeing come and that’s those that leave and head to the main lake for the summer. With a little bit of everything going on, you will find that you can catch them many ways right now, it’s just finding those places that are holding the better ones that we are looking for.

Stay on your electronics and cover water. It only take a few of the right spots to have some fun.

Techniques & Where

Spinnerbait or Swim Jig- Look for a shad spawn early in the mornings. This time of year, the shad will spawn on hard areas. Rip Rap, Laydowns, and Gravel are great places to look for it. The swim jig can be great up shallow for those fry guarders or around the shad spawn.

Specifics – Nichols Spinnerbaits or Dirty Jigs Compact Spinnerbait, 6th Sense Divine Swim Jig

Colors- White or Chart White, Shad Colors

Swimbait- A big swimbait is fun here on Kentucky Lake when the fish pull out deep. This time of year, the smallmouth will mix right in there with the largemouth and will nip the bait. Don’t sleep on the small swimbaits even on deep offshore schools. For those deep holes with the big largemouth, the big baits will catch those big largemouth.

Specifics- 6th Sense Fishing Finesse Swimbait Head 3/16 or 5/16oz, 6th Sense Fishing Divine 3.2 or 3.8 Swimbaits, Ignite Frenzy 5”

Colors- Pro Blue, Platinum White, Sexy Shad, Pro Shad, Kentucky Lake Special

Minnow Bait- A jig head 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 dominated today. When those fish feel pressured, this is a great bait to toss at them to make them bite.

Specifics- 6th Sense Fishing Shindo 5,6”

Colors- Ghost Minnow, Threadfin, 4K Shad

Neko Rig or Dropshot- Great spawning techniques for smallmouth and largemouth both. We probably catch more fish on these two techniques than anything. Deep, Pressured, Offshore Schools.

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

Colors- Blue Fleck or Plum, Morning Dawn or Grn Pumpkin

Big Spoon- Post spawn fish will get super deep and the big spoon is proven here on Kentucky Lake. It will simply catch you the biggest fish in the school.

Specifics- Nichols Magnum Spoon or 6th Sense Spoon

Colors- Silver

Deep Cranking- This is probably one of my favorite ways to catch post spawn fish. There is a short window when the fish first get out, that they will eat a big plug. This year with lack of current, it’s been a bit tougher. Right place, right time and you can get well quick. Some current would help.

Specifics- 6th Sense Crush 300 or 500

Colors- Bluetreuse, Citrus Scales, Smashfest

Pitching and Flippin- While most fish will head offshore, there are still a good number of fish hanging around shallow cover. With the water being above summer pool, the month of May will always have fish up shallow. There are fry guarders and fish that stay shallow year-round. Quality will be harder to come by, but if you want to have some fun, you can still catch them shallow.

Specifics- 6th Sense Fishing Bodega Craw or Prawn

Colors- Black and Blue, Green Pumpkin, Nirvana

*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. If you are visiting the area or local to Kentucky Lake, I would encourage you to visit the guys and gals at Kentucky Lake Outdoors for a great selection of fishing and hunting goods.

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 are looking at upgrading your marine electronics, needing products installed, or need help learning about your system, I would encourage you to visit Sonar Solutions. We are a full line shop offering anything marine electronics. Call us 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!