There is not a lot of aquatic vegetation at Guist Creek, although there's some water willow here and there. Bass tend to relate to structure like overhanging trees, fallen trees, and artificially placed fish attractors. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) plans to continue placing structure in the lake.

Guist Creek is relatively shallow and has a lot of shallow points. Anglers on the open water should concentrate on points, flats, and old underwater structure. According to Prather, anglers have to "fish smart" because several bass tournaments are held there each year, and the fish "have seen it all."

BEAVER LAKE
Another lake that Kerry Prather oversees is Beaver Lake in Anderson County. This 148-acre impoundment has a good density of bass and is really coming on strong. Shad were removed from there in the mid-1990s, and there has also been work to reduce the amount of aquatic vegetation in the lake. With the help of good management, the numbers of big bass are improving.

Prather says he's "real pleased with that lake." His spring data from 2006 was not yet compiled, but sampling from 2005 showed the highest catch on record. There were a record high number of bass in the 8- to 12-inch range. With a 15-inch minimum size restriction on the lake, this group of sampled fish should provide a lot of action this year.

Beaver Lake is comprised of two main arms and when viewed from above, actually looks V-shaped. The main lake forms one arm, and the other arm makes a right turn near the dam and angles away. The one boat ramp on the lake is located at the upper end. Due to the 10-horsepower limits on the lake, the area closest to the ramp receives the most fishing pressure. Anglers can generally find less-pressured bass farther away toward the dam and even into the second arm of the lake.

As mentioned, Beaver Lake has a lot of aquatic vegetation that can provide excellent fishing opportunities for bass anglers. In spring, vegetation is comprised mostly of curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus), and summer brings coontail and naiads. There are also many good patches of water willow. Fishing directly in and along the edges of this vegetation can be deadly during a good portion of the year.

This is especially true during the spring, just prior to the spawn. Anglers often pick up some of the heaviest fish of the year by fishing along the edges of the curly-leaf pondweed just before the start of spawning.

Depending on weather conditions, the spawn will typically occur at Beaver Lake by the last week of April. Some years, the spawn is earlier toward the middle of the month. It will usually continue on into May.