Barren River Sauger??

[CoonCreek]

A friend told me that sauger had been stocked below Barren River Lake in the river. Anybody know anything about this? If they are there, is anybody catching them? Just wondering.

[pointer]

I don't know about sauger but I'm pretty sure that they started stocking a native walleye strain in the river, above the lake. As far a catching them, sorry, I don't know.

[Olgrey]

They have stocked the sauger in the river below the dam and down around Bowling Green. I recently emiled the district biologist with some questions about them and he replied but did not have a great deal of information to provide. According to him, they have not sampled them lately to provide information about the size available to be caught. I did not ask, but if he knew of any being caught he did not offer that information. I would guess, and hope, that they are quietly reproducing and building their numbers. Hopefully at some point in the reasonably near future, we will have significant numbers of them to fish for. FYI they reportedly have good numbers of them in the Green River which is not too far away. If anyone is catching them, please post and let the rest of us know. You do not have to tell us where exactly.

[smashdn]

I don't know about sauger but I'm pretty sure that they started stocking a native walleye strain in the river, above the lake. As far a catching them, sorry, I don't know.

I tried to catch some of them about two weeks ago. No dice. Maybe I didn't go far enough up. I went about a mile up above the 100 bridge in Holland.

[killroy1221]

I have caught about five out of Barren River below Bowling Green while bass fishing. That was five years ago at least. 3 hit a big spinnerbait and 2 were on a floating rapala. I think my dad caught two or three as well. I caught them all pretty close together and then quit fishing the place because the drive. I am sure there are quite a few. Talked to some of the old timers and one, who knows more about fishing than anyone I know, said Barren is full of them below Greencastle but nobody fishes for them.

[Olgrey]

Killroy,

Although someone mentioned walleye earlier, I assume that you were talking about catching 5 sauger below Bowling Green. Relatively speaking, Greencastle is not that far from where Barren runs into the Green River. I could easily see them traveling up to there from the Green River. Were they above Greencastle or below, I'm just curious?

[killroy1221]

Killroy,

Although someone mentioned walleye earlier, I assume that you were talking about catching 5 sauger below Bowling Green. Relatively speaking, Greencastle is not that far from where Barren runs into the Green River. I could easily see them traveling up to there from the Green River. Were they above Greencastle or below, I'm just curious?

Yep, sauger. We were catching them on cranks and 1/2 ounce spinners. Little dudes were hungry. I think our best day was four sauger. One crappie. And about 60 bass between 3 people. It was below and in late summer. That should rule out spawn runs as the reason for being there. It was not real close to the dam either so it rules out them just being blocked in an upstream movement. I am fairly certain that there is a sizeable, self sustaining, population of the critters in that part of barren. Back years ago my uncle caught a few above greencastle on a lizard. If you fish anywhere between BG and Glasgow I am sure you have seen me around. I drive a green ranger and go to wku.

[smashdn]

There used to be an old road that hugged the side of a ridge that lead down to greencastle. It still shows up as an open road on some maps. It led down to the side of the dam opposite the lock. The lockhouse side of the dam is in a bottom.

It has been a few years since I have been up that way but it was very rocky right below the dam there, almost more like a large creek than a river. There were some mexicans swimming below the dam. It was darn near impossible to get down to the water itself on that side. It didn't seem very accessible by either foot or by boat.

We got covered in ticks walking back that old roadbed.

What is the closest ramp to fish below the dam at state street? Was there ever a lock there or was it always just a rubble fill dam?

[Olgrey]

smashdn,

I think the link below will provide you some information about the ramp locations if you know the area. Hope this helps. Good luck


http://fw.ky.gov/app1/WaterBodyDetai...=N&atype=*&CID=*

[Richiferd]

just an FYI on that ramp location link... DO NOT try to put in at the mouth of gasper... There is NO ramp whatsoever, just a small water runoff they call a ramp. Reason for saying this I just spent 4 hours STUCK in river mud and severely damaged my Ext cab 4x4 silverado, Not to mention the Bill i have from having to get West side towing out there to pull me out.. F&W really deceived me by having signs out there and that web link as well... If you do fish or try to boat there... do it at your OWN risk

[smashdn]

just an FYI on that ramp location link... DO NOT try to put in at the mouth of gasper... There is NO ramp whatsoever, just a small water runoff they call a ramp. Reason for saying this I just spent 4 hours STUCK in river mud and severely damaged my Ext cab 4x4 silverado, Not to mention the Bill i have from having to get West side towing out there to pull me out.. F&W really deceived me by having signs out there and that web link as well... If you do fish or try to boat there... do it at your OWN risk

Look like maybe the ramp there near woodbury may be the next best bet then if that is the area you want to fish. Only looked like a 5 mile run or so.

["The Man"]

I have fished the green castle section of river below the Dam in the summer time. We used a 14ft Jon boat. Had 2 sauger and one Muskie. My question is what size boat could you use at the woodbury boat ramp. Could you get a bigger in that section of river? Thanks