SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Mountain Division is heading into its fourth event of the year on Barren River on July 11. It’s set to be a prime summer bite with options for anglers: Plenty of fish should be grouped up offshore, and the creeks flowing into the main lake also hold potential for a shallow bite.
What to expect
Nick Ratliff has two Top 10s in BFL competition on Barren River in the summertime and expects the fishing to be good based on what’s been happening recently on the fishery.
“It’s been fishing really well this year, and I think that’s because of all of the high water we had last year,” he said. “Population-wise, I believe that really helped the lake, and the number of keeper-sized fish in the lake has been steadily increasing, which is good for the future of the lake. This year, we’ve been on the opposite end of the spectrum with low water pretty much all year, and we’re still a way off from summer pool, so that’s changed things up.”
Because of the lower water and time of year, Ratliff is banking on most anglers setting their sights on the offshore bite, but he noted that the creeks could play.
“It’s a lake that’s usually very good offshore in the summer, and this year, the fish are getting out there on places they don’t normally use as well as all of the community hole stuff like points,” he said. “The river and three major creeks could also play, but that’s going to depend on the water levels and the bank grass, which all should have water on it by now.”
Another factor in this event will be forward-facing sonar, which anglers can only use for three hours of the day. Ratliff believes it will potentially be a way to win, and he said that he would save the time for the end of the day.
“I’ll most likely turn it on late just because they generally get grouped up later on with the sun and boat traffic positioning the fish, since it’s not a current-related scenario like other lakes,” he said. “Generally speaking, you are going to have two good bite windows – either first thing in the morning and then again in the afternoon. I’d hate to flip it on in the morning and not be able to get on a spot or locate them and burn up my time.”
Baits to bring
Regardless of your approach – shallow or deep – Ratliff said a jig must be part of your lineup.
“Barren’s an incredible jig lake, both shallow and deep, and you’ve got to have one on deck,” he said. “For shallow water, I’d also go with a topwater and a squarebill. For the offshore stuff, it’s going to be a football jig, swimbait and a spoon.”
What will it take?
Recent tournament weights have been stout, and Ratliff reports a runner-up finish in a local team event with over 22 pounds. But he’s expecting lower weights for this event, both because anglers are competing solo and because of the forward-facing sonar time restrictions.
“I would say 17 to 18 pounds would be pretty dang good, and if they go with a three-fish limit as they do in some summer BFLs, 12 pounds would be spectacular,” he said. “A decent day right now is a five-fish limit around 12 pounds, and that should be enough to cash a check, then about the same average per fish if they go to a three-fish limit.”