Crappie
Both species of crappie (black and white), as adults, feed predominantly on smaller fishes (which include the threadfin shad and drum fry in Kentucky Lake). They have diverse diets, however, including zooplankton, insects, and crustaceans. By day, crappie tend to be less active and to concentrate around weed beds or submerged objects, such as logs and man made cover such as brush piles and stake beds; they feed especially at dawn and dusk, moving then into open water or approaching the shore.

They are highly regarded game fishes and are often considered to be among the best tasting freshwater fishes. Because of their diverse diets, crappie may be caught in many ways, including casting light jigs, trolling with minnows or artificial lures, or using bobbers. Crappie are also popular with cold weather fishermen, as they are active in winter.

Largemouth Bass

The Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a species of fish also known as Black Bass, Green Trout, Bigmouth Bass, and Lineside Bass. The largemouth bass is marked by a series of dark blotches forming a ragged horizontal stripe along the length of each side. It can also be totally black. The upper jaw of a largemouth bass extends beyond the back of the eye. The average largemouth bass weighs 1 to 2 pounds and between 8 and 18 inches long. The largest of the black basses, it has reached a maximum recorded overall length of 38 inches and a maximum recorded weight of 22 lb, 4 oz . It can live as long as 23 years.

Smallmouth Bass 

The smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus. One of the black basses, it is a popular game fish sought by anglers throughout the temperate zones of North America, and has been spread by stock to many cool-water rivers and lakes in the United States and Canada. The smallmouth bass is native to the upper and middle Mississippi River basin, the Saint Lawrence River–Great Lakes system, and up into the Hudson Bay basin. Its common names include Smallmouth, Bronzeback, Brown Bass, Brownie, and Bronze Bass. They have become more predominate on Kentucky Lake in the last 10 years or so. However largemouth still rule the generally shallower Lake Barkley.

Spotted Bass
The spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. One of the black basses, it is native to the Mississippi River basin and across the Gulf States, from central Texas through the Florida panhandle. Its native range extends into the western Mid-Atlantic States and it has been introduced into eastern North Carolina and Virginia. It has also been introduced to southern Africa, where it has become established in some isolated waters. It is often mistaken with the similar and more common largemouth bass. The spotted bass is also known as the Kentucky bass, and is the state fish of Kentucky. It is commonly found in the waters of Kentucky Lake, but not so much on Barkley as largemouth still rule the roost.

Blue Cats
The blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) is one of the largest species of North American catfish. Blue catfish are distributed primarily in the Mississippi River drainage including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas rivers. These large catfish have also been introduced in a number of reservoirs and rivers, notably the Santee-Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina and the James River in Virginia. The current angling world record is 124 pounds and was caught by Tim Pruitt on May 22, 2005, in the Mississippi River.

Channel Cats
Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are North America's most numerous catfish subspecies. They are also the most fished types of catfish, with approximately 8 million anglers in the USA targeting them per year. A member of the Ictalurus genus of American catfishes, channel catfish have a top-end size of approximately 40-50 pounds (18-23 kg). The world record channel catfish weighed 58 pounds and was caught in 1964 in the Santee-Cooper Reservoir, South Carolina. Realistically, a channel catfish over 20 pounds (9 kg) is a spectacular specimen, and most catfish anglers view a 10 pound (4.5 kg) fish as a very admirable catch. Furthermore the average size channel catfish an angler could expect to find in most waterways would be between 2 and 4 pounds. Channel catfish flesh is prized by many anglers and the popularity of channel catfish for food has allowed the rapid growth of aquaculture of this species throughout the United States. Kentucky Lake is home to many commercial catfish anglers so don’t be surprised to find area restaurants serving these tasty treats fried to golden brown with some hush puppies and white beans. Ummm Good !!!