Hey guys,...would you make this Indiana boy welcome? Sure would like to get down there and hit some Kentucky crappie lakes. Any recommendations down
around the Lexington area? I have been down there many years ago when I was just a young kid.
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Hey guys,...would you make this Indiana boy welcome? Sure would like to get down there and hit some Kentucky crappie lakes. Any recommendations down
around the Lexington area? I have been down there many years ago when I was just a young kid.
We have plenty of waters for you to ply. However, there aren't so many places around the Lexington area, per se. Most of the good Crappie waters are South, East, or West of here. Everything is another hours drive away, or more, from Lexington.
Do you have any preferrence for type or size of lake ? Do you have any specific style of fishing that you prefer to use, or are most proficient at using ? Do you want to just catch some Crappie, or are you looking to get into mainly quality sized fish ? Would this trip, down this way, be a one day - one weekend - several days - or week long venture ?? Knowing these things may help us to suggest a particular lake.
... cp :cool:
Size of lake is not all that important,but I know up here I usually fish two large reservoirs,...so I am used to fishing these types of lakes. I usually
bobber and live bait fish for crappie just for the enjoyment of getting out,but at the same time would like to get into some quality fish,too. A trip down your way would be at least a three to four day adventure that would also
include camping as well. I would also have my own boat,too. I hope that answering these questions you asked will help you in suggesting a lake,or group of lakes. Now a question for you again,...fishing license for the state of Kentucky,...would it be best to go ahead and get a seven day license
rather than just a one day license? Where can such a license be purchased?
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources - Homepage
This may help you find a place to fish as well as info on licence. You'll be in Fayette County.
You can get a 7day non-resident license for $30 ... any Wal-Mart, most baitshops, probably even at some marinas. I'd wait until I got down here, to purchase the license ... just in case plans have to be put on hold at the last minute ;) and you have to wait a day or so (or come earlier than originally planned).
Bringing your own boat & camping ... I'd suggest Green River Lake. Unless you just "have to" come to Lexington ... I'd Mapquest the route. I already did, and it says swing around Indianapolis and get on I-65 - stay on it right thru Louisville and on down to Elizabethtown - there you'll turn onto 31W (Lincoln Prkwy) and head to Hodgenville - there you connect with 210 and stay on it until it crosses 68 and turns into 55 .... turn off on Lone Valley Rd, then onto Audubon Rd and that road takes you to the State Park campground, right on the lake. You'll see what I'm talking about if you Mapquest ,,, Bluffton In to Green River State Park Ky. Mapquest says it's a 5hr trip (a little over 300mi). GRL State Park is open to camping until Nov 30th. Kentucky State Parks - Home
If you have to be in Lexington ... Green River Lake is another 2hrs drive from here. Lexington is about a 4.5hr drive from Bluffton.
When were you planning on heading down this way ?? Fall fishing should start getting good around mid Oct, unless it gets cooler, sooner.
You might also want to get in touch with "KyTeacher" .... he guides on Green River Lake. If you don't need him as a guide, maybe he could suggest some areas & depths to fish, depending on when you'd be coming.
Here's a screen map : Green River Lake Map | Greenriverlake.com
You can make it bigger by clicking on the + button at the bottom of the map. Then you can hold your left Mouse button down and drag the map around to check things out.
The State Park isn't the only good camping place, either. Holmes Bend Marina & Campground is another good one. It's on the river end of the lake, whereas the State Park is in the middle of the main lake area. Just depends on your preference of "where" on the lake you want to be.
Even if you have to be in Lexington, and don't want to drive the extra two hours to Green River Lake .... you'll still have a 1.5hr drive +/- to get to Cave Run Lake (my next best pick) ... or even to Taylorsville Lake.
I suggested Green River Lake ... because of the camping facilities, ease of travel on the lake, clean/pretty lake, and the 9" size limit & 30fish/person/day creel limit.
... cp :cool:
I was thinking Cave Run or Taylorsville anyway. It may not be until next spring when I can get down there,...my vacation time is all used up for the year. I
mainly wanted to get some idea ahead of time on where I might want to go so
I can get things planned and money saved up for the trip down. Green River Lake still might be a destination I can try out.
... that will also give you time to keep track of what's said about the lakes.
Taylorsville does have camping, but it's only a very small place ... and it's not on the water (it's up the hill from one of the ramps). T-ville has a 9" size limit & 15fish/day/person creel limit. Spring fishing with float/minner should start to get "good" around the end of April into the first week or two of May. The lake is only 3000 acres or so, and not hard to run. There are some main lake banks with standing trees ... pockets with standing trees/stumps ... and all the creeks have standing timber as well.
Cave Run has camping ... some on the water and some close, just depends on where you go on the lake. You'd have to do some research to know what's available, since I haven't ever camped there ... but, maybe some of the other guys can clue you in. It doesn't have a size limit, and the creel is 30/person/day. It's a pretty good float/minner lake, too. It's an 8000 acre lake, & a little more on the clearer water side than T-ville.
Some other things you might want to know about these two lakes :
T-ville has lots of big Blue Cats, and also Hybrid Stripers & White Bass.
Cave Run has Muskie (as does Green River Lake) & White Bass (no Hybrids).
T-ville has a tendancy to flood easily in Spring ... rising several feet per inch of rain.
Both lakes have marinas ... T-ville has one, and Cave Run has two.
(& just as a side note ... Green River Lake also has Walleye)
Here's a chart that you can check water levels on : Louisville District Daily Lake Report
You can also click on the blue highlighted number under "Todays Pool Feet", and it will show you a graph of the past year of rain, water levels, and discharge rates for that lake. These two charts will give you some idea of what to expect, given the weather at the time of your planned trip. It's updated daily, so you can check it out more closely, in the weeks/days ahead of your trip.
You can also post specifically about either lake, and get more info/tips from those that fish them regularly.
... cp :cool: