Crappie
The crappie fishing is very good on Lake Barkley. Most anglers have heard how good the fishing is on Kentucky Lake for the crappie. People don’t talk about Lake Barkley as much, but you can do very well here as well when fishing for crappie. The spring spawn is the peak time for sure, but you can catch them deeper the rest of the fishing season.
Bluegill & Other Sunfish
Lake Barkley is also home to some big bluegill and good numbers of bluegill in the 6 to 8 inch range. The spring and early summer is a very good time to fish for the bigger bluegill as they move into the shallows in good numbers. This is the time of year that many anglers target bluegill and redear sunfish. Small jigs tipped with little pieces of worms and wax worms will put plenty of fish in the livewell.
Yellow Perch
Perch are here in very limited numbers on Lake Barkley. Some anglers run into a school every once in a while, but don’t expect to catch a bunch of perch on your trips here. If you do, consider it a bonus and enjoy those tasty fillets.
Yellow Bass
Yellow bass are also here in good numbers. Most of these fish run small on this lake, but there are some good fish here too. Most anglers target them when they school up in big numbers on the main lake ledges.
