Lures You Need to Catch Fish Through Christmas!

Muskellunge heat up in the fall at Cave Run Lake, Green River Lake and Buckhorn Lake.  Here are the recommended lures to use for muskellunge this fall:

• Crankbait:   A crankbait’s versatility makes it one of most useful lures in a muskellunge angler’s arsenal. A good all-around choice is the medium-running 00 A.C. Shiner in silver and black.
• Spinnerbait:  The state record muskellunge fell for a Double Cowgirl.  The 10-inch inline spinner features a pair of 7/0 treble hooks, tandem No. 10 blades and tinsel-like skirting.
• Jerkbait:  The 10-inch weighted or non-weighted Suick Thriller fished with short pulls to create a rise and fall action is a classic fall muskellunge lure.

Spotted bass school in the fall at Kentucky Lake, Lake Cumberland, Carr Creek Lake, Green River Lake and Cave Run Lake.  The recommended lures to use are:

• Black finesse worm:  This maybe the most productive lure for spotted bass. Work along secondary points in fall, around woody cover especially in Lake Cumberland and along the rip rap face of dams. The Yamamoto cut tail or Charlie Brewer Slider Worm both produce fished on a 3/16-ounce Slider or Shakey head.
• Small silver casting spoons:  When spotted bass school in fall, they gorge on shad, sometimes feeding on them at the surface. You can cast a spoon a mile and rip it through spots feeding on top or let it flutter down points for suspended spotted bass.
• Jigs:  Small crawfish-colored silicone skirted jigs in the Cumberland Craw or other similar color.  The D and L Baby Advantage jig works well for these fish.

Reservoir smallmouth bass can be found at Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow Lake, Laurel River Lake, and Kentucky Lake.  The recommended lures to use are:

• Jigs:  Small 5/16-ounce, 3/8-ounce or 7/16-ounce silicone-skirted jigs with thin strands in the peanut butter and jelly, Cumberland Craw, Oops and Soft Shell Craw colors. The D and L Baby Advantage jig is fantastic, as are the Cumberland Pro Procaster, the Shoe Bootie round head ¼-ounce jig, Slongs Spider Jig and the Jewel Jig.
• Grubs and swimbaits:  3-inch boot-tail soft plastic grub. The Slider Bass grub in natural pro blue, pearl or pearl with chartreuse tail really shines on these highland, clear water reservoirs in fall. The 3.5-inch Swim Senko in natural shad, black or blue pearl also works really well in this situation. They are basically small swimbaits. The 4-inch swimbait works very well in these lakes as well, but I believe better in spring than fall. Smaller lures work better in the clear water of fall/early winter.
• 4-inch skirted grubs:  These are also known as Hula grubs and work well in these reservoirs fished on the bottom on a 3/8-ounce stand up leadheads. Owner makes an excellent one. Variations on green pumpkin, pumpkinseed, watermelon, cinnamon/brown or black all catch fish.
• Blade baits:  The Silver Buddy is hard to beat.  Rip it off bottom on points, let it flutter down the face of bluff walls, or in the middle of small coves.