KY/Barkley Lake Canal_Launch Ramp?

KY/Barkley Lake Canal: Where are the best places to launch from in order to fish the canal area? Thanks.

KY lake dam or kuttawa on barkley

Depends on what kind of boat you've got. When I'm hitting the catfish spawn in my jon-boat, I usually lauch out of the Nickel Branch ramp - it doesn't have a courtesy dock so you have to beach the boat when parking. Green Turtle Bay has a ramp that can be used for a small fee, or you can use the ramp by Barkley Dam.

9 times out of 10 I just launch from Ky Dam Marina

Barkley dam

No one has mentioned the launch I use. It is right beside the lock on Barkley dam. To get to it, you take 62 west, and and as soon as you cross the bridge, you take the next left that says "Barkley Dam". You head down the road, come to a yellow gate, and the road turns right. Take that turn and it takes you right down to a great ramp and courtesy dock. I believe it is called Double Creek. I really enjoy fishing around this area myself.

Besides that bay being a great fishing place, the canal is only a short distance down on the right.

Good luck,

Danny

Thanks much to all for the information. I will be down on Thursday fishing out of Buzzard Rock. Later in the week, I might try the Canal area. Question, Nickel Branch, is this a paved ramp or gravel. I will launching a Lund 17 Ft., SS1700 V boat. Do you think I can launch this deep V out of there?
Boone

With the water down I would not want to try launching a Lund at Nickel Branch myself. Like Danny said, the ramp at Barkley Dam is a very nice one...and your very close to the canal there. There is a concrete ramp in Denumbers if you are wanting to fish that area. Be aware that neither the ramp at Denumbers nor Nickel Branch have a dock.

I think you'd be all right launching at Nickel Branch, the ramp is concrete - heck people launch pontoons out of there all the time.

Shoot, if you're going to be in Buzzard Rock, you can spend all day in there! If Buzzard isn't enough for you, you could easily motor down the lake to Kuttawa and fish it too. My family had a houseboat for years at Buzzard Rock and because of it I know that area like none other! There's plenty of good fish in there, especially crappie!