Thread: I bought three maps of Barkley and KY Lake....

the maps are useful and show the same image as a gps unit but you just can't track yourself on the map like the gps. I have used them sevaral times when heading to a new lake or pre fishing for bass tournament's until i got a gps unit that i use now but they are handy and useful for locating drops, roadbeds, foundation's if there is any and so on. Study them and take it with you it will help!

Most maps of Kentucky split at the Tennessee state line. I've never seen one that was full length.

Both of these lakes are more like rivers in the fact that drops and bars change positions from year to year. The major drops not so much but bars and such do change. Concentrate on one or two creek arms at a time. Some of them are larger than most of the lakes in Indiana. They are very large bodies of water that would take two or more lifetimes ont he water to learn all of them.

KY is generally easier to navigate and is deeper. Both lakes are very dangerous with just a touch of wind thrown in the mix.

I wouldn't put a whole lot of faith into the brushpiles. Most maps show the state maintained fish attractors and those are easy enough to spot a mile away while on the water. They are well marked by white buoys and normally a couple of out of state boats. :D

Seriously.. those usually get pounded and broken down pretty quickly.

If the map is showing someone's private brushpile, those tend to disappear from one year to the next as well pending composition.

Guys I appreciate the responses and they all make good sense. I'll be honest, I'm coming in the spring looking for big redear, big bluegill would just be icing on the cake. I'm driving from the Louisville area, so any coves or small hints would be much appreciated. I consider myself an above average fisherman for ears in particular, below average for crappie though.lol.

You'll see some mention of the gills and redears in some of the fishing reports. LBL has a general report that will give you an idea if people are catching them or not. LBL | Fishing Report It's not the greatest or most specific.

Here's a page with a bunch of reports: Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley Fishing Reports Mostly bass and crappie, but they'll mention other species if they hear about them. Some folks are more current than others with their information.

The http://www.murraystate.edu/qacd/cos/hbs/WQ.cfm at Murray State University has very helpful information about the water.

I will add that you need to respect these lakes. It is much bigger water than most people in the area are used to, and it can act even bigger than it is when the wind and current combine just right. At winter pool, which is 5' below what is marked on your map, there are shallow areas far from shore on the main lake. I have been in 3ft waves in 5ft of water, and it is unnerving. It is sometimes better to put the boat on the trailer and haul to another bay than to try to run on the main lake. The smaller your boat, the more true that is. I'm not saying this to scare you, just to give you the opportunity to be prepared for it.

If you don't have a GPS, pay close attention to the shore as you leave your launch bay. Every bay looks the same (especially on the LBL side) if you don't pay close attention, and you can run a long way looking for your ramp.

I've just got enough motor and boat to scoot around the big arms of the lake, I've really got no intention of getting out on the big water unless I have to. I guess if I wanted to go across the big water into another cove or arm I'd have to but I'd be scared.

I'll be scared going there for the first time, but I have been out on the Ohio River many times too. I can't imagine these two lakes being more challenging than the Ohio River.

Read these reports thoroughly, and make notes Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources - Preliminary Results and it should help you with your Crappie hunting.

Use your maps to stay in the channels/deeper waters, when running these lakes ... and don't expect all the channel bouys to be there, either (been there, done that, & ended up on a sandbar :o ) Use your maps to locate points of reference .... but, believe your depth finder over what your map says.

For your first trip, I recommend picking a creek/bay and using your entire time working IT ... rather than hopping from creek to creek. You obviously know enough about Redear & Gills, to know what kind of structure & cover they're likely to be found on ... so I'd pick a creek/bay that had the most abundance of that type of structure/cover, in the depths that those species were most likely to be in at that time & under the prevailing conditions.

... cp