Carved out of the western edge of the Appalachian range before it meets the Ohio basin, eastern Kentucky’s lakes are deep and clear, its waterfalls tall and its unbroken forests seem to never end. The KBF TRAIL and KBF Pro Series had never competed on Laurel River Lake near Corbin, KY, and when they did on May 14-15, 2022, the lake did not disappoint.
The lake’s healthy Smallmouth and Largemouth fisheries showed up in numbers on the Ledlenser leaderboards on Fishing Chaos, rewarding KBF anglers who made the trip with beautiful catches and unforgettable views. With clear weather in the forecast, it was a recipe for the best of times.
It was nearly a clean sweep of all the weekend events for Gene “Flukemaster” Jensen, but for one interesting wrinkle. Jensen finished second to Tim Isaacs in the Saturday KBF Trail tournament. In a rare reversal of places on a KBF Trail weekend, Isaacs would take second place and Jensen would recover and take first in the Sunday KBF Trail event. In the end, both veteran KBF anglers earned their first KBF Trail victories.
Jensen would also take the Pro Series trophy, as well as Dakota Lithium Big Bass. Here is the story of how the two anglers battled at Laurel River….
Trail I Saturday, May 14
Tim Isaacs won Trail I on Saturday with an 86.25″ limit. Isaacs had posted his winning limit by mid day, and had to keep fishing, hoping to upgrade, while the field behind him threw its best at the leaderboard. Gene Flukemaster Jensen held 2nd place with 83.25”. 2021 TN Challenge Series champion Jimmy McClurkan also posted a limit of 82.75” before it was over, as did Eric Cormack, who surged in to 3rd place with 83”. Jensen would upgrade to 84.75” before the end, but as the day wore on it appeared Tim Isaacs would hold on for the win. When Jody Queen’s 5th place limit of 80.75” came in, the last major threat had passed, and Isaacs had his first ever KBF Trail victory.
Isaacs achieved victory by fishing a homemade lure.
“I make a 1/8 oz. round head jig with a weed guard and a thin skirt, and trail it with a 3” green pumpkin Keitech swimbait. I threw that lure all weekend long and caught all of my fish on it. I caught my fish in everything from 3’ of water to 40’ of water. My biggest on Sunday came from near a sheer rock wall. The lake reminded me of Summersville Lake back home [in West Virginia]. I just loved it. My son [Jason] talked me into fishing the event, and if KBF ever goes back I will be there.”
Tim Isaacs at the KBF Trail at Laurel River Lake
Top 5 Trail I (Saturday)
- Tim Isaacs 86.25”
- Gene Jensen 84.75”
- Eric Cormack 83”
- Jimmy McClurkan 82.75”
- Jody Queen 80.75”
Trail II Sunday, May 15
Gene Jensen finished second in the KBF Trail on Saturday, but heading into Sunday he held the lead on the KBF Pro Series leaderboard. He also had a 19.75” Smallmouth Bass on the Dakota Lithium Big Bass leaderboard, good enough for 1st place. If he could have another strong day, he had a shot at a good payday. He would also earn the points to make a big jump in the Farwide KBF Angler of the Year standings.
Jensen came out strong but found himself in second place again after two hours of competition. In the early going on Trail II, William Stuntz held a 1″ lead over Gene Flukemaster Jensen. After filling an early limit, Jensen found the upgrades he needed by adjusting his strategy. He had 82.5” by mid-day, and would cull and upgrade again. His success resulted from the fact that he noticed how the lake’s falling water levels affected the bite:
“When I arrived on Monday, the lake was high. It dropped 2.5 feet during the week, and those bass that were on beds moved on. The bass had spawned shallow, and on Saturday the males were still shallow, guarding beds that were on dry land. I caught most of my fish Saturday on a fluke, but on Sunday, the fish had backed off. The shad were spawning, so I targeted those areas, and had my limit in 30 minutes.
Reflecting on his weekend in the context of his tournament season, Jensen remarked:
“The last time I fished a lake like this, I didn’t do well. It was nice to figure it out. I will fish the KBF Trail at Pineview in Utah next month. I’m looking forward to it, because I’m in a spot now where I could win my way into The Ten. For now, I just want to do the best I can do.”
Jensen moved into a tie for 7th place in the Farwide AOY standings. It was a fruitful weekend for Tim Isaacs in that regard as well, where he has moved into a tie for 9th place, in the 10th overall spot.
Top 5 Trail II (Sunday)
- Gene Jensen 84.5”
- Tim Isaacs 82”
- William Stuntz 82”
- Philip Backus 81.5”
- Jimmy McClurkan 80”
Top 5 Pro Series
- Gene Jensen 168.75”
- Jimmy McClurkan 162.75”
- Jody Queen 157”
- Brandon Palmer 155.25”
- Jason Isaacs 151.5”
Dakota Lithium Big Bass: Gene Jensen 19.75”
Additional Info
For complete Laurel River Lake standings, click here.
Tim Isaacs is sponsored by Dakota Lithium Batteries and Fishing Online.
Gene Jensen is sponsored by 13 Fishing, JJ’s Magic, Motorguide, Bona Fide Kayaks, Yak Attack, Alumacraft, Seaguar, Realtree Fishing, Plano, Gamakatsu, Spro Lures, Westbrook Supply Company and Dakota Lithium Batteries.