That's sorta what I was planning to do. I'm really excited to put this together and see if I can get some results. I think Rhino has got me talked into the navplanner2. I'm getting a big bonus at work in March. That's gonna add SI and a bigger TM to my boat. I'm like a little kid on Christmas eve that can't go to sleep. If my kids could read this, they'd be laughing at me.

You can do it all from the comfort of your computer. Note the O'brien Branch (cove) in the first, then in the zoomed image. The flooded timber doesn't show until you zoom. Same with many things.

You can print what you want, make notations on it and bring it with you. That's KY Lake. You can see a portion of the canal that joins it with Barkley at the top right corner.

I think the only thing that you can transfer into your HB is waypoints, right Rhino?  Waypoints would be all I'd need anyway.

I haven't played with it yet, but it comes with a card reader that has two ports in it.  I believe it allows the maps on the hot maps chips to be displayed.  I'm not sure about printing them.  It will overlay waypoints which will produce a course.  Again, I haven't fiddled around with that part of it yet. 

It does display the lat/long of the cursor.  If you wanted the coordinates of that flooded timber, move the cursor there and record them

It will interface with the storage chip and the navionics chip.  When placed in the Humminbird or any other brand they will appear on the display.  Again, that's my understanding.  Haven't done that yet.

I wouldn't spend to much time marking spots that list flooded timber on the maps. I have a Navionics chip in my S.I and I hardly ever find what is marked as far as stumps and flooded timber. What that is is where they noted stumpbeds and timber piles before they flooded the lake. Most of it has rotted away.

I'll give a good tip for places to look at:

Look for the bays that seem to have the most inflow from the feeder creeks. Look at the land geography around those feeder creeks to try and get an idea as to how much water flows in during and after rain. Those bays usually have more bass in them giving there is good cover.

Within reach of the Moors here are a list of areas that have fished good in the past during April:

Sugar Bay

Duncan Bay

Smith Bay

Willow Bay (Barkley)

Davenport Bay (Barkley)

Just a little tease. Look at the characteristics of these bays.

Well CJ,  I can't seem to find Davenport, but the others are all located in the LBL area, looks like few if any homes on them, and I would assume most importantly are the number of feeder creeks that are feeding into each of them that create plenty of secondary points.

What I can't see on my map is bottom content or what if any flooded timber there might be.

Alright, darn it! I'm ordering Navplanner2 right freakin now!  Until it gets here, it's google earth.

:'( :'(

Alright, darn it! I'm ordering Navplanner2 right freakin now! Until it gets here, it's google earth.

:'( :'(

You'll like this about the Navplanner2 program. You bring up a shoreline on the map, then open google earth and it will display the satellite image and the map side by side. This isn't big, but it shows the feature.

Regarding the "flooded timber".  It was just to illustrate that as you expand or zoom in, you get more details.  It may be vegetation, submerged or emergent, creekbeds, submerged bridges, roadways, etc.

Want bigger of the side by side. I managed to find it.

Wow Rhino, that's pretty cool.  Navplanner2 is ordered.

Cant seem to get google earth to label the bays on KY and Barkley.  Might have to try to find that on another site.  Noticed on GE that Barkley was muddy for the photo.  Interesting to note where the muddy water collects, and where clear water remains.

found this interesting http://fw.ky.gov/kfwis/google/fishing/kentucky_FA.kmz

Cant seem to get google earth to label the bays on KY and Barkley. Might have to try to find that on another site. Noticed on GE that Barkley was muddy for the photo. Interesting to note where the muddy water collects, and where clear water remains.

I'm just using Google Maps, as that does label all of the bays. 

And I did finally find that last bay.  Sometimes blind guys like me can't find certain bays for quite awhile, but the labels are there.   8-)

I wouldn't spend to much time marking spots that list flooded timber on the maps. I have a Navionics chip in my S.I and I hardly ever find what is marked as far as stumps and flooded timber. What that is is where they noted stumpbeds and timber piles before they flooded the lake. Most of it has rotted away.

I'll give a good tip for places to look at:

Look for the bays that seem to have the most inflow from the feeder creeks. Look at the land geography around those feeder creeks to try and get an idea as to how much water flows in during and after rain. Those bays usually have more bass in them giving there is good cover.

Within reach of the Moors here are a list of areas that have fished good in the past during April:

Sugar BayDuncan Bay

Smith Bay

Willow Bay (Barkley)

Davenport Bay (Barkley)

Just a little tease. Look at the characteristics of these bays.

Sugar Bay was hot on our last trip. I had two on that broke off in that bay but did manage quite a few.

There are no houses on the LBL side. That's all National Forrest.

Davenport is on Barkley right where it turns south, on the LBL side. It has been a bass magnet in the past for the spring season.

