cheesehead Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 I am taking a vacation to Kentucky dam village state park in early June. Not being a bass fisherman but knowing this is a good bass lake I am asking for some info on where to fish, what to use with spinning gear, and what to expect. I am also interested in crappie fishing I have caught them before but never used a spider rig a little help here would be greatly appreciated. Does any one live near here or fish this area often? Thanks, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 The facilities there are very nice. Ky. Lake is big. It is not so wide but extremely long. The marina there is protected well by a rock dike. There is a sailboat marina across from Ky Dam Marina. In the front of it there is a good size flat that has grass and drops off into the channel that was cut for the sailboats. This and the entrance into the marina are excellent. All of the major creeks are good to fish. They all have something. The smallmouth there are huge. Rick Clunn brought in a 5 fish stringer with 4 of them being smallmouth that went 32.4 lbs. What time of year are you going. Let me know and I can give you some lure suggestions. I fished Ky. and Barkley lakes for 5 yrs. Are you capable of making a run or do you want to stay close? Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesehead Posted January 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Thanks fo the Info Skeeter, We are heading down the first full week of June the 4-11 I believe. My boat is a 16' smokercraft stinger with a 50 hp mercury that pushes me around @ 32 mph, So I can make some small runs with it. 4, 8 lb small mouths? I will need an extra pair of shorts for when I fill mine . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvowell Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 I fish Kentucky and Barkley lakes all the time (they're my home lakes). Most of the grass and aquatic vegetation has been killed off in both of these lakes due to spraying by the Army Corps of Engineers. This has caused the bass to relate to wood cover in the shallows and deeper water structure. If you are going in June, I believe that is what you said, you should probably consider fishing some of the deeper stuff; however, depending on what our weather does, there could be some stragglers still spawning. Primary and secondary points in the creeks would be a good bet...deep cranks and carolina rigs. Being that is just a very few miles down the road (back to the east), you might consider fishing Barkley lake as well, if you have time. It's not as large as Kentucky and bass are more readily found on it, IMHO. Both lakes yield good numbers of large fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Like devowell said, cranks and carolina rigs are your best bet at that time. Jigs, and pop-r work well on ledges formed on steep walls where the main creek channel runs up against it. Main lake points and secondary points in the big creeks will be your best bet. Those smallmouth were caught in April on jerkbaits. That tournament is what started the suspending jerkbait craze. The weather got so rough that the second day of the tournament was canceled. The third day was still rough. I saw two Rangers come in with the trolling motors torn completely off. Barkley was my home lake when I lived there. It is a great lake. I never caught a smallmouth in Barkley. You also need to be in the channel on the main lake. Ky. is easier and safer to be on. It is much safer to run. If you can't catch any fish on Ky. then you won't be able to catch them anywhere. You will really enjoy yourself. It is a beautiful lake. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvowell Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Skeeter, I'm a photojournalist at the newspaper in Hopkinsville, Ky. and there's a lady that's 95 (I believe) who we're going to be doing a feature story on soon. She's an avid angler even to this day and she caught a 5lb 4oz smallie below Barkley bridge on U.S. 68-80 last month! Not many smallmouth in Barkley, but they are beginning to show up. You are right, KY is a much safer lake to navigate, especially for a first timer. Do you ever make it back to the area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesehead Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Thanks for the information Gentlemen. To expose my level of ignorance What is a Carolina rig? If I keep at it I'll have plenty of crank baits by Vacation time. We stayed @ lake Barkley in '99 and had a wonderfull time, except for a waiter named Ray who convinced my wife and sister-in-law to eat some red beans and rice, That is why we are headed back this year. It should be even better now that we have boats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted January 15, 2005 Report Share Posted January 15, 2005 Go to www.wmi.org and click on the bass fishing home page. Go to fishing reports and select Ky. It is the best site in the world for fishing reports. Tons of folks use this site. A carolina rig: Take 17 to 20 lb line and slide on a 1/2 to 3/4 oz worm sinker, tie on a barrel swivel and then put a leader of 12 line about 18 inches long on the other end of the swivel. Tie on a worm hook and put a worm, lizard, or other favorite plastic on the hook like you would a rubber worm. Throw it out and drag it back. This is a very popular rig. Especially in the south. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMAXX Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 Cheesehead If your coming in June you'll need to be on the main lake and need to check the generation schedule with the TVA, when they generate current is when you want to be out there usually after 11 am, June is crankin month on Ky Lake but you need the current for the good bite the harder they pull it the better,you can check for updated fishing reports on fishin.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Cheesehead, I was down there on a family vacation in early june a few years ago. If you want to do something different there are a bunch of old building foudations located in the middle of the lake a couple of miles south of the dam. I don't have my maps in front of me, but if I remeber correctly it would be an easy drive with your boat. When the bass fishing was slow or we had to take my mom and brother out, we went out to the area of the old town and trolled bottom bouncers and spinner rigs with night crawlers, just like we were walleye fishing. We caught all kinds of fish: Kentucky bass, largemouth, catfish, drum, and panfish. Granted, this isn't exactly bass fishing but the action was very steady. Let the bass go and keep a couple of small cats to eat, mmm mmm. Also, you may want to use some Berkley power crawlers in place of real night crawlers. Since this trip we have found that they work just as well for walleyes when trolling spinner rigs and they last a lot longer than a real night crawer and don't stink (as much) when you forget them in the storage compartment. Good Luck. Spike Spike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesehead Posted March 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Thanks for the tips Spike, I don't plan on keeping anything other than a few crappie for 1 meal while were there. But am open to catching anything that bites. A lot of time I don't even bother with the photo part of the C.P.R. I to like to use the berkly power baits when trolling thier just so much simpler to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artemis Posted May 13, 2005 Report Share Posted May 13, 2005 Kentucky Lake is slated to make for a nice bass lake this year. They had a pretty nice spawn there a few years ago, so fish are still plentiful. I frequently fish KY Lake and have always had lots of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
