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Peak summer is perhaps one of the best times to find and catch white bass in the jumps here on Kentucky Lake. Despite the heat and humidity these aggressive gamefish still school and put on a feeding frenzy at times.

A few good reports have been coming in the last few weeks from anglers running the main channel and watching the sandbars and flats adjacent to channel itself. Often referred to as a “channel bass” by anglers who pursue them, these aggressive gamefish thrive in the edge of current.

They roam open water in hot pursuit of baitfish, namely threadfin and gizzard shad, who roam placid waters feeding on plankton often near the surface. Once white bass, which is their biological name but often referred to as stripes by the average everyday angler, corral baitfish they push them to the surface.

As a last ditch effort the baitfish jump out of the water in a futile attempt to escape. That’s when the water erupts as big numbers of hungry white bass go into attack mode. They bust holes in the calm surface exhibiting a feeding frenzy.

Once this happens it’s heaven on earth for anglers assuming they’re within casting distance. The white bass run the bait fish over shallow sandbars in ambush mode. It’s quite a sight!

Tossing any small spinner in a chrome or white color such as a Rooster Tail, Mepps, Little George, Silver Spoon just to name a few, will put you in touch with these aggressive gamefish.

Having an extra rod or two with a topwater plug further enables anglers to attract these darters as they will go into full attack mode on anything that rips through the water and mimics the feeding frenzy of other fish.

Kentucky Lake anglers should have a few more weeks of white bass action. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

Best to rise and shine early. Get out on the lake before the crazy midday sun kicks in and heats up to an unfriendly temperature.

When you land in the midst of a white bass jump you’ll forget all about the heat, at least for a spell. It’s that much fun,

It’s best to keep the fish on ice to preserve the flavor. White bass won’t live long in a livewell when surface temperatures are in the upper 80’s.

Elsewhere on the reservoir bass fishermen continue to stalk the main lake ledges on their quest for smallmouth and largemouth.

A few decent stringers are showing up in the main lake sandbar areas. In the arsenal of summer bass fishermen have been a variety of lures ranging from swim baits, twister tail grubs, chrome and blue colored Rattle Traps, deep diving crankbaits, Texas and Carolina rigged worms and craws, Alabama rigged grubs and big spoons hopped on the deep holes.

Not all the bass are deep as seems there’s always a few shallow fish to be found. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, jerkbaits and some shallow running crankbaits seem to have a time and place.

If you find the minnows you’ll find some bass shallow on this lake in the midst of summer.

Crappie action has slowed the last few weeks for most anglers who blame the heat for the decline.

Catfish continue to put a bend in the rod of anglers out there stalking the main river channel banks. Whenever there’s current the bite has been on.

Some mornings anglers report the bite is slow when TVA isn’t pulling water through Kentucky Dam. That can change throughout the days once the flow increases and stimulates baitfish movement.

As of this report lake levels were in the 357.5 range and falling slowly. Surface temperatures were in the 88 degree range. Water color remains clear. As of this update TVA was pulling 34,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) which has a slow current present in the main channel.

Mayfly hatches have still been occurring although activity has diminished lately. A few night fishermen were still fishing beneath the lights for white bass and stripers and reporting scattered hatches of flies.

Every day makes fall that much closer so hang in there!