Page 1 of Kentucky Lake - Lake Barkley Fishing by Kentucky's Western Waterland

fishing mississippi river the mississippi river forms the 58 miles of the kentucky/missouri border beginning at the confluence of the ohio and mississippi rivers it s a massive river often more than 2 miles across summer is a great time to fish the mississippi because the river generally runs at a moderate level in early june it might still be high from spring rains or even snow melt in the ohio river watershed as the month progresses however and even more so through the rest of summer the river level normally will drop and stabilize ohio river second in volume only to the mississippi the ohio river itself is a huge river the ohio is a much more significant resource for most kentucky fishermen than the mississippi the ohio river runs 700 miles along kentucky s northern border making its water convenient to kentucky anglers strong current abundant cover and concentrations of baitfish make the tailwaters the most productive portions of the ohio river both smithland pool and lock 52 in western kentucky have tailwater access good for boating and bank-fishing anglers alike clarks river the clarks river flows into the ohio river just northwest of paducah in large part because of the wetland habitat complexes formed by the river creeks beaver ponds and natural ponding the area is home to the only national wildlife refuge located entirely in kentucky the clarks river national wildlife refuge 270-527-5770 is located in western kentucky between benton and paducah on the east fork of the clarks river the natural wetland ecosystem is relatively intact and has high wildlife habitat values particularly for migratory birds and other species representative of bottomland hardwood systems little river little river originates near hopkinsville and flows north through cadiz before emptying into lake barkley though short only 70 miles little river provides the only whitewater kayaking in western kentucky though not the rocky mountain whitewater many enjoy having the excitement of rougher water kayaking tours of little river are available the rivers state record fish largemouth bass 13 lbs 10 oz stripped bass 58 lbs 4 oz blue catfish 104 lbs bluegill 4 lbs 3 0z crappie 4 lbs 4 oz fish fish and more fish kentucky s reputation for superb fishing draws more than 150,000 out-of-state anglers each year catfish when conditions are tough for many types of fishing catfishing stays hot on several rivers and lakes in western kentucky catfish are among the best-eating and most sought-after fish in western kentucky but they don t get a lot of fanfare catfish anglers quietly go about the business of catching fish while more glamorous species like largemouth bass and crappie get the headlines many guide services will help find the best spots for catfish and even clean the catch fish for catfish in the four big rivers of western kentucky ­ mississippi ohio cumberland and tennessee ­ as well as barkley and kentucky lakes catfish are primarily bottom feeders which is one reason they pack in below smithland kentucky and barkley dams there they can pick off wounded baitfish nose through a constant flow of other possible food sources and have the preferred rocky bottom habitat as water temperatures warm catfish move into creek and river channels and can be taken at shallower depths at night or on overcast days fishing around rocky cover on flats near the main-lake channel is a good choice anywhere along the course of either lake outside bends in the main lake channel where the old channel pushes close to the banks of the main lake to create a bluff are predictably good locations for catfish virtually every cove in the lakes supports plenty of channel catfish along with small blues the best summer fishing in the coves occurs after dark when the channel cats move shallow and get more active largemouth bass widely distributed throughout the lakes this top sport fish is frequently caught in excess of five pounds the biggest fish of the year are taken in the early spring as spawn begins and the fish are close to the shorelines the largest quantities of bass are commonly taken during april and may in summer as the water temperature rises fish concentrate on the drop-offs and creek channels during midday some action can still be found in the shallows at early morning and late evening fall brings a return of spring patterns largemouth can also be found chasing the abundant schools of baitfish that are normally found on the main lake near the points they will move back to drop-offs during the winter but a few mild days may entice them into the shallows for feeding tributaries following many of the spring and summer patterns of the largemouth they can also be found schooling near baitfish during mid-fall they will return to shallow waters especially near wood structures like the largemouth they will hang near the drop-offs during the winter with the bigger of the species being caught deeper they will often keep these patterns as late as december growing sluggish in january white bass tremendous schools of these fish make annual runs to upper reaches of the main tributaries each spring during the summer months large schools will chase shad and minnows on the surface of the main lake providing some of the best action to be found trolling with deep divers or spoons along the edges of the main river channel will also produce large catches during the fall months they are more difficult to locate but are still in large schools and will occasionally show some surface activity white bass tend to frequent deep flats in late fall but will move to the deeper main lake points during winter months white black crappie the average size of these closely-related species is quite large due to the minimum size limitations and the immense forage base found in both lakes in early spring they are found along shallow drop-offs and near shore where cover is available as the water temperatures rise crappie move into the shallows to spawn march april and may yield the biggest catches and offer the heaviest activity with the spawn generally occurring near the middle of april as summer approaches they will seek the cooler areas around drop-offs but will reappear in the fall around structures and shorelines with cover the colder months will make them a little sluggish but nice catches are still very possible on creek channels near the mouth of bays especially after two to three days of moderate weather sport fish species daily possession minimum size limit limit limit inches coosa bass .6 .12 .none largemouth bass .6 .12 .15 smallmouth bass .6 .12 .15 kentucky spotted bass .6 .12 .none crappie .30 .60 .10 white/yellow bass .15 .30 .none striped bass hybrids .5 .5 .15 sauger .10 .20 .none walleye hybrids .10 .20 .15 catfish .none .none .none bluegill/sunfish .none .none .none brown trout .3 .3 .12 brook trout .2 .2 .10 rainbow trout .8 .8 .none limits apply to any combination of these black bass not more than 5 fish in a daily limit or 10 fish in a possession limit may be 15 inches or longer note state limits on largemouth and smallmouth bass is 12 statewide size creel limits measure with the fish laid flat from the tip of lower jaw to the tip of the tail under-sized fish must be returned immediately to the water in best possible condition creel and size limits may differ at certain lakes those listed above are for kentucky and barkley lakes fees and limits in effect at time of publication for updated information contact kentucky department of fish wildlife #1 game farm road frankfort ky 40601 502-564-4336 or 800-858-1549 online http fw.ky.gov smallmouth bass considered to be the best fighter when hooked this species is found in large concentrations in both lakes these spring spawners closely follow the patterns of largemouth bass during spring and summer with the largest numbers being caught in april and may fall and winter will find them much more reluctant to move into the shallows preferring the deep rocky banks striped bass rockfish these species concentrate below the dams in the swift tailwaters using live bait herring or shad caught below the dams jigs and rapala-type lures will produce the best results in the spring summer patterns are very similar but also try trolling with a very deep diving lure rockfish are more active in the fall switch to a larger bait 6 to 10 inches and watch for surfacing fish during the winter months the activity will slow as the water temperature falls use smaller baits at this time of year bluegill located all over the lakes bluegill spawn in late spring and concentrate in timber and brush during april and may during summer and even late fall they can be found near almost every dock and tree fishing information provided by kentucky spotted bass abundant populations of this fighter are found along the main lakes and major bb&t bank equal housing lender member fdic grand rivers 270 362-8681 murray 270 767-2265 eddyville 270 388-2241 branches in murray hazel eddyville grand rivers ledbetter hopkinsville and paducah w w w bbandt c o m 34 www.kentuckylakebarkley.travel 1-800-448-1069 35 fishing

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