Matching baits to the forage can be good, too -- but there's quite a variety of forage at the lake: good numbers of gizzard shad as well as bluegill, redear, and minnows of all sorts. Basically, anything that once swam in the river is now in Pan Bowl Lake.

FISHPOND LAKE
Last, but not least, 30-acre Fishpond Lake in Letcher County is a great spot for targeting big largemouths. Anglers there can tie into some really hefty bass at times. The lake may be small in size, but the bass fishery there is phenomenal.

Biologist Kevin Frey estimates that 35 percent of the bass in Fishpond are over 12 inches in length. Fish up to 21 to 22 inches and weighing 5 to 6 pounds are real common. Every year, biologists sample fish up to 22 inches and in the past, have recorded fish up to 24 inches.

One reason for the great bass fishery is ample forage. Bluegills are obviously a prey species, but another very significant forage species is rainbow trout, which are stocked into the lake by the KDFWR. Trout are a huge boost to bass growth. In fact, some of the largest bass caught in the country each year come from lakes in California, which have substantial trout populations.

Fishpond Lake is really deep and really clear, with a maximum depth of 79 feet and an average of 33 feet. Fisheries biologists commonly use the Secchi Disk test, which is a standardized method of gauging water clarity. At Fishpond, this reading is typically greater than 20 feet.

Because of this clear water, the best bass fishing often occurs after dusk. Anglers generally have to fish deeper and smarter to find success.

At this lake, springtime is one of the best times of the year to target big bass. More bass are caught around spawning than at any other time. Pre-spawn females are at their heaviest weight of the year.

April is generally the best time to pick up these larger fish. Depending on weather and water temperature, the spawn at Fishpond will typically occur between April 15 and 30. Spawning activity usually runs into May, but bass caught later into the spawn tend to be smaller.

The lake has a few coves that can be good areas to fish. The terrain around the lake is mostly steep-sided. Most of the important structure for bass is in the form of timber and brush. There are a lot of deadfalls in the lake and also quite a few older stumps scattered around.