Hitting Barkley April 4-7

[tonycl65]

I'm headed to Energy campground for a 4 day stint. Will be fishin with my 2 cousins. We've camped here and fished Energy, Crooked Creek and Little before.

Just wondering if anyone having any luck around this area or know of better creeks around this time. Have been up to Taylor Bay and Jake Fork Bay before as well.

Last year we ran around all over the area for 5 days and believe it or not had some of our better fishing in Energy Lake. Anyone hit energy lately or any other places around we be appreciated.

What about Pond creek or Shanklin creek down south or Honker Bay up north. My boat can get about anywhere. Just lookin for some new spots to get the most out of the family vacation.

Last year we got several on Chart. roadrunners and black/chart jigs or black/pink jigs.

Not use to this high muddy water it sounds like we are going to have. Thanks ahead of time for the tips you guys always seem to have.

[sixfin]

Energy was doing good before the water rose. It may be over the road by now.

[tonycl65]

What about those other bays i mention. Has anyone ever tried any of these?

For some reason it seems most people on here talk about KY more than Barkley. Which is it KY is better or is everyone trying to keep Barkley a secret?

[CatFan]

The water is way up, and it looks like the Ohio is going to be getting some more water tonight. Don't expect it to be down by then. If they do start dropping it, that will pull the fish away from the bank for sure.

[yankee doodler]

I am heading to Barkley 4/6-4/11. Just got email from the park manager @ Barkley SRP and he said they expect the lake to crest on Fri. for whatever that's worth. Like some of the guys were saying on the other threads, alot depends on how fast the Ohio drops and they start dumping water.

[newblade]

Let me know how well you do in crooked creek, me and Dad usually go up about one day a year there, never have really done that well, we just keep going back though.

[yankee doodler]

I read in one of these threads where water clarity is usually better on the LBL side of Barkley due to the forested land as opposed to the eastern side which is more agricultural. Wonder if that makes Crooked creek and the like a better option?

[tonycl65]

Well if the water is over the energy dam, I guess I won't have to put the boat in and out to go between Energy and Crooked Creek!:D

I'm hoping with the water temp going up the fish will come close and hopefully that the water just doesn't drop too fast. Maybe they will wait till Apr. 7th to let her rip.

I'm afraid dropping the water level too fast will hurt it more than high water, clarity or temp combined.

We will see by next weekend!

[CrappiePappy]

If it's NOT dropping fast, and still has some color to it, and it's still flooded a couple of feet up the trunks of the live trees along the banks .... ease in there and drop a minnow right down beside those flooded live trees (all around all "4 sides" .. just imagine the tree trunk as being square )

Some buddies and I went to KY/Barkley one time ... lake was flooded and water was dirty ... most people were turning around and heading back home. We were 5.5hrs away from home, and not about to "give up" :p
We found the fish hanging right next to the flooded live trees ... in about 3-4ft of water. You had to put the minnow/float right next to the tree, as it seemed that the fish were nosed up to them. A foot or more away from the tree trunk, and no fish The bigger the tree trunk, the better ... but, don't shy away from trying any tree that's reachable. It'll only take 5 or 6 seconds of letting the minnow swim around, before you'll know if a fish is there, or not !! We had our minnows about 1 to 1.5ft deep under the float.
Also, if you can find them, drop a weedless jig down into any Button Bushes (locally called "Buck Brush" or "Buck Bushes") ... let it go all the way to the bottom, lift it up about 1ft - then hold it there for a few seconds, then "very slowly" reel it back up. That also worked, if/when we could find those bushes

Don't know if you'll have the same results as we did ... but, it wouldn't hurt to give this a try, if the conditions are similar. My partner and I fished Barkley Lake, while my roommate (solo, in a bigger boat) ran to KY Lake. Our results were about the same, number wise and size wise. We got mostly 2lb fish, and 10-12 of them per boat. (My "partner" was a stone rookie :D and too stubborn to fish the same tactics that were working for me & my roommate :rolleyes: )

... cp

[tonycl65]

Thanks Pappy for the info. I'll be sure to try those flooded timber tactics. This is all starting to look more and more like a flooded timber Sept. Wood Duck Hunt (My other passion besides Crappie fishing)!

I have plucked them out of standing timber before, sure hope it works. It looks like the rain Southern Ill and Ind. are getting today is going to keep the Ohio and Miss really high for some time. So hopefully Barkley and KY Lake won't get pulled down for another week or two!

This all may work out after all. Sure hope so!

I had my last bag out of the freezer Friday night. So it is time to restock!:D