Thread: Barkley

SHHH...!!

Barkley Lake is the secret of the locals.....

Not only does it generally warm quicker in the spring (due to it's overall shallower depths)...this is where the locals run to when all the "lake lice" start to accumulate...

The 1st part of the above sentence is actually true...and the 2nd part is a....a.....eh....well...the 2nd part is true also...

Seriously, Barkley is less talked about simply because it has less access as far as boat ramps, lodging at the water, nearby restaurants, etc....

Rickie

In my opinion, Lake Barkley is every bit as good for crappie as Kentucky Lake.....sometimes even better, depending on wind and weather conditions. I spend considerable time on both lakes and catch a lot of crappie from both. Some people shy away from Barkley because it can be a bit trickier when operating a boat due to quickly changing water depths and submerged logs and timber, but if a person will use common sense and stay within the marked channels when moving about, it is a breeze of a lake to fish and capable of producing hefty stringers of crappie. I have two friends who have built over 70 brushpiles and stakebeds between them on Barkley, and always catch loads of fish and good size. They never fish anywhere else.

For the most part, I consider them one lake. I have spots I like to fish on both, and seldom go to the area without fishing both, but if somebody asks where I'm going I'd say "Kentucky Lake".

O K thanks everyone, I have fished Barkley for Green fishes but not crappie.I had never heard it mention on this board and been on here for several years!!
Rowdy

Barkley Lake can be good if your at the right place at the right time.


Barkley has less lodging, hotels, etc so less people stay on the lake.


Parts of Barkley are also potentially hazerdous to your boat.

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Love Barkley because it fishes smaller. Lot of bays you can get into to block the wind. People aren't as apt to motor over from 400 yards away when you start catching fish to mark your spots.

They told you right about navigating, the creeks that enter each bay weave back and forth. Many of them are hard to enter when water is at winter pool.

I like them both, seems like you can find them stacked more on Kentucky. Both have big fish but I seem to catch better quality overall on Barkley. That may be because I tend to fish it more during the spawn.

Another plus, you can normally stay in the bay you put in and do well. As Bill Dance used to say, "It's better to know a small area really well than a big area just fair."