Oh yeah Rhino and Scrutch, I'm totally illiterate to the Navplanner. I don't know when they recorded their data. But last year Ky. and Barkley had record elevations and record water release rates. A lot of laydowns and cover in general that had been there for atleast 10 years are no longer there.

But hey, you guys look like you're doing your homework and that's what makes for success! My hat's off to you.

Yeah CJ, I guess I mis-spoke myself.  What I meant to say that I did see that Pisgah Bay has a fairly large human footprint with that campground.  I can also see that several other bays have roads leading into them for what I assume are the listed launch sites.

I read and fully understand your previous comment on how this is one of your tournament lakes.  While I have a few questions, I'll hold off until I get the chance to meet with you down there.

I hope this roadtrip isn't coming just before one of those tournaments.  If so, just give me the evil eye if I ask about a certain area.  Been there before.   

Lund, there is the Everstart that is going to be held 2 weeks before the roadtrip. But that's not a bad thing. I think it goes out of the Moors so the area will get stocked! There are big tournaments here every weekend. It usually doesn't effect fishing that much though. Pisgah Is the party cove of Ky. Lake. I rarely go in there. The launch sites on the LBL side are only used by a few fisherman. Don't let that worry you none. Now Big Bear which is the big bay that is where the Moors is located gets hammered throughout the year but there are still a lot of fish there.

Y'all feel free to PM me anytime with any general questions. I've said before though that I would have to write a book to respond as far as lures and patterns right now. Every year seems to change around here. For example, the last roadtrip here Senko77, LBH, and I had a great day. We caught over 100 fish that day with a 5 lb. smallmouth to top it off. The next day I couldn't buy a bite on the same pattern.

BTW, I'm not planning on fishing a great deal of tournaments this year. Even if I was I wouldn't care. I'd rather see some BR friends have a great time and experience how great this lake can be.

Does the Navplanners indicate summer or winter pool? Can you manually adjust for it? Ky and Barkley draw down about 5 feet for winter pool. Should be near summer pool for the event and rising.

Here is another site

explorekentuckylake.com/weather.htm

Might have been posted before

Navplanner2 arrived today. I'm literally an hour into the exploration of KY Lake. Wow have I got a lot of questions for you CJ. I'll surely not bombard you with all of them.

Does the Navplanners indicate summer or winter pool? Can you manually adjust for it? Ky and Barkley draw down about 5 feet for winter pool. Should be near summer pool for the event and rising.

Here is another site

explorekentuckylake.com/weather.htm

Might have been posted before

CTF58,

It appears the water level in Navplanner is 357.6 fasl by default. I think thats about 3 ft above winter pool. Winter pool is 354 (fasl) elevation, and rises during April to reach summer pool of 359 (fasl) by May. So the pool will be on the rise while we're there. Oddly enough it MIGHT be pretty close to the actual level for the roadtrip.

I'm still looking for a manual adjustment.  to be continued...

Does anybody know how much current (if any) we might be seeing in April?  As I understand it, current exists only when they're releasing water.  So, if they're raising the water level to summer pool, will there be less or no current?

Does anybody know how much current (if any) we might be seeing in April? As I understand it, current exists only when they're releasing water. So, if they're raising the water level to summer pool, will there be less or no current?

We will not know until it is closer to time to go there. You are right that generally it will be low current, unless we get a big rain near Nashville TN. TVA likes to bring the water up slowly. Think about a 5 foot rise in the course of a month. I have seen the water at summer pool on April 1st, just to see TVA drain it back down 4 feet in a week so they can bring it up on their schedule. Kentucky and Barkley lakes are first and foremost for power generation, second Army Corps can take control of the dam gates for flood control. Lastly comes the fishermen. We have no say as to the levels. I would love to see the lakes brought up about early March just one year to see what effect it would have on the fishing. I think the spawn would be a lot better.

ctf58, the water levels hit 363 in March 3 years ago and we had a great bite.

We have no way of knowing what the water levels or current flow will be. We will be able to make a good prediction about a week before time. If it were to do what would be considered annual average, it would hit right at summer pool a week before the roadtrip, that would be ideal for a shallow bite. It all depends on the rainfall in the western part of TN. or anywhere along the TN. River and Cumberland.

When they're releasing water, and there IS current, how much is there? Is it a faster "river" style current or more of a "tidal" type slow current?

When they're releasing water, and there IS current, how much is there? Is it a faster "river" style current or more of a "tidal" type slow current?

It will seem more like a slow current. If you are out on the main lake while they are pulling a lot of water, you might would drift toward the dam at about 2 mph. That's what it would be like in the area around the roadtrip sight where the lake is wide, and as long as you don't get to close to the dam.