If those spots are crowded or the fish aren't biting, don't despair. There are hundreds of good areas all along the east shoreline between the bridge and Pisgah Bay. There's a four- or five-mile stretch of bank along this shoreline where the main-river channel swings right in alongside the bank. Pick a likely looking spot and start throwing your lure.

The area is full of chunk rock, fine gravel and nondescript points and bars that offer just what the doctor ordered for wintertime smallmouth angling. Duncan Bay and Sugar Bay are consistent producers. They're well known and marked on nearly every map of the lake.

A tip from local anglers, and little known by others, is to target the lee side of the gravel points and bars anytime water is being pulled in the lake. As current is generated, shad stack up along these areas. The smallmouths won't be far behind. Such areas are for numbers, not size. In most cases, your fish will average around 3 pounds.

Weber's favorite lure at this time of year is a hard jerkbait. He's caught fish on nearly every make and model sold, but his favorite is a suspending Smithwick Rogue in a medium length and with a short bill.

He doesn't believe that color is all that important at this time of year, but if he has a favorite, it's probably a black back finish with an orange belly and a little green along the sides. He freely admits, however, that many of his fellow smallmouth anglers would choose clown as their favorite.

What's really important when it comes to color selection, at least according to Weber, is to match the general hue of your lure to the ambient light conditions and prevailing water clarity. That's not rocket science. On light days, throw light colors and on dark days, throw dark colors. "That'll get you through, most days anyway," he advised.

Weber likes clear line in 10-pound-test. Medium-weight rods and reels -- open face or free spool makes no difference -- are suitable. Rods with a soft, parabolic action are best for working jerkbaits.

One sharp jerk will get the bait down to its running depth. After that, try three short, sharp jerks and then let the lure sit for a three count. Repeat the pattern holding the same cadence all the way back to the boat.

If the fish aren't biting, try changing the rhythm of your jerk or vary the length of your pause until you find what works. Most days, a regular and rhythmic pattern will provoke the most strikes. But if you aren't catching fish, don't hesitate to try an irregular retrieve. You never know what might work on any given day.

Most anglers, including Weber, will position their boat in 25 to 30 feet of water over the channel and fish spots along the bank that they can reach with one good, solid long cast. Depending upon weather and water temperature, the bass will usually hold anywhere between 5 and 10 feet deep. A long cast to the bank will thoroughly cover those depths on its way back toward the boat.

Some days, you'll find the bass right on top of the rocks or stumps. On other days, they'll be as far away as 4 or 5 feet. On especially warm and sunny days, or toward the end of an unusually long warm spell, they'll be found chasing bait around the flats. Weber strongly recommends fishing the entire area thoroughly until you find active fish. "There's no shortcut. You gotta cover all the water," he said.

Fellow professional guide Malcolm Lane, owner and operator of the Hook, Line & Sinker Guide Service (270/388-0525), agrees with Weber, for the most part anyway. Over the decades he's spent fishing Kentucky Lake, Lane has watched smallmouths rise from a rare, seldom-seen fish to a targeted trophy catch. "It's been good for the anglers, good for the area's economy and good for the guides," is his summary of the last 15 years.