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Where has your best public lake crappie fishing experience been at in KY? I've got a nice little vacation coming up and I'm looking to travel and some ideas of whats got some great fish to offer would be awesome. I know it's not prime time, but I'm here to make the best with what I got. I've got slabs on the mind and I want to spend plenty of time prepping for this [it's my first vacation at my new new job, been a LONG time since I had one!] Thanks to all.
You can't beat Ky Lake. You might catch some fish and I would guess that you have as good of chance there as any other lake. The have great restraunts, places to see like Land Between the Lakes and shopping at the outlet mall if interested. I can always find something to do down there no matter what the weather is. It is by far my favorite place and why I am planning on retiring there one day.
Have to agree with Jigboy on Ky Lake. Johnatan Creek is easy access to some great fishing. Several of the marinas have places to rent and there are a few restaurants in the area also. There is also Kenlake State Park right up the road. Enjoy your vacation where ever you decide to go!
Went to Ky. Lake today and my god it was hot! :eek: I caught 17 but all but 2 were throw backs. I also caught a 7lb flathead on my 10 1/2' Russ Bailey crappie rod with 4lb line. I thought I would never get him in! :D I caught some of my fish on the ledges in about 14' of water but suprisingly most of my fish & both of the keepers came from brush in the middle of a bay in 12' of water fishing about 8' deep.
Wow, thanks for the response, I figured as much, between LBL and all of the other nice fishing around there, I guess there and taylorsville are the largest bodies of water in ky??. I guess overall the more water the better, the fish have a better change of thriving, and some nice big fat slabs sneaking by not getting caught year after year help as well :D. I hope this thread can stir up some more ideas, I love hearing these type posts.
We refer to them as the twins (Kentucky and Barkley.) If your vacation is a couple of weeks or more away the timing won't be too bad. From the Dams north to the Tn. state line to the south. A lot of water and a lot of fish. It so large it can be a little tough to figure out. I recomend a guide for at least a half a day. They will put you on fish and the trip will much more productive. Ky Lake .com has some guides listed there. Old Guide is one that I e-mail back and forth with. He seems like a great guy.
THE BANDIT
Taylorsville probably isn't in the top ten lakes in KY for size. Kentucky is 160,000 acres, and has bays probably as big as Taylorsville. Kentucky is the place to go for Crappie, but you need to understand how big it is before you plan a trip.Quote:
Originally Posted by WRHaynes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Downwind
Ken Lake state Park is a great place to stay down there. Boat ramp near by and they have cabins/cottages and a lodge. Also close to Land between the lakes a beautiful place to visit.
Great feedback, once again thank you all :D
Green River Lake is a another place to go. Not nearly as big as some lakes but the fishing is good. Sort of like T-ville as far as the size crappie you'll catch. Nice camp ground.
the lakes I've fished, and caught Slabs &/or numbers of Crappie, and "camped" or stayed in local lodging, would not be of much benefit ... being as it's been many years in the past. But, that being said ...
I've caught the biggest Crappie, and the most (numbers) from Barkley Lake ... Spring spawn period (late Apr). Second to that would be a toss-up between Ky Lake & Green River Lake (tent camping - Spring spawn period).
For about the last decade or so, I've taken to making my Spring/Fall "vacation" fishing trips ... down to Watts Bar Lake, in E Tenn. For me, personally, if the lake is a two hour drive or less ... it's a one day trip. A vacation fishing trip is a 2-4day venture, and Watts Bar is a 4hr drive.
Locally, a Fall fishing trip would probably be to KY Lake .... 5.5hr drive. Any of the bigger creeks, from the KY Dam Village area to the bridge (Ken Lake area) would be a good place to venture. Lots of different lodging facilities around there ... and good camping facilities, there and on the LBL side, too, if that's your pleasure.
Biggest lakes in KY would be KY/Barkley (50,000acres each, within state border) .... Lake Cumberland (50,000 acres normally, currently 38,000acres due to drawdown for dam repairs) ... Cave Run Lake is around 8,000 acres ... Laurel River Lake is around 5,600 acres .... Barren River Lake is around 10,000acres ... Nolin Lake is around 5,800acres ... Rough River Lake is a little over 5,000 acres ... Taylorsville Lake is only around 3,000 acres.
Something you might want to take a look at, for future reference as well as just some good overall info about KY Lake, is the tagging study done on KY Lake, by the KDFWR : http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/navigat...vPath=C101C552 .... the lake has undergone some changes since I've last been there, and this study has some important info to consider.
... luck2ya, wherever you decide to go ... cp :cool:
Thanks cp, nice info.
Kentucky/Barkely. Hands down. I had a suprisingly good spring trip for crappie at Dale Hollow a couple years ago as well, but in countless trips, Kentucky and Barkley have been the best in Kentucky. It seems to run in cycles for us . One year Kentucky will be good to us, the next it will be Barkley. If you're gonna choose between the two, watch the weather and lake levels. If it's gonna be windy, pick Barkley. Kentucky can be a bear in the strong winds. We got stuck in a spring storm a few years ago on Jonathans Creek and I didn't think we would make it back.
I live 2 minutes from Barkley and fifteen from Kentucky lake, and you can't go wrong at either. I fish Barkley probably 70% of the time and Kentucky Lake always feels like a new adventure. I tend to fish Kentucky lake more in the summer than any other time. It is great to live in this area, but I still want to go to Grenada.
Hey there Meat on the table, where on Barkley do you live. I fish Eddy Creek a bunch. I would like to have someone that lives on the Bay that could e-mail me conditons when it is muddy or other situations. Can you see the lake from your house?
THE BANDIT
Bandit, I live in Trigg County at Canton. Sorry can't see the lake for the trees.
i fished in a place they call crappie holler---we caught some very nice fish there---they did look a bit greener than what i am accustomed to-and were also narrower. Knappy
I know where Canton is, I actually have an ex-brother that lives down there. I have not had contact with him is several years. He dis-owned several of my other brothers and sisters at the same time. I do have several buddies that fish Little River. By the way, one of them called me today, he and another fellow caught 27 keepers at Jonathan. I am getting ready to get ready.
THE BANDIT
Small world BAndit. My mothers people are from up 109 at Pennyrile State Park, and I actually lived there awhile and played little league baseball at Dawson with a couple cousins of mine. My dads people are from here in Trigg and I have live here for the rest of my time here on earth except for a ill fated college baseball career in Flordia. Too much freedom, and too many beautiful women.
MEAT- private message sent.
THE BANDIT