top 10 fishing lakes in kentucky

[Rudypoo4444]

Well I ment to put my bath tub at 57 it that tells you how much I like T-Ville.

LOL. That is too funny!

[basskid]

I have caught tons of largies and stripers at Taylorsville. Jigs work great there, use a Zoom swim chunk or whatever as a trailer.

[4given]

Hey Basskid. If you are that good at Taylorsville you need to take me fishing there, we could win a lot of money. I finished 9th there in the one and only (ever) time Renegade went there and I only had 2 fish. In fact 3rd through 13th had no more than 2 fish. Gary and David were the only team that had 3 fish, out of 115 boats. Every time I fish there 2 is my limit so I would be glad to learn from you. Let me know and we'll go.

I have caught tons of largies and stripers at Taylorsville. Jigs work great there, use a Zoom swim chunk or whatever as a trailer.

[Bassky]

My top 10:

Ky Lake
Barkley
Barren
Yatesville
Herrington
Nolin
Cumberland
Green River
Dale Hollow
Cedar Creek

Bassky

[basskid]

My top 10:

Ky Lake
Barkley
Barren
Yatesville
Herrington
Nolin
Cumberland
Green River
Dale Hollow
Cedar Creek

Bassky

best ranking so far... thanks. i definetely agree!

[basskid]

Hey Basskid. If you are that good at Taylorsville you need to take me fishing there, we could win a lot of money. I finished 9th there in the one and only (ever) time Renegade went there and I only had 2 fish. In fact 3rd through 13th had no more than 2 fish. Gary and David were the only team that had 3 fish, out of 115 boats. Every time I fish there 2 is my limit so I would be glad to learn from you. Let me know and we'll go.

i dont do tournaments at large, popular lakes anymore. i realized fishing small ponds, lakes, or streams are the best way to fish. just look, something like 75%+ of the state records are from small bodies of water. sorry.

[Fntsyfbgod]

I am not the most traveled angler in the state but I have fished most of the lakes mentioned.

A couple need to be on any list when it comes to black bass.

1.Kentucky Lake
2.Barkley
3.Barren River
4.Dale Hollow

I would argue Cedar Creek has to be on the list even though its not a big tournament lake.
5.Cedar Creek

After that it gets subjective. Everybody has their favorites they know and the best lake for you might be the one you know best.

I would put Nolin and Green River next. It takes 20lbs to win at Nolin and GR at times and there aren't many lakes like that out there. And they are big enough to sustain some good fishing once you figure the bass out.
6. Nolin
7. Green River

After that its really hard to pick the next 3.
Cumberland is a huge lake with a good population of bass. But the tournament weights havent been big there lately even in the bigger tournaments at least partly due to water levels. An overlooked lake that produces big sacks that is very close to Cumberland is Laurel River Lake. In a March Renegade tournament there this year there were 5 20lb sacks weighed in. Almost everyone in the tournament had over 10lbs. Another lake that has had a terrible year due to water levels and lack of grass is Cave Run. When its right its a great lake. Me and my family have fished it several times the past month sine the water returned to normal and have had a 5 fish limit of 16in bass every trip. Yatesville is probably the best lake in the far east of the state it is a very popular tournament lake and its easy to catch a limit of 15in fish in a day. But the winning weights haven't been as big lately due to the lake getting older and pressure. Other lakes mentioned were Rough, Beshear and Malone. I don't know alot about these lakes and I cant comment.

So my top 7 in no particular order after the top 2
1.Kentucky
2.Barkley
3.Dale Hollow
4.Barren
5.Nolin
6.Green River
7.Cedar Creek

After that its going to depend on you goals if you want to catch numbers or big fish Beshear might be your best chance at a 5lb fish but you might get more limits at another lake. Time of year because some lakes are great structure lakes in the summer like Yatesville and other lakes are hot in the spring like Laurel River and you need to night fish them in the summer. If you want a chance at big smallies your better off at a rocky lake. So its subjective after the top 7.
You can take your pick from Yatesville, Cave Run, Cumberland maybe, Rough, Malone, Beshear, and Laurel River.

But to finish my top 10 if I had to pick 3.
8. Cave Run-if you know the lake
9. Laurel River-in the spring or at night in the summer
10. Yatesville-for consistent keepers

[psvec]

The last two years Beshear has had the nod from the KDFW for the shortest time to catch a fish over 5lbs, and the largest winning bags on the average.

that place is great. I think Beshear should be on the list

[Rudypoo4444]

that place is great. I think Beshear should be on the list

I need to get back to Beshear and fish. I have only fished there twice, but I liked it both times.

[RICHYD4U]

Nolin above Green and Barren, come on now.....For the weights it takes to win tournaments I'd think Nolin would be toward the bottom of that list...I think a lot of people will agree with this one

1.Kentucky Lake/Barkley
2.Barkley/ Kentucky Lake....personal preference on which one you fish
3.Green/ Barren
4.Barren/ Green...depending on the time of year

I would think if you got the KDFW's rank of weights it takes to win tournaments throughout the year this would be your order

Thank you for correcting me regarding my opinion on my top 10 fisheries....not sure what I was thinking....I should have done more research.

-Rich

[elnutsmalljaws]

Spring
KY LAKE
KY LAKE
KY LAKE
KY LAKE
KY LAKE
BARKLEY
BARKLEY
BARKLEY
BARKLEY
BARKLEY

Summer

???????

Fall

See the Spring List

Winter

Dale Hollow
Dale Hollow
Dale Hollow
Dale Hollow
Dale Hollow
Dale Hollow
Dale Hollow
DALE HOLLOW
DALE HOLLOW
DALE HOLLOW
DALE HOLLOW
DALE HOLLOW

[sglass]

Believe it or not it took almost 15lbs to win a tournament at Wilgreen this past Saturday. Pretty good weight for 90+ degree day. I would add Herrington in the spring and early summer nights. I have seen many 20+ pound bags there March-June.

Shawn