What's the difference?

[bigzig]

Can anyone tell me about Barkley? I always hear about Kentucky lake side. Is barkley shallower? deeper? better bluegill? crappie? bass? Are there any decent resorts on that side?
Can Barkley get as rough as Kentucky lake when it gets windy? according to the map there doesn't seem to be much different from the two.
I'm not from the area, and I was just curious. I hope that question didn't seem tooo stupid.

[M R Dux]

Barkley was formed in the 60s and Ky in the 40s. Ky has much more plentiful man-made structure while Barkley has some of the original stumps, etc. Barkley is basically shallower and harder to navigate. Both lakes have places where they are about 1 mile wide but Barkley has more protected areas where the wind can be less of a factor. Both lakes will jump up and bite you BIG TIME if you don't respect them and come here with a shallow draft 14" jon boat and expect to run all over the lakes like you would in a 20 footer. KY has many more resorts along the west side. Due to the LBL, there are no resorts or marinas along the KY Lake east side or the Barkley west side. Fishing can be as good on either as it can be tough on either. The average bass tournament these days is taking a 4-5 pound average fish with limits each day to win.

[rnvinc]

Seems to me that Barkley generally runs 1 or 2 degrees warmer that Ky....IMO because Barkley is generaly shallower as MRDUX said..

Also,, it seems the resort side of Ky (west side of lake) will have more boat traffic due to the proximity of the resorts...

The interesting thing about these 2 lakes is that the Land Between the Lakes side of each lake (east side of Ky and west side of Barkley) will have a gravel ramp at nearly every bay.... that can be driven to and launch right into the bay that one wants to fish...

My choice of bay to fish on ANY given day is dictated more by which way the wind is going to be blowin' over anything else....I check the weather before I go and pick the bay that has potential fishin spots out of the major force of the wind....

A good topo map of each lake will show the potential fishin spots...and a LBL road map will show the roads goin to each bay in the LBL management area...

[Wiskers]

I agree with both assesments. I might just add that I prefer Barkley after Memorial day. Way less pleasure boat traffic! Besides, its interresting to watch what few pleasure boats & lake lice that do run around Barkley run out behind the buoys & tear their boats up or run aground. Happens every year. I just pray nobody gets hurt but you can bet somebody's gonna cream a lower unit or rip a hull.

[smashdn]

On Barkley you can be running 60 foot of water and then get just outside the channel markers and be in 6 inches of water just that quick. Not to mention the stumps. It'll make your butt hole pucker (or it should) if you aren't used to running on it.