Today I was thinking about my fishing the last 3 years and realized all the best lakes here are loaded with timber.  Consequently, 95+% of my fishing during that time has been pitching timber or banging square billed cranks.

Is there standing timber in Ky, and if so are they probuctive areas?  I only ask b/c a buddy of mine turned me on to a ditch area that was out from some timber on Fork the other day.  I found it difficult to slow down enough to fish it correctly since I was so used to going from one piece of cover to another.

The only time we have any significant standing timber here on Ky Lake is when it floods !!   ;D  Lots of lay downs and stumps, but very very little standing timber.

Lay downs and stumps would work.  Guess I'll hope for flood conditions.

The only time I fished the lake was 31 years ago.  There was no standing timber left then.  Laydowns though.  I caught a 5 1/2 pounder off the end of one in about 6' of water.  I wound up 2nd in that tournament,  big bass was a little over 6lbs.  It was a tough tournament as I recall.  Not many fish caught of any size.  Of course we were there in early May and the spawn was over for the most part.  

Matt, I felt the same way after getting to Guntersville last year. The type of lakes I fish are similar to the same types you fish. Keep in mind the biggest lake I had ever been on up to that point was 2,700 acres, needless to say, Guntersville was pretty darn intimidating for me.

I concentrated on areas that looked familiar in comparison to my home lake. I hit blowdowns and stumps close to the bank in the mornings, and then moved to deeper water in the afternoons. We were catching fish in 32 feet of water off of a deep ledge with cranks. This was a new and exciting way of fishing for me. I will probably try and fish Kentucky Lake the same way.

Jimzee ....  Kentucky Lake being 183 miles long, you'll have to pick spots like you did on G-ville and go for it ..... even living on the lake, and fishing the lake for years, I've only seen about 50 miles of it and about 50 miles on Barkely.

Today I was thinking about my fishing the last 3 years and realized all the best lakes here are loaded with timber. Consequently, 95+% of my fishing during that time has been pitching timber or banging square billed cranks.

Is there standing timber in Ky, and if so are they probuctive areas? I only ask b/c a buddy of mine turned me on to a ditch area that was out from some timber on Fork the other day. I found it difficult to slow down enough to fish it correctly since I was so used to going from one piece of cover to another.

matt, TX lakes, for the most part, are newer than many of the lakes in the south or midwest.  If you are fishing many of the TVA lakes or some others in the MdWst that were impounded before 1960 or earlier, the lake will lack any sort of flooded timber.  Back then, the lake's main purpose was flood control and hydroelectric power,  leaving trees in as fish cover wasn't even thought of.  In fact, the trees were often harvested for their commercial value.

You're going to have to think in terms of seasonal locations of bass and their movements.  If there would be cover available, stumps, laydowns, etc. in those pathways they're utilizing, they'll use it.  Otherwise, you will be fishing water that to you will seem like open water.  

Unless the waters up in the buck brush, then it's anything goes.    

Otherwise, you will be fishing water that to you will seem like open water. Unless the waters up in the buck brush, then it's anything goes.

Generally, the focus is on structure and as Bill Dance stressed, water

temperature. The green bass may be backed-up in the coves, but the

smallmouth will be found relating to breaks, humps, bumps and flats,

preferably in current.

I expect the Kentucky Lake homies will have very specific

comments, observations and suggestions as we approach D-Day.

The weather, especially rainfall, will be the big variable and just

like everywhere else this time of year, unpredictable!

8-)

Was glad you asked the question Matt. Between these answers and the interview given by Dance, I was feeling a whole lot better about my skills until i watched this You-tube video I just found. I thought K-lake must be huge because I wasn't seeing any shoreline. I was almost ready to scrap my April trip until I read the comments.

I should have known better!

firefightn15 ..... rest assured we have hundreds of miles of shoreline !! the lake is long  ...... plenty of good banks right near Kenlake.

The lake is 184 miles long, with shoreline on both sides!

Thanks guys, good to here.  Can't wait to hopefully get a little tutoring in the soft plastics department as I am more comfortable with spinners, cranks, jerks, and such around cover.

Lots of buck brush, rattletraps on flats,cranks on rocks and spinnerbaits in buck brush,tubes and football jigs on points for smallies

The lake is 184 miles long, with shoreline on both sides!

RW,  which sides of the lake have shoreline?  I don't want to fish a lake that doesn't have shoreline all the way around it.  I would be afraid to fall off the face of the earth.  

We'll stay in the "RIGHT SIDE".

My wife and her relatives live 12 billion light years beyond the

wrong side.

Ok, another question.  I've heard barges go down the lake often, and they throw a huge wake.  What is the safest most effective way in dealing with the barges?

First .... you might see a couple a day .... if you are in the coves it is a non issue .... also the barges will be in the main channel. There is a secondary channel on the west side of the lake to run in. The barge wakes are rollers .... not harsh .... just slow down and ride them out ..... big cruiser wakes are worse than a barge wake. BTW ... both the main channel and secondary channel are clearly marked.

Depends on how fast the barge is going, but typically they don't throw huge wakes.  Just slow down and go over them at about a 45 degree angle.  

I didn't realize there was a secondary channel or that the barge wakes were manageable with some caution.  Thanks for the info.

Thanks guys, good to here. Can't wait to hopefully get a little tutoring in the soft plastics department as I am more comfortable with spinners, cranks, jerks, and such around cover.

That early in the season we may be C-rigging.  

Thanks guys, good to here. Can't wait to hopefully get a little tutoring in the soft plastics department as I am more comfortable with spinners, cranks, jerks, and such around cover.

That early in the season we may be C-rigging.

I'll be brushin' up, thanks.

Here's a report from earlier this week:

Jerkbaits on mainlake and secondary points in about 8-10 ft. water.

Rat-l-traps around rip rap banks.

Flat sided cranks on points in 8-10 ft.

Fish are starting to stage prespawn!

Traps in rootbeer or orange colors.

Jerkbaits with chartuese bellies.

Chartuese colored cranks.

Not saying this will be the story in April though. Some good fish are being caught. They are foootballs right now!

Thanks for the follow-up CJ!

ff15