Fishing Kentucky Lake, KY
AKA: Kentucky Reservoir
Boat and bank fishing
Last updated on .
Popular Fish Species
Largemouth Bass Fishing
Kentucky Lake is considered a good bass fishing lake by locals and tournament anglers alike. While fishing success can vary day to day, overall it's a good bass lake. Fishing for bass can be quite rewarding, with an occasional bass over 4 pounds being caught. Anglers can also catch smallmouth bass and spotted bass, which reside here in decent numbers.Bass often move shallow and become aggressive when they are in a feeding mood. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap. Around grass, use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits. In deeper water, drop shot rigs, big worms, jigs and spoons are good options. In winter, spend your time fishing deeper structure where the bass spend much of their time.
Crappie Fishing
Crappie anglers can fish for both black crappie and white crappie at Kentucky Lake. These two species tend to school separately. However, once located around cover, you may catch both species, as they often use the same cover. For best results when fishing for crappie, light line and small hooks are key, especially when fishing live or prepared baits. Crappie jigs are also productive her in a wide variety of colors. This is a good place to catch quantities of nice, fat slabs. Crappie fishing can be found in varying size schools, hanging around brush, vegetation, wood or other cover. Using a fish finder any time of year can help locate these crappie schools, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels, especially areas with brush or timber in deeper water. The best time to catch crappie tends to be at dawn and dusk.
Striped Bass Fishing
Due to their large size, striped bass are a favorite of many locals and fishing guides at Kentucky Lake. They are plentiful, run in schools and can grow to bragging size. In Spring and Fall work the upper end of the lake where water is flowing into the lake. Look for deeper water in the river channel, as a holding place for stripers. In Summer and Winter, stripers hang out in deeper water during the day Morning often draws the stripers to much shallower water, look for them from the surface down to around the 20-foot range as they feed on shallow-running schools of bait. The lake is filled with plenty of baitfish and sunfish to to keep the fishery thriving. Being successful at fishing for stripers is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of stripers which are likely to be nearby. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Live bait is very effective here, and stripers can be caught year round.
Lake & Fishing Video
Fishing tips for boat or bank fishing
Fish species to fish for...
Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, bluegill, redear sunfish, warmouth, white bass, yellow bass, yellow perch, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, chain pickerel, paddlefish and sauger at Kentucky Lake in Kentucky.
Fishing at Kentucky Lake is as good as it gets. Plenty of campgrounds and RV parks are scattered all around this 160,000-acre lake. Over 2,000 miles of shoreline, about half in Tennessee and half in Kentucky, can be explored in search of multiple species of fish. The lake is teeming with a variety of popular fish species, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, catfish, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, chain pickerel, perch, sunfish and bluegill.
The lake is easily accessed from all directions and access to the shoreline for fishing from the bank is easily located. Marinas around the lake offer kayaks, canoes, jon boats, pontoons, fishing boats, power boats and pleasure boats for rent, or bring your own.
Primary fish species residing in Kentucky Lake
Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.
Kentucky Lake Amenities
Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: YES
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: YES
Convenience Store: YES
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings
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Marinas
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Fishing License
Click here for a Kentucky Fishing License.
Campgrounds & RV Parks Nearby
Kentucky Lake Resort and RV Park - 270 362-8652
Water's Edge RV Park & Marina - 270 436-5321
Wildcat Creek Campground - 270 436-5628
Canal Campground - 270 362-4840
Stagecoach Station Campground - 270 410-2267
Cypress Lakes RV Park - 270 395-4267
Paducah, I-24, Kentucky Lake KOA Campground - 270 395-5841
Hillman Ferry Campground - 270 924-2181
Lazy Daz RV Park - 270 703-1214
Twin Lakes Backcountry Area Campground - 270 924-2000
Map - Fishing & Camping Areas
Contact Information
Kentucky Dam Marina
466 Marina Dr
Gilbertsville, KY 42044
270 362-8386
Fishing lakes in each state
020526
KENTUCKY
Information about fishing lakes in Kentucky
Kentucky Lake, in southern KY offers great fishing for bass, crappie, stripers, hybrid stripers, catfish, sunfish, pike, walleye, sunfish, and paddlefish.
