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SubscribeAnglers with a bit of salt in their hair remember fondly the venerable Sassy Shad, the paddle-tailed, shad-shaped soft plastic wonder that caught practically anything that swims.
In the fishing lure world, what is old oftentimes becomes new again. Over the last decade or so, the soft-plastic swimbait stormed the fishing world, looking remarkably like a Sassy Shad with refinements.
With softer, lifelike soft plastic formulations and more realistic color schemes that closely resemble shad or other baitfish along with salt and scent fused into the lure, the modern swimbait is one of the most versatile lures you can throw.
Photo: Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife
“Anything looking to eat a baitfish will hit a swimbait,” said Chad Miles, host of the “Kentucky Afield” television show and swimbait expert. “I’ve caught everything from crappie to striped bass and all three species of black bass, smallmouths, largemouths and spotted bass on a swimbait.”
Spring through early summer is one of Miles’ favorite times to fish a swimbait for black bass. He had a great trip on Lake Cumberland last spring while filming an episode of “Kentucky Afield.” They caught several quality smallmouth bass, largemouth bass in the 5-pound range and Executive Producer Nathan Brooks caught a 37-inch striped bass.
A 4-inch white and silver swimbait rigged on a 3/8-ounce leadhead fooled them all. They caught most of their fish on secondary points in Difficulty and Harmon creeks.
“The fish are up shallow at this time of year,” he explained. “I downsize the weight of the leadhead to a 1/4-ounce and use no heavier than 3/8-ounce. You do not make a big splash on the cast with a lighter leadhead. It also allows you to keep the lure from getting hung on the bottom.”
Employ a steady retrieve and work a swimbait down sloping banks that fall off into deep water or across points in spring through early summer. These areas draw shad and other baitfish, what the swimbait emulates.
“The good thing about a swimbait is you can adjust your depth and speed, which you really can’t do with a crankbait,” Miles explained. “It is all about getting the right speed on the retrieve and adjusting it according to the aggressiveness of the fish.”
On deeper lakes, such as Dale Hollow, Lake Cumberland and Laurel River Lake, Miles used a nose-weighted swimbait hook and a solid body swimbait for bass. He rigs these swimbaits hook exposed, the way most anglers used to rig a Sassy Shad.
“I use the belly-weighted wide gap swimbait hook and a hollow body swimbait for shallow lakes with more cover such as Kentucky Lake or Lake Barkley,” Miles said. “This setup is weedless and works great over weedbeds or through cover for bass.”
In clear water, the natural shad color is hard to beat for swimbaits. White with silver flakes is also a good color. “In stained water, I like swimbaits with some chartreuse or orange in them,” Miles said. “In murky to muddy water, I don’t throw a swimbait. They are other lures much more effective than a swimbait in those conditions.”
Miles said resisting the temptation to set the hook when you first feel a bite is the most important aspect of fishing a swimbait. “Keep reeling through the strike and let the rod load up a bit before setting the hook,” he said. “If you set the hook immediately, you are pulling the swimbait away from the fish.”
A medium to medium-heavy power fast action baitcasting outfit spooled with 10- to 12-pound fluorocarbon line works well for handling swimbaits.
“You are throwing a good amount of weight with a swimbait,” Miles said. “You need a rod that can handle it.”
As the days lengthen and the water warms, Miles works 5- to 6-inch swimbaits over channel breaks, ledges and submerged humps just above the thermocline for big largemouth bass on Kentucky Lake and Nolin River Lake.
“The swimbait works well in summer for suspended bass that are hard to catch on anything else,” Miles said. He counts the swimbait down in the water column over likely fish holding structures such as ledges, humps or points that extend out into the lake. He retrieves his swimbait deeper on each cast until he finds fish.
In summer, anglers on lakes with flooded timber such as Lincoln County’s Cedar Creek Lake do well working swimbaits slow and deep for largemouth bass suspended in the flooded timber.
After the weather turns cold in fall, Miles falls back to fishing 3-inch swimbaits in the natural shad color for smallmouth and spotted bass.
You can watch Miles employ his excellent swimbait techniques on a productive spring day on Lake Cumberland from a segment filmed last April by clicking on the KY Afield tab at the top of the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife homepage at www.fw.ky.gov. Once on the “KY Afield” page, click on the link “Visit our Youtube channel,” then type “Fishing with Swimbaits on Lake Cumberland” in the search bar.
