Kentucky River Beauty

I've had little success on this waterbody (yet), but it's become my favorite place to fish. We went yesterday and put in at Lockport. Fishfinder's dead, so I can't report water temps, but suffice it to say it was high, muddy, and swift. Headed upstream about a mile or so and tried some minnows and shiners, but it was so swift it was difficult to fish, so we decided we'd just take a boatride. Headed upstream some more and of course there are logs and debris everywhere, so we're keeping a close eye on the water ahead, and a couple hundred yards upstream I see something moving right to left across the water. We couldn't tell what it was at first, but I knew it had to be alive to be crossing the current like that. Then we pulled up even with it just as it climbed out of the water, and realized it was a deer! This big ol' doe came from an open field on one side (there are cow pastures near there), swam across the river with its swift current, scrambled up a really muddy bank, then ran up a really steep hill. It was really cool to see, and amazing that we'd just happened to be there to see it. We didn't catch a fish all day, but it was totally worth the trip, as always. Next time I think we'll put in at High Bridge. I hope we catch some fish, but if not, so be it. That river is a treasure!

[quote=RoadToad;323665]That river is a treasure![/quote]

Yes it is! I love the river. And the bass fishing in the Frankfort pool is improving after some rough years following the bourbon spill.

I've seen several deer swim across the Ohio when it's up, and can definetly see how catfish have aquired a taste for deer. One I saw was on a collision course with a barge I was pretty far away and couldn't tell if he made it but I'm sure there have been many that don't.

Lat year my nephew (pro1day) and I were fishing a tourney at Nolin and saw a pretty good size buck swimming across brier creek at the entrace to the main lake. Never seen that before, it was pretty cool.

By no means i`m a pro on that river but my father lives down there and we fish it with decent luck. Whites at the lockport dam and bass in creeks, but as someone mentioned the bass have slowed since the spill. The lockport dam is a good place to fish on the lower spill side. Pull up to the dam on the right side work a bait from the wall or in that area all the way back to where the barges used to enter and keep repeating, that has produced early in the year for us. but watch your boat and depth finder it is shallow in there, now in the summer do not take a chance on it you will bottom out. On the right side of the dam as you enter there were big rocks along the wall. Baits ive used and my dad Jointed rapala med size and shad rap suspending white blue spinnner baits and bomber crawl pattern crankbait, that dives 1-5 foot. Hope this might help this is how we fish on the ky river most of the time and have decent luck, We do not spank them every time but can manage a few fish. I have never fished above the lockport dam, we always fish below it.

I was on Dale Hollow once at the Wolf Creek Campground eating dinner when we noticed a guy in a boat coming at the bank rather quickly. Since it was no wake, it caught our eye, and we thought he was holding a golden retriever. Turns out he saw a baby deer struggling in the middle of the lake and had grabbed it and brought it to shore. Man, I never knew deer could yell out like this one did, it was one of the most awful yelps I have ever heard in my life. Anyways, the guy let the deer go on the shore of the campground, and the poor little guy, obvoisly stressed, jumped back into the lake rather than run through the campground. "Dam deer" Was the response by the guy in the boat. We all shared a good laugh and then watched the guys take the deer across the lake to the more secluded shore.

I was down at Barkley a couple years ago and saw a doe swimming across the lake. We were close to Lake Barkley State resort park. I have it on video. If I can find it, I'll post it.

[quote=EZGO;323720]I have never fished above the lockport dam, we always fish below it.[/quote]

Where do you put in to get there? I fished there once with a friend who grew up near there, and we put in right below the dam, like within sight of it. There's no ramp there, but the gravel bank slopes in so it's easy to put in. But driving down to get there is another story. He was driving a large 4WD without which we'd have never gotten down there, and as it was it cost him a trailer tire. Someone else told me he once walked through the woods to fish the bank from the Owen County side, but it seems to me they must have crossed private property to get there.

I saw a groundhog swimming across they KY one time when I was fishing below Lock #1. That was different.