Thread: Barkley-Cravens Bay Info Needed

Hope you do better getting help than I did! Fish should about be ready to go! I'm going down on the 8th threw the 12th can't wait!

Crappie on Ky and Barkley Lakes are very typical of normal crappie patterns dictated mainly by the water temp...even tho our water temps are running a little behind schedule because winter won't let go...the water temp still determine what and where the crappie want to be doing in their seasonal patterns...

Read this and then watch the water temp the days you are fishing...
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/showt...rappie+degrees

The only outside variable from this would be if we have a LOT of rain to the point water levels way above normal pools...then it's anybody's guess where they are...

Rickie

Just to be honest. I have a buddy that used to camp there every spring for years. He has quit go'n there because the fish'n hasn't been that good there. He's a darn good fisherman too! I don't know what's happened but he's not the only 1 I've heard say that. By all rights it should be a good bay. My theory is, over the years the silting has hurt some of the good spawning areas. I could be wrong. If it were me I'd find me a creek/ditch, start out in about 12' and work my way in. You should contact some fish. If you can find some chunk rock banks work them over good by casting jigs. Those Blacks should be on the chunk rock over there late in the day. Barkley tends to muddy up bad after a big rain but these fish should be in a "We gotta get this done" mood. If you don't have any luck there cross over to the other side of the lake. Lots of good chunk rock banks over there. Good luck. Hope yall wear'um out.

Thanks for the reply's. Wiskers, I am going with my old Lockmaster from Lock 52 and his brothers. I will not be afraid to move around some. I only have a 18' deep jon with a 50 HP 4 stroke. Might even try some catfish. Need some time to get my mind right and recharge the batteries.

Originally Posted by Buckie02

Thanks for the reply's. Wiskers, I am going with my old Lockmaster from Lock 52 and his brothers. I will not be afraid to move around some. I only have a 18' deep jon with a 50 HP 4 stroke. Might even try some catfish. Need some time to get my mind right and recharge the batteries.

LORD!!! If he worked at 52 he earned his money! I hate that Lock!

Most people hate it. I worked there about 6 years. It was more that a job, it was an adventure for sure. I thought when I went to work for the Corps, we would have the best of everything. We still used a steam powered crane. A lot of hours and a lot of late night call outs.

Originally Posted by Buckie02

Most people hate it. I worked there about 6 years. It was more that a job, it was an adventure for sure. I thought when I went to work for the Corps, we would have the best of everything. We still used a steam powered crane. A lot of hours and a lot of late night call outs.

They are working on the wickets today and tomorrow. The have some that they can't get set. Last couple times they've went up they darn near lost the pool. I'll be glad to see it go if they ever get Olmstead done.

Olmstead???? O you mean Big Hope, LOL. The 1200 chamber at 52 was built for a 10 year temporary chamber because Olmstead was going to be done then. I started in 2000 and was told i would have 6 years there and then go to Smithland or Olmstead. I wanted to go to Smithland because I owned a farm on the road to Smithland dam, but life changes and I moved to TN. What boat are you on?