I'm wanting to go down and do some bluegill and redear fishing which lake would be best? And where is a good place to stay at thats on the lake?
Thanks
Printable View
I'm wanting to go down and do some bluegill and redear fishing which lake would be best? And where is a good place to stay at thats on the lake?
Thanks
I have been having good results on Kentucky the last couple years, but I am hearing reports of great panfishing at Barkley too. I have stayed at Moors resort and Big Bear Resort and both are great, with Moors being a little more pricey but a little better amenities. There are lots of great places to stay, that should be easy depending on where you plan to fish. I catch good numbers around Big Bear. Best of luck to you.
I think both lakes are good if you want to fish north Barkley and want to stay at a motel that has boat hookups poplar Creek Lodge 270 388 9467
north Kentucky Bel-Air Motel 270 362 4254 Ken Bar Lodge this used to be a dump but it has been refurbished and I see a lot of fishermen staying there now, I don't know that much about it 270 362 4990
If you aren't familiar with either lake go to KY Lake. Barkley can be more dangerous if you go running out of the channel. Of course you need to be careful at every lake but Barkley just scares me.
I agree with jigboy Kentucky much safer and easier to navigate. I would pick Kentucky for safety reasons
Barkley is a little more dangerous in 1 respect (shallow spots, stumps, and snags) but you'll have to deal with the pleasure boat traffic at KY Lake. Which, in my opinion, is even more dangerous! Atleast I can go around a stump but It's hard to dodge drunk jet skiers, ski boats, and Yachts throwing 4' swells. Most of the Pleasure Boats on Barkley learn pretty quick not to venture too far from the channels. That keeps them off of ya while you're trying to fish.
If it were me this time of year I'd pick Barkley just for the lack of Pleasure Boats. Trust me... You don't want any part of Ky. Lake during Pleasure Boating season. You'll be miserable! I hate this lake during the summer months!
Plenty of places to stay around Barkley. Just depends on what part of the lake you wanna fish. Lodging is usually a little cheaper around Barkley too.
Oh, one other thing. Go during the week if you can. You'll avoid the Weekend Warriors and have a better time for the money.
JMHO
Rumor has it that Barkley has the trophy fish and Kentucky Lake has more numbers of fish, just not quite as big. Is there any truth to that?? We loved our time on Barkley and I'm considering buying a lot down there away from the lake...my wife says I loved it a little to much.lol.
I'm no expert on these lakes just a beginner but I swung wide of most points that seemed to taper out into the water and tried to run the channels if possible. Don't be afraid of Barkley but definitely have a healthy respect for it because it's BIG water. The Ohio River up here is big water but Barkley and Ky Lake are quite a bit bigger IMO because they're so much wider looking.
you need to run in the channel in Barkley there is some real skinny water on the main lake and in the bays. you need to get a map and check were the deep water is going into the bays watch the depth finder and go slow. The same advice on Kentucky stay in the channel if it is at winter pool it can be dangerous running out of the channel on either lake. If you have a north or south wind both lake get big rollers however the very north part of Barkley runs east to west and is better boating or trailer to one of the larger bays or creeks.
If you are looking to buy property their are some good deals now on some house boats and you don't have to mow the lawn.
Just went to Ken-Bar to look around and it is still a dump. they only open if they have a tournament that might fill it up. Otherwise they turn all the power off and it smells musty and moldy. Rooms (2 of them) had runs in carpets 5 feet long and stains. nonono
Thanks that is good information. I won't recommend it anymore
Ken Bar Inn was a dump when I worked there in the early 70s. I'm sure time and owners who refused to fix it up have taken a toll on it. Mystery to me it hasn't burned down years ago. Most commercial flops like it seem to meet a demise by match.
Dux, I have helped extinguish many a place like that which mysteriously started on fire in my former career. Once, the guy got locked in.....he turned to charcoal.Quote:
Originally Posted by mrdux
We have stayed at Big Bear many times. Really like it there and fishing is good right in Big Bear bay. You don't need to venture far. Enough coves and bays you can always get out of the wind. The worse thing about staying at big bear is you need to be wary of "The Whiskers". Be very very cautious. Hear tell The Whiskers can spawn terrible weather, cause fish to develop lock jaw, and cause all around him,including himself to completely lose track of all time and complete loss of memory. It could possibly be some sort of magic potion in a jar?:Rofl
You guys have got me wondering what is so dangerous about Barkley. I haven't been hunting or fishing it long but I have never seen anything I consider dangerous. I have had guys with 100+ hp motors run past me like i wasn't even there, close enough I could have spit on them...unfortunately I have seen this before. I have heard about sandbars on KY but I have dealt with that on rivers before and never had a problem with a jon boat with a short shaft motor. So I guess my question is: is there something I am missing here?
Chris
I'd like to hear from Dux, Whiskers or BigBadDad on this subject too because I'm somewhat scared running on Barkley too. Is there lots of pop up sandbars or is it stumps in the main channel? I've been on the Northern end twice and will definitely go back down in the fall, would like to know about these issues beforehand. Thanks guys.
