Fishing Report For Rough River Lake, KY

By Rick Seaman

April 18, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Boat Launch Ramps
Marinas
Rough River Lake Fishing Video
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Rough River Lake, KY

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Rough River Lake, KY

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Jigs are a very popular bait at Rough River Lake, as they have been for years - especially in off-color water. Vibrating jigs, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits are also working well. The bass are moving shallow and actually seem to hit most any lures. During slow times, stick worms, rigged wacky style, often get uninterested bass to connect. In the clearer water, jerkbaits and crankbaits are catching bass, especially on rocky and gravel banks and points. The lake has a lot of smaller bass, but there are still plenty of quality fish, as tournament anglers often need a 3-pound average or heavier to take top prize.

Hybrid Striped Bass

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good

While Fall is the prime time to catch hybrids at Rough River Lake, plenty are caught year round. Swimbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, spoons, cut bait and chicken livers are catching hybrid stripers. Their primary diet is the schools of baitfish throughout the lake, and they follow these schools to stay close to the food supply. Use electronics and fish finders to locate both bait and wipers. Slow drifting over ledges and flats works well , especially in late Fall.

Black Crappie - White Crappie

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Crappie fishing is picking up as Spring weather warms the shallow coves. Their mind is on spawning and feeding, so the fishing is picking up fast. Once Spring is over crappie move outside these spawning coves to drop-offs with cover. Fish attractors planted by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, include brush piles, Christmas trees, and other materials. These are a great place to locate a school of crappie. There are quite a few in the Axtel Campground and Laurel Branch Campground areas. Docks, bridge pilings, brush, wood and vegetation are also good places to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Anglers are reporting good success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, once they move off the bank.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill and hybrid striped bass at Rough River Lake in Kentucky.

Rough River Lake, a 5,000-acre lake with over 250 miles of shoreline. Catfish, bass, hybrid stripers and crappie fishing can be excellent here. The lake also maintains nice populations of smallmouth bass, spotted bass and bluegill. There are areas available for fishing from the bank.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

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.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".