All my open dates for 2025 are filled. We will start filling 2026 dates in early December of 2025. I will be in attendance at the following shows. I should have seminars at all of them. Collinsville January 2,3,4 Schaumburg January 22,23,24,25 Quad Cities February 12,13,14,15 Rockford February 20,21,22
I am guiding down on Kentucky Lake at the Big Sandy in Tennessee. I will be back November 19th and currently have November 20,21,24 and December 4-15 open. All these dates are weather dependent. These trips on Shelbyville are the best trips this lake can offer. It's jig time and we tear them up. I will be in attendance at these following shows. Collinsville Let's Go Fishing Show January 3,4,5 Tinley Park January 10,11,12 Schaumburg January 23,24,25,26 Rock Island QCCA February 13,14,15,16 Sullivan VFW Crappiefest March 8
The lake is still about a foot low and I am seeing water temps around 66. The cold mornings this week will get it where I want it High 50's. Then my jigs will work better. The north end has a nasty scum on it and you can see air pockets rising to the surface all over. This tells me it is turn over time. This week should complete that process. I am just crappie fishing now since the white bass are just spread out everywhere and very unpredictable. Good news we are heading into the best crappie fishing this [...]
Water levels are about one foot below summer pool. Water temps are about 70. South end is gin clear, north pretty stained due to recent rains. Crappie..... I have put away the white bass rods to concentrate solely on crappie for the remainder of the year. We are getting into my favorite time to crappie fish. Three long rods and a jig. All of us up on the nose comfortably vertically fishing over cover. Weather it is a Shelbyville Cube a stump or a brush pile. There are tons of fish on all of them. Depending on how many I [...]
The lake level is about one foot low. Normal summer pool is 599.7 and currently we are at 598.86. Water temps are running 72. With very little rain the lake is gin clear top to bottom. Every where you go you can see bait on the surface up in the shallows just everywhere, More than any past year I have seen. So fat and healthy fish that can be moody. Force feeding them is the key. Crappie.... On sunny days I am fishing heavy shaded cover. Cubes are the best target since they provide a lot of shade. The shallower [...]
The lake level is about 6-8 inches below summer pool and the surface temps are running 85 on the north end and 77 on the south end. North end very stained with a cloud on the surface that stirs up with your trolling motor. The south end is gin clear and fish are deep and spooky. Here is how I am catching them. Crappie.... I am fishing laydowns, cubes and stumps mid lake to south end. These fish want shade mid day. Early in the morning they are near it roaming looking for balls of baitfish. Since a thermocline never [...]
Finally the lake is at summer pool 599.7. The water temps took a dive this week from 87 down to 76. The lake is very clear one end to the other and the bait remains shallow all over the lake especially the north end. I can't remember a year I have seen it more abundant. Algae bloom coincided with lake rising all perfect timing. We are going to have some fat healthy fish in this lake for some time. CRAPPIE.... Since the bait is shallow so are the crappie. I am still pounding on stumps all over the lake in [...]
The lake level is 601.31 or about a foot and a half over normal summer pool. Water temps are running 78 or so. The north end has some stain but the south end is gin clear. The Corp is pulling the lake down about two-inches a day so this is having an effect on everything. Places that held fish a couple days ago just have small fish left. As for me I know it will get better in a week or so once the water quits dropping. Until then move a lot you will get crappie over ten-inches. Crappie..... Right [...]
I know it is early but I want to remind clients I am guiding on Kentucky Lake "Big Sandy" area November 1-17th. Near Paris Tennessee. I have these trips still available. November 5,6,7. I only take two besides myself on these trips. We all set up on the nose of my boat and tight line 12ft. rods over stake beds and brush. We do it this way mainly because of the wind. My boat can handle it comfortably. It is so wide open down there that you will be in some sort of breeze. Too much for a slip bobber. [...]
The lake has risen about 18in. with the recent rains to 601.14 feet above sea level. Normal pool is 599.7 The water temps jumped from 77 to 85 and were starting to get a nice thermocline but was broken up by the incoming water and current. We should have one very soon though. The lake remains very clear. North end some stain, south end gin clear. The water temps are going to fall after these next few days back to the 77-80 range. It has been extremely hot. Cooling off after today the 15th. Crappie.... Not a lot has changed [...]