# kentucky lake WoW!!!!



## plsplns

Man I just looked at this massive lake on the google maps. Is this the lake you guys go to to get some big fish like cappies and blugills. I wouldn't no where to start it's so huge. !!!! Who goes here, and what do ya fish for?


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## norseangler

It's a great lake for bass and crappie, as is Barkley next door. Don't let the size intimidate you -- break it down into a small area you think looks good, then give it your best shot.


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## crappiedude

It's a great lake for crappie, bass both smallmouth and largemouth, bluegill, redear and catfish. Like norseanglers said, you just pic a spot and start. I've fished different parts of this lake off and on for the past 18 - 20 years and have done fairly good anywhere we went. Just pic a cove and treat it like a lake and you'd do fine.
Here's a few pics from the past. The last pic is a redear I caught a few years ago. It was a pig.

























I got to say, I love that lake.


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## chaunc

I've been taking a spring vacation there for 22 consecutive years now. Got my personal best crappie there 3 years ago. A 17 1/4", 3.1 lb white crappie from Ledbetter bay. I got 5 over 2lbs that day. For the last couple years, we've been going later and fishing for the shellcrackers and bluegills. We got some monster crackers last trip. I've got pics if you want to see them. Not trying to one up CD as i have some nice pics too from that lake.


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## chaunc

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/Img_0293.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/Img_0297.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0777.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0779.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0025.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0014.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0026.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0019.jpg
These are from 2006 and 2007


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## chaunc

http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/?action=view&current=IMG_0021.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0772-1.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/kylake09.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0005-17.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/3.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/6.jpg
These are from 2008 and 2009


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## fishdealer04

It is a big lake, but its like everyone else said, pick section and work on it. I have fished KY lake one time in March a few years back on spring break trip with the family. My dad and I fished all around the first day and ended up finding a nice spot. We did not leave that spot the rest of the week. Kept catching nice crappie, gills and bass out of the same spot every day. I liked it a lot better than I did Cumberland.


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## Mean Morone

Man those are great pictures. I would love to get into some of those shellcrackers. What are you getting those thing on? What about sauger, I thought this lake was full of them.


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## crappiedude

All the fish I've posted have come off of jigs. I have fished pieces of night crawlers at times and did pretty good on the redears. I go Ky Lake some time in April but I think the redear fishing really pics up in May. In the really warm springs we can catch quite a few redear in early April. I know one fish you never hear mentioned much in Ky Lake is catfish. Some days we take a break from the Crappie and smallmoth and I think you could sink your boat with the catfish. We don't keep them, we just catch them for fun. We usually just use lave bait on our 12' crappie poles. It's a hoot. Most run between 3 and 10 lbs.
We do catch a few sauger here and there but it's more an accident than on purpose. We also catch a few ring perch but they're usually pretty small. The last few years it seems there has been a 6"-10" bass explosion, they're everywhere.


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## chadwimc

I used a guide the first time I went. It was well worth it. My friend and I went in April. Hooked a 20 lb sheephead jigging for crappie.The temp on the water that morning was 38 degrees...


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## Snyd

I was thinking about heading down to Kentucky Lake this year but wasn't forsure where to stay. I know there are several places but was hoping to get someones thought's and sugestions that have been there a few times for lodging info.


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## crappiedude

We usually camp at Hillman Ferry Campground. That's on the northend of the lake on the LBL (east side). I've stayed at Ken Lake State Park and the cottages we pretty nice. It's about mid lake on the western side of the lake. It's a whole lot of lake so if you've never been there, pic a spot and go from there. Be careful running the lake if the wind gets up.
Usually you can find some calmer water in the bays.
I know lots of guys go there maybe they'll chime in on some good places to stay.


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## bdawg

Those pics have got me really chomping at the bit to go!!! Told the wife that we need to go there for a summer vacation this year! Would love to catch some 1lb ears and 2lb crappie. Any places that you guys can suggest that have cabins and boat rental? Especially if they are good for the family. Never vacationed in Kentucky. It would be and 8 hour drive to the lake from my house. Is it worth it?


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## chaunc

" It would be and 8 hour drive to the lake from my house. Is it worth it? "



Takes me almost 12 hours when i'm pulling my boat. I stay in Aurora when i go there.


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## skippyflyboy

chaunc said:


> http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/Img_0293.jpg
> http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/Img_0297.jpg
> 
> http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0777.jpg
> http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0779.jpg
> http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0025.jpg
> http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0014.jpg
> http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0026.jpg
> http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/IMG_0019.jpg
> These are from 2006 and 2007


Nice fish!

Like that shirt in 293


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## plsplns

Ok I'm convinced. I'm planning a trip with my dad. Do they rent boats down there? Thanks,


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## crappiedude

I'd call around to see who rents boats but if I were you and i didn't have a boat i would hire a guide for your first day out. He'll teach you alot and give you some pointers. I wouldn't wait too long there time will fill up fast.
These fish were all caught in early April and you even get some bonus bass while fishing for the crappies. It's a great bass lake too. I don't think we kept a crappie under 11"
Check this out, you should find something http://www.kentuckylake.com/
good luck


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## chadwimc

I used a guy my friend found. Jack Canady at Woodsandwater guide service.
He's knowledgeable of the lake and fishing patterns. It was well worth it to keep from stumbling around our first time. I had never seen "spider rigging". Canady had his boat set up for it. If jigging is slow, you can switch to spider rigging. He had all you needed to fish. All you had to bring was snacks and drinks. If you go early spring, take warm clothes. A cold front came in the night we arrived...


http://www.woodsandwaterguideservice.com/photos.htm


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## bdawg

Which lake is better, Kentucky Lake or Lake Barkley? Do they have similar structure and depth? We are thinking of going on vacation in the 3rd week of June. What kind of fish will be biting then? Will the shellcrackers still be on the beds? 