Registration is now open for Camp Ready4K, the Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) District’s kindergarten readiness camps serving incoming kindergarten students the summer before they start school.
At 10 locations across Louisville beginning July 5, incoming kindergarten students will receive instruction from early childhood instructors and teachers for six hours each weekday for four weeks. During the free camps, students are also provided with breakfast, lunch and bus transportation.
“Camp Ready4K focuses on the fundamental goal of preparing students for kindergarten,” said JCPS Director of Early Childhood Programs Rina Gratz. “We know that early childhood programs and kindergarten readiness camps have a direct, positive impact on our students, and that’s why it’s so important to get as many of our children as we can participating in early learning programs—especially during the summer months.”
According to state data, the percentage of JCPS students who were ready to start kindergarten jumped nearly 4 points last year. Additionally, for students who attended at least one day of kindergarten readiness camp, 73.8 percent were ready to start school.
Camp Ready4K will be held July 5 through July 28, from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., and applications must be completed by May 12 to be considered. Families can complete an application in person at the following locations:
2017 Camp Ready4K Registration Sites
- Dawnson Orman Early Childhood – 900 S. Floyd St.
- Duvalle Education Center – 3610 Bohne Ave.
- Jaeger Education Center – 502 Wood Rd.
- McFerran Early Childhood Center – 1900 S. 7th St.
- Unseld Early Childhood Center – 5216 Ilex Ave.
For more information, families may call the Dawson Orman Education Center at 485-7121.
Neighborhood Place sites bring together multiple partners in May offering opportunities to improve your livelihood and health including a job fair at Portland Community Center, a college match information session, as well as a diabetes awareness and self-management class. A gigantic yard sale and bake sale is also being held at Bethany United Church of Christ on May 12 and 13. To learn more about these services, including reservations requirements and contact info, please refer to the phone numbers listed by each event.
May 1 and 18, Kentucky Nutrition Education Program at First Neighborhood Place, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 1503 Rangeland Rd. A representative from the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program will be on hand to provide ways to make healthy food choices, encourage more fruits and vegetables, choosing low fat and high fiber foods, increasing physical activity, avoid running out of food, and how to prepare and store food safely.
- May 1, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd., 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- May 18 First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
May 2, Car Seat Fitting at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 9 – 11 a.m. (by appointment only)
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 629-7358 to schedule an appointment. Kosair Children’s Hospital will provide a car seat check fitting station to teach how to properly install your child’s car seat or booster seat or to find out if it’s time for a change.
May 2, 9, and 16, Louisville Urban League Parent Leadership Academy at South Central Neighborhood Place, 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Located at 4255 Hazelwood Ave. Call 313-4089 for more information. We invite all Jefferson County parents to our free 6 week parent leadership program! Get answers to your questions, learn what to ask during school meetings, gain a supportive community of parents, build your advocacy skills for your child and connect to community resources. Lunch is provided! To reserve your spot, call 313-4089.
May 2, 9, 16, and 23, Living Well Class at South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1 – 3 p.m.
Located at 1000 Neighborhood Place. Call 772-8588 to register. This class is designed to benefit individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure, pain, asthma, arthritis, depression, or other ongoing health problems. Learn better ways to manage your health and earn an 8-week YMCA membership.
Tuesdays, Couponing Support Group at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 485-6145 to register or for more information. Learn tips and money saving ideas to help build extra financial wealth in using coupons while grocery shopping.
May 2, 8, 10, 16, 17 and 24, WeCare Energy Efficiency Overview
Call 1-800-356-5467 for more information. Representatives from the WeCare Program at LG&E will be on hand to talk with interested persons about energy efficiency, energy usage and tips to reduce utility bills. WeCare staff can also help determine if households are eligible for a variety of free services including air duct sealing and insulation, attic and wall insulation, programmable thermostats and much more.
- May 2, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place – Valley, 10200 Dixie Hwy., 10 a.m.- 12 p.m.
- May 8 and 17 , Ujima Neighborhood Place, 3610 Bohne Ave., 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- May 10 and 24, South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- May 16, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd. (T. J. Middle School in the W.D. Bruce Building – door #24), 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
May 3 and May 17, Legal Aid Office Hours at South Central Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. -12 p.m.
Located at 4255 Hazelwood Ave. Call 485-7130 for more information. A Legal Aid Society staff member will be on hand to answer questions, talk about cases that Legal Aid handles and provide referrals.
May 4, 11, 18 and 25, Becoming Weight Wise at South Central Neighborhood Place, 12 – 1 p.m.
Located at 4255 Hazelwood Ave. Call 313-4089 for more information. It’s not easy to manage body weight. This 10 week course of self-discovery, skill building and support can help you learn about weight control. This program is based on approaches that are promising ways to achieve better health.
May 4, 11, and 23, Work and Learn Program for K-TAP Recipients Info Session
Call 502-213-2149 for more information. Individuals who are receiving K-TAP who are interested in completing their GED or upgrading their skills in preparation for college enrollment are invited to stop by and talk with case managers from the Work and Learn program. Find out how to earn an hourly wage at an approved job site and upon completion of your GED, receive a cash bonus!
- May 4, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- May 11, Ujima Neighborhood Place, 3610 Bohne Ave., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- May 23, NorthWest Neighborhood Place, 4018 W. Market St., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
May 8, Sodexo Hiring Opportunities at South Central Neighborhood Place, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 4255 Hazelwood Ave. Call 574-4516 for more information. Sodexo, a food-service agency, will provide on-the-spot interviews for positions with Jewish Hospital, Our Lady of Peace and University of Louisville Hospital. Bring your resume and be prepared for an interview. This is one of Sodexo’s busiest hiring seasons. Stop by if you are looking for employment that can lead to a full-time or part-time position.
May 9, 16 and 23, Diabetes Self-Management Class Series at the Bridges of Hope Neighborhood Place, 1 – 3:30 p.m.
Located at 1411 Algonquin Parkway. Call 574-6663 to register or for more information. Have you been diagnosed with diabetes, but are not sure how to manage your condition? Whether you are recently diagnosed or have been diabetic for years and need a refresher, this class is for you! Topics covered will include what is diabetes, glucose monitoring, problem solving, healthy eating, medication management, sick day management, healthy exercise, and goal setting. Sponsored by the Department of Public Health and Wellness.
May 9, Foster Parent Recruitment Meeting at First Neighborhood Place, 6 – 8 p.m.
Located at 1503 Rangeland Rd., side of Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Call 595-5437 (KIDS) for more information. Detailed information will be provided on the requirements and process of how to become a foster or adoptive parent. Information such as an explanation of foster care, special needs adoption, and information on foster parent training classes will be provided. Sponsored by Kentucky Foster Care and the training classes will be provided. Sponsored by Kentucky Foster Care and the Special Needs Adoption Program.
May 9, Free Blood Pressure Checks at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 485-6145 for more information. Louisville Metro Health and Wellness health educators will provide free blood pressure checks.
May 10, Job Fair at Molly Leonard Portland Community Center, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, Power of Work and NorthWest Neighborhood Place are partnering to host a diverse employer selection in efforts to assist families in their journey to self-sufficiency. Companies include Centerstone, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Humana, Jefferson County Public Schools, Salvation Army, Gordon Food Service, FedEx, Teleperformance USA and more. Business attire is required (no jeans, hats, sportswear or costumes) with resume in hand. Please do not bring children.
May 12 and 13, South Jefferson Gigantic Yard Sale and Bake Sale at Bethany United Church of Christ, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Located at 10400 Old Preston Highway. Call 363-1483 for more information or to inquire about dropping of donations. The Annual Yard Sale and Bake Sale proceeds benefit the South Jefferson Neighborhood Place’s Summer Back to School Event to help purchase supplies. Items for sale will include collectibles, household items, small furnishings, baby items, clothing of all sizes, books, etc. Delicious baked goods will also be available! Donations for the yard sale can be dropped off at South Jefferson Neighborhood Place in Fairdale, 1000 Neighborhood Place, between 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
May 15 and 25, Library Connection
A representative from the Louisville Free Public Library will be on hand to sign interested persons up for library cards, answers questions about resources at the library, and provide information on upcoming events at your local library office.
- May 15, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd., 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Call 313-4700 for more information
- May 25, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1000 Neighborhood Place, Fairdale, KY, 12 – 2 p.m. Call 363-1483 for more information.
May 15, Diabetes Awareness and Basic Nutrition at First Neighborhood Pace, 1 – 3 p.m.
In order to raise awareness of diabetes and those recently diagnosed, those at risk or have been diabetic for years and need a refresher session on how to manage your condition. Sponsored by Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness.
May 16, Best College Match Free Informational Workshop at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 313-4635 register. Greg and Opal Dawson, authors of Best College Match: 5 Steps that Earned $1,000,000 in Scholarships, will discuss their 5 Steps to finding the ‘Best College Match’ for your child. Raffles for “Best College Match” autographed book or 1- Hour “Best College Match” one on one consultation.
May 16, Norton Mobile Unit at South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Located at 1000 Neighborhood Place, Fairdale, KY. Call 502-899-6842 for more information or to make an appointment. The Norton Mobile Unit will offer low/no-cost mammograms and pap smears for women age 40 and over. Must be at least one complete year since the last mammogram, be able to stand unassisted for at least 15 minutes, not have any current issues or undergoing cancer treatment. Insurance will be billed and co-pay may apply- contact your insurance carrier for eligibility. Funding is available for those who are uninsured. Sponsored by Norton Health Care and Family Health Clinic. May 22 and 24, Free Dental Screenings by Community Dental Care Call 502-366-4442 for more information. Community Dental Care is a full-service dental organization designed to increase access to health care in communities with the goal of improving the overall health of the population. Representatives will be on site to provide free dental screenings for children and adults and schedule appointments as necessary. Kindergarten and pre-K children who receive screenings will be provided with a certificate that will meet the school district’s requirement for dental screenings.
- May 22, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place – Fairdale site, 1000 Neighborhood Place, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
- May 22, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place – Valley site, 10200 Dixie Highway, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- May 24, South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
May 23, A Healthy Journey for Two, 1 - 3 p.m. Located at 3410 Lees Ln, next to Farnsley Middle School. RSVP is required to Mendy Mason at 502-341-5400 or mmason@sevencounties.org. A Healthy Journey for Two is an educational baby shower open to any expectant mothers. The class will include a range of information and resources as well as free baby items, gift cards, prizes, and snacks.
Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin is encouraging residents of District 2 and the surrounding area to come out and enjoy a free event in Petersburg Park on Sunday, April 30th.
In partnership with Kentucky Shakespeare, the Councilwoman is sponsoring the “Shakespeare in the Parks” production of Julius Caesar. It’s the classic tale of political intrigue, deception, betrayal and the murder of a political leader
“We have enjoyed bringing these productions to our area for the last few years and this is a free weekend event for everyone,” says Shanklin. “Petersburg Park is a great place for this event, so bring a lawn chair and come join us.”
Shanklin and other Metro Council members are sponsoring this year’s free production tour of Kentucky Shakespeare in various parks throughout Metro Louisville. The tour is now in its fourth year.
Kentucky Shakespeare, a not-for-profit charitable organization, professional theatre company, and the oldest free Shakespeare Festival in the United States has been offering free Shakespeare in Central Park in Old Louisville during the summer.
This year, “Shakespeare in the Parks” is bringing an 85 minute, six actor version of Julius Caesar beginning at 6:00pm at Petersburg Park located at 5008 E Indian Trail. The event will be held rain or shine.
“We look forward to performing for the people of Newburg and we thank Councilwoman Shanklin and our other Metro Council partners for their support,” says Matt Wallace of Kentucky Shakespeare.
“Shakespeare in the Parks” is halfway through its touring schedule of 23 locations in the Metro Louisville area that will end on May 19th.
For more information about Sunday’s “Shakespeare in the Parks” at Petersburg Park, contact Councilwoman Shanklin’s office at 574-1102.
Metro Councilmen Stuart Benson (District 20) and Robin Engel (District 22) along with the Louisville Metro Police Department’s 7th Division and the Parklands of Floyds Fork will hold the event, “Crashing the Parklands” on April 30 between Noon and 7pm. This FREE family friendly event will include a performance of Julius Caesar by the actors from Kentucky Shakespeare at 1pm followed by a live concert by the pop rock group The Louisville Crashers at 4pm.
In addition to the FREE play and concert, TARC Shuttles will be available to bring people to the park from Fern Creek High School between the hours of 1pm and 6pm at no charge. Representatives from the public safety community as well as other community groups will host information booths at the event. A number of food vendors have been confirmed for persons interested in purchasing food or drinks.
Those planning to attend are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Alcohol is prohibited at this free family event as well as the Parklands. For more information on this event please contact Angela Webster at 502-574-3465.
Tomorrow kicks off the two-week Kentucky Derby Festival with one of the largest fireworks displays in the country. Thunder Over Louisville is a fun family event that features music, food, an air show, and a very large fireworks display at the end of the day. Unfortunately, the weather will not be so cooperative, and there is no rain date. As long as it is safe to be near the river, the show will go on. We are currently looking at a high near 50 degrees with nearly 100% chance of rain.
Visitors to the main viewing area on either side of the river will need a Pegasus pin for entrance. The official program for the day will be available tomorrow in the local newspaper. The day begins when many displays open at 11:00 AM. The US Military will have multiple interactive displays on the South Great Lawn, including a dog tag machine, a fitness challenge, an obstacle course, and a 4D virtual reality simulation of a Navy rescue mission. The South Lawn will have activities geared towards children, such as the ninja jump and Meijer will be sponsoring a Family Fun zone that will feature face painting, bounce houses and a beer garden for the parents.
The famous air show does not start until 2:30 PM (recent time change from 3:00 PM). The line up of acts will feature aircraft from the US and other foreign countries’ militaries, both past and present. The show usually features a couple of stunt pilots that will display their skills in the cockpit by performing stunning, and dangerous, maneuvers in the air at various heights. If you have not been to a Thunder Over Louisville event with cloud cover, the ability of the planes to fly close enough to be seen is dependent on the ceiling level and the pilot’s discretion. The entire line up of airshow can be seen online, but it is subject to change.
The air show ends when the fireworks start. As with the previous 27 events, the 28-minute fireworks show has a theme. This year it is “Local & Original”. Along with the fireworks, there is a musical score to go along with the show and as always, there will be a salute to the US that usually features the US flag being flown by aircraft in the viewing area and a few well-known, patriotic songs. The fireworks are currently scheduled to start at 9:30 PM.
If you plan on attending the event, some useful information can be found at the Kentucky Derby Festival webpage. You should plan on leaving any personal drones, tents, canopies, glass containers, alcoholic beverages, pets, bicycles, and grills at home. Lawn chairs are permitted and so are tarps (as long as they are under 10′ x 10′). Event organizers also recommend that you dress for the weather (possibly consider a change of clothes in a waterproof bag or in the car), make sure you gas tank is full (traffic after the event can be slow moving at best and many routes that may be familiar will be blocked), and plan to park as far away as you can comfortably walk. A map of the viewing area is also available on the website.
If you do not want to drive to the event, the local public transit provider, TARC, will have extra buses on certain routes and alternate loading spots following the event. More information, including route changes and detours, can be found on their website. If you are unable to attend the event or do not desire sitting in the rain all-day, you can listen to the show all day on WVEZ 106.9 and many local news stations will air the event as well.
Credit: Louisville Metro Police
Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin (D-2) is encouraging young people to make the effort and talk with Officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department at the next LMPD Youth Chat.
“It is important that young people understand that our police officers are here to help and protect us,” says Shanklin. “The chats also afford the officers a chance to get to know young people in the area. When everyone sits down and talks, then trust begins to build and we can begin working together.”
The next LMPD Youth Chat is set for the Newburg Community Center on Thursday, April 20th beginning at 6:00pm.
The LMPD Youth Chats are a series of public open-dialogue discussions, so that youth 25 and under can hear from and talk with local law enforcement officials to establish better relationships and mutual understanding While learning about the variety of things Louisville Metro police officers do.
Each session will be co-moderated by local youth. Everyone is invited to come be a part of this unique opportunity. The program is sponsored by the LMPD Sixth Division and Louisville Metro Parks.
The Newburg Community Center is located at 4810 Exeter Ave.