I've ran Barkley since I was 10 years old and fished Eddie Creek before the lake was even raised. It can be as dangerous as a person is willing to make it. I once hit something in 60 feet of water in the middle of the river channel when the lake level was high that I never saw but it sheared 2 blades off my prop. It had to be a large object just under the surface but I always felt the same thing could have happened anywhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by redearhoosier
The best advice I could give is buy a good lake map and learn how to read it and the buoys or buy a GPS with a Navionics card and learn to watch it while running. There are shallow bars, house foundations, trees and stumps, you name it that can ruin your day. I once ran a 14 foot Polar Craft jon boat up onto a concrete carport of a house in the middle of the lake near Linton during duck season. I just got out, checked for damage, pushed it off and went on my way. I knew there were hazards out there but they weren't worth ruining my day worrying about. When the lake is at winter pool, the hazards are multiplied by a factor of 10X. Barkley is also much more prone to large floating debris when there are high water issues.
In the bays where there are channel markers, use them. On the main lake, use the river channel buoys. Don't take for granted that you can run from point A to point B in a straight line. Use your maps, use some common sense and use some caution and Barkley is no more dangerous than most any other lowland lake. I'll take running it any day over the likes of Reelfoot, Eufaula in the 60s-70s, or any lake with standing timber. Ky Lake has all of the same fun things that will reach out and grab you if you are willing to go out and find them.
Thanks MrDux, you're a treasure trove of information on these lakes and it's much appreciated. I do have a nice map of both, Ky and Barkley Lake, they certainly help a guy like me who knows virtually nothing about these lakes. I guess these bass guys who run WOT all the time really know the lake, there's no backing off in their gameplans.
You're welcome. I don't pretend to be an expert on either lake, just somebody who keeps and has used a bunch of shear pins, extra props and clean underwear.
All of my experience (and it has not been much, just some during duck season and then this spring) has been on the north end of Barkley launching from Eddyville Ferry ramp....anyone have any advice of areas to avoid in that area? I typically stay out of the main channel to avoid everyone who does run the main channel, but as I said I never run flat out. I have on a few occasions watched bass boats flying by outside of the main channel and other than getting annoyed by them I never considered them to be in danger. I have fished and hunted both Crab Orchard and Rend Lake in Southern Illinois. Crab is not an overly deep lake and I have heard stories of people hitting stumps in the center of it, but have never even worried about it myself. The north end of Rend is VERY stumpy and I have been up there when the water was high and you couldn't see the stumps until it is too late to dodge them. I guess I have been lucky so far and have only busted a prop once on the water (and that was when I was backing up to grab a jug that dove on me). I really appreciate the advice here, I take my family out on Barkley and will definitely be more alert from now on. I am curious if there are any bays on the north end that are very stump filled, my favorite spot on any lake to run trotlines and jugs is in stump fields....hard to beat em for cats.
Chris
My map shows a stump field just West of the mouth of Davenport Bay, on the Northern end of Barkley but we never saw any stumps because the water was up six or seven feet. My map also shows "rocks" out in the main stem not far out from Kuttawa Harbor, so there's some danger in the water and I'd definitely pay attention to those maps.
I'm curious to know what the "rocks" are in that area? Anybody know what the map's referring to?
The Barkley area is all limestone. Many of the old roadbeds were lined with limestone formations, almost like guardrails. You can go toward Eddie Creek, between Kuttawa Harbor and the port authority bay, at the south end of one of the golf course holes, and see what I'm taking about.
It's funny to take my Dad fishing in that area. He grew up near Old Eddyville and I have a picture of my great Grandmother and I that was taken on her front steps. Her house would now be right at the edge of the lake, just east of the prison. Dad can tell me stories of all the drag races, parties, and probably not-so-legal things he and his friends did at certain parts of the roadbeds. I spent a lot of my summers as a kid with my Grandparents who lived then just east of Eddie Creek. I fished with my Granddad and uncles all over that area when the lake was new. My Grandparents later lost their home site to I-24, which split their farm right down the middle.
Best advice I can give ya pretty much echos what Dux said. He's 100% right on with the info.Quote:
Originally Posted by redearhoosier
All I can add is that I run that lake with a 4000 HP Towboat and as many as 20 barges at times. You get out of the main channel and in places, the bottom gets close to the top QUICK! I can't count the number of pleasure boats that I've seen grounded and/or busted up while I've been running the lake. Honor the buoys and if you do venture out of the channel, go SLOW & WATCH THAT DEPTHFINDER! HAVE YOUR HAND ON THE THROTTLE & BE READY TO BACK! DON"T GET IN THAT LAKE DURING HIGH WATER AT NIGHT!!!
Seriously... If you use your head you'll be fine.
I guess I have never considered myself to be in danger because I have never had a been out in a boat with a motor bigger then a 30 horse. I have hit structure before (mostly stumps) and as long as everyone was sitting down you look around in shock for a second, laugh it off and go on your way with a new dent in the boat. I can see how an old house foundation or a rock formation could definitely change the outcome...those things don't give way much. I will just stick to my usual way of doing things....slow and steady....and I should be fine. I appreciate the info from everyone and Mr. Dux I would love to hear some of the stories your Dad has.
Chris
I agree with slow and steady and watch your depth finder.Quote:
Originally Posted by chrispbrown27
This is an example of what they are talking about.... this is an old foundation on Barkley right on the edge of a creek channel 350 yds from the river channel. You can find some buoys that set some distance from the river channel so it may not be that far from the buoy. Notice the elevation is 350... winter pool is 354. The other pic is the area (not exact) on Google Earth.Attachment 127784Attachment 127785