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You are here: Home / Archives for Fishing

Kentucky Afield Outdoors: Three State Resort Parks for Great Fall Fishing

October 13, 2016 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Kentucky Lake at Kenlake
The dramatically cooler nights of the last few weeks are a blessing for anglers. These longer, colder nights pull the residual heat from the water, signaling to game fish that it is time to fatten up on the fall harvest of baitfish born earlier in the year.

The picturesque panorama of the changing leaves rings many of our reservoirs in fall. The fishing sometimes takes a backseat to the pleasure of soaking in all of the exquisite scenery. A fall weekend of staying at a Kentucky State Resort Park and fishing in the most superb setting of the year is a great stress reducer before the hub bub of the holiday season arrives.

Here are three of the best Kentucky State Resort Parks for a fall weekend fishing getaway:

Kenlake State Resort Park, Kentucky Lake: Kentucky Lake – along with its twin to the east, Lake Barkley – rank among the nation’s best largemouth bass fisheries. The lakes check in as the fourth best bass fishing destination in the southeast by Bassmaster Magazine for 2016. Few places produce as many largemouth bass weiging 4 pound or more, as well as mind-boggling numbers of 2- to 3-pound largemouths. A 25-fish day here is just so-so.

Fall is one of the best times to book a weekend at Kenlake State Resort Park (http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/kenlake). This park’s location provides excellent access to great bass fishing spots on Kentucky Lake and the lake is often nearly empty in fall.

During fall, Kentucky Lake’s largemouth bass are making the transition from deep water summer haunts on main lake ledges and channel drops back into shallow water. The sloping banks in the bays on the Land Between the Lakes side of the lake directly across from Kenlake State Resort Park provide outstanding action. The changing leaves on this undeveloped side of Kentucky Lake provide spectacular scenery.

Kentucky Lake at Kenlake
Try bottom-crawling a 1/2-ounce football jig in the Okeechobee craw or Cumberland craw colors down these sloping banks in Barnett Bay, Vickers Bay or Rhodes Bay. A 7-inch straight-tailed green pumpkin worm rigged on a 1/4-ounce Shakey head fished the same also produces numbers of largemouth bass. You also may stumble across a brute smallmouth bass in these areas as well.

Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Lake Cumberland: Striped bass in Lake Cumberland are thriving. The fishery is returning to its former glory after the lake was lowered for several years to repair Wolf Creek Dam. Southeastern Fishery District Biologist John Williams reports the number of fish exceeding 30 inches is dramatically improving. Anglers are catching fish heavier than 25 pounds with much greater regularity. This fishery will continue to improve for the foreseeable future.

Fall is a fantastic season for Lake Cumberland striped bass fishing and the location of Lake Cumberland State Resort Park (http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/lake-cumberland/) places anglers in the perfect spot on the lake.

In October, stripers usually hang from 35 to 70 feet deep along main lake flats and points. These same areas in the lower ends of major creek arms such as Beaver, Indian and Wolf creeks also hold stripers. The lower lake region, from Lake Cumberland State Resort Park down to the dam, seems to produce slightly better fishing in fall.

Bottom fishing live alewives, shad or large shiners is one of the easiest and most productive ways to catch fall stripers on Lake Cumberland. The small coves on the south bank of the lake from the mouth of Beaver Creek to the mouth of Indian Creek make great places to bottom fish in fall. Most of these coves have bank areas comprised of broken shale mixed with mud. Smart anglers beach the nose of their boats on these soft banks and fish their live bait rigs off the back of the boat.

A slip-sinker rig comprised of a 1/2-ounce egg sinker, barrel swivel and leader of 17-pound abrasion resistant monofilament line with a 5/0 circle hook on the business end works wonders. If you don’t get a bite within 45 minutes, move to the next cove.

Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park, Dale Hollow Lake: Few other lakes in the country produce as many robust 3- to 6-pound smallmouth bass as Dale Hollow Lake. The 6,614 acres of the lake in Kentucky make good water for fall smallmouth bass fishing. Bonus: Dale Hollow is one of the most scenic lakes in the upper South.

Leitchfield’s David L. Hayes caught the 11-pound, 15-ounce all-tackle world record smallmouth bass not far from the boat ramp now named for him at Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park (http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/dale-hollow/) on July 9, 1955. The weedbeds found in the coves adjacent to the ramp hold smallmouth bass in fall.

Drifting large crappie minnows or medium-sized shiners over these weedbeds produces the best numbers of smallmouth bass and fools the big ones. Use a size 1 Octopus style hook with a few slip shots gently crimped on the line 18 to 24 inches above it.

Weedbeds abound in Wolf River arm of the lake, as well as in Sulphur and Illwill creeks. Fishing the minnows or shiners on points in these areas also produces smallmouth bass, but the weedbeds seem to the more consistent producer of bigger fish.

Visit a Kentucky state resort park this fall and enjoy bountiful fishing during the best time of year.

Author Lee McClellan is a nationally award-winning associate editor for Kentucky Afield magazine, the official publication of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. He is a life-long hunter and angler, with a passion for smallmouth bass fishing.

Filed Under: Autumn Fun, Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park, Kenlake State Resort Park, Kentucky Lake, Lake Cumberland State Resort Park Tagged With: Fishing, Kentucky Lake fishing, Lake Cumberland fishing

Pictures of the Day: Fishpond Lake in Letcher County

April 17, 2015 by Joi Sigers 2 Comments

Fishpond Lake, Letcher County, Ky.
Are these pictures gorgeous or what?! I’m afraid I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing Fishpond Lake in Letcher County, Kentucky… yet, that is.  After seeing these beautiful pictures, taken by photographer Wanda L. Whitehead (WL Whitehead Snapshots), I can’t wait to go see this beautiful lake in person.

I did a little reading about Fishpond Lake and quickly discovered that fishermen love it. Men and women who enjoy fishing count this lake among their favorites.

Fishpond Lake, which was built in 1964, is located approximately 2.5 miles southwest of Jenkins off U.S. 119.

Here’s a little information from Anglerweb:  

Fishpond Lake is a deep, clear mountain lake near Payne Gap in Letcher County. The lake receives 6,000 trout annually from stockings in January, April, May and October.

Fishpond has plenty of room to bank fish — a blacktop road goes around the entire lake. Camping facilities are available.

Facilities include a launching ramp, picnic area, basketball court, and tennis court. No swimming is allowed.

Species present in the lake include rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, warmouth, black crappie, and brown bullhead.

Thanks so much to Wanda for sharing her beautiful pictures with Genuine Kentucky. See more of her wonderful Kentucky pictures at WL Whitehead Snapshots.

Fishpond Lake in Letcher County, Kentucky
Fishpond Lake in Letcher County, Kentucky
Fishpond Lake in Letcher County, Kentucky
Fishpond Lake in Letcher County, Kentucky
Fishpond Lake in Letcher County, Kentucky

 

Filed Under: Fishpond Lake, Kentucky Picture of the Day Tagged With: Fishing, Fishpond Lake, Letcher County

Junior Fishing Tournament at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park

July 13, 2012 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Greenbo Lake

Greenbo Lake

Beautiful Greenbo Lake State Resort Park will host its Junior Fishing Tournament July 28 for ages 3-15.

Prizes will be awarded in each age group for the biggest fish caught and the most fish caught. Age groups are 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and 13-15, both boys and girls. � Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the fishing tournament starts at 10 and goes to noon. No registration fee. No fishing in boats. This event is sponsored by Great Outdoors, Distinctive Specialtees, Evans Funeral Home and Pressure Tech.

What a great, great, great way to get the kids outside and spend quality time together.Ã?  Personally I don’t think nearly enough kids spend time in the great outdoors these days. Frankly, I don’t think staying inside playing games 24/7 is doing them any favors.Ã?  I LOVE events like this that encourage family fun while exposing kids to the fun and wonders of the great outdoors.

Greenbo Lake State Resort Park is on KY 1, 18 miles north of Interstate 64 from the Grayson exit, or 8 miles south of U.S. 23, the Country Music Highway on KY 1.

Greenbo Lake features the Jesse Stuart Lodge with 36 rooms, convention center and Anglers� Cove Restaurant.

The park has a 225-acre lake for boating and fishing, tennis courts, and 25 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. The campground is open April 1 through Oct. 31. Greenbo�s amphitheater features musical concerts and plays during the summer and fall.

Most (not all) of the State Resort Parks have swimming pools for guests only.Ã?  Greenbo Lake State Resort Park has a very active community pool with water slide that sits near the lake. There’s a separate swimming pool that’s available for guests of the lodge.

Speaking of Greenbo Lake State Resort Park lodging, there’s currently a Fishermanââ?¬â?¢s Special that’ll… excuse the pun… float your boat.Ã?  Stay one night get the second night half price Sunday – Thursday. Valid through September 3, 2012.Ã?  Call 800-325-0083 for reservations.

Visit Greenbo Lake State Resort Park for a lot more information, pictures, and events.

Filed Under: Fishing, Greenbo Lake, Greenbo Lake State Resort Park Tagged With: Fishing, Greenbo Lake, Greenbo Lake State Resort Park

Kentucky Lake Welcomes the Ladies

March 24, 2010 by Joi Sigers 1 Comment

Although this event has expired, there is always something to see and do in Kentucky. Visit our Kentucky Events  page for up to the minute happenings and be sure to check out our Things to Do in Kentucky  page.

 

Kentucky Lake is famous for its beauty and celebrated for its fishing. Lady bass anglers from all over the world will take their chances when Women’s Professional Bass Fishing comes to Kentucky on May 6th and 7th, 2010.

The Kentucky Lake event is open to all interested ladies with two divisions; a Professional and Co-Angler division. Local sponsors include Sportsmen’s Edge Triton Boat dealership, Necessity Jigs, Moors Resort and Marina and Ray Barga and Associates, Inc.

What a golden opportunity to take women’s professional fishing to the next level.

For additional information about the Women’s Invitational Trail Tournament on Kentucky Lake, contact Cheryl Bowden at cbowden1212@tx.rr.com.

Filed Under: Fishing, Kentucky Lake Tagged With: Fishing, Kentucky fishing, Kentucky Lake, women's professional bass fishing

Darryl Worley on Kentucky Lake, Fishing, and the Bassmaster Classic

February 19, 2010 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Many people officially start thinking about Spring and Summer with the Bassmaster Classic.Ã?  For me, it’s official when Baseball’s preseason begins!Ã?  Maybe that’s because I do more eating fish than Darryl Worley will be playing Feb. 19 (today) at the Bassmaster Classic prior to the opening-day weigh-in in Birmingham.

ESPN put together a great article/interview with Darryl Worley in which he talks aboutÃ?  fishing on Kentucky Lake, the Grand Ole Opry, and giving back.Ã?  Darryl Worley is our kind of people and he’ll definitely make you want to visit his hometown of Savannah, Tennessee AND get out on Kentucky Lake for a little fishing.Ã?  Read the interview by clicking the following link: Darryl Worley and the Bassmaster Classic:Ã?  Kentucky Lake, Fishing, and Giving Back

Be sure to watch the Bassmaster Classic on ESPN.

Filed Under: Fishing, Kentucky Lake, Kentucky Wildlife Tagged With: Catfish, Fishing, Kentucky Lake

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Also See: Best Fried Catfish in Kentucky
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