HOW YOUR MEASURE YOUR CATCH       
Measure all fish from the tip of the lower jaw (closed) to the tip of the tail with fish laid flat on rule with tail lobes squeezed together. Undersized fish must be returned immediately to the waters from which they were taken in the best possible physical condition.

THE LAKES, WEATHER AND WIND
Kentucky Lake is the largest reservoir in the eastern United States. It is located in the western Kentucky with Lake Barkley flowing parallel to it.  These two massive lakes combine to form the largest man-made body of water in the world. Kentucky Lake is almost 185 miles long stretching from Gilbertsville, KY deep into West Tennessee with over 2000 miles of shoreline. Construction began in 1938 and was completed in 1944 on Kentucky Dam. It is a hydro-electric dam which can produce almost 200,000 kilowatts of electricity. It along with Barkley also play a large part in flood control on the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi waterways and they protect close to 10 million acres of land with a flood stage storage capacity of 4 million acre-feet of water.

Navigation is another large part of the two lakes. The Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers link major cities across the mid-south by water. The system of locks and dams that are strategically placed along the rivers paths keep water levels safe thus allowing shipments of grain, coal, gravel and a large assortment of other commodities which keep the country moving. Locks are located at both dams and allow access to the Ohio River through the Tennessee and Cumberland River.

The lakes have numerous ramps, resorts, marinas and bait shops. A short search on the internet can provide you with many options for lodging and launching. The larger bays such as Big Bear, Jonathan Creek and Blood River offer resorts and ramps along with great close-by fishing opportunities for those of us with smaller boats.

However don’t overlook fishing opportunities the “Land between the Lakes” side has to offer. If you have a good boat and are comfortable navigating larger water try fishing the LBL. These bays offer great fishing and usually less pressure then you’ll find on the developed side of the lakes. Remember on the water you’ll need a good map, compass, personal floatation device, first aid kit, cell phone, etc. You don’t want to get caught without the State required items on these lakes. Besides risking a ticket you may be risking your life!  

Both lakes lay roughly north to south. Being so long, a moderate wind (especially north or south winds) can produce good sized waves. Strong wind can produce some large rollers. Be CAREFUL when strong winds or possible severe weather is predicted. Wind forecasts are calculated over ground. Keep in mind winds over water are normally 5 to 10 MPH higher or more due to lack of obstructions. Follow marked channel crossings as underwater stumps, foundations, etc can be found in certain areas of mid-lake. I STRONGLY recommend a good lake map or mapping software. Also fishing just prior to a storm can be great but don’t let this delay your return to the ramp or marina. Storms can approach quickly and often without much warning. For better warning, area weather forecasts can be found on TV Channel 6 from Paducah, Froggy 103.7 FM, and NOAA Weather Station KIH 46 located in Mayfield, KY at Frequency 162.475