Hope Someone Here Can Help:

I live in Ohio, I have an old friend from New England coming to visit the last week in September, we'd like to go fishing in Kentucky.

1. We are conoeists. I've canoed & kayaked on big lakes all over the country and it starts to feel like you're on a skateboard in the middle of the freeway! :eek: Not good. We'd like to find a lake that has either no motorboats or very low horsepower. From what I've read, that certainly leaves out Kentucky Lake, Cumberland, some of the other big, popular spots.

2. We're tent campers. Would like a lake with a decent campground, a few trees would be nice, doesn't have to be fancy just neat & clean.

3. A reasonable-sized lake. Doesn't have to be 10,000 acres but 30 or 40 is probably too small.

4. Last but not least, something with a few fish in it would be nice! :)

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

Wow that leaves alot of open territory, Lake malone has a State Park with a nice campground and is about 700 or so acres and has been listed as one of the new best kept secret bass lakes for our state. Since you mentioned canoes here is an alternative you might want to consider. Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam, has the Kendall recreation campground, and the river is the premier trout waters this side of the Mississippi River. The river is low but a canoe has plenty of water and with the 4 on 4 off generation at the dam the fishing is great there are over eighty miles of the river before the TN state line and there are world class brown trout , rainbows and huge striper that will challenge any fisherman and with the water temps as low as they are when you are in the river basin it is like being in an air conditioned enviroment. We were there this past week end and caught our limits so quickly each day we switched to barbless hooks and went catch and release just to keep up the fun. For more info just look up Kentucky state resort parks and fishing guides there are alot of lakes and fishing areas listed, like the Peabody wildlife managment area where no motors are allowed. just a few hints and there are more rivers like the green, barren, salt, and many others that could give you a great trip, the Green river passes through Mammoth cave national park and has good fishing and a chance to visit the coolest tourist attraction in the state right now. it is always 63 in the cave. Hope this gives you a few ideas.

Dennis

There's only a few KY "lakes" that have restricted HP. And most of them are quite small.
Late Sept ... the traffic won't be too awful bad, as there will be far less "players" on the waters, even the larger lakes.
You might consider checking into the following lakes, to see if they meet your criteria :
Laurel Lake
Green River Lake
Cave Run Lake
Paintsville Lake
Yatesville Lake

You might also want to contact the KDFWR, and get brochures sent to you, showing you the many different lakes, access points, campsites, etc. Also get a 2007 Sport Fishing & Boating Guide (rules/regs). Ph # 1-800-858-1549

Or go online ... [url]www.fw.ky.gov[/url] .... and look under "fishing" link, then "where to fish" and the "2007 Forecast" links.

..... luck2ya ... cp

Mills Creak Lake at Natural Bridge State Park (Red River Gourge) is a small, no gas motor lake that is stocked with trout. Not the best fishing, but the sceenery and the ample nearby camping and outdoor activities are outstanding.

Buckhorn Lake has a boat-in campground. Fishing is good and the lake is small enough that you won't feel like you're on the Ocean but big enough you won't feel like you're in a fish bowl. Might catch a Muskie.

Laurel Lake is a big lake with outstanding fishing and plenty of no wake sections to get out of the traffic. Canoeing amonst the flooded timber is quite nice and trout, smallmouth, and walleye abound.

I've canoed all these places, but if I was going in Septemper, I would take BigPoppy's advice and head down the Cumberland or Green River. Cumberland hands down if you want to catch fish. Green if you want to enjoy the ride, ease of free camping (islands), and available shuttle service.

There are some excelent suggestions already. I'm not too sure how far you want to drive, and that could influence this next suggestion of mine. Over here in Western KY, Union County I believe, you will find exactly what you are describing.... Mauzey Lake.

I've not been there since I was a child, but my sister took her family a few years ago and said it was pretty much unchanged. Best I remember they do have a campground too.

I tell you, there are a lot of places in this great STate that will fill the bill you are describing.

Danny

I agree with BIGPOPPY on this a float down the Cumberland at that time of year would be great, also there is also good canoeing around Barren you can go up to the river past Browns ford to Holland bridge and canoe around there, not much boat traffic around that part and full of hybrids and some smallies. Good luck.

Don't give up on the big lakes all together. I live on Kentucky Lake and if you come during the week, you will not have a lot of company on the water. And seeing that it is the end of September kids will be in school and most family vacations will be over. I have a couple of friends that com about that time of year and they bring kayaks and have a blast and I have never heard them complain about traffic.

If you don't mind primitive camping, the strip pit lakes on peabody land in west KY is exactly what you described. Little traffic, outstanding fishing.

The Green River below Green River Lake Dam in Taylor/Green Co. is the fourth most ecologically diverse river in America and has good fishing as
well. There is a outfitter who runs a shuttle service for canoes and has
cheap cabins on the river. Green River Paddle Trail (Mike)270-789-2956