We'll admit that's an unusually big fish. Smaller and good-eating cats are more common. Some of the South's best largemouth bass fishing occurs in Tennessee's Kentucky Lake in late April and May, when the big boys move to the coves and shore grass. Surface lures and bass bugs provoke their strikes, then watch Bigmouth surface and try to spit out your lure. In summer, underwater plugs seem to work best as the fish seek the deep cool waters.
Some anglers still find many bass lying lazily near shore grass to snack on shad minnows.
That same combination, surface lures and deep-running plugs, can be used in the fall when bass fill their bellies before winter. Old Bucketmouth, the largemouth bass, is abundant in the lake. Lunkers over 12 pounds have been taken, and catches up to 8 pounds are frequent. The lake also has a good population of spotted and smallmouth bass. If you like to night fish with a lantern, you can escape the heat of the summer day and carry a cooler of fish home after a short vacation.