Elwood, if you're putting in at the Narrows, check out the places in Glasgow. There's a couple of reasonablly priced hotels there and a bed and breakfast. Glasgow will put you about 8 or 10 miles from launch. You might also surf to the state park web site and look into staying at the lodge there at the lake. It's pretty nice.

The typical spring patterns will work at Barren. It is BTW a good crankbait lake. You may be REQUIRED by law to do a little Carolina rigging though. Give me a shout on what days you'll be fishing, I may see you out there.