Thread: Are we seeing the beginning of the end on KY and Barkley?

I've been following this thread and I must know, what are the lower lakes? I've googled the term regarding the lower lakes of Western Ky and came up with zero. Are these Oxbow Lakes created in far Western Ky by the Miss. River? Curiousity got the best of me.

Originally Posted by redearhoosier

I've been following this thread and I must know, what are the lower lakes? I've googled the term regarding the lower lakes of Western Ky and came up with zero. Are these Oxbow Lakes created in far Western Ky by the Miss. River? Curiousity got the best of me.

Yes they are oxbow lakes created by Miss. River. Wiskers is refrencing lakes in Ballard county, there are also several here in Carlisle county where I live.

I tried it at Doug's shop back in March and it is actually good! The texture is a white flaky meat similar to Crappie!

Originally Posted by Greenwing

I have decided to get my bow out of storage, have new string and reel installed. There has been too many times I could have shot at one this summer. When I'm fishing by myself it will be on the deck. For you guys that have tried it how is the texture of the meat, what fish would you compare it to??

Ya know how farmers used to catch grasshoppers with nets on the front of their tractors . Wonder if you could use a small tug boat and do the same with those things . They will ( I know for a fact ) impact your local fish . Why because their fry fish like to target egg deposits for food . That means catfish aren't even safe .

Originally Posted by pab1981

They didn't survey lower lakes, they surveyed creeks off the river.That is what I'm getting at, I'm not sure that the carp will have the same effect in the big systems. Why are there still good numbers of white crappie in the river after 40 years of carp? I really don't know though, just a more positive outlook I guess. I haven't fished lower lakes any in years even though they're in my backyard, fishing has been too good on Kentucky.I have no doubt the carp have hurt the lower lakes, but they aren't the sole problem down there. To me you can't judge the health of the fishery off a few of the lower lakes. Aren't oxbows supposed to decline over time? I'm not arguing, just thinking out loud. I would be interested to know what Paul Rister thinks.

I'm not arguing either. I just believe that there is a genuine, profound lack of education and concern for the inevitable impact that these fish are having on Ky. & Barkley Lakes. Contrary to your "optimistic view," I believe that it is past the time to be alarmed! Nothing wrong with being optimistic unless that optimum leads to complacency.

I have friends that live up north that tell me that these fish have all but destroyed the Walleye fishery on the Ill. and Upper Miss. River systems.

One doesn't need a crystal ball to see where we're headed. We've had a few good spawns in the last few years and fishing has gotten a little better but we don't need to let that lead us into a false sense of security!

People keep talking about all these bays being loaded with shad. Bet ya a buck a bunch of those "bait balls" we're seeing are juvenile Carp.

We were down at Colven Lake, at Waldon's Lodge, last summer doing some crappie fish'n & throwing out some jugs and running trotlines. We needed some bait so I threw my cast net out in some "schools of shad" & netted some. When I showed them to Ricky Waldon he said he wanted a couple to show the CO's at the Game Reserve. Everything we had were carp!

Paul will be at the Shindig on the 28th and will give a presentation. Yall come hear what he has ta say about the problem.

Last 2 years on ky. have been good for me.
Will be interesting to hear what Paul has to say.
I,ve seen these carp at Rushing Bay and by the numbers I saw don't think it can be good.

While fishing main lake ledges on Ky Lake this summer I've seen unbelievable numbers of bighead especially when the water is calm! I don't think there is any doubt that the ugly monsters are affecting our fish populations, but I can't help but wonder: Wiskers pointed out above that back in the 60's & 70's it was nothing to "CATCH AND KEEP 100+ BIG CRAPPIE A DAY." Ya think that could possibly have had anything to do with a drop in populations? Just my worth.

I think catching and keeping 100 crappie a day in the 60s and 70s affected populations in the 60s and 70s but not the overall numbers today. There have been so many factors that have affected both the spawns and adult populations over the last few years I don't think what happened a couple of generations ago matter now.

I do see it as a good thing that we are getting less and less vain about having to catch huge numbers every time out and most of us see those rare days we can put a limit in the boat as icing on the cake.