All-American is Underway on Lake Barkley
49 of the country’s top weekend anglers dueling for a Cup berth
Lake Barkley isn’t the same lake it was a week or so ago when it went off-limits for the anglers competing in the FLW Bass Fishing League All-American hosted by Cadiz-Trigg County Tourism that started this morning out of Lake Barkley State Resort Park near Cadiz, Ky. At least that’s what most of the 49 boaters and their co-angler partners who went fishing during Wednesday’s practice round contend, and, depending on who is doing the talking, it could be a good thing or a bad thing.
For certain, the lake has gone down about a foot or so since late May, which is bad for the bank fishermen, but it’s also cleared up quite a bit, especially in the southern end. That’s good for the guys who are targeting bass with spinnerbaits as they forage along the bank hunting bedding bluegills or spawning shad. But there also seems to be less current moving in the Cumberland River impoundment, which doesn’t do anybody any good.
As might be expected, opinions vary regarding whether the winning fish are going to be caught from shallow water or out deep. Joseph Webster, The 2016 The Bass Federation champion who won that title by sight-fishing at Table Rock Lake earlier this spring, insists he’s going for an offshore pattern even though he wasn’t encouraged by what he found there Wednesday.
“It was tough. I had three bites first thing and shook them off. Then it was slow going the rest of the day,” says the Mississippi angler. “I saw a lot of boats up against the shoreline, but I didn’t fish shallow and I’m not planning to. I think the ledge bite is only going to get better.”
Like Webster, central Kentucky angler Mike Devere didn’t have a good practice day either, and reported that boats seem to be “taking numbers to fish the same little holes that always get fished.”
“I’ve got a few areas where we’ve caught fish before, and I thought we would do a lot better than we did [in practice],” says the veteran. “So it was disappointing. I don’t know what’s happening with the water. It’s dropped some, but not enough to where it should make a big difference. I don’t know – every day is a new day.”
Dan Langton of Haubstadt, Ind., is one of a handful of Barkley regulars who is more upbeat about fishing prospects. He reported he had a “decent” day of practice, but decent for him tends to be better than average for most. The Hoosier angler practically grew up fishing Barkley, as his grandfather, John Russell, bought a house on the lake the day Langton was born.
“The lake totally changed for me during the time it went off-limits,” says Langton. “The conditions are tougher. I’d love to be flipping bushes, but that’s not what is called for now. So I’m going to have to change what I thought would be my approach.”
Which could be a good thing, or not.
The opening weigh-in is set to begin at 3 p.m. today at the Lake Barkley State Resort Park Marina.
Conditions
Air temperature at takeoff: 60 degrees
Forecast high: 84 degrees
Weather: light winds with little to no chance of rain; sunny and humid
Event: 2016 FLW Bass Fishing League All-American
Location: Lake Barkley, Cadiz, Ky.
Dates: June 9-11, 2016
Takeoff location: Lake Barkley State Resort Park Marina, 4200 State Park Rd., Cadiz, KY
Takeoff time: 7 a.m. CT
Weigh-in location: Days 1 and 2: Lake Barkley State Resort Park Marina on days one and two; Day 3: Kentucky Dam Village State Park (on the FLW Tour stage), 7792 US Hwy 641 North, Gilbertsville, KY
Weigh-in times: Days 1 and 2: 3 p.m. CT; Day 3: 5:30 p.m. CT