... it was back in the early 1970's :p

Always went around the end of the third week in April. Always fished Barkley, & usually from the dam to the prison ... small bays & main lake cuts with buckbrush/buttonball bushes or flooded brush/timber ... 10-12ft fiberglass poles w/minners under a slip float. Camped at the Corps campgrounds at the canal. Almost always found them bedding in <4ft water. Cold mornings turned into the 50's & 60's by afternoon.

Many years later -
The "one" best trip I ever had on KY Lake ... went in early April - fished a small bay up near the dam - caught'em on Roadrunners in flooded field weeds in about 6ft of water, while our companion boat caught theirs on minnows while drifting just outside of where we were. It was cold & rainy (mid 30's air temps).

Been on both lakes when they were flooded ... but still managed to find some fish. Fished Barkley, when flooded, and found the Crappie to be holding on the trunks of flooded live trees, in 2-4ft of water. They were nose to tree trunk, so you had to put your minner right next to the trunk or they wouldn't hit. Water was dirty brown, but clearing. Another guy in our party fished KY Lake, same pattern & same result.

Many more years later -
Another buddy & I fished KY Lake, when flooded ... and found the fish scattered. Water was clear, and we caught fish from around everything from flooded concrete picnic tables, to along cliff walls, and even some keeper Sauger (caught off a small brushpile in 12-15ft of water).

If'n I was goin' there, now ... I'd seriously study the Crappie Movement Study Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources - Kentucky Lake - Crappie Movement Study ... and try & coordinate my plans to account for the major changes that have taken place over the last decade.

... cp