Lake Barkley 9-18

[mccowan]

Going on a family trip to Barkley this weekend. We will be staying at Prizer Point Koa. Looking for some fall bite advise. I have only fished the lake once and that was in the spring. Thanks ahead of time.

[M R Dux]

Ever do any longline trolling? I would set out 8-10 poles with varying weight jigs and roadrunner heads with curly tail bodies. Stagger the distances behind the boat and use a variety of colors from very bright to very dark. Run the areas just inside the major creeks with gravel banks and medium depth water. Cover some water and don't be afraid to try every color in the box until the fish let you know what you should be using. I wouldn't come to either of the big lakes in the fall without some black and very dark green curlytails.

[mccowan]

I am setup to spider rig, but I only have rod holders on front if boat. I never have long lined, but have read a lot about it on here. I have also read a lot about pushing cranks, I think I could push cranks. I'm wondering if the bite is still on though, with the cooler weather we have had recently? Most people on here say the warmer the better.

[pab1981]

I covered alot of ground on Barkley this past Friday in 10-16fow and just not many keepers in that zone right now. Plenty of short fish In the mid depths to keep you entertained though. I would look in the 17-22fow zone if I were you. I dont have many spots that deep at this water level, will be fixing that this winter. Just my thoughts though, not an expert but have spent alot of time on Barkley this summer.

[CrappiePappy]

I covered alot of ground on Barkley this past Friday in 10-16fow and just not many keepers in that zone right now. Plenty of short fish In the mid depths to keep you entertained though. I would look in the 17-22fow zone if I were you. I dont have many spots that deep at this water level, will be fixing that this winter. Just my thoughts though, not an expert but have spent alot of time on Barkley this summer.

You may be onto something, Pab .... even at Green River Lake, the fish seem to have dropped down from the 14-17' level to the 17-22' level over the last week or so.

... cp

[Greenwing]

Pab1981 is right, I caught 5 nice keepers on Barkley yesterday afternoon in the 17-22 range in brush piles on jigs. Didn't have much time yesterday, but over the weekend all I found in the shallower stuff was short fish.

[mccowan]

We'll we caught a lot of fish this past weekend, just not the kind I was expecting. Two crappie were caught, a couple of cats, a few drum, and a boat load of yellow bass. They was in shallow water for the most part. I did try some deeper water (18-22') and didn't get anything. So I went back to the yellows and had a blast. Are they any good to eat? We caught two limits quickly but didn't keep any because we didn't know if they are any good. I would think they are like white bass and hybrid.

[doggone]

If you cut off the red meat and grill them any of the white bass etc are edible.Barkley and Kentucky can be real fickle.Sometimes the bite just ain't on much. Late fall when the water is colder is more consistent when the fish gang up on the channel and creek ledge brush piles etc.

One thing about a trip to either of these lakes is....if you won't give up even when it seems the bite is off...you might find one or two spots that have fish and do all right. Sometimes on all that water you are looking for a couple spots maybe no bigger than 100 sq ft or less.

And sometimes you have to remember some days the fish will only feed good a time or two.And it may not always be early morning.If you ain't there when its time you be soaking bait.

Always watch were the channel turns in close to the bank,sometimes some shallow structure just off that channel turn on the main lake bank will have fish when they are pushing the shad feeding,and thats when they will readily hit your jig.

Main lake points, bank,and secondary points and banks near them still close to the main channel are as far back as you need to go 90 percent of the time.

And I ain't an expert or guide I have just fished it some.