Ky Fishing Wish List

Let me first say I am very fortunate to live in an area with numerous species of sport fish. Kentucky has done a great job stocking striped bass and hybrids in the rivers of Western Ky. This has provided our area with some tremendous fishing for fish that are large, aggressive and good eating. And even though the out of state liscense is 50$, the striped bass fishery makes this expense well worth the cost. Thanks KF&W.

There are however some things I wish Ky. would implement to improve the fishing in this area.

1st - Establish spawning protection areas on Ky and Barkley Lakes where the fish can spawn without being taken off the nest prematurely. Ky already has the back end of bays like Smith and Duncan on Ky Lake off limits to boats until March 15 (Hope date is correct) for Bald Eagle nesting. Why not extend these restriction zones until May 1st. Ky Lake has just had 3 sub-par years of crappie spawns. Something needs to be done!

2nd - Establish a trophy catfish fishery on the rivers ( Ohio, Cumberland and Tennessee) in Kentucky. Tennessee and Missouri have already set up laws protecting big catfish. It is time (Ky, Illinois and Indiana) provided protection for the largest sportfish in our states. Any bluecat or flathead over 36 inches is a tremendous fish and a memory of a lifetime for many fisherman. The states need to protect these large catfish from being over harvested and from people sending these fish to pay ponds in other states. Lets do something to ensure our children have some great fishing in their future. Thank You!

you may get your 1st wish. Check out the reply by rnvinc, in this thread :
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/kentu...y-lakes-2.html

It appears to, at least, be on the table for consideration.

If you read thru the KY Lake Crappie Movement Study ... you'll find that only a small percentage of the spawning Crappie, go to the very backs of the creeks. And only certain creeks/bays have large spawning areas in the backends of them. I don't know if sectioning off the backends as "off limits" to Crappie fishing during the spawning season, would be that much of a fix.

Hasn't it been more of a weather related scenario, that's caused the weak spawns over the last few years ?? I know we haven't had a "normal" Spring weather scenario, over the last two years ... because I've caught White Crappie spawning at Watts Bar, during the timeframe that I should have been catching Black Crappie coming to the banks. Water level fluctuations has been the culprit that's messed up the spawning on some lakes I fish ... hasn't that also been the situation at KY/Barkley ??

Now, as for the Catfish fishery ... I got no dog in that hunt. :p

Pappy is right... the water level flucuation (especially in the spring) seems to be the biggest factor in the spawn..

Ky lake being a TVA impoundment and Barkley Lake being a Corps of Engineer impoundment...either of these two agencies will tell you that flood management is their primary goal in water levels...fishing does not play any part in their decisions of controlling water levels...

It does not bother them in the least to hold extra water in the lakes during the spawn (if the Ohio river cannot take the flow) causing the crappie to spawn in the buckbrush...and then drop the lake level (leaving the eggs 'high and dry') as soon as the Ohio can reasonably take the water....

water control has alot to do with the spawn, the up and down of ky. lake.I noticed when the lake was put on a computerrized control we started loseing white crappie.If the water had not cleared up,there wouldn't be has many black crappie.The 10'' size also help. In the 70's rain would get the lake alot milker than it does now, and it would get very high an stay high for a long time.

I'll agree, the past two springs have been very unpredictable. Two years ago we had spring arrive in March. It was unseasonably warm and the fish turned on early. By April when you'd expect things to get hot, a severe cold front came through that put the brakes on everything. Water temp dropped drastically, which probably had some impact on the spawn. This past spring, there was high water everywhere.

It would seem to reason if a lake like Weiss in Alabama can still produce the numbers of fish it does year after year with the pressure it gets, Kentucky Lake should easily be able to hold it's own without closing off parts of the lake.

They've already reduced the creel limit to address the problem, maybe they should wait a year or two to see what kind of impact this has on the fishery.

Thanks for the comments guys. It is easy to see that each person has their own ideas about the best way to handle the crappie resource on Ky & Barkley lakes. There are many varibles in establishing a good fishing population. Some varibles such as weather and water levels are out of our control. Others such as fishing pressure, size & length limits we do have control of.

Many may not agree with this. But back in the past (1950s-80s) it was fairly easy to catch a nice bunch of fish on the lakes. Not so easy today. There are several differences from then compared to today. Buck brush, white crappie majority fish not black crappie, fishing pressure and the large financial influence. Why not think out of the box on the issues we have control of such as fishing pressure. A male crappie may spend 1-2 wks preparing a nest, guarding the eggs and protecting the small fry. Why not offer these spawners some protection in selected areas of the lake. Just like a good farmer who prepares his fields for a good harvest, we need to do the same for the crappie. You reap what you sow (in life or on the water).

I'll have to agree with Huck on this one. The water levels are out of our control. Why not give it a try and pick a few of the most promising bays and include the deep water. Let the fish have at least a fighting chance. One female Crappie can produce a tremendous amount of eggs. If only a few bays were left alone it could be a tremendous shot in the arm for the Lake. We have no shortage of areas to fish.

Last year I was able to take some youth fishing for Cats. One Boy caught a 70 lb Blue cat. With a great photo he was the talk of his peers. Especially after he said we put it back. I am a proponent of releasing all the big trophy cats. Put some control on the fishery. I saw people hauling huge numbers out of the Ohio River. They said they were taking them to buyers. The fishing has not been what it was. Let's fix it.

I have one question. When was the last time any of you guys were checked by KFW, while fishing KY or Barkley? Me personally I haven't been checked in probably 10-15 years, and that was just to see if I had tags. A little back ground on me. I live about 5 miles from KY dam. I only fish KY and Barkley. Last year I was on the lake approx. 150 days. I do not keep more than my limit ever. I have never kept a fish that was short. Why should any one else? Because they are not afraid of being caught. I have fished in Texas twice in the past 2 years(for bass), and we were checked every day. Why not here:confused:

I do agree that something should be done to protect the catfish. I am not sure what can be done since they are not a game fish, but that is not for me to decide.

Crappiepappy and Rnvinc are correct. It has more to do with water levels and weather than over fishing.

This is just my opinion and it may not be right, but I do not think limiting where we can fish is fair. If crappie were endangered like eagles I think it would be fine, but they are not.

I've talked to several fisheries biologists and they tell me that closing off areas for the spawn won't do much to change the current situation on the crappie. They also admit that dropping the limit probably won't do much either. Like others are saying....the main problem is water level jumping around and the unseasonable weather we have been having. Kentucky Lake and Barkley are HUGE and the crappie fishing will come back as soon as we get a couple good spawns. Even though KY lake may be down a little on the crappie right now I would still take it down over most any other lake. Don't worry...crappie fishing will be better again. The thing the biologists said we could do that would help more than anything is put more brushpiles in the lake....not PVC or stakebeds, but brushpiles. They said stakebeds are great to fish, but the brush is what they will spawn on most productively. I thought blocking off area for the spawn sounded like a good idea as well, but the biologists don't agree.

I talked to KDFW at the Murry Boat Show about the idea of closing the bays during spawn and what they are suggesting now is to propose the idea of a crappie stocking program for KY. & Barkley Lake. The program will cost money and the question of how many will survive is still not understood. There will be a meeting on Feb. 2 somewhere in the Lake City area to discuss some of these proposals. They will post the meeting time here in the news section I think.Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources - Homepage