Also, will it be warm enough to swim? I know those big lakes take a while to warm up. Taking the family with me.


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Will be checking this out the prices with woodsandwater guide service were pretty reasonable to me .......Want to get down there and catch some of those big pan fish..Thanks for the web site.......JIM.....CL......


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## chadwimc

My friend and I stayed at a small motel right across from Murray State. The motel had a do it yourself breakfast bar. The sporting goods store was next door. We got out license there. We met Canady down the road a little bit at a convience store. Since he had everything needed to fish, we were traveling light. Enjoy yourself...


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## triton189

My father and I have been going down to KY Lake the last ten years. We usually go the 2nd week in April for Crappie. Late April starts the shell cracker bite. We stay at the Sportsman Anchor Resort. We always fish Johnathan Creek. The marina is great there as you can leave your boat in the water with their covered docks. It is also guarded at night.


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## rutty

triton189 said:


> My father and I have been going down to KY Lake the last ten years. We usually go the 2nd week in April for Crappie. Late April starts the shell cracker bite. We stay at the Sportsman Anchor Resort. We always fish Johnathan Creek. The marina is great there as you can leave your boat in the water with their covered docks. It is also guarded at night.


Can you fish shore from the Sportsman Anchor Resort? Can you fish from the covered docks?


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## Nemo7

I live about 5 minutes from the lake. I mostly fish for bass, but I like the bluegills too. You should be able to swim in the lake in June. That is also a great month for bass fishing. If you can fish a crankbait, you'll do well in June. 

My favorite bluegill rig is a drop-shot with a little redworm on it. If the lake is high, like it sometimes is in April and May, I target flooded lawns and gravel points. Later in the year, you can catch bluegills around any aquatic grass and boat docks.

If you want good bass fishing in early spring, flip flooded buck brush or throw a weightless Senko around flooded "yellow flowers." I think the flowers are wild mustard or something, but the bass definitley love hiding in them.

I don't do much crappie fishing, but it's so popular here that i hear enough about it to at least recommend a couple spots. In Kentucky waters, Jonathan Creek is very popular. It's a huge tributary, but on windy days you can find a protected spot that will be much safer than on the main lake. In Tennessee, the Big Sandy is a good one. Both are nationally known creeks on the lake. 

There is a lot of man-made cover in the form of stake beds and brush piles. At winter pool you will literally see hundreds of stake beds in the backs of creeks. 

I would say most resorts can put you on some fish. There are also forums online dedicated to hunting and fishing in Kentucky. I'm not trying to steal away from this forum, i'm just saying that the Kentucky forums get real busy when the fish start biting. 

You can also google some good Kentucky Lake fishing reports. 

There are nice cabins and a hotel at the Kentucky Dam State Park. Land Between the Lakes has a lot of places to stay. Ken-Lake is another good one. In Paris, Tennessee, the state park has a wonderful facility. Near there is the Buchanon Resort. I have fished out of there twice and heard of people bed-fishing 6-pounders right there by the marina. I'm not sure the name of hte creek Buchanon is in, but you don't have to go far from the resort to find bass, crappies, readears and bluegills. Tennessee waters also have nice grass that is great for bass fishing once it gets up. 

MIND THE BUOYS and have a good map. It looks big, but there are many many shallow spots. The farther south you go on KY lake the shallower it gets. Lake Barkley is even shallower.


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## bdawg

Nemoy, Thanks for the info! Really good info for a first time visitor.


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## plsplns

Ditos Nemo7 Rocks!!! I printed all that out!!!


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## eelboy

Nemo


I fished with "Nemo' in November. A friend/neighbor of my s-i-l. Any relation just off 164 close to Linton on BarKley?


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## Nemo7

I don't believe you fished with me. I didn't put the boat in the water in November and my family is all in Ohio. 

Like I said, I mostly bass fish, so I can just pass along what I hear about crappie. I will say that spider rigging is very popular over the many brush piles. You can also long-line troll and cast in the shallows around the spawn. A depth finder is a must on this lake for any species when the fish aren't on the bank. It still acts like a river, and the fish act like river fish, so creek channels and river ledges are important types of structure.

Current and current breaks on the river are huge. I spend all summer on the main lake looking at ledges and dragging crankbaits, jigs and Texas rigs for bass. In early summer, late spring, I've hooked a few saugers doing this too, although they were more on middepth structure, like points and drops in about 8 feet. 

Another cool thing some crappie anglers do here is troll crankbaits in the summer on the main lake. I don't see a lot of it because bass fishing seems to be the most popular in the summer, but there are some who do it well. I did it once a couple years ago in Mississippi in August with a pro crappie fisherman. It was so hot you wouldn't think any fish would eat, but we caught a couple tanks. Any fish that will rise up to eat a crankbait trolled overhead is worth catching.


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## Snyd

Nemo 7 - I was thinking about fishing Kentucky Lake this fall for some crappie - I have never been on the lake and just wondered what month is the fall is good for crappie on Kentucky Lake. 

Thanks!